All-time all-defensive team in Phillies franchise history
The Phillies struggled defensively in 2018 and should look to improve this offseason. Taking a look back, here is the all-time Phillies defensive team.
As the MLB free agency period has begun, the Phillies have numerous needs to address. One is defense, where the team had the second-most errors with 129 and ranked 29th in fielding percentage at .979. Taking a look back, we look at the top defensive players in franchise history by position.
Honorable mentions:
Scott Rolen
Rolen played his first six-plus seasons with the Phillies and won three Gold Glove awards while with the team. While only slightly above the league average in range factor per nine innings, Rolen was consistently above average in fielding percentage. His fourth Gold Glove award came in 2002, the season he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals.
While in St. Louis, Rolen racked up three more Gold Glove awards and later played for the Blue Jays and Reds, earning his eighth and final Gold Glove in 2010 at the age of 35. Rolen’s eight Gold Glove awards are third-most in history for a third baseman.
Larry Bowa
Bowa enjoyed a 16-year Major League career, the first 11 with the Phillies. He earned Gold Glove awards in 1972 and 1978 and likely got robbed of the honor in 1979 when he committed just six errors with an astounding .991 fielding percentage. Bowa’s lifetime fielding percentage of .980 is one of the best in league history for a shortstop.
Bowa also played for the Cubs and Mets and went on to become a coach and later manager of the Phillies, winning 337 games from 2001 through 2004. Bowa remains in the organization today as Senior Advisor to the General Manager.
Other noteworthy defensive specialists include these players who each earned one Gold Glove award in Philadelphia: pitchers Booby Schantz and Steve Carlton, catcher Mike Lieberthal, shortstop Bobby Wine, and outfielders Aaron Rowand and Bobby Abreu.
Jim Kaat – pitcher
Kaat’s career spanned part of four decades from 1959 through 1983. During a 25-year career, Kaat played for Minnesota, St. Louis, Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees as well as four years with the Phillies. Having already won 14 Gold Glove awards before pitching for the Phillies in 1976, Kaat won his final two with them in 1976 and 1977.
Kaat’s best defensive season was in 1978, not committing an error in 24 starts. His 16 Gold Glove Awards is tied with Brooks Robinson for second all-time behind Greg Maddux, who has won the award 19 times. Despite 283 wins and a 3.45 ERA, Kaat has not received the call to the Hall of Fame.
Bob Boone – catcher
Boone played the first 10 years of a very successful 19-year career with the Phillies. He won the first of two consecutive Gold Glove awards with the Phillies in 1978. His fielding percentages of .991 and .985 during that time was above the league average and he threw out 40 percent of would be base stealers during that period.
While Boone was the best defensive catcher in franchise history, his best defensive play was later in his career. He won five Gold Glove awards after the age of 34 while with the Angels and Royals, including four consecutive, his last at age 41 in 1989.
Bill White – first base
White played for three teams over a 13-year Major League career, three of them with the Phillies. A six-time Gold Glove award winner by the time he reached Philadelphia in 1966, White earned his seventh and final Gold Glove in his first season with the team. White committed just nine errors with a .994 fielding percentage in 1966 and only 21 in 396 games in a Phillies’ uniform.
White is tied with Vic Power for fourth-most Gold Gloves all-time for first basemen behind Keith Hernandez, Don Mattingly and George Scott.
Manny Trillo – second base
Trillo was part of an excellent double play combo with Larry Bowa in the late 1970’s to early 1980’s. In four seasons with the Phillies, Trillo took home Gold Glove honors three times (1979, 1981, 1982). Trillo’s best defensive season with the Phillies came in 1982 in which committed just five errors and had a .994 fielding percentage.
Even though Trillo didn’t win the Gold Glove during the World Series championship season of 1980, he was still stellar with just 11 errors and a .987 fielding percentage. Trillo went to Cleveland following the 1982 season with four other players for Von Hayes. Trillo also played for the Expos, Giants, Cubs and Reds before retiring following the 1989 season.
Jimmy Rollins – shortstop
One of the top players in franchise history, Rollins played 15 of his 17 MLB seasons in a Phillies’ uniform. He earned his first of three consecutive Gold Glove awards in 2007, his MVP season. He committed just 24 errors in 449 games during that span, with a career best .990 fielding percentage in 2009. Rollins earned his fourth and final Gold Glove in 2012, compiling a fielding percentage of .978.
Following his time in Philadelphia, Rollins played for the Dodgers in 2015 and 41 games for the White Sox. Rollins has a career .983 fielding percentage at shortstop, well above the league average of .973 during that time. His four Gold Gloves at shortstop are tied for seventh all-time.
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Mike Schmidt – third base
Arguably the greatest player and third baseman in franchise history, Schmidt is also the best defensive third baseman. Playing his entire 18-year MLB career with the Phillies, Schmidt earned first of eight consecutive Gold Glove awards in 1975. Getting better with age, Schdmidt earned his 10th Gold Glove in 1986 when he committed only six errors with a career best .980 fielding percentage.
Schmidt ranks second to only Brooks Robinson for Gold Glove awards among third basemen. Only eight players in Major League history have won more Gold Glove awards than Schmidt.
Richie Ashburn – outfield
The first Gold Glove award was given in 1957, towards the end of Ashburn’s stellar career. While playing during an era when Willie Mays got all the accolades in center field, Ashburn was one of the top defensive center fielders of his era. He had 10 or more assists 10 times with the Phillies with a career high 23 in 1952.
Ashburn consistently was well above average in fielding percentage with a career best .990 in 1953. He committed 10 or more errors in a season only twice in his 15 year career. Ashburn played two season with the Cubs and one with the Mets following his days in Philadelphia. He enjoyed a successful post playing career as a broadcaster with Harry Kalas and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1995.
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Garry Maddox – outfield
Known as the “Secretary of Defense”, Maddox was the best center fielder of his era and one of the top in league history. He won eight consecutive Gold Gloves from 1975 through 1982. Only seven outfielders in Major League history won the award more than Maddox.
Maddox had a career-best .995 fielding percentage with just two errors in 140 games in 1979 and posted a .992 fielding percentage with only two miscues in 1982. Hall of Famer and broadcaster Ralph Kiner once quoted that “two-thirds of the Earth is covered by water, the other one-third by Garry Maddox”, which says it all.
Shane Victorino – outfield
Known as “The Flyin’ Hawaiian”, Victorino spent eight of his 12-year Major League career with the Phillies. He took home his first of three consecutive Gold Gloves in 2008, adding a fourth with the Red Sox in 2013. He committed just five errors in 435 games during that stretch with amazing fielding percentages of .994, .997 and .995, respectively.
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Prior to playing in Philadelphia, Victorino appeared in 36 games for the Padres in 2003. Following his time in Philadelphia, he played for the Dodgers, Red Sox and Angels, last playing in 2015. He officially retired as a Phillie on Aug. 3, 2018.