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Phillies All-Decade Team 1970s: Homegrown Talent at the Forefront

By Kerry Kauffman

PHILADELPHIA, PA - CIRCA 1980: Pitcher Steve Carlton #32 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during an Major League Baseball game circa 1980 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Carlton played for the Phillies from 1972-86. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - CIRCA 1980: Pitcher Steve Carlton #32 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during an Major League Baseball game circa 1980 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Carlton played for the Phillies from 1972-86. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK – CIRCA 1976: Pitchers ((L-R) Steve Carlton #32, Jim Kaat #39 and Jim Lonborg #41 of the Philadelphia Phillies pose together for this photo before an Major League Baseball game against the New York Mets circa 1976 at Shea Stadium in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
NEW YORK – CIRCA 1976: Pitchers ((L-R) Steve Carlton #32, Jim Kaat #39 and Jim Lonborg #41 of the Philadelphia Phillies pose together for this photo before an Major League Baseball game against the New York Mets circa 1976 at Shea Stadium in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

Jim Kaat

Kaat was a three-time All-Star and 17-year Major League veteran when Phillies acquired him in a trade with Mike Buskey for Dick Ruthven, Alan Bannister, and Roy Thomas in December of 1975.

PHILADELPHIA, PA – CIRCA 1979: Pitcher Jim Kaat #39 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during a Major League Baseball game circa 1979 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Kaat played for the Phillies from 1976-79. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – CIRCA 1979: Pitcher Jim Kaat #39 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during a Major League Baseball game circa 1979 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Kaat played for the Phillies from 1976-79. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

A solid back end of the rotation starter for the NL East champions in 1976, Kaat went 12-14 with an ERA of 3.48. In 38 games (35 as a starter), Kaat completed seven with one shutout in 227 2/3 innings.

Kaat struggled in 1977 as his record dropped to 6-11 with a 5.39 ERA in 35 games and 160 1/3 innings. As a 39-year old, he had a rebound season of sorts in 1978, winning eight and dropping only five with an ERA just over four.

After a 1-0 start in four games for the Phillies in 1979, Kaat was sold to the New York Yankees on May 11.  Kaat ended up pitching for the Yankees and Cardinals for a few more years before retiring in 1983 at the age of 44.

Kaat had a relatively mediocre 27-30 record with an ERA of 4.23 in 102 games with the Phillies. However, he provided stability to the staff during three consecutive NL East title teams.

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