Phillies: Most underrated players of the 2000s

Brett Myers

Phillies fans remember the great rotation of 2009 and those that came after, but they forget some of the guys who came before the Four Aces.

During the decade Brett Myers led all Phillies pitchers with 73 wins and 986 strikeouts, and he did it in multiple roles as a starter, reliever, and closer.

Philadelphia drafted Myers 12th overall in the 1999 MLB June Amateur Draft from Englewood High School in Jacksonville, Florida. He came up in 2002 almost a month before his 21st birthday only to pitch eight two-hit innings, the only run allowed by Myers being a Mark Bellhorn home run.

From 2003-06 Myers won 50 games as a starter, but a rough start to the 2007 season led to a change. Myers transitioned into the bullpen and became a setup man and closer, saving 21 games in his new role.

Some forget that Myers was the guy on the mound when the Phillies clinched the 2007 National League East crown and their first playoff berth since 1993.

That curveball was the start of the greatest run in Phillies history.

In 2008 Myers rejoined the rotation to win 10 games with two complete games and a shutout.

Myers filled so many roles for the Phillies in his eight years with the team and is a forgotten piece of the team’s resurgence.