The best Phillies players in franchise history to wear number 8
No. 3: Juan Samuel (1983 – 1989)
Samuel had an extraordinary amount of talent and could have ranked at the top had his tenure in Philadelphia been longer. He had tremendous speed and power that was unheard of for a second baseman during that time.
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An All-Star his rookie season, Samuel led the league with 19 triples and stole 72 bases. He surpassed 30 doubles, 10 triples, 15 home runs and 30 stolen bases in each of his first four seasons. Samuel’s best season was in 1987 when he hit 28 home runs, knocked in 100, led the league in triples with 15 and stole 35 bases, making his second of three career All-Star appearances.
Samuel’s playing career with the Phillies ended in a trade to the Mets for Lenny Dykstra, Roger McDowell, and Sam Eden. He later returned to the club as a coach, serving as a base coach from 2011 to 2017.
Among second basemen in franchise history, Samuel ranks fourth in runs, hits, and doubles, first in triples and stolen bases and second in home runs. He was inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame in 2008.