That Balls Outta Here
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Phillies top five career records that appear untouchable

By Kerry Kauffman

June 14, 2014: Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins (11) greeted at first base by Mike Schmidt (20) as Jimmy Rollins passes his career hit record during a Major League Baseball game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Chicago Cubs at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gavin Baker/Icon SMI/Corbis via Getty Images)
June 14, 2014: Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins (11) greeted at first base by Mike Schmidt (20) as Jimmy Rollins passes his career hit record during a Major League Baseball game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Chicago Cubs at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gavin Baker/Icon SMI/Corbis via Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA – NOVEMBER 02: Former Philadelphia Phillies pitcher and Baseball Hall of Famer Robin Roberts (R) greets Jayson Werth #28 of the Philadelphia Phillies after Roberts threw out the ceremonial first pitch during Game Five of the 2009 MLB World Series between the Phillies and the New York Yankees at Citizens Bank Park on November 2, 2009, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) /

Robin Roberts: 3739 1/3 innings pitched

Arguably the best right-handed pitcher in franchise history, Roberts was a workhorse that hasn’t been seen in Major League baseball in several eras.  He threw “only” 226 2/3 innings in his first full season in 1949 after logging 146 2/3 innings in 20 starts in 1948. Roberts ran off a streak of six consecutive seasons of 300 or more innings pitched, leading the league from 1951 through 1955.

To put in perspective Roberts’ workload, consider the fact that from 1951 through 1955, Roberts completed 182 games, 78 percent of his starts.  Following his string of seasons with 300 or more innings, Roberts added five years of at least 200 innings, with his lowest being 237 1/3 in 1960.

On top of being a workhorse, Roberts pitched effectively as well. From 1951 to 1955, he had a 118-67 record, 2.91 ERA, and 1.078 WHIP while being named an All-Star in each of those seasons. He started to tail off during that later stretch of 200-plus innings, but he still earned an All-Star appearance and garnered a couple of MVP votes in 1956.

Steve Carlton is a close second with 3697 1/3 innings, followed by Chris Short, Curt Simmons, and Cole Hamels.  The league leaders in innings pitched has been around 230 for the last 20 years. It would take leading the league in innings pitched for 16 seasons to catch Roberts.  The likelihood of a pitcher spending 16 seasons alone with the Phillies is unlikely, and the innings total is nearly impossible to fathom.

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