Phillies history: Top 5 greatest catchers in Phillies franchise history

No. 5: Mike Lieberthal

Any lingering bitterness that Phillies fans might have about Mike Lieberthal is largely misplaced, as he was legitimately one of the top-five hitting catchers in the game for a period of a few years. The lack of team success at that time is not his fault, but fans of a certain age no doubt consider him the poster child for the era due to his longevity.

Lieberthal had to carry a fairly heavy workload behind the plate because he was always backed up by the likes of Gary Bennett and Mark Parent. And he made the most of it, accruing a pair of All-Star selections and a Gold Glove along the way. Lieby caught over 100 games on seven different occasions, which is not an easy feat and makes my knees hurt just thinking about it. He was also behind the dish for Kevin Millwood's 2003 no-hitter.

Mike Lieberthal appeared in parts of 13 seasons for the Phils, stretching from 1994 to 2006. It's kind of ridiculous how the Phillies made the playoffs the year before he arrived and the year after he left, but not while he played for them. Don't lay the blame at Lieberthal's feet, as he had a productive career for the team, hitting .275 with 150 home runs and 1,137 hits for the Phils. He landed on the Phillies Wall of Fame in 2012, a befitting honor for his fine work in Philadelphia.