Phillies Top Individual Seasons By Number (31 – 40)
Robin Roberts continues the trend of great Phillies pitchers
36 – Robin Roberts (1953)
Roberts pitched for the Phillies from 1948 through 1961 and made seven consecutive All-Star games from 1950 through 1956. His best run was from 1952 through 1955 and arguably any one of those seasons could have made this list.
In 1952 Roberts led the league in wins (28), games started (37), complete games (30), and innings (330). The following season was his best, posting career highs in games started (41), complete games (33), innings (346 2/3) and strikeouts (198). Roberts also led the league in wins with 23.
Roberts once again paced the NL in wins, games started, complete games, and innings pitched in both 1954 and 1955. Although still a workhorse logging at least 250 innings each of the next four seasons, Roberts’ effectiveness was declining, leading the league in losses twice with mediocre ERAs.
His last season in Philadelphia was a disaster, going 1-10 with a 5.85 ERA in 1962. Roberts went on to pitch 3 1/2 seasons with the Orioles, 23 games with the Astros and 11 with the Cubs, retiring in 1966.
Roberts won 234 games with the Phillies and 286 total. He was inducted in the Hall of Fame in 1976.
37 – Rheal Cormier (2003)
One of the most obscure names on the list for the average baseball fan, Cormier pitched for the Expos, Cardinals, and Red Sox over nine seasons before the Phillies signed him as a free agent during the 2000 offseason. Extremely mediocre in a left-handed specialist role in 2001 and 2002, Cormier found something that clicked during 2003.
Entering 2003, Cormier never had an ERA below 3.00, in fact his previous career-low was 3.68. The season started off poorly for Cormier, allowing five runs in two innings in his first appearance. He then went on a streak of 16 straight appearances without allowing an earned run and 47 out of his next 50 games. All told, Cormier compiled an 8-0 record with a 1.70 ERA in 65 games, giving up only 54 hits and four long balls in 84 2/3 innings.
Nearly impossible to duplicate the success in 2003, Cormier was still solid in 2004, posting a 3.54 ERA in 81 innings. He was ineffective in 2005, barely posting an ERA under six. After a good first half in 2006, Cormier was dealt to the Reds. He would appear in only 27 games with the Reds through part of 2007 and retired with an ERA of 4.03 with 71 wins in 683 appearances.