Phillies 1980’s All-Decade Team: Hall of Fame Legends Lead the Way

CHICAGO - 1987: Mike Schmidt of the Philadelphia Phillies fields during an MLB game versus the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois during the 1987 season. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
CHICAGO - 1987: Mike Schmidt of the Philadelphia Phillies fields during an MLB game versus the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois during the 1987 season. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – CIRCA 1979: Ron Reed #42 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during an Major League Baseball game circa 1979 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Reed played for the Phillies from 1976-83. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – CIRCA 1979: Ron Reed #42 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during an Major League Baseball game circa 1979 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Reed played for the Phillies from 1976-83. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

Ron Reed

Reed was a 33-year old veteran in his 11th Major League season when the Phillies acquired him for Mike Anderson on December 9, 1975. Reed was very reliable throughout the 1970’s and into the first few years of the 1980s.

In 1980, Reed was a key long man and set up man for the World Championship team. He 7-5 with a 4.05 ERA, logging 91 innings in 55 games, allowing only four home runs.  As a 38-year old the following year, Reed was even better, winning five and saving eight with an ERA of 3.08 in 61 1/3 innings.

The man with the rubber arm was quite effective at ages 39 and 40 in 1982 and 1983. Reed went 5-5 with 14 saves and an ERA of 2.66 in 98 innings in 1982. For the 1983 NL Championship team, he went 9-1 with a 3.08 ERA in 95 2/3 innings.

Reed’s long tenure with the Phillies ended when he was traded to the White Sox for a player to be named later on December 5, 1983. The Phillies ended up getting Jerry Koosman on February 15, 1984.

In four seasons with the Phillies in the 1980’s, Reed went 26-12 with 39 saves and rightfully deserves a spot on this list.

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