That Balls Outta Here
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Philadelphia Phillies: 50 greatest players of all-time

By George Stockburger

Mike Schmidt,Third and First Baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies prepares to bat the during the Major League Baseball National League East game against the Chicago Cubs on 28 June 1988 at Wrigley Field, Chicago, United States. Cubs won the game 6 - 4. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Allsport/Getty Images)
Mike Schmidt,Third and First Baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies prepares to bat the during the Major League Baseball National League East game against the Chicago Cubs on 28 June 1988 at Wrigley Field, Chicago, United States. Cubs won the game 6 - 4. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Allsport/Getty Images) /
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. 1B. 1979-83. Pete Rose. 37. player. 6

The Phillies only had Pete Rose for a short time at the end of his career, but the nose-to-the-grindstone Rose still became a longtime favorite of the fanbase.

Rose came to Philadelphia as a free agent after the 1978 season, temporarily making him the highest-paid MLB player with a four-year, $3.2 million contract (about $9.65 million in 2018 dollars). Rose made his seventh-straight All-Star team and finished 15th in MVP voting with a league-leading .418 on-base percentage.

Rose was an All-Star again in 1980, despite posting an OPS+ under 100 for the first time since 1964. He led the league with 42 doubles, posted a .282/.352/.354 line, drove in 64 runs and scored 95. Rose picked up 14 hits, scored five runs and drove in three during the playoffs on the way to winning the World Series.

Rose produced another tremendous season in 1981, finishing the year with a league-leading 140 hits along with a .325/.391/.390 line, 33 RBI and 73 runs scored. He was an All-Star yet again and earned the only Silver Slugger of his career.

Rose’s performance steadily declined over the next two years before being released after the 1983 season. He still managed to play three more years, ultimately retiring after the 1986 season at 45 years old.

Rose finished his playing career as the all-time hits leader, breaking Ty Cobb’s record in September 1985. He is also the all-time leader in games played, plate appearances and at-bats.

Rose is infamously banned from the National Baseball Hall of Fame, as he gambled on baseball while he was the manager of the Cincinnati Reds. He was to be inducted into the Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame in 2017, but it was canceled as allegations of Rose being in a sexual relationship with a minor during the 1970s emerged.

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