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Phillies Best Individual Seasons By Uniform Number (41 – 50)

By Kerry Kauffman

PHILADELPHIA, PA - CIRCA 1978: Pitcher Tug McGraw #45 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during an Major League Baseball game circa 1978 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. McGraw played for the Phillies from 1975-84. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - CIRCA 1978: Pitcher Tug McGraw #45 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during an Major League Baseball game circa 1978 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. McGraw played for the Phillies from 1975-84. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – CIRCA 1977: Jim Lonborg #41 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during an Major League baseball game circa 1977 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Lonborg played for the Phillies from 1973-79. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – CIRCA 1977: Jim Lonborg #41 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during an Major League baseball game circa 1977 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Lonborg played for the Phillies from 1973-79. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

The Phillies have had great pitchers wearing #41-50 in their history

As we begin part four of this series, there have been some surprise players with just a single season in Philadelphia, Hall-of-Famers, the highly obscure and fan favorites.  The oldest of them all, a World Series hero, and a reliever turned broadcaster headline numbers 41-50 for Phillies best individual seasons by uniform number.

41 – Jim Lonborg (1974) 

Jim Lonborg was an eight-year veteran with an All-Star appearance and Cy Young Award to his resume when the Phillies acquired him via trade from the Brewers on October 31, 1972. He won 13 games but dropped 16 with a 4.88 ERA in 1973, making the Phillies wonder if Lonborg’s best years were behind him.

The following season was Lonborg’s best overall season with the Phillies, proving he had plenty left in the tank. He set career highs in complete games (16), innings pitched (283), and shutouts (3), while winning 17 and posting an ERA of 3.21.

After an 8-6 mark in 1975, Lonborg again had a stellar season in 1976, going 18-10 with eight complete games, 222 innings and a 3.08 ERA.  He was still quite productive in 1977, winning 11 games before tailing off to an 8-10 record with a 5.23 ERA in just 22 games in 1978.

Lonborg was released by the Phillies on June 16, 1979, after posting an ERA of 11.45 in four games. He won 75 of his 157 Major League games in a Phillies uniform and retired with a 3.86 ERA and 1475 strikeouts.

42 – Ron Reed (1976)

A tremendous two-sport athlete, Ron Reed played two seasons in the NBA for the Detroit Pistons from 1965-1967, averaging eight points and 6.4 rebounds per game. On the mound, he pitched for the Atlanta Braves, primarily as a starter through 1975, winning 10 or more games five times.

After playing the second half of 1975 with the Cardinals after a trade from the Braves, the Phillies acquired Reed in a trade for Mike Anderson on December 9, 1975. The Phillies clearly got the better end of the trade starting immediately in 1976.

Reed moved primarily to the bullpen, making only four starts in 59 appearances. He won eight and saved 14, logging 128 innings with a slim 2.46 ERA.  Reed allowed a mere 88 hits, eight home runs, with 32 walks and 96 strikeouts.

A mainstay in the Phillies bullpen for the next several years, Reed had four straight 100-plus inning seasons, winning 13 games in 1979. In nine seasons with the Phillies through 1983, Reed won 57 and saved 90 with an ERA of 3.06.  He finished his career with the White Sox in 1984, saving 12 with an ERA of 3.08 in 51 games.

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