That Balls Outta Here
FanSided

A complete history of Philadelphia Phillies playoff runs

By Gabrielle Starr

PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 21: Mike Schmidt of the Philadelphia Phillies fields a ground ball during World Series game six between the Kansas City Royals and Philadelphia Phillies on October 21, 1980 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies defeated the Royals 4-1. (Photo by Rich Pilling/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 21: Mike Schmidt of the Philadelphia Phillies fields a ground ball during World Series game six between the Kansas City Royals and Philadelphia Phillies on October 21, 1980 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies defeated the Royals 4-1. (Photo by Rich Pilling/Getty Images) /
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CLEARWATER, FL – FEBRUARY 24: Pat Burrell of the Philadelphia Phillies poses during Photo Day on February 24, 2007 at Brighthouse Networks Field in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
CLEARWATER, FL – FEBRUARY 24: Pat Burrell of the Philadelphia Phillies poses during Photo Day on February 24, 2007 at Brighthouse Networks Field in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) /

2007 Philadelphia Phillies: Division champions

After a lengthy – but not their longest – drought, the Phillies finally returned to the postseason in 2007. In July, they also became not only the first MLB team, but the first professional sports team in modern history to lose 10,000 games.

In the new millennium, MLB was different once again; there were now 30 teams, a single-team wild-card playoff berth, and a new divisional round in the playoffs added another roadblock before a team could play in the World Series.

And once again, the Phillies had a new ballpark. Citizens Bank Park opened in 2004, replacing Veterans Stadium. The Vet had only been their home for 33 years, a short time considering it had cost approximately $60M to construct, making it one of the most expensive sporting arenas at the time.

Much like the Phillies of the late 1970s, the 2007 Phillies had almost all the requisite pieces but weren’t quite a championship team yet. Ryan Howard had won the 2005 NL Rookie of the Year and 2006 MVP, but after hitting an MLB-leading 58 home runs in 2006, only hit 47 in 2007.

But a promising squad had begun to take shape: Howard, Carlos Ruiz, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Pat Burrell, and Shane Victorino in the lineup, and a young Cole Hamels on the mound, having his first All-Star season and coming in sixth in NL Cy Young voting.

Rollins, in particular, had a standout year; he played in every regular-season game, and led MLB in games played, plate appearances, and at-bats, and led the NL in runs scored and triples, to win the only NL MVP and Silver Slugger awards of his career, as well as his first of four Gold Gloves. Utley also won a Silver Slugger, and Aaron Rowand won a Gold Glove.

It only took 89 wins to own the NL East, but the Phillies were quickly swept out of their very first NLDS by the Colorado Rockies.

Turnabout’s fair play, though, as the Rockies would then be swept by the Boston Red Sox in the World Series.

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