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Phillies Best Individual Seasons By Uniform Number (51 +)

By Kerry Kauffman

LOS ANGELES - JUNE 4: Bobby Abreu of the Philadelphia Phillies at third base during the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California on June 4, 2006. The Phillies defeated the Dodgers 6-4. (Photo by Robert Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES - JUNE 4: Bobby Abreu of the Philadelphia Phillies at third base during the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California on June 4, 2006. The Phillies defeated the Dodgers 6-4. (Photo by Robert Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – AUGUST 19: Carlos Ruiz #51 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on during the game against the Colorado Rockies at Citizens Bank Park on August 19, 2013 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies won 5-4. (Photo by Brian Garfinkel/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – AUGUST 19: Carlos Ruiz #51 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on during the game against the Colorado Rockies at Citizens Bank Park on August 19, 2013 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies won 5-4. (Photo by Brian Garfinkel/Getty Images) /

Breaking down the best Phillies to ever wear the highest numbers

The series of best individual Phillies seasons by uniform number has contained players from various eras, abilities, longevity, and popularity over the past 50 years.

We conclude with two key members from the 2008 World Series team, some relatively obscure names, the “wildest” of them all and several more.

Let’s take a look at numbers 51 and above.

51 – Carlos Ruiz (2012)

Ruiz was in his third MLB season when he was an integral part of the 2008 World Series championship team, masterfully handling the pitching staff. No one will forget “Chooch” catching the final nasty slider from Brad Lidge to strikeout Eric Hinske, winning the second World Series title in franchise history. However, the best days of Ruiz’s career were still to come.

After a .255 season in 2009 with nine home runs and 43 RBI, Ruiz had the best three-year run of his career starting in 2010. Finishing 17th in the MVP vote, Ruiz hit .302 with 28 doubles, 8 home runs and 53 RBI.  He added a solid .283 batting average with 23 doubles in 2011 before having by far his best season the following year.

In 2012, Ruiz made his first and only All-Star appearance. He had 121 hits, 56 runs, 32 doubles, 16 home runs, 68 RBI, .325 batting average, .540 slugging percentage, and .935 OPS, all career-highs.  Still stellar behind the plate over his final three and a half seasons with the Phillies, offensively Ruiz began to decline, bottoming out at .211 in 2015.

Ruiz was traded to the Dodgers in 2016, hitting .278 in 14 games. He hit .216 with three home runs in 125 at-bats for the Mariners in 2017 before retiring.

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