Phillies: Five trade that won the 1993 NL Championship
This fall will be 25 years since the 1993 Phillies surprised much of the baseball world.
Predicted to finish last by numerous notable baseball publications, the Phillies rallied around a group of throwback players to win the NL pennant. There were some significant transactions that contributed significantly to this accomplishment. Here’s a list of the top trades that propelled the 1993 team.
We start with two precursor trades that ultimately led to the club’s success in 1993 as honorable mentions.
Terry Mulholland – starting pitcher (1993 stats: 12 – 9, 3.25 ERA)
Mulholland was in his fourth full season with the Phillies in 1993 after a trade with the San Francisco Giants.
Although rarely spectacular (notwithstanding his no-hitter in 1990 against the Giants), Mulholland was consistently solid, posting ERA’s in the 3’s every season. He earned an All-Star appearance in 1993 and although did not fair well in his only start in the NLCS, was a rock in the rotation and formed a solid 1-2 lefty punch with Danny Jackson.
Mulholland won 62 games for the Phillies over six seasons with an ERA of 3.81.
Tommy Greene – starting pitcher (1993 stats: 16 – 4, 3.42 ERA)
One of the best pitchers in the NL when healthy, Tommy Greene only had two seasons without injury problems. Fortunately for the Phillies, 1993 was one of them. Greene came over in a multiple player trade from the Braves on August 9, 1990. He threw a no-hitter in 1991 en route to a 13-win season with an ERA of 3.38. Greene got hit around in the post season against the Braves, but without his phenomenal 16 wins, .800 winning percentage regular season, the team likely doesn’t see the playoffs. Unfortunately for Greene, he would pitch in only 119 Major League games due to injuries. He retired following the 1997 season with 38 wins and an ERA of 4.14.
Danny Jackson – starting pitcher (1993 stats: 12 – 11, 3.77 ERA)
The number four starter in the rotation, Jackson was a workhorse, winning 12 and logged 210 1/3 innings in 32 starts. He dominated the Braves in his only start in the NLCS, allowing a lone run in 7 2/3 innings, earning the win. Jackson was with the Phillies only one more season, winning 12 and earning an All-Star appearance in 1994. Despite his short tenure in Philadelphia, Jackson was a key member of the rotation during the championship season.
4 – John Kruk – first base (1993 stats: 14 HR, 85 RBI, .316 AVG, .905 OPS)
The ultimate throwback player who appeared better suited for the weekend rec softball league, was a huge part of the 1993 team. In his third of three consecutive All-Star seasons, Kruk was a mainstay in the number three hole in the lineup. He scored 100 runs, hit 33 doubles, walked 111 times, had an on-base percentage of .430 and played surprisingly good defense. Kruk also led the team with five RBI in their NLCS win over the Braves.
Kruk played one more season with the Phillies before retiring with the White Sox in 1995 with a career .300 average.
3 – Mitch Williams – closer (1993 stats: 43 saves, 3.34 ERA)
Although many remember Williams for giving up the World Series-clinching home run to Joe Carter, the Phillies don’t get to the series without Williams.
Williams had his best season in Philadelphia in 1991, winning 12 and saving 30 with an ERA of 2.34. Solid in 1992 posting 29 saves, although, with a relatively high 3.78 ERA, Williams again was the closer in 1993. A rock in the NLCS, Williams won two and saved two, pitching to a 1.69 ERA in four appearances.
Clearly pitching with a “dead arm” in the World Series, Williams struggled. Sadly, he was never the same pitcher afterward, pitching to an ERA of nearly eight in parts of three seasons from 1994 to 1997.
2 – Curt Schilling – starting pitcher (1993 stats: 16 – 7 , 4.02 ERA)
Although Schilling had a relatively mediocre ERA, he led the team with 16 wins and was the NLCS MVP, striking out 19 and posting a 1.69 ERA in 16 innings. Schilling’s best years in Philadelphia were 1997 – 1999 when he appeared in three straight All-Star games and struck out 300 or more in both 1997 and 1998.
Schilling won 101 games with a 3.35 ERA in nine-plus seasons with the Phillies, and was inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame in 2013.
1 – Lenny Dykstra – center field (1993 stats: 143 runs, 129 walks, .305 AVG, .902 OPS)
Dykstra had the best season of his career in 1993 and was the catalyst for the Phillies offensive attack. He led the league in runs, hits, and walks while setting career highs in doubles, home runs and RBI. Dykstra hit .280 in the NLCS with two home runs and .348 with four home runs and seven walks in the World Series. Injuries plagued Dykstra throughout his career, retiring with the Phillies following the 1996 season.
While legal issues and personal problems have surfaced on numerous occasions following his career, there is no question Dysktra was the key to the team reaching the World Series in 1993.