3. OF Shane Victorino: 2008, 2009, 2010
Center fielder Shane Victorino, the second of as many 2008 World Series champions on this last, has the second-most Gold Glove Awards all-time among Phillies outfielders (3), trailing only Garry Maddox‘s eight. Victorino won the Gold Glove in three consecutive seasons in 2008, 2009 and 2010.
Victorino later won his fourth Gold Glove Award with the Boston Red Sox in 2013, the same season he won his second World Series championship.
The “Flyin’ Hawaiian” played 12 seasons in the majors, the first being 36 games in 2003 with the San Diego Padres in which he hit just .151 with nine singles and two doubles spanning 83 plate appearances, albeit producing four RBI and seven stolen bases.
The Phillies brought on Victorino as a Rule 5 selection in 2005, and it became quickly apparent the team would not want to remove him from the 25-man roster to send him back to San Diego. Victorino made an instant impact both at the plate and in the field. He would continue to don red pinstripes until mid-way in the 2012 season, when he was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.
Victorino finished his career with 42 career postseason RBI in just 60 games; 12 of those RBI came in 14 games during the Red Sox’ 2013 World Series championship run. His other career accomplishments include:
- National League-most triples in 2009 (13) and 2011 (16)
- American League-most hit by pitches in 2013 (18)
- National League-most assists as outfielder in 2010 (11); American League-most assists as right fielder in 2013 (9)
- National League-most double plays turned as outfielder in 2007 (4)
- National League-best fielding percentage as center fielder in 2009 (.997) and 2011 (1.000).
4. OF Aaron Rowand: 2007
Center fielder Aaron Rowand’s tenure with the Phillies was brief, playing a combined 270 games for them in 2006 and 2007, but his impact will never be forgotten. Who could forgot the May 2006 contest against the division-rival Mets, in which Rowand made a game-saving catch, while sustaining injury after colliding with the center field fence. ESPN writes:
"Ironically, Rowand had requested earlier in the season that additional padding be added to the fence. The padding was immediately ordered, but did not arrive until several days ago due to a delay by the manufacturer. It is scheduled to be installed next week, when the Phillies are on a road trip. “(Rowand) got hurt pretty bad,” Manuel said. “He’s gonna be out for a while. How long? I don’t know yet.”"
Rowand is tied for having the third-most Gold Glove Awards all-time among Phillies outfielders, having won in 2007. The Phillies opted to part ways with him following that season, despite winning the Gold Glove, in favor of a Pat Burrell, Shane Victorino and Jayson Werth outfield tandem. As we know, that decision would pay off tremendously less than 24 months later.
Rowand played 11 seasons in the majors from 2001 to 2011: Chicago White Sox (2001-05), Phillies (2006-07), and San Francisco Giants (2008-11). The Phillies acquired him in November 2005 as part of the trade that sent eventual Hall of Famers Jim Thome to Chicago.
Rowand won the World Series with the White Sox in 2005, and five years later with the Giants (2010). His only hit in 12 plate appearances in the 2007 NLDS, with the Phillies against the Colorado Rockies, was a solo home run. Rowand logged 39 regular season home runs with the Phillies as well.