That Balls Outta Here
FanSided

Phillies Wall of Fame candidate: Bake McBride

By Kerry Kauffman

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JUNE 28: A baseball with MLB logo is seen at Citizens Bank Park before a game between the Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies on June 28, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JUNE 28: A baseball with MLB logo is seen at Citizens Bank Park before a game between the Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies on June 28, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – AUGUST 09: Former manager Charlie Manuel of the Philadelphia Phillies talks about being inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame during a ceremony before the start of a game against the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park on August 9, 2014 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – AUGUST 09: Former manager Charlie Manuel of the Philadelphia Phillies talks about being inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame during a ceremony before the start of a game against the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park on August 9, 2014 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

Why McBride should make the Wall of Fame

McBride was the starter for the 1977 NL East champions, 1978 NL East champions and 1980 World Series champions. He hit .339 with a .956 OPS in 85 games in 1977, but slumped at the plate in 1978, posting a .262 average with 10 home runs, 49 RBI and a .707 OPS.

The Phillies struggled in 1979, but McBride had a solid year, hitting .280 with 12 triples, 12 home runs, 60 RBI and 25 stolen bases.

Moving to the 1980 season and McBride was a key piece, not only in the regular season but in the playoffs, particularly the World Series. He hit .309 with 33 doubles, 10 triples and 87 RBI, although hitting just nine home runs.

His big home run in the third inning of Game One of the World Series is perhaps one of the most underappreciated in franchise history.  If the Phillies lost that game at home, the entire complexion of the series could have been different.

McBride was always a solid hitter, but people tend to forget his was an excellent defensive right fielder. He committed only nine errors in 553 games in a Phillies uniform and had a career high 12 assists in 1979. His fielding percentage of .989 was significantly above the league average of .979.

McBride’s range factor was also above the league mark and combined with Garry Maddox to form one of the best defensive center field – right field combo in the league.

Although McBride’s time in Philadelphia was relatively short compared to some in the Wall of Fame, he was a consistently good bat in the lineup and came up with one of the biggest World Series hits in franchise history.

Any key member of the 1980 World Series team should be a member of the Wall of Fame and McBride was clearly one of them.

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