5 most hated Phillies players of all time
While plenty of players are remembered fondly by Phillies fans, some are hated and despised and may be forever. Who are the most hated players in the organization's history?
Every professional sports team has its heroes and villains. For every franchise-defining legend, you can find a just as infamously despised player whom fans turned against. Some players are so hated that fans have a hard time forgiving and forgetting, even years later.
The Philadelphia Phillies are no different. The franchise has had plenty of players who are remembered positively and revered in the hearts of fans. However, more than a few have also drawn the ire of the Phillies faithful and may never be forgiven in the city of brotherly love.
Every Phillies fan will have their own list of players they hate. But who are some of the universally disliked players in the organization's history?
Here are the top five most hated Phillies players of all time.
No. 5: Odúbel Herrera
Odúbel Herrera did fairly well offensively for the Phillies with a slash line of .297/.344/.418 during his rookie season in 2015. He followed that up with a .286/.361/.420 line during 2016 and a line of .281/.325/.452 in 2017.
Herrera's struggles started in 2018 with a .255/.310/.420 line, followed by a slash line of .222/.288/.341 during 2019. He only played in 39 contests that season, as the organization placed him on administrative leave following an arrest for domestic violence. A month after the incident, the league announced he would be suspended for the remainder of the season. The Phillies designated the centerfielder for assignment the following offseason.
In 2021, Herrera began the year with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs but was promoted when the team needed another outfielder. He finished with a .260/.316/.410 slash line. Philadelphia re-signed him to a one-year deal before the 2022 season. He finished with a pedestrian line of .238/.279/.378 in 62 games. Due to a drop in productivity, injuries, and a domestic violence incident, his career, which looked bright following his rookie year, gradually fizzled.
No. 4: Scott Rolen
Scott Rolen appeared like he would be an integral part of the club's rebuild toward being a contender. He debuted for the Phillies in August 1996. In his first full season in the majors the following year, he won the National League Rookie of the Year Award.
Rolen did not get along with Phillies manager Larry Bowa, who became the skipper in 2001. The third baseman believed the organization was not doing all it could to become a contender. He rejected a hefty extension from the Phillies during the offseason following the 2001 season as he grew tired of the team's promises to put a better team around him to contend.
Scott Rolen is officially in the Phillies Wall of Fame! 👏
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) September 22, 2023
(via @Phillies) pic.twitter.com/xbSUd5ZS01
The Phillies ended up trading Rolen, minor league pitcher Doug Nickle, and cash to the St. Louis Cardinals for third baseman Placido Polanco, starting pitcher Bud Smith, and reliever Mike Timlin on July 29, 2002.
While it appears some of the Philly fanbase have moved on from their dislike of the third baseman following his entry into the Phillies Wall of Fame last season, his comments during his unhappiness with the organization made many fans angry with him for the duration of his playing career.
No. 3: Jonathan Papelbon
Jonathan Papelbon became the Phillies' all-time leader in saves during his tenure with the ballclub from 2012 to 2015. While he was good in his role throughout his playing career, his opinionated and controversial nature was vexing for some fans.
Following a 2014 outing in which he exited after blowing a save, the reliever chose an inopportune time to adjust his cup as it appeared he made a rude gesture in response to a booing crowd at Citizens Bank Park. Papelbon ended up being ejected from the contest by umpire Joe West and subsequently received a seven-game suspension.
Papelbon was unhappy with former general manager Ruben Amaro Jr., as the reliever signed with the organization to contend for a championship. Instead, the club had an aging core that began to show signs of decline from its years of competing. The closer didn't hold back in his criticisms of the organization during his time with the team or in comments made over the last couple of years.
No. 2: Billy Wagner
The acquisition of Billy Wagner came with a lot of expectations. The Phillies were looking to break their long postseason drought, and the left-handed closer was in the prime of his career. However, his candid criticisms of the organization and the fans led to his exit from the ball club via free agency after two seasons with Philadelphia.
Before his trade to Philly, Wagner criticized the front office of the Houston Astros following their loss in the 2003 World Series. Toward the end of the Phillies 2005 season, the closer said the team did not have a chance of making the playoffs despite being in the mix for a postseason spot.
Wagner would sign with one of the Phillies' division rivals, the New York Mets, in free agency following the 2005 season. This decision added to the collective hatred from Philly fans. Years later, the reliever admitted to his mistakes during his time in Philadelphia.
No. 1: J.D. Drew
J.D. Drew was always a villain to Phillies fans. He and his agent, Scott Boras, had hefty demands about his salary. The outfielder wanted a salary of $10 million, an absurd amount of money for a player who had never played in a Major League Baseball game before.
Despite Drew and Boras' insistence on the financial demands they wanted to be met, the Phillies selected him second overall in the 1997 MLB Draft. Philadelphia had no intention of paying him that large sum of money but selected him nonetheless.
https://t.co/REbqIipksJ looks back at a player each team selected in the draft, but did not sign only to see him star elsewhere. Only one choice for #Phillies: J.D. Drew. It's a story that involved threats, a private investigator, batteries and boos. https://t.co/BlXlAiganH
— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) May 31, 2018
Drew chose to play for an independent baseball league and then re-entered the MLB Draft in 1998. The Cardinals selected him in the first round. The right fielder's first game in Philadelphia took place on Aug. 10, 1999. The Phillies fans booed him, and some unnecessarily threw batteries at him.
Drew never lived up to the billing of being a top player. Whether it be a lack of productivity or injuries, the outfielder had some good seasons but is not considered elite. No matter how good of a player he turned out to be, he remains one of the most despised athletes among Phillies fans.
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