That Balls Outta Here
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Phillies: Top 5 most overrated players in team history

By David Esser

MONTREAL - OCTOBER 7: Larry Bowa #10 of the Philadelphia Phillies misses the ball during the National League Divisional Playoffs against the Montreal Expos at Olympic Stadium on October 7, 1981 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Ronald C. Modra/Getty Images)
MONTREAL - OCTOBER 7: Larry Bowa #10 of the Philadelphia Phillies misses the ball during the National League Divisional Playoffs against the Montreal Expos at Olympic Stadium on October 7, 1981 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Ronald C. Modra/Getty Images) /
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Phillies Matt Stairs watches his two–run home run along with Dodgers catcher Russell Martin sail into the right field stands to give the Phillies a 7–5 lead in the 8th inning in Game 4 of the NLCS in Los Angeles Monday. (Photo by Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) /

#1. Matt Stairs

Ah, the owner of one of the most iconic Phillies memories in team history. During the legendary World Series run of 2008, Matt Stairs came on as a pinch hitter in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers and absolutely drilled a baseball “into the night”. With one simple swing of the bat, Stairs became a fan favorite amongst the Philly faithful for years to come. Fans printed t-shirts with his face on them, and even today people in Citizens Bank Park still talk of him as some unsung hero.

Unfortunately, that’s just not the case.

For starters, Stairs only made 148 plate appearances as a Phillie in the regular season, making little to no impact during that time. Across the span of two seasons used primarily a pinch hitter, Stairs hit just seven home runs. He posted a batting average of .208 (his lowest with any team) and struck out 30 times during the 2009 season.

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After Stairs’ super underwhelming 2009 season, he entered free agency and was ultimately forced to sign a minor league contract to continue playing.

Many fans may be quick to point out that Stairs was a far more productive player in the postseason, but even that logic has its own flaws to it. While he did step up in an extremely clutch situation during that LA game in 2008, outside of that he was largely useless when it came to October. In 14 total postseason at-bats as a Philadelphia Phillie, he has just two total hits.

Stairs’ iconic two-run shot in the 2008 NLCS will be remembered forever, however his legacy as a Philadelphia Phillie should not share that same sentiment.

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