Philadelphia Phillies: 50 greatest players of all-time

Who are the 50 greatest players in Philadelphia Phillies history?

Compiling any all-time list takes hours of research and dedication, especially when you are examining the 136 seasons in Philadelphia Phillies history. Picking out the 50 greatest players in Phillies history? That takes months of examination, research and craft to compile.

Thanks to the work of several writers at That Ball’s Outta Here we have compiled the 50 greatest players in Phillies history.

The list comes with only a few stipulations, particularly the players eligible for the list. We did not include any Deadball Era players on this list, which means Ed Delehanty, Billy Hamilton, Nap Lajoie and Sam Thompson are not ranked.

An exception was made for Pete Alexander because his career started during the Deadball Era, but ended after.

Editors George Stockburger and John Town each compiled their individual top-50 player lists which came out very different in a couple of ways. George looked at more of the raw numbers and awards, while John favored some of the analytical stats more.

Both the lists were averaged out and after some debate players were added and removed from each list and adjusted on the final ranking.

The final list is compiled strictly from the average of the two lists with the exception of Roy Halladay, who moved up a couple of spots on the final list after his induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

The list only examines a player’s time in Philadelphia. So several players who might have had Hall of Fame careers might not be ranked as high as those who spent twice as much time in a Phillies uniform.

Honorable Mentions

The following three players were listed on just one of the two lists averaged out for the final ranking.

Jim Thome

One of the greatest free agent signings in Phillies history made one of the two lists, thus falling off the final rankings. After making changes to the Wall of Fame requirements, the Phillies organization inducted Jim Thome onto the Wall of Fame in 2016, despite playing just less than 400 games over two full seasons and two partial years.

In his first season with the Phillies, Thome hit a league-best 47 home runs and finished fourth in the MVP voting. After another strong season, Thome lost time to injury and Ryan Howard’s emergence. After being traded to the Chicago White Sox and bouncing around the league, Thome returned to Philadelphia for half a season as a bench player.

Thome’s 13.3 at-bats per home run rate is the best in Phillies history. His .541 slugging percentage is second to only Chuck Klein.

Jayson Werth

A castaway from the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers, Jayson Werth came to Philadelphia with few expectations. He ultimately developed into a feared bat in the middle of Philadelphia’s lineup for three years. Werth earned All-Star honors in 2009 and hit a career-high 36 home runs. He followed it up in 2010 with a league-high 46 doubles.

After leaving for the Washington Nationals in free agency, Werth became a villain in Philadelphia, but he was welcomed back as an alum last summer. Werth is among the top-50 all-time in 19 offensive categories. His .506 slugging percentage is on the border of the top-10.

Placido Polanco

In two stints for the Phillies, Placido Polanco was what he was, a solid player who did his job, when healthy. With a 15.9 WAR, .289 batting average and nearly 800 hits, Polanco finds himself in a handful of top-50 career numbers in Phillies history.

Polanco received a handful of Hall of Fame votes in 2019 and could find himself on the Wall of Fame.

While Manny Trillo‘s time in Philadelphia was short-lived, his defensive contributions for a championship-caliber club can’t go unnoticed.

Born on Christmas Day in Caripito, Venezuela, Trillo was signed by the Phillies as a free agent in 1968. His first stint in the organization didn’t last long, as the Oakland Athletics selected him in the 1969 Rule 5 Draft.

Trillo played 38 games for Oakland over two seasons before being traded to the Chicago Cubs in a package for Billy Williams. Trillo finished third in the 1975 National League Rookie of the Year race, despite hitting .248 with just 21 extra base hits.

On Feb. 23, 1979, Trillo was traded by the Cubs algon with Greg Gross and Dave Rader back to the Phillies in exchange for Henry Mack, Derek Botelho, Barry Foote, Jerry Martin and Ted Sizemore.

Back with the Phillies, Trillo thrived as the everyday second baseman. In four years, he earned three Gold Gloves, two All-Star appearances and two Silver Sluggers.

During the 1980 championship season, Trillo hit .292 with a career-high 25 doubles and 155 hits. In the postseason, he won the NLCS MVP after a three-hit performance in game five against the Houston Astros, finishing with a .381 batting average in the series.

Trillo was especially clutch during the 1980 playoff run, coming up big in the ninth inning of Game 5 against the Kansas City Royals.

In 1982, Trillo was packaged with Jay Baller, Julio Franco, George Vukovich and Jerry Willard to the Cleveland Indians for Von Hayes. Trillo bounced between five teams over seven years after the Phillies traded him. He retired after the 1989 season.

Trillo finished his career in Philadelphia with 516 hits and 118 extra base hits in 502 games. His 3.1 dWAR is 30th all-time in team history. While not on the Wall of Fame, Trillo has been a candidate several times.

Brett Myers never jumped off the page as a starter for the Phillies, but he remained a key cog in the early part of Philadelphia’s run of division titles.

Myers’ early career was unspectacular with a 4.84 ERA in 76 games from 2002 to 2004. His peak came during the 2005 and 2006 seasons while in the rotation. In 2005, he had a 3.72 ERA, 1.212 WHIP, 3.06 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 2.9 wins above replacement in 34 starts. He followed up that with a 12-7, 3.91 ERA, 1.298 WHIP and 3.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio campaign in 2006.

Myers moved to the closer role in 2007 after Tom Gordon hit the disabled list. He held the role for the rest of the season, finishing the season with 21 saves in 24 opportunities. Myers saw career bests in strikeouts per nine innings (10.9), strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.07) and fielding-independent pitching (3.75). He was on the mound when the team clinched its first division title since 1993.

Myers moved back to the rotation in 2008 with the addition of Brad Lidge. In 30 starts, he had a 4.55 ERA and 1.379 WHIP. He picked up two wins during the playoffs that year, but his most memorable moment came in the NLDS when he drew a walk against C.C. Sabathia in Game 2 of the NLDS. That walk led to Shane Victorino’s grand slam, one of the highlights of that year’s playoff run.

Myers only appeared in 18 games in 2009 after dealing with injuries for most of the year. He was released by the team after the season. He pitched in four more seasons in the majors before calling it quits in 2013.

Aaron Nola‘s career is still quite young, but he just put together one of the best seasons by any pitcher in the team’s history. He could quickly climb the ranks once his career is in the books.

Nola rose quickly through the minors, making his major-league debut just over a year after being selected No. 7 overall in 2014. He started off his career well with a 3.59 ERA, 68 strikeouts, 19 walks, 107 ERA+ and 1.197 WHIP in 13 starts.

The 2016 season started off well for Nola, but his season ended on the disabled list with an elbow strain. The worst was feared as the possibility of Tommy John surgery was thrown around, but he was able to avoid it and return to the team healthy in 2017. Nola returned to his level of production from his rookie year with a 3.54 ERA and 1.208 WHIP in 27 starts.

Everything came together for Nola in 2018, as he entered the upper echelon of pitchers in the league. In 33 starts, he had a 2.37 ERA, 3.86 strikeout-to-walk ratio, 0.975 WHIP, 175 ERA+, 224 strikeouts and 212.1 innings pitched. Nola led all major-league pitchers with 10.5 wins above replacement. He earned his first of what should be many All-Star appearances and finished third in NL Cy Young voting.

Nola’s 10.5 pitching wins above replacement were tied for seventh-most in franchise history and second-most in the live ball era. Steve Carlton is the only Phillie in the live ball with a better season in terms of WAR than Nola. His 2018 season also ranks fourth in ERA+ and seventh in WHIP in franchise history.

When we look back at Nola’s career, his 2018 season will stand out in what should be a long track record of success for the young righty.

It’s hard to ignore the success closer Jonathan Papelbon had in Philadelphia, despite him being one of the wackier players in recent memory. Perhaps better fit for the 1993 Phillies, Papelbon was just as dominant on the mound as he was loony at times.

One of the best closers in modern baseball, Papelbon signed a four-year, $50 million deal with Philadelphia going into the 2012 season. Papelbon was coming off a World Series win with the Boston Red Sox and joining a club coming off a 102-win season that included nine blown saves by seven different pitchers.

In his first season with the Phillies, Papelbon led the league with 64 games finished and made his first All-Star game in three seasons. His 38 saves were tied for the third-most in the National League. Generally, things were solid for him, despite the club finishing 81-81.

In 211 games, he sealed the franchise saves record at 113 thanks to a fantastic throw from Jeff Francoeur.

Papelbon’s personality went on to clash with the fanbase, Papelbon’s tenure was highlighted by an unfortunate gesture made towards fans. Philadelphia later traded Papelbon to the Washington Nationals where his woes continued.

Ryan Madson holds a unique place in Phillies lore as arguably the best setup man in franchise history. His success in this role helped the team win its second World Series in 2008.

Madson got off to a hot start to his career with a 2.34 ERA, 1.130 WHIP and 6.4 strikeouts per nine innings in 52 games in 2004 as a 23-year-old. After a down year in 2005, he was briefly moved to the rotation in 2006, which did not pan out.

Madson only appeared in 38 games in 2007, but showed signs of a return to effectiveness with a 3.05 ERA and 1.268 WHIP.

Things all came together for Madson in 2008 when he and J.C. Romero formed the “Bridge to Lidge”. In 76 games that year, he had a 3.05 ERA, 1.234 WHIP, 67 strikeouts, 23 walks, 17 holds and 82.2 innings pitched. He allowed just one run in nine innings between the NLDS and NLCS that year, but recorded two blown saves in the World Series.

Madson continued to be effective during the rest of his tenure as a Phillie. He took over as the team’s closer in 2011, recording a career-high 32 saves in 34 opportunities. He also posted a 2.37 ERA and 162 ERA+, the best of his career since his rookie season.

After the year, Madson came close to a long-term deal to remain a Phillie, but the team elected to sign Jonathan Papelbon instead. Madson signed with the Cincinnati Reds, but underwent Tommy John surgery before the season. It would eventually force him to miss three full seasons before reviving his career with the Kansas City Royals in 2015.

In nine years as a Phillie, Madson had a 3.59 ERA, 150 games finished, 52 saves, 113 holds, 547 strikeouts, 191 walks and a 1.294 WHIP in 491 appearances and 630.0 innings pitched. He is the franchise leader in holds and ranks second in Fangraphs wins above replacement and strikeouts among relievers in club history.

Rick Wise is more well known for the pitcher he was traded for in Steve Carlton, but he was an effective pitcher in his own right for the team.

Wise made his major-league debut as an 18-year-old in 1964, appearing in 25 games. He spent the following year in Triple-A and split the 1966 season between the majors and minors, posting a 3.71 ERA in 22 appearances.

Wise made the most of his first full season in the majors in 1967, finishing the year with a 3.28 ERA, six complete games, three shutouts, 2.70 fielding-independent pitching, 1.224 WHIP and 2.47 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

After a down year in 1968, Wise was back at it in 1969, ending the year with a 3.23 ERA, 14 complete games, four shutouts, 144 strikeouts, 3.06 FIP and 1.255 WHIP. His 1970 was respectable, although nothing special with a 13-14 record, 4.17 ERA and 1.443 WHIP.

Wise had the best year of his Phillies career in 1971, earning an All-Star appearance in the process. He posted career-bests in ERA (2.88), innings pitched (272.1), strikeouts (155) and ERA+ (123).

After the 1971 season, Wise was flipped for Carlton in a one-for-one deal with the St. Louis Cardinals. Wise remained a solid pitcher for most of his career, but will never be able to compare to the franchise legend Carlton.

In seven years with the Phillies, Wise had a 75-76 record, 3.60 ERA, 1244.2 innings pitched, 52 complete games, 13 shutouts, 717 strikeouts, 3.09 fielding-independent pitching, 1.302 WHIP and 2.19 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He is tied for 14th in shutouts, tied for 15th in strikeouts and 18th in fielding-independent pitching in franchise history.

Juan Samuel got his start with the Phillies after being signed from the Dominican Republic in 1980. In his first full season, he set the rookie record with 72 stolen bases and led the league in triples (19), at-bats (701) and plate appearances (737). He was an All-Star and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting to Dwight Gooden.

Samuel earned the second of three All-Star appearances of his career, as well as his only Silver Slugger in 1987. He again led the league with 15 triples, 655 at-bats and 726 plate appearances. He recorded career highs in home runs (28), runs batted in (100), runs scored (113) and walks (60). Samuel became the first player in major-league history to reach double digits in doubles, triples, home runs and stolen bases in his first four major-league seasons.

Samuel’s numbers dropped off in 1988, as he was being transitioned from second base to the outfield. He finished the year with an OPS+ under 100 for the first time in his career.

Samuel was traded to the New York Mets as part of the deal that brought Lenny Dykstra and Roger McDowell to Philadelphia. He bounced around the league after that, earning one more All-Star appearance before his retirement after the 1998 season.

One issue that plagued Samuel early in his career was striking out. He led the league in strikeouts four straight years from 1984 to 1987, tied for a major-league record. He ranks 10th in franchise history with 825 strikeouts, despite only playing in Philadelphia for seven years.

Samuel returned to Philadelphia as a third base coach in 2011, moving over to first base before moving back to third once Ryne Sandberg became manager. He was let go by the team after Gabe Kapler took over as manager.

Brad Lidge cemented his legacy in Philadelphia with one pitch, but his overall career warrants appreciation, despite a lack of longevity.

Pat Gillick acquired Lidge from the Houston Astros in November 2007, along with Eric Bruntlett for Michael Bourn, Geoff Geary and minor leaguer Mike Costanzo. In adding Lidge, the Phillies found the dominant closer they lacked with Brett Myers and Tom Gordon getting the bulk of the workload.

Lidge didn’t allow an earned run until May 13 and went 41-41 in save opportunities, helping clinch the final out of the regular season by rolling a ground ball for a double play.

The playoffs were no different for Lidge, who stayed perfect going 7-7 with a 0.96 ERA against the Milwaukee Brewers, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Tampa Bay Rays. He famously struck out Eric Hinske for the final out of the World Series to clinch Philadelphia’s first championship in two decades.

Unfortunately, Lidge’s career didn’t carry as well into the following seasons, mostly due to injuries. His ERA in 2009 went to 7.21 and he was 0-8 on the season, though he did save 31 games.

Over the next two seasons, Lidge was limited to 75 games and managed just one save in 2011.

Since leaving Philadelphia, Lidge has remained close with the team, often joining the coaching staff in spring training or midseason as a special instructor. He’s a potential Wall of Fame candidate thanks to his outstanding 2008 season.

Some argue that Mike Lieberthal is the greatest catcher in Phillies history. The numbers can back that up for the man who spent 12 seasons in Phillies pinstripes. While not overly impressive, his .275 batting average is the best in team history for catchers with at least 1,000 games.

Lieberthal’s 1,137 hits, 150 home runs and 255 doubles are the most among all Phillies catchers.

Those numbers are impressive, but they likely didn’t live up to many’s expectations when Philadelphia took Lieberthal third overall in the 1990 MLB Draft out of Westlake High School in California.

Lieberthal came up four seasons later and took over as the everyday catcher in 1997. He made back-to-back all-star games and won a Gold Glove in 1999, but hit over .280 just once in his first nine seasons.

A big reason Lieberthal struggled to perform consistently was injuries, especially those to his legs. He tore up his knee in 2001, had pelvic surgery and injured his ankle within a couple of years.

Lieberthal did bounce back from the knee injury and had four consecutive productive seasons with Philadelphia, hitting .283 and averaging 14 home runs a year.

Unfortunately, Lieberthal played in one of the worst eras in Phillies baseball, barely missing their playoff runs in 1993 and 2007. Since retiring he was inducted onto the Wall of Fame with other franchise legends in 2012.

Tug McGraw became an instant legend in the City of Philadelphia when he threw the final pitch of the 1980 World Series, clinching the Phillies’ first championship.

McGraw began his career as a starter with the New York Mets in 1965, but established himself as a reliever early on. Success wasn’t immediate for McGraw, who had a 4.47 ERA in his first three seasons with the Mets in limited opportunities.

After missing the 1968 season with the Mets, McGraw returned and began his dominant reign as one of the Mets best relievers. Over the next four years, McGraw had a 2.18 ERA and 57 saves for New York.

In 1973 McGraw’s “Ya Gotta Believe” speech helped lead the Mets to a World Series victory.

McGraw came to Philadelphia after the 1974 season along with outfielders Don Hahn and Dave Schneck for pitcher Mac Scarce, outfielder Del Unser and catcher John Stearns. He earned his only All-Star appearance as a Phillie in his first season. In five of his first seven seasons in Philadelphia, he had an ERA under three.

Statistically McGraw’s best season came in 1980 with a career-best 1.46 ERA and a fifth-place finish in the Cy Young race. And of course, he did this.

McGraw pitched four more seasons in Philadelphia before retiring after the 1984 season.

After working in the media and with the Phillies, McGraw fell ill in 2003 and was diagnosed with brain cancer. Months before his passing, McGraw surprised everyone at the closing of Veterans Stadium and reenacted his famous leap as one of the final moments at the ballpark.

McGraw passed less than four months later. He was honored with a four-leaf clover patch in recognition of his green St. Patrick’s Day uniform, which the team has continued to wear on the holiday during spring training.

McGraw is fourth all-time in games pitched, the sixth most saves and the most games finished in Phillies history.

A member of the Phillies Wall of Fame, Tony Taylor is considered to be one of the great second basemen in Phillies history.

Born in Cuba, Taylor signed with the San Francisco Giants as a teenager and was traded by the Chicago Cubs with Cal Neeman to Philadelphia for Ed Bouchee and Don Cardwell during the 1960 season.

An all-star in his first season with the Phillies, Taylor hit .287 in 127 games. That season began Taylor’s 12-year reign at second base in Philadelphia.

While Taylor’s numbers were never overly impressive and he never made another all-star game, he became a fan favorite in the 1960s.

One of Taylor’s best seasons came in 1963 when he finished 16th in the National League MVP race. In 157 games, he had a career-high 180 hits, .281 average, 10 triples and a 102 OPS.

On Father’s Day in 1964, Taylor made a play in the field that saved Jim Bunning’s perfect game, the first in Phillies history.

Despite Taylor being a fan favorite, the Phillies traded him to the Detroit Tigers in June 1971 for minor leaguers Carl Cavanaugh and Michael Fremuth, neither of whom ever played in the big leagues.

Taylor returned to Philadelphia as a free agent in the winter of 1973 and became Phillies’ the all-time leader in games played at second base with 1,006. Chase Utley went on to crush Taylor’s record with over 1,400 games at second base.

Taylor’s career ended with 1,669 games played for the Phillies, fifth-most all-time by a hitter, with a .261 batting average, 1,511 hits and 219 doubles.

Taylor ranks in the top-10 in Phillies history for games played, singles, at-bats, plate appearances and outs made after parts of 15 seasons in Philadelphia.

Larry Christenson had the potential to be higher up on this list, but injuries took their toll on him and ultimately forced him to end his career before his age-30 season. When he was healthy, Christenson was a model of consistency for the team.

The 1972 No. 3 overall draft pick got his first full opportunity in the majors in 1975. He started off well. In 29 appearances that year, he had a 3.67 ERA, 3.27 fielding-independent pitching, 88 strikeouts, 45 walks and a 1.130 WHIP.

Christenson posted similar numbers in 1976 then saw his ERA slightly rise in 1977. He came back and posted career-bests in ERA (3.24), WHIP (1.123), walks per nine innings (1.5), strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.79), complete games (nine), shutouts (three) and innings pitched (228.0) in 1978.

Injuries kept Christenson for large parts of the 1979 and 1980 seasons. His last productive season came in 1982 when he had a career-best 3.2 wins above replacement. He finished the year with a 3.47 ERA, 3.04 FIP and 1.188 WHIP in 33 starts.

Elbow surgery cut Christenson’s 1983 season short after nine starts. He was released by the team after the season and he never played again, despite attempts to rehabilitate.

Christenson finished his career with an 83-71 record, 3.79 ERA, 27 complete games, six shutouts, 781 strikeouts, 395 walks and a 1.280 WHIP in 243 games. In franchise history, he ranks 12th in strikeouts, 16th in wins, 17th in innings pitched and 29th in strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Christenson is tied with Rick Wise for the most home runs by a pitcher in franchise history. He hit 11 total, including seven from 1975 to 1977.

Andy Seminick joined the Phillies in 1943 after being purchased from the Pittsburgh Pirates, making his debut in September of that year. He took over as the starter in 1946 with his defense slowly developing with the aid of other veteran catchers.

Once he became a starter, Seminick emerged as one of the best offensive catchers in the game with a .264/.334/.414 line, 12 home runs, 52 runs batted in and 107 hits. He finished with the second-most Fangraphs wins above replacement among catchers that year.

Seminick earned his first and only All-Star appearance in 1949, as he had 24 home runs, 68 runs batted in and a .243/.380/.503 line. His best offensive season came in 1950 as “Grandpa Whiz” with the 1950 Whiz Kids. He finished the season with a  143 OPS+ and a .288/.400/.524 line in 130 games, finishing 14th in MVP voting.

After a league-average season at the plate in 1951, Seminick was part of a six-player trade sending him to the Cincinnati Reds. He was traded back to Philadelphia in April of 1955, posting one more solid season at the plate before his final decline. Seminick retired after the 1957 season after he played only eight games.

Seminick finished his career with a .243/.347/.417 line, 164 home runs, 556 runs batted in, 953 hits and a 107 OPS+. Among Phillies catchers, Seminick ranks third in home runs, fifth in WAR and RBI and eighth in OPS. He also ranks 18th in franchise history in home runs and 40th in RBI.

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.

Bob Boone spent more than half of his 19-year career with the Phillies and backstopped the first of just two World Series championships in franchise history.

Boone got the chance to take over the reins behind the plate in 1973 and cemented his place for years to come. His offensive numbers weren’t great (.261/.311/.365, 86 OPS+), but he shined on defense. He led National League catchers in assists and runners caught stealing, along with finishing second in double plays turned and caught stealing percentage. He finished third in Rookie of the Year voting.

Boone’s offensive peak came from 1976 to 1979, earning three All-Star appearances and MVP votes in 1978. In this time, he had 36 home runs, 240 runs batted in, a .282/.351/.414 line and 108 OPS+. Boone also back-to-back Gold Glove awards in 1978 and 1979.

While Boone was quiet offensively during the 1980 season, he came alive during the World Series. He drove in four runs and scored three more with seven hits, including two doubles. Both of those doubles and two of those runs batted in came during the team’s 7-6 win in Game 1 of the series.

Boone had the worst offensive season of his career in 1981, leading to a trade after the season to the then-California Angels. He continued to be a sound defensive catcher late into his career, winning five more Gold Glove awards, including four straight from 1986 to 1989. Boone retired after the 1990 season after suffering a broken finger.

Boone finished his career with 2264 games played, 1838 hits, 105 home runs, 826 runs batted in, a .254/.315/.346 line, and 82 OPS+. He ranks ninth in Phillies history in defensive wins above replacement and third for a catcher.

Boone was inducted to the Philadelphia Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005. He was on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot for five years, but fell below the five percent threshold in 2000.

A controversial player in Phillies history, Cliff Lee still ranks among the greatest pitchers to have played in the City of Philadelphia. If not for several unfortunate events, he could be regarded as a legend in the city.

In his first three full years with the Cleveland Indians, Lee won at least 14 games and finished fourth in the Cy Young race in 2005. Lee would win the American League Cy Young in 2008 when he led the league in wins, shutouts and ERA.

Philadelphia acquired Lee and outfielder Ben Francisco at the trade deadline in 2009 for prospects Lou Marson, Jason Donald, Carlos Carrasco and Jason Knapp. Carrasco became the only one of those four to become a full-time player. He is still a key piece of the Indians’ rotation.

Lee was simply dominant when he came to Philadelphia, winning seven of his 12 regular season starts and sending the Phillies to their second consecutive World Series.

In five postseasons starts, Lee went 5-0 with a 1.54 ERA and two complete games. Unfortunately, his dominance wasn’t enough to clinch another World Series, which would have launched him into Phillies greatness.

After acquiring Roy Halladay from the Toronto Blue Jays, Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. felt like he needed to restock his farm system. That same day, he swapped Lee to the Seattle Mariners for three prospects, none of whom panned out.

Lee ultimately returned to Philadelphia as a free agent for the 2011 season. He was a member of one of the greatest rotations in baseball history along with Halladay, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt.

Lee finished third in the Cy Young race behind Clayton Kershaw and Halladay after another dominant season with a league-high six shutouts. After two more strong seasons, injuries began to mount and Lee failed to pitch after the 2013 season.

A sour attitude and a hefty contract rubbed Phillies fans the wrong way with Lee and he was chased out of town, despite his dominance.

Lee ranks in the top-10 all-time among Phillies pitchers in 11 career categories. He held the career K/9 record until last year. His six shutouts in 2011 are the third-most for a Phillies pitcher in a single season post-Deadball Era.

Lee had several Hall of Fame seasons, but will likely fall short when his name is called on the 2020 ballot. He will be eligible for the Wall of Fame, but given the negativity surrounding his name in Philadelphia, his induction is unlikely there as well.

An all-time fan favorite, John Kruk was one of the great players on the wacky, wonderful 1993 Phillies pennant team. A third-round pick of the San Diego Padres, Kruk was traded to the Phillies in 1989 with Randy Ready for Chris James.

In his first 81 games with Philadelphia, Kruk hit .331 with a .859 OPS, impressive considering the trade. James had been a Rookie of the Year candidate with big home run potential who never panned out after leaving Philadelphia.

Kruk earned his first of three consecutive All-Star selections in 1991 and had another very productive season at the plate.

In 1992, Kruk had his best hitting season, highlighted by a .323 batting average and a .423 on-base percentage. It was the second of three times in his career he walked more than he struck out.

During the 1993 pennant season, Kruk’s hot bat continued to carry the Phillies offense. Not only was he recognized with an All-Star selection, but his third consecutive season with MVP votes.

The 1093 postseason was Kruk’s only playoff experience, but it didn’t show on the box score. Kruk hit .298 with nine RBI and 11 walks in 12 postseason games and hit .348 in the World Series.

Kruk hit at least .290 in nine of his 10 major league seasons, but he didn’t make the big leagues until he was 25, battled cancer and retired at 34 with the Chicago White Sox.

Kruk’s career .400 on-base percentage with the Phillies is the sixth-best in franchise history. His .309 average is 12th all-time. He rates in the 25 in 14 career offensive categories in Phillies history, and was inducted onto the Wall of Fame in 2011.

Only twice have the Phillies had the No. 1 overall pick in the MLB Draft. Prior to taking Mickey Moniak in 2016, Pat Burrell was the lone man to hold that title in Phillies history.

Philadelphia took Burrell out of the University of Miami in 1998 and got a strong return on investment two years later. Burrell flashed tremendous power immediately and finished fourth in the Rookie of the Year race with 18 home runs and 27 doubles.

For nearly a decade, Burrell was one of the Phillies’ best power hitters, highlighted by 37 home runs and 39 doubles in 2002, earning him MVP consideration. He had eight consecutive seasons with at least 20 home runs and four with at least 30.

Burrell finally got his playoff run in 2007 after several miserable seasons. His first playoff hit was a home run off Jeff Francis in the 2007 NLDS.

Burrell’s success in the short-lived playoff run carried into the 2008 season with 33 home runs and a .367 on-base percentage.

In the playoffs, Burrell struggled, but delivered in the clutch once again with three home runs. His final hit as a Phillie was nearly the game-winner against the Tampa Bay Rays after the multi-day rain delay, but he set up pinch-runner Eric Bruntlett to score the game-winner off the bat of Pedro Feliz.

Burrell left Philadelphia the following offseason for the Rays to become a full-time designated hitter. After winning a second ring with the San Francisco Giants, Burrell retired as a member of the Phillies.

The Phillies inducted Burrell onto the Wall of Fame in 2015, making him the first (and currently only) player from the championship club to receive the honor.

Burrell retired with the fourth-most home runs in Phillies history and is among the top-10 in all-time categories, including RBI, at-bats per home run and walks.

Despite his great name, Granny Hamner‘s contributions to the Phillies over 16 seasons have been forgotten in recent history. The middle infielder made his major league debut at just 17 years old in 1944 and played 21 games.

Hamner only played 39 games over his first four seasons in Philadelphia before becoming a full-time player in 1948. In five of his first seven full seasons, Hamner received MVP votes, finishing as high as sixth in 1950 when he struck out just 35 times in a league-high 157 games played.

When the Phillies won the National League pennant in 1950, Hamner hit .429 in the World Series, but Philadelphia was swept by the New York Yankees.

Hamner became a key player for the “Whiz Kids” and was named team captain in 1952. Only four players in team history have been named the captain: Jimmy Wilson, Fresco Thompson, Hamner and Mike Schmidt.

Hamner earned three-consecutive All-Star selections in the 1950s and had his best season in 1954 hitting .299 with 39 doubles, 11 triples and 13 home runs. Hamner became the first player in baseball history to start at two different positions as an All-Star, earning an All-Star start at short in 1952 and second in 1954.

In 1959, the Phillies traded Hamner to the Cleveland Indians for pitcher Humberto Robinson. After the 1959 season, Hamner played just three games for the then-Kansas City Athletics in 1962.

Hamner worked for the Phillies as a minor league director later in life and was inducted onto the Wall of Fame in 1987, six years before his passing.

Hamner is 11th in Phillies history for dWAR at 8.8, better than Richie Ashburn and Scott Rolen. He played the 12th most games in team history, had the 8th most at-bats and the 12th most plate appearances.

In franchise history, Hamner is in the top-15 for hits and doubles. He is in the top-25 for home runs, triples, total bases, RBI, singles and extra-base hits.

Roy Halladay only spent a few years as a Phillie, but in that time he produced some of the most memorable moments in franchise history.

Halladay had already been one of the best pitchers in the league by the time he was traded to Philadelphia in December of 2009. In 12 years with the Toronto Blue Jays, he earned six All-Star appearances and an AL Cy Young Award, in addition to finishing in the top-five of voting four other times.

Upon joining the team, Halladay became the ace and he did not disappoint. In his first year as a Phillie, he was an All-Star and unanimously won the NL Cy Young award, leading the league in wins (21), complete games (nine), shutouts (four), innings pitched (250.2), walks per nine innings (1.1) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (7.30).

In addition to his statistically impressive season, Halladay delivered two unforgettable performances in 2010. First came a perfect game against the Marlins on May 29, only the second perfect game in franchise history.

Then, Halladay made his playoff debut a historic one, throwing only the second no-hitter in MLB postseason history against the Cincinnati Reds in Game 1 of the NLDS. It was one of those events where everyone remembers exactly where they were when it happened.

Halladay was dominant again in 2011, earning another All-Star appearance and finishing second in Cy Young voting to Clayton Kershaw. That year, Halladay led the league with eight complete games, a 163 ERA+, 2.20 fielding-independent pitching, 1.3 walks per nine innings and a 6.29 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He produced career-bests in wins above replacement (8.8), ERA (2.35), strikeouts per nine innings (8.5) and fielding-independent pitching.

Shoulder issues took their toll on Halladay during the 2012 and 2013 seasons, ultimately leading to him making just 13 starts in 2013 and his retirement after the season.

Halladay finished his career with Toronto and Philadelphia with a 203-105 record, 3.38 ERA, 2749.1 innings pitched, 2117 strikeouts, 592 walks, 1.178 WHIP and 3.58 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 416 starts. He made eight total All-Star appearances and was one of just six pitchers to win a Cy Young award in both leagues.

Halladay died in a plane accident in November of 2017 off the coast of Florida. He was posthumously inducted into the Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame in 2018 and was a first-ballot inductee into the Hall of Fame in 2019.

Another one of the most beloved players in franchise history, Carlos Ruiz probably finishes a bit higher on this list than some would expect. Much of what Ruiz meant to the Phillies goes beyond his hitting numbers, and instead focuses on what he meant behind the plate.

The Phillies signed Ruiz in 1998 out of Panama with an $8,000 signing bonus. He didn’t make his big league debut until he was 27 years old.

Ruiz took over the everyday catcher duties in 2007 and was a better hitter than many remember. He hit 29 doubles with a .259 batting average and a .340 on-base percentage as a rookie, but didn’t receive any Rookie of the Year votes at age 28.

“Chooch”‘s defense emerged in 2008 and his ability to call a great game was obvious. Though he hit just .219 in the Phillies’ championship year, he managed a starting rotation led by a young Cole Hamels.

Through his 11 seasons with Philadelphia, Ruiz caught four no-hitters, including Roy Halladay’s perfect game. It’s the most no-hitters caught by a catcher in baseball history, showing how valuable Ruiz was behind the plate. He called excellent games and became a favorite of Halladay’s.

By 2015, Ruiz was one of the last remaining members of the 2008 club and had become one of the most beloved players in franchise history. He’s caught the fourth-most games in Phillies history and has the highest dWAR for a catcher in Phillies history.

Ruiz made two of the greatest plays by a catcher in Phillies history, sealing Halladay’s no-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds and making the diving tag at home in the World Series. He also delivered the game-winning hit in game three of the 2008 World Series versus the Tampa Bay Rays.

Ruiz will be a Wall of Famer, along with several of his teammates. He will be regarded as one of, if not the best catcher in franchise history.

The Phillies acquired Tony Gonzalez from the Cincinnati Reds during the 1960 season. He made a positive impact on the team immediately. In 78 games that year, he hit six home runs, drove in 33 runs and had a .299/.337/.485 line.

Gonzalez’s peak came between 1962 and 1967. In 1962, he hit a career-high 20 home runs, drove in 63 runs, stole 17 bases, hit .302 and posted an .865 OPS. He earned MVP votes the next year with a .306/.372/.436 line and 133 OPS+. His worst OPS+ during this time was 105, finishing with an OPS+ at or above 127 in four out of six seasons.

Gonzalez picked up MVP votes again in 1967 with career-highs in OPS+ (147), hits (172), batting average (.339), on-base percentage (.396) and wins above replacement (5.4). He finished second in the NL in batting average, fifth in on-base percentage, seventh in triples and ninth in OPS and wins above replacement.

Gonzalez spent one more year in Philadelphia before being selected by the San Diego Padres in 1968 Expansion Draft. He split the year between the Padres and the Atlanta Braves, finishing with an OPS+ above 100 for the last time in his career. The Braves traded him to the then-California Angels the next year, retiring after the 1971 season.

During nine seasons with the Phillies, Gonzalez played in 1,118 games, racking up 1,110 hits, 103 home runs and 438 runs batted in. He posted a .295/.359/.433 line with a 123 OPS+ in Philadelphia.

In franchise history, he ranks 18th in offensive wins above replacement, 24th in OPS+, 25th in batting average, 28th in total bases and 29th in hits.

It took Darren Daulton some time to get his feet under him at the major-league level. But once he did, he became one of the best catchers in franchise history.

Daulton started his career in 1983 with a two-game debut before returning to the minors for all of 1984. He spent 1985 to 1988 as the backup behind All-Stars Ozzie Virgil and Lance Parrish. He didn’t play more than 58 games and never hit above .225 during this time.

Daulton took over as the full-time catcher in 1989, finding his first success at the plate in 1990. He posted a .268/.367/.416 line and 117 OPS+. He was worth 4.0 wins above replacement that year, the third-highest mark of his career.

Daulton fully emerged as a true force to be reckoned with in 1992 with the best season of his career. He led the league with 109 runs batted in, while hitting 27 home runs. He posted a career-high 156 OPS+ and 6.9 wins above replacement, earning his first All-Star appearance and only Silver Slugger award, along with finishing sixth in MVP voting.

Daulton played a huge part in the 1993 NL Championship team, earning another All-Star appearance with 24 home runs, 105 runs batted in and a .257/.392/.482 line. He hit a key home run in the ninth inning of Game 5 of the NLCS and two-run double in Game 6.

Daulton drove in four runs during the World Series that Philadelphia ultimately lost.

Injuries started to take their toll on Daulton after the World Series, as he never played more than 100 games until moving to the outfield in 1997. He was traded to the then-Florida Marlins during the 1997 season, whom he won his first and only World Series of his career.

Daulton finished his career with a .245/.357/.427 line, 114 OPS+, 137 home runs, 588 runs batted in, 891 hits and 1,549 total bases in 1,161 games played. In franchise history, Daulton ranks 26th in WAR, 22nd in offensive WAR, 33rd in defensive WAR, 42nd in on-base percentage, 45th in OPS, 16th in home runs, 26th in runs batted in and 12th in walks.

The team inducted Daulton into the Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame in 2010 shortly before he died of brain cancer.

The Phillies signed Willie Jones as an amateur free agent prior to the 1947 season. He split the next two years between the majors and minors, finding a full-time role in 1949.

Jones’ first full year in the majors went okay with a .244/.328/.421 line, 19 home runs, 77 runs batted in and a 102 OPS+ in 149 games. He wound up finishing 27th in MVP voting, receiving two vote points.

Jones earned his first of two All-Star appearances in 1950 after hitting 25 home runs, driving in 88 runs and posting a .793 OPS in a league-leading 157 games. He again received MVP votes, finishing 36th. He was an All-Star again the next year with 22 home runs, 81 runs batted in, a .285/.358/.470 line and the highest OPS (.828) of any full season in his career.

Jones had a couple of seasons around league-average before breaking out again in 1956 with an .812 OPS. That was his last standout year with the Phillies before being traded to the Cleveland Indians during the 1959 season.

Jones finished his time in Philadelphia with 24.1 wins above replacement, 1,400 hits, 180 home runs, 753 runs batted in, 39 stolen bases and a .258/.343/.410 line.

Among all players in franchise history, Jones ranks 24th in WAR for position players, 18th in offensive WAR, 11th in games played, 18th in runs scored, 17th in hits, 15th in total bases, 14th in runs batted and 13th in home runs.

Throughout his career, Jones carried tremendous plate discipline. He walked more than he struck out in every season as a Phillie. Among all Phillies with 3,000 or more plate appearances, Jones ranks ninth in walk-to-strikeout ratio (1.41). He ranks eighth in franchise history in walks with 693.

Larry Bowa is one of the great Phillies whose career is great in the context of the club, but unfortunately falls short of Cooperstown. A livelong Phillie, Bowa has served as a player, coach, manager and executive with the club for nearly five decades.

Philadelphia signed Bowa out of Sacramento City College in 1965. Five years later, he was starting in the big leagues. Bowa finished third in the Rookie of the Year race behind pitcher Carl Morton and Bernie Carbo. Bowa received three first-place votes, as many more than he hit home runs that year.

Bowa swung a good bat, but hit just two home runs in his first 600 games. He managed to lead the league in triples and earned the first of two Gold Gloves in 1972.

In 1974, Bowa’s career took a strong turn and he earned five all-star selections over the next six years. He hit .280 or better in three of those seasons and his 1978 campaign nearly netted him an MVP award.

Bowa (again) received three first-place votes for MVP, but finished behind Dave Parker and Steve Garvey. Perhaps that Parker hit 10 times as many home runs as Bowa did that year had something to do with it?

Bowa continued to hit for the Phillies through the 1980 World Series, but was traded after the 1981 season along with Ryne Sandberg for Ivan de Jesus, one of the worst trades in franchise history.

While Jimmy Rollins unseated Bowa as the greatest shortstop in Phillies history, Bowa has the third-best dWAR in club history behind Mike Schmidt and Chase Utley.

Bowa has the fourth-most games played, at-bats and plate appearances in club history. His 1,789 hits are the sixth most, more than Chuck Klein and Utley. Bowa also ranks in the top-10 for career stolen bases, triples, singles and outs made.

Greg Luzinski was drafted by the Phillies 11th over in the 1968 MLB June Amateur Draft.  He made his Major League debut as a 19-year old on Sept. 9, 1970.  After going 2-for-12 in 1970, Luzinski hit .300 in 100 at-bats in 1971 with eight doubles and three home runs.  In his first full season of 1972, Luzinski hit .281 with 33 doubles and 18 home runs.

He became one of the biggest power threats in the league in 1973, hitting 29 home runs.  His best run in the Major Leagues came from 1975 through 1978 when he made four consecutive All-Star teams. Luzinski finished second in the MVP race in 1975 when he belted 34 home runs with a league-leading 120 RBI and a .300 average.

Luzinski’s best season came in 1977 when he hit .309 with 39 home runs and 130 RBI. He followed that with 35 home runs and 101 RBI. Luzinski’s numbers quickly declined over the next two seasons, hitting a combined 37 home runs with 137 RBI.

A part of the 1980 World Series Championship team, Luzinski was not part of the 1981 team, having been traded to the Chicago White Sox.  He surpassed the 100 RBI mark in 1982, the fourth time he accomplished that feat.  His best season in Chicago was 1983 when posted his fourth season of at least 30 home runs, blasting 32 with 95 RBI.

Luzinski retired after the 1984 season with 307 home runs and 1,128 RBI.  He ranks seventh in franchise history in home runs and 12th in RBI.  Luzinski was inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame in 1998.

A fan favorite in Philadelphia, he opened “Bull’s Barbecue” in Citizens Bank Park and can often be seen around the stadium.

The Cleveland Indians traded Von Hayes to the Phillies after his first full season in the majors in 1982. He was a serviceable bench player during the 1983 World Series run, but his best years came during the dog days of the mid-to-late 1980s.

Hayes became a starter in 1984 and produced 4.1 wins above replacement that year. He finished the season with a .292/.359/.447 line, 16 home runs, 67 runs batted in, 85 runs scored and 48 stolen bases, a career-high. He finished the year fifth in the NL in stolen bases.

After a slight dip in 1985, Hayes was back and better than ever in 1986, posting a career-high up to that point with 5.0 wins above replacement. He finished eighth in MVP voting, leading the league in doubles (46) and runs scored (107), along with finishing in the top-10 of numerous other categories. He posted career highs in hits (186), batting average (.305), slugging percentage (.480), RBI (98) and total bases (293).

Hayes earned the first and only All-Star appearance of his career in 1989, finishing the year with a career-high 26 home runs, 140 OPS+ and 5.1 wins above replacement. He also had 78 RBI, 28 stolen bases, 140 hits, and 101 walks.

From 1984 until 1991, his final year as a Phillie, Hayes played in 1,084 games, posted a .273/.365/.432 line, 120 OPS+, 118 home runs, 536 runs batted in, 1,080 hits, and 182 stolen bases.

Hayes finished his Phillies career 10th in stolen bases, 11th in walks, 17th in home runs, 21st in doubles and extra-base hits and 25th in hits and total bases.

Many would be surprised to see Shane Victorino rated as a top-25 Phillie of all-time when Philadelphia selected him in the 2004 Rule 5 Draft. Victorino had already bounced around California and through the Rule 5 Draft, making the former sixth-round pick nothing more than a lottery ticket.

Philadelphia struck gold with that lottery ticket and Victorino became one of the more beloved members of the organization. After getting limited playing time in 2005, Victorino played 153 games with a .287 batting average.

Victorino’s success from 2006 to 2007 eased the pain of letting Aaron Rowand walk in free agency prior to the championship season. “The Flyin’ Hawaiian” won his first of four Gold Gloves in 2008 and had back-to-back seasons with at least 36 stolen bases.

During the 2008 playoff run, Victorino averaged a hit per game and provided one of the great moments in franchise history in the NLDS.

Victorino’s dominance at the plate returned in 2009 with another season hitting at least .290. He led the league in triples for the first of two times in his career and received MVP votes for the first of three times.

After eight years and nearly 1,000 games, Victorino was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers, as the Phillies began their rebuild.

Victorino is a top-25 player in 11 offensive categories in Phillies history and is in the top-50 in 32. His 24.0 WAR is higher than that of Larry Bowa, Darren Daulton, Pat Burrell and Greg Luzinski. Additionally, his 16 triples in 2011 were the third most in a single Phillies season since the Deadball Era.

Last summer, Victorino retired as a Phillie and will be a popular choice for the Wall of Fame.

Mahalo!

Another player who snuck onto the list by playing in both the Live and Deadball Era is outfielder Cy Williams, who played his first major league game for the Chicago Cubs in 1912. Williams led the league with 12 home runs and an .831 OPS in 1916 for Chicago and joined the Phillies in 1918.

In a trade that was completely lopsided, the Phillies sent 35-year-old outfielder Dode Paskert to Chicago in exchange for the 30-year-old Williams, who would go to lead the league in home runs three times after the trade.

Williams played 13 seasons in Philadelphia, which carried him into his age-42 season. In 1920, 1923 and 1927, he led the league in home runs, including 41 in 1923 when he tied Babe Ruth for the most in baseball. Those 41 home runs were more than the Boston Red Sox, the Washington Senators, and the Boston Braves clubs had all year.

Williams was one of the catalysts who pulled baseball from the Deadball Era and battled with Ruth in the home run race.

The National League didn’t begin awarding an MVP award until 1924, and Williams received just one vote.

Williams finished his Phillies career in 1930 with 217 home runs, 795 RBI, 1,553 hits and a .306 batting average. He sits among the Phillies’ all-time top-10 for hits, home runs, total bases and runs created.

Philadelphia inducted Williams onto the Wall of Fame in 1986 as their eighth inductee, though it sadly came 12 years after his death.

Scott Rolen‘s success in Philadelphia is both ignored and a curse that’s hung over third base for nearly two decades.

Rolen was drafted out of Jasper High School in the second round of the 1993 June Amateur Draft. He made his Major League Aug. 1, 1996 and hit .254 with four home runs in 37 games the remainder of that season.

In his first full season with the Phillies, Rolen hit .283 with 35 doubles, 21 home runs and 92 RBI, earning Rookie of the Year honors. Rolen followed in 1998 with his best overall season with the Phillies, hitting .290 with 31 home runs, 110 RBI and his first Gold Glove Award.

Rolen’s solid production continued the next three seasons, averaging 26 home runs and 91 RBI per season, while adding two more Gold Glove Awards. However, he had troubles with manager Larry Bowa and felt the organization wasn’t doing all it could to put a winning product on the field. Because of the rift, Rolen was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals on July 29, 2002.

He made his first All-Star team while still wearing a Phillies uniform in 2002 and finished the season with 31 home runs, 110 RBI and his fourth Gold Glove Award.  He had an excellent string of five consecutive All-Star appearances and four Gold Glove Awards from 2002 through 2006.

Rolen was again traded, this time to the Torontor Blue Jays and then to the Cincinnati Reds in 2009. Injuries limited Rolen’s time on the field, but he still made two more All-Star appearances late in his career. He retired with 316 home runs, 1,287 RBI, 2,077 hits and eight Gold Glove Awards.

Rolen received 17.2 percent of the votes for the Hall of Fame in his second year on the ballot.

Garry Maddox was drafted by the San Francisco Giants out of high school in 1968. After two years of military service in the Army during the Vietnam War, Maddox returned to baseball and made his Major League debut in 1972. After a solid rookie campaign, Maddox earned some MVP consideration in 1973 when he hit .319 with 76 RBI.

Maddox was traded to the Phillies in 1975 for Willie Montanez and began a streak as the best center fielder in the National League, if not all of baseball. He earned the Gold Glove award eight straight seasons through 1982.  Only six outfielders have won more than Maddox since the award was first given out in 1957.

While not one of the biggest threats at the plate, Maddox still had some solid seasons. In 1976, Maddox hit a career-best .330 and had a career-best 14 home runs in 1977.

From 1977 through 1980, he averaged 13 home runs, 70 RBI and 26 stolen bases per season. Maddox was a key piece to the 1980 World Series championship team and caught the final out in the 1980 NLCS against the Houston Astros.

Maddox retired early in the 1986 season with 1802 hits, 337 doubles, 248 stolen bases, and a .285 batting average. Surprisingly, Maddox never made a single All-Star roster despite his outstanding defensive play in center field. He was part of five NL East division title teams, two NL pennant-winning teams and one World Series.

Following his playing career, Maddox was a color analyst for the Phillies from 1987 through 1995. He is passionate about community service and is also a BBQ enthusiast, hosting the Garry Maddox Barbecue Challenge several years outside of Citizen’s Bank Park to raise money for charity.

Known as the “Secretary of Defense”, Maddox is the best defensive center fielder in franchise history and one of the best in league history. As Hall of Famer and former broadcaster Ralph Kiner once said, “two-thirds of the Earth is covered by water, the other one-third by Garry Maddox.”

Del Ennis signed with the Phillies in March of 1943. He almost got the chance to start his major-league career later that year, but he joined the Navy instead. While in the Navy, he played well enough in exhibition games for the New York Yankees to offer him a contract for $25,000. He was paid only $50 by the Phillies, $364,216.76 versus $728.43 in today’s money.

After his military service ended, Ennis returned to the Phillies and made an immediate impact in his rookie year. In 141 games, the 21-year-old hit 17 home runs, drove in 73 runs, hit .313 and posted a .849 OPS (144 OPS+). He was the first Phillies rookie named an All-Star in franchise history and finished eighth in MVP voting.

Ennis earned two more All-Star appearances during his career and received MVP votes seven more times. He finished fourth in MVP voting in 1950, as he led the league with 126 runs batted in, hit 31 home runs, batted .311 and posted a .923 OPS, all career highs.

Over 11 years with the Phillies, Ennis hit 259 home runs, drove in 1,124 runs, scored 891 runs, racked up 1,812 hits and posted a .286/.344/.479 line.

His 162-game average for his career was 25 home runs, 109 runs batted in, 176 hits and 84 runs scored.

Ennis ranks fourth in total bases, fifth in hits, sixth in games played, at-bats, plate appearances and extra-base hits, and 10th in offensive wins above replacement and runs scored in franchise history. Ennis also holds the infamous record, as he is tied for the most times grounding into a double play in franchise history.

Ennis didn’t come close to Hall of Fame induction, but he was named to the Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame in 1982 and Phillies centennial team in 1983.

Johnny Callison got his start in the major leagues with the Chicago White Sox but was traded to the Phillies after two seasons. He spent all the 1960s in Philadelphia and was a productive player for the entire decade, as the team came out on top in the trade for him.

During his 10-year career as a Phillie, Callison had a .271/.338/.457 line, 185 home runs, 666 runs batted in, 774 runs scored, 1,438 hits and a 122 OPS+.

Callison’s peak came from 1962 to 1965, earning three All-Star appearances and finishing as high as second in MVP voting. He won All-Star MVP in 1964. During this time, he had a .280/.336/.498 line, 112 home runs, 47 triples, 117 doubles, 366 runs batted in and a 132 OPS+. He led the league in triples in 1962 and 1965.

While his performance wasn’t as strong in the latter half of the decade, Callison remained effective with a 113 OPS+, 55 home runs and 223 runs batted in. Altogether, he was worth 39.5 wins above replacement during his time as a Phillie.

During his career, Callison led the league in triples twice and doubles once. Among position players in franchise history, he ranks sixth in triples, eighth in wins above replacement and 10th in extra-base hits.

Callison put together a nice career, but he couldn’t quite stack up to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He received just one vote out of 432 ballots in 1979. Callison joined the Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame in 1997 and the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.

Chris Short pitched during the dark ages of Phillies baseball when the only notable thing the team did was lose 10 straight games to miss a chance at the World Series in 1964. Regardless, Short had a long and productive career in Philadelphia that should not be discounted by the team’s lack of success.

Short spent all but one year of his 15-year career as a Phillie from 1959 to 1972, just before the team climbed out of the cellar and into relevance.

In 459 career games with the team, he had a 132-127 record, 3.38 ERA, 1.283 WHIP and 32.1 pitching wins above replacement.

One of Short’s two All-Star appearances came in the year of that infamous collapse in 1964. In 42 outings that year, he had a 17-9 record, 2.20 ERA, 12 complete games, four shutouts, two saves, a 1.020 WHIP and 3.55 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Short’s ERA and ERA+ that year were 23rd and 18th-best for any season in franchise history. He finished 23rd in MVP voting.

In 1966, Short finished 28th in MVP voting after finishing the year with a 20-10 record, 3.54 ERA, 1.195 WHIP, 177 strikeouts and 68 walks. Short’s other All-Star appearance came in 1967 despite a 9-11 record, as he posted a 2.39 ERA and 1.189 WHIP.

Among all pitchers in franchise history, Short ranks third in starts, fourth in wins, innings pitched, shutouts and strikeouts, and sixth in pitching wins above replacement. Out of all players in franchise history, Short ranks 24th in wins above replacement.

Jim Bunning already was a great major-league pitcher in nine seasons with the Detroit Tigers before joining the Phillies. His run of success continued once he donned the red pinstripes.

Bunning joined the Phillies for the 1964 season after a trade from Detroit. He hit the ground running in Philadelphia, leading the league in strikeout-to-walk ratio and walks per nine innings. He was selected to his fourth-straight and sixth overall All-Star team.

Bunning’s most memorable moment of the 1964 season came on Father’s Day when he threw the first perfect game and fifth no-hitter in franchise history against the New York Mets. While most pitchers don’t talk about no-hitters or perfect games in progress, Bunning talked about it the whole time in the dugout.

Bunning earned another All-Star appearance in 1966, as he finished the season with a league-leading five shutouts, 2.41 ERA, 1.003 WHIP and 4.58 strikeout-to-walk ratio in a league-leading 41 starts. Bunning finished second in Cy Young voting in 1967 as he led the league in strikeouts, starts, shutouts and innings pitched.

The Phillies traded Bunning after that spectacular season to the Pittsburgh Pirates, but he was never quite the same pitcher after that. He spent the last two years of his career in Philadelphia, posting a meager 4.57 ERA over the two years. Bunning retired after the 1971 season.

Bunning ended his Phillies career with a 2.93 ERA, 65 complete games, 23 shutouts, 1.111 WHIP and a 3.64 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 226 games and 1520.2 innings pitched. In franchise history, Bunning ranks fourth in WHIP, fifth in shutouts, sixth in strikeout-to-walk ratio and seventh in strikeouts.

Bunning was never voted into the National Basetball Hall of Fame, despite receiving 74.2 percent of votes in 1988. He was inducted by the Veteran’s Committee in 1996 and wears a Phillies hat on his plaque.

Curt Simmons began his Phillies career in 1947, making his first major impact in 1950. In 31 games, the 21-year-old Simmons posted a 17-8 record, 3.40 ERA, 118 ERA+ and 1.239 WHIP. He finished 16th in MVP voting, one of nine Phillies to receive a vote that year.

Simmons didn’t pitch at the end of the 1950 season, as he was called into military service during the Korean War. He missed the entire 1951 season on active duty. Simmons returned and had an All-Star performance in 1952, leading the league with six shutouts as he had a 2.82 ERA, 14-8 record, 15 complete games, 2.76 fielding-independent pitching and 1.192 WHIP.

Simmons was an All-Star again in 1953, finishing the year with a 16-13 record, 3.21 ERA, 3.43 FIP, 1.231 WHIP, 19 complete games and four shutouts. He earned his third and final career All-Star appearance in 1957, leading the league in home runs per nine innings.

In 13 years with the Phillies, Simmons had a 115-110 record, 3.66 ERA, 109 complete games, 18 shutouts, 1,052 strikeouts and 1.332 WHIP. He finished his overall career with a 193-183 record, 3.54 ERA, 163 complete games, 36 shutouts, 1,697 strikeouts and a 1.307 WHIP.

Simmons ranks fifth in wins and innings pitched, sixth in starts and shutouts, eighth in strikeouts and 10th in pitching wins above replacement in franchise history.

Simmons appeared on the National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot in 1973 and 1974, but only received five and three votes in each year, respectively.

It’s hard to ignore Dick Allen when you’re talking about the greatest Phillies of all-time after he played nine of his 13 seasons in Philadelphia. Despite his best seasons coming with the Chicago White Sox, where he won an MVP, Allen has been a legend in the City of Philadelphia since the 1964 season when he became the first African-American baseball star in the city.

Allen had a monstrous rookie campaign for Philadelphia in 1964 and was an MVP candidate at the age of 22. Starting 162 games at third base, Allen led baseball with 13 triples, 125 runs scored and 352 total bases for a 92-win Phillies club that collapsed at the end of the year. He finished seventh in the MVP race, three points behind Willie Mays and more than 100 points behind teammate and MVP runner-up Johnny Callison.

Allen still holds Phillies’ rookie records for games played, runs, hits, total bases and slugging percentage. For a short time there, he held the home run record for a rookie with 29.

Four additional strong seasons followed for Allen in Philadelphia, averaging 34 home runs per 162 games and a .300 batting average in his first stint with Philadelphia.

Each of the next three offseasons Allen was traded around the National League, starting with Philadelphia sending Jerry Johnson, Cookie Rojas and Allen to the St. Louis Cardinals on October 7, 1969. Byron Browne, Willie Montanez, Jim Browning, Joe Hoerner and Tim McCarver came back to Philadelphia in the deal. Montanez broke Allen’s rookie home run record.

Allen had five successful years between St. Louis, Los Angeles and Chicago before returning to Philadelphia for the 1975 and 1976 seasons. The great slugger retired after the 1977 season following a couple of games with the Oakland Athletics.

Many have touted Allen should be in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, but he fell one vote short on the 2015 Golden Era ballot. Already in his late 70’s, Allen will have to wait until December 2020 for the Golden Era ballot to be reintroduced for the Hall of Fame Class of 2021.

Allen is 10th on the Phillies all-time home runs list, third in slugging and seventh in oWAR. He was inducted onto the team’s Wall of Fame in 1994.

Bobby Abreu‘s time as a Phillie may have come during a down period of Phillies baseball, but that shouldn’t discount his production during his tenure.

Abreu started his career rather unspectacularly with the Houston Astros before being selected by the then-Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 1997 Expansion Draft. His time in Tampa Bay didn’t even last a day, as he was traded to the Phillies for Kevin Stocker.

Abreu flourished immediately with the Phillies, posting a .906 OPS and 6.4 wins above replacement in 1998. He finished 23rd in MVP voting the year after with a .995 OPS, 20 home runs and a league-leading 11 triples.

Altogether, Abreu finished his Phillies career with a .928 OPS, 139 OPS+, 195 home runs, 814 runs batted in, 1,474 hits, 891 runs scored and 2,491 total bases. He earned All-Star honors in 2004 and 2005, winning the Home Run Derby in 2005.

Arbreu’s tenure as a Phillie came to an end with a trade to the New York Yankees in 2006, signifying a turning of the page to a new era of Philadelphia baseball. His professional career spanned all the way into 2014, spending spring training back with the Phillies before being released and then signed by the New York Mets.

Abreu will be eligible for Hall of Fame induction next year. Although it may not seem like it, he may just have a decent case for it.

While he ranks below the average Hall of Fame right fielder in JAWS, Abreu ranks just ahead of 2018 inductee Vladimir Guerrero. The two are very comparable in many career stats, giving Abreu a decent shot at induction. Besides, if Harold Baines made the cut for the Veterans Committee, then Abreu should as well.

Ryan Howard‘s legacy in Philadelphia is somewhat complicated, despite his career being that of a borderline Hall of Famer.

“The Big Piece”‘s career got off to a torrid start and ultimately forced the Phillies to trade Jim Thome. Howard earned NL Rookie of the Year honors in 2005, despite playing just 88 games, but he had a big impact early. He hit 22 home runs and averaged more than a hit per game for a Phillies club that missed the playoffs for the eighth-straight year, despite winning 89 games.

Howard proved his rookie year was no fluke, winning the National League MVP the following season. He led baseball with 58 home runs, falling short of Roger Maris’ record 61 single-season home runs and drove in a league-high 149 runs. The home runs were the most in a single-season by a Phillie, and the RBIs the most since Chuck Klein drove in 170 in 1930.

The slugger would finish in the top-five for the MVP for four consecutive years, and had three top-three finishes. He hit no fewer than 45 home runs during that span and led the league in long balls twice. Howard also led the league in RBIs three times and drove in at least 136 runs.

Howard put up six consecutive seasons with 30 home runs and 100 RBIs.

Howard had a legit case for winning the National League MVP after the Phillies won the World Series in 2008, but Albert Pujols’ .357 batting average and 9.2 WAR couldn’t be ignored, despite Howard’s lofty power numbers. Pujols received six more first-place votes than Howard, who might have lost a couple to Brad Lidge, who received two.

After a torrid start to his career, Howard’s downfall came quickly thanks to a blown Achilles during the 2011 playoffs. Despite playing five additional years, he couldn’t get back to the historic power numbers, hitting no more than 25 a year in his final years. Strikeouts, the shift and bad defense also played a part on Howard’s demise and retirement.

In Phillies history, Howard sits second all-time in home runs with 382, third in RBI with 1,194 and fourth in extra-base hits with 680. He finished 40 strikeouts behind Mike Schmidt for the most in franchise history, a record he surely won’t care for.

Howard likely falls short of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, but he’ll get a serious look after being one of the most feared sluggers in the game for a seven-year stretch. His 15 WAR and 19.2 seven-year peak WAR will never impress and falls short of Hall of Fame standards, but strikeouts and bad defense are to blame there.

A no-doubt Wall of Famer, Howard’s legacy is mixed after years of success followed by a major drop-off. Ultimately, he’ll be lauded by the fanbase for years to come. Should the club change their jersey retirement standards, Howard could see his No. 6 hang among the all-time greats.

Curt Schilling started off his career as a reliever with the Baltimore Orioles and the Houston Astros before joining the Phillies for the 1992 season. He was a full-time starter the year after and soon established himself as one of the top starters in the league.

Over nine seasons in Philadelphia, Schilling had a 101-78 record, 3.35 ERA, 126 ERA+, 61 complete games, 14 shutouts, 1554 strikeouts, 1.120 WHIP and 3.74 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He earned three straight All-Star appearances from 1997 to 1999 to round out his career in Philadelphia.

Schilling was a key contributor on the unlikely Phillies 1993 National League Championship team. In the playoffs that year, he went 1-1, posting a 2.59 ERA and striking out 28 batters in 31.1 innings. He threw a complete game shutout in the World Series, although it ultimately went for naught.

Schilling truly entered the upper echelon of pitchers in 1997 at age 30. That year, he led the league with 319 strikeouts, the single-season record for strikeouts in Phillies franchise history. He also finished second in strikeouts per nine innings (11.288) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.500), third in complete games (seven), fourth in walks per nine innings (2.052), fifth in wins (17) and shutouts (two), and ninth in ERA (2.97).

Among all pitchers in franchise history, Schilling ranks fourth in strikeouts per nine innings, fifth in pitching wins above replacement, strikeouts and strikeout-to-walk ratio, seventh in wins, starts and WHIP.

Schilling’s time as a Phillie ended in 1999 when he was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks. He won a World Series with them in 2001, then won two more with the Boston Red Sox, pitching effectively into his age-40 season.

Chuck Klein sneaks onto the top-50 all-time list as a borderline Deadball Era player who played most of his career outside of that timeframe. One of the great sluggers in baseball history, it’s hard to ignore Klein’s impact in Philadelphia.

Making his major league debut in 1929, Klein quickly became a superstar power hitter in the era of Babe Ruth. Klein was essentially the National League’s Ruth, leading the league in home runs in four of his first five full seasons.

From 1929 to 1933, Klein hit 180 home runs, clubbed 1,118 hits and hit .359 for Philadelphia. In 1932, he won the National League MVP and had three consecutive years finishing in the top two for the award.

Strangely, Klein never led the league in any categories after the 1933 season, stunting his National Baseball Hall of Fame career very early on. Despite hitting 180 home runs in his first five seasons, he finished his 17-year career with only 300 home runs.

Prior to the 1934 season, Philadelphia traded their superstar to the Chicago Cubs for Harvey Hendrick, Ted Kleinhans, Mark Koenig and $65,000. After two seasons, the Cubs sent Klein back to the Phillies, where he played eight of his last nine seasons.

Klein was enshrined into the National Baseball Hall of Fame via the Veterans Committee in 1980, 22 years after his death. Despite playing 80 years ago, Klein is the franchise-leader in slugging percentage and OPS. He ranks in the franchise’s top-10 for batting average, home runs, hits, doubles, RBI and extra-base hits.

Philadelphia honored Klein by retiring an era-style letter P in his honor and inducting him onto the Wall of Fame in 1980.

Only two Phillies have been a part of two no-hitters/perfect games during their time in red pinstripes: Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels. The kid dubbed “Hollywood” wrote a storybook ending to his career in Philadelphia by being responsible for the franchise’s last two no-hitters, starting a combined no-hitter on Sept. 1, 2014, and throwing one of his own in his final Phillies start less than a year later on July 25, 2015.

Few could have imagined what fortunes Hamels would bring to Philadelphia when the club drafted him with the 17th overall pick in 2002 out of Rancho Bernardo High School. A staple in Philadelphia’s rotation for 10 years, Hamels led the way in 2008 to the club’s first World Series championship in nearly three decades.

In 2008, Hamels was masterful in the postseason, throwing 35 innings with a 1.80 ERA and earning World Series MVP honors. He shutout the Milwaukee Brewers over eight innings in game one of the NLDS and allowed no more than two runs in each of his next four postseason starts.

Four times he finished with top-10 Cy Young consideration and he earned three trips to the All-Star game.

Hamels ranks among the top-five in career stats in 11 categories and is sixth all-time with 114 wins. He joins Steve Carlton and Robin Roberts as the only pitchers in franchise history with 100 wins and 1,800 strikeouts. By most measures, Hamels is the third-greatest live-ball era pitcher in Phillies history.

Phillies all-time hits leader Jimmy Rollins is in rare company among franchise legends. He’s the only post-Deadball Era player with 2,000 hits and 400 stolen bases in Phillies history (Ed Delahanty joins the list as a dead-ball player) and joins Mike Schmidt as the only players with 200 home runs and 400 doubles.

Rollins rates in the top-10 in 26 career categories in Phillies history, including hits, doubles, home runs, WAR, games, played, at-bats, stolen bases and RBI. Along with being the franchise’s all-time hits leader with 2,306 knocks, no one sits above Rollins for most at-bats or doubles in red pinstripes.

“J-Roll” padded his résumé with four Gold Gloves, as many as Hall of Famer Alan Trammell, three All-Star games and a Silver Slugger. He led the league in triples four times and was a modern-day iron man, playing in at least 154 games in his first seven seasons.

Many could argue Rollins should be higher on this list as the all-time hits leader with an MVP trophy on his mantel. Personally, I ranked Rollins as the highest player outside of the “core four” in Phillies history: Schmidt, Carlton, Ashburn and Roberts, plus Pete Alexander as a borderline Deadball Era player who resides in Cooperstown with the “core four” players.

As great as Rollins was, his road to Cooperstown will be tough, but he’s arguably the greatest National League shortstop of his generation. Obviously, he takes a backseat to Derek Jeter overall, but no one, not Jose Reyes or Hanley Ramirez, can touch Rollins’ career in his era.

Initially drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1997 Amateur Draft out of Polytechnic High School, Chase Utley opted to attend UCLA, where he was drafted by the Phillies in 2000. Utley made his Major League debut on April 4, 2003. Only 20 days later, he recorded his first hit, poking a grand slam against the Colorado Rockies. Although Utley hit only .239 with two home runs in 134 at-bats that season, he showed the fans a glimpse of what was to come.

After a 13-home run campaign in a platoon role in 2004, Utley became the full-time starter in 2005 and began one of the best five-year stretches by a second baseman in the history of the game.

He started a string of four seasons of at least 100 RBI and hit at least 20 home runs in five consecutive seasons, surpassing the 30 home run mark three times. In addition, Utley made five straight All-Star teams and won the Silver Slugger Award each season from 2006 through 2009.

On pace for a certain Hall of Fame career, injuries started to hamper Utley. He was limited to just 115 games in 2010, 103 in 2011 and 83 in 2012.  As a result, his production fell to 38 home runs and 154 RBI over that span.  Utley bounced back somewhat over the next two seasons, hitting 18 home runs with a .284 average in 2013 and his final All-Star appearance in 2014, hitting 36 doubles and knocking in 78 runs.

Traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2015, Utley was a shell of the player he was during his prime. His finest game during his last few seasons was perhaps his first game back in Philadelphia. He went deep, not once, but twice including a grand slam and received long standing ovations and curtain calls on both occasions.

Appreciating the Phillies fans as much as they appreciated him, Utley announced he would retire at the end of the 2018 well in advance of his last trip to Philadelphia. Utley retired with 259 home runs, 1,025 RBI, 1,103 runs and one of the top stolen base percentages in league history.

As for his ranks with the Phillies, Utley is fifth doubles, sixth in home runs, sixth in runs scored and seventh in RBI. Undoubtedly the best second baseman in franchise history, Utley is also one of the most beloved. His nearly 90-second standing ovation prior to his first at-bat in his return to Philadelphia is a testament to that.

The Phillies will honor Utley in a ceremony next summer. Although no longer to set foot on the field as a player, Chase Utley will always be “The Man” in Philadelphia.

Richie Ashburn ranks as the second-best position player in franchise history, which is nothing to scoff at given who ranks first. Ashburn spent most of his career in Philadelphia and was a productive player throughout it.

“Whitey” began his Phillies career on a strong note being named an All-Star during his first season in 1948. That year he led the league with 32 stolen bases, the only time he ever did in his career. Ashburn finished third in Rookie of the Year voting behind Al Dark of the then-Boston Braves and Gene Bearden of the Cleveland Indians. He also received a few MVP votes, finishing 11th overall.

Ashburn was named to three more All-Star games during his 12-year career as a Phillie. In 1,794 games with the club, he had a .311/.394/.388 line, 2,217 hits, scored 1,114 runs, drove in 499 runs, hit 22 home runs, and racked up 2,764 total bases. Ashburn was an adept fielder as well, leading the league in outfield assists three times and fielding percentage twice.

During his career, Ashburn led the league in singles, walks and on-base percentage four times, batting average three times, games, triples and batting average twice.

Ashburn finished his career first in singles, second in times on base, third in franchise history in games, at-bats, plate appearances, walks and hits, fourth in runs scored and wins above replacement, fifth in triples, eighth in total bases and on-base percentage and ninth in doubles in franchise history.

After Ashburn’s playing career ended, he joined Harry Kalas in the broadcast booth, a position he would hold for almost 35 years.

Ashburn never was voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, only reaching 41.7 percent of votes at his highest point. He was instead inducted in by the Veterans Committee in 1995, just two years before his death in 1997. He was inducted alongside Mike Schmidt and had his No. 1 retired by the team.

You may not think of Pete Alexander as a Phillie, but he began his career in Philadelphia and still shows up all over the franchise leaderboards. His primary team in the National Baseball Hall of Fame is the Phillies, so he is worth including in this list.

The MLB legend got his start with the Philadelphia Phillies all the way back in 1911 when starting pitchers racking up 300 innings was commonplace. The longevity numbers he put up won’t be touched ever again.

In his rookie year, Alexander appeared in 48 games, starting 37. He pitched a league-leading 31 complete games, and MLB-leading seven shutouts. He also led the league in innings pitched (367.0) and wins (28). He finished third in MVP voting that year behind Frank Schulte of the Chicago Cubs and Christy Mathewson of the then-New York Giants.

Over eight seasons in Philadelphia, Alexander had a 190-88 record, 2.12 ERA, 143 ERA+, 1,403 strikeouts and 1.066 WHIP in 329 games. He received MVP votes three different times and almost certainly would have been an All-Star had it been a thing at the time.

Despite spending less than a decade with the club, he still ranks among franchise leaders in multiple categories. Alexander ranks first in fielding-independent pitching, win-loss percentage and shutouts, second in ERA+, WHIP and complete games, and third in pitching wins above replacement, innings pitched, wins and ERA.

Alexander joined the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1938, just the third year of voting. He was part of the first ever Hall of Fame class alongside other legends like Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb and Cy Young.

There is a strong case for Robin Roberts to be the best pitcher in franchise history, but he barely missed out to No. 2. Still, Roberts had an impressive career and holds a significant place in franchise history.

Born in 1926, Roberts joined the Philadelphia Phillies in 1948, starting a historic 14-year tenure with the club. During this time, Roberts pitched in 529 games, starting 472. He threw 272 complete games, 35 shutouts, and had a 234-199 record. Roberts finished his time as a Phillie with a 3.46 ERA, 1.171 WHIP and 2.61 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Roberts’ prime came from 1950 to 1956, when he was selected in seven-straight All-Star games. He received MVP votes every year, but never received a Cy Young vote, as it wasn’t introduced until 1956. In this time, Roberts won 157 games, struck out 1,121 batters, walked 396, and posted a 3.13.

Throughout his career, Roberts led the league in starts six times, strikeout-to-walk ratio, innings pitched and complete games five times, wins and walks per nine innings four times, strikeouts twice and WHIP and shutouts once. He led the league in wins above replacement six times as well, although they obviously didn’t know that until now.

In franchise history, Roberts ranks first in pitching wins above replacement, innings pitched, complete games and appearances, second in wins and strikeouts, and 10th in strikeout-to-walk ratio. He is one of only five former players to have his number retired by the team.

Roberts was voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976, reaching the 75 percent threshold in his fourth year of eligibility.

The Phillies have had many great pitchers during their long history, but no one quite stacks up to Steve Carlton. “Lefty” holds an esteemed place in franchise history and it is unlikely any pitcher will be able to stack up to him.

Carlton was already a good pitcher before he came to Philadelphia, posting a 3.10 ERA and making three All-Star teams over seven seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals. The Phillies and Cardinals swapped All-Star pitchers after the 1971 season, sending Rick Wise to St. Louis for Carlton. The deal is now looked back on as one of the best in franchise history.

Carlton started his Phillies career with a bang, leading the league in wins (27), ERA (1.97), complete games (30), innings (346.1), strikeouts (310) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.56), as he won the Cy Young award unanimously.

When the 1980 Philadelphia Phillies made their run to win the franchise’s first World Series title, Carlton was right at the center of it. He made four starts during the 1980 postseason, recording a 3-0 record and allowing only seven earned runs. Carlton won the decisive Game 6, giving up just one run on four hits and three walks with seven strikeouts in seven innings.

Carlton spent 15 seasons in Philadelphia, winning four Cy Young awards and being named to seven All-Star teams. He finished fifth in MVP voting during three of his Cy Young seasons. He finished first in innings pitched and strikeouts five times, wins and starts four times, complete games three times and strikeout-to-walk ratio twice.

Carlton finished his career in Philadelphia in 1986 with a 241-161 record, 3.09 ERA, 120 ERA+, 185 complete games, 39 shutouts, 3031 strikeouts and 1.211 WHIP in 499 starts. He is the franchise leader in career wins, strikeouts and starts. He also ranks second pitching wins above replacement, innings pitched and shutouts.

Carlton was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1994, his first year of eligibility, receiving 95.6 percent of votes. He was the only player voted in by the BBWAA that year. His No. 32 was retired by the team and he was inducted into the Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame in 1989, one year following his retirement.

The undisputed greatest Philadelphia Phillies player of all-time is the man Harry Kalas adoringly called Michael Jack Schmidt.

Drafted one pick behind George Brett in the second round of the 1971 draft, Schmidt’s career didn’t take off like that of a Hall of Famer. In his first 145 games over two seasons, the kid from Dayton, Ohio hit .197 with 19 home runs and 55 RBI.

More from Phillies All-Time Lists

• Every first-round draft pick in Philadelphia Phillies history
• Every number retired by the Philadelphia Phillies
• The most legendary Phillies third basemen of all time
• Top single-season performances by righties in Phillies history
• These are the Phillies’ biggest first-round draft busts

The following three seasons, Schmidt led the league in home runs and earned MVP consideration. His first MVP award came in 1980 when he led the league in home runs, slugging, OPS and OPS+ en route to a World Series victory.

Schmidt repeated as the National League MVP in the 1981 strike-shortened season during which he led baseball in nine categories.

After finishing in the top seven in MVP votes for three years, Schmidt clinched his third MVP award in 1986 when he hit a league-high 37 home runs. Schmidt is the only player to win three MVPs while primarily playing third base.

Not only is Schmidt regarded as the greatest Phillie of all-time, but he’s arguably the greatest third baseman of all-time. He’s the all-time home run leader for third basemen and is ninth all-time in home runs by a Hall of Famer.

Schmidt led the league in home runs eight times, second only to Babe Ruth’s 12.

After retiring 42 games into the 1989 season, his 12th all-star campaign, Schmidt became the fourth player in Phillies history to have his number retired.

In 1995 Schmidt was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame after receiving 96.5 percent of the votes on the first ballot.

Schmidt resides at the top of 22 all-time lists in Philadelphia Phillies history, including home runs, WAR, games played, plate appearances, RBI, walks and extra base hits. Until recently, he was the all-time hits leader until Jimmy Rollins surpassed him.

Schmidt is one of a handful of players with a statue at Citizens Bank Park. He is undoubtedly the greatest Philadelphia Phillie of all-time.