25 Sweetest Swings in Philadelphia Phillies History

Pitching may be the name of the game for the Philadelphia Phillies nowadays, but this is a franchise whose history is littered with prolific offenses and players who know how to square up a round ball with a round bat, and that's not an easy thing to do.

For an offensive player, hitting is like fine art. These men spend years mastering their craft, each with his own personal, unique flare. The best hitters, like the best artists, are normally those who have perfected the many nuances of their profession. Like a master artists' fine brush strokes, a hitter with a sweet swing can do a lot of damage.

But before we look at the sweetest swings in the history of the Phillies' organization, it is important that we define just what a "sweet swing" is. To me, a sweet swing is one that comes naturally. Hitters with such a swing normally share a few traits. Their bat stays in the strike zone for a long time and there is very little, if any, extra movement in their swing.

Hitters with a "sweet swing" are usually very balanced at the plate, and although each and every swing is different, they all pass the eye test—they're aesthetically pleasing. A "sweet swing" gets right down to business, with all of the aforementioned traits in mind, this swing passes over the plate for just a split second, making contact with the ball and sending it hurtling in the opposite direction.

Now that we have defined what qualifies as a "sweet swing," let's take a look at the best the Phillies have to offer.

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But First, a Note

After doing some research for this topic, one reality set in pretty quickly: Evaluating some of the Phillies' all-time great hitters for this list was right next to impossible. The reason is simple: There just isn't enough data and evidence to support a claim for some of these guys.

For example, though Ed Delahanty put up some of the greatest numbers in the history of the organization, there is almost no evidence to support the statement that he had a "sweet swing." Putting up big numbers and having a sweet swing are not synonymous.

That's why it's important to remember: This list isn't about the numbers.

It's about players with sweet swings, and unless there is evidence for me to make a claim that their swing was among the best, I couldn't rank them. That's why some of the organization's best offensive players, like Delahanty and Sherry Magee, go unranked.

I haven't forgotten about them. There just isn't enough support for their case. With that being said, however, that leads me to the next slide.

25. The Honorable Mentions

Though I was convinced that there was not enough evidence to rank these players higher, I felt as though there was enough of a legend surrounding their careers to warrant an honorable mention. After all, baseball was a much different game in the days of most of the Phillies' all-time greats, and who is to say what a "sweet swing" consisted of back then?

Leading the charge for honorable mentions are a few players who must have had a sweet swing to put up the numbers they did: Ed Delahanty, Chuck Klein, Sherry Magee, Roy Thomas, and Billy Hamilton.

The bottom line is pretty simple: You don't have the kind of careers that these men had (as well as a number of other players in the history of the Phillies) without being technically sound. In their day, that was a sweet swing.

24. Domonic Brown

We'll kick the actual rankings off with somewhat of a surprise pick: Domonic Brown.

If I had my druthers, I would actually rank Brown much higher, but at the end of the day, we just haven't seen enough of him at the MLB level (and by proxy, success with his swing) to warrant a higher ranking.

Though the Phillies have tinkered with the starting position of his hands in recent seasons, it would be difficult to complain about the rest of his swing. Brown has a very balanced, level swing. When he's comfortable at the plate, the bat stays in the strike zone throughout his rotation.

It's my belief that it is only a matter of time before Brown is a perennial All-Star in Philadelphia.

23. Juan Samuel

I was on the fence about including Juan Samuel at first glance, especially taking into account the inconsistencies in his swing early in his career that forced him to lead the league in strikeouts in each of his first four seasons.

However, as Samuel progressed as a player, his swing became much more naturally looking. Embracing his role as more of a contact hitter, the current Phillies third base coach produced a much more natural looking swing that helped his strikeout rates to improve and his contact statistics to increase.

In the prime of his career, Samuel had a balance swing that helped in reach base where he could wreak havoc with his speed.

22. Jimmy Rollins

In recent seasons, it is easy to forget just how important Jimmy Rollins is to the Phillies. After all, we live in a time where baseball is a "what have you done for me lately" sport, and after a couple of stints on the disabled list, it's easy to be uneasy about the shortstop's future.

It's hard to forget about the past, but that past holds a number of reasons why Rollins is an invaluable asset for the Phillies. With one of the sweetest swings the organization has seen, particularly his left-handed stroke, Rollins captured a number of offensive awards, including a Silver Slugger and an MVP Award.

21. Shane Victorino

Much like Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino's left handed swing is very easy to like for a number of reasons. First and foremost, although it doesn't originate from a traditional stance by any means, the swing looks quite natural because of Victorino's stature.

The "Flyin' Hawaiian" stands almost completely straight at the plate waiting for the pitch to be delivered, and to kick things off (so to speak), starts a high leg quick. From the left side of the plate, this gives him excellent leverage to drive the bat through the zone quickly, creating a balanced swing that has worked for him thus far in his career.

20. Von Hayes

When the Phillies sent five players to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for Von Hayes prior to the 1983 season, the deal warranted a belief that he was supposed to be the next big thing in Philadelphia. Although Hayes never really turned out to be the superstar that the organization expected him to become, there was certainly reason to believe that potential existed. 

Hayes was a naturally athletic player. He was a good outfield and an outstanding college hitter. In two seasons with the Indians, had really developed a fine looking, left-handed swing. A lot of teams saw potential in that swing, including the Phillies, who gave up a lot of talent in hopes of making Hayes a cornerstone of the franchise for years to come.

19. Garry Maddox

Garry Maddox, as a baseball player, was a man of many talents, and I'm still trying to figure out which was better: His swing or his proficiency for growing facial hair.

For the sake of context, we'll go with the swing for this slide. When the Phillies acquired Maddox, they were looking for a defensively sound center fielder to play in the cavernous outfield that was Veterans Stadium. In Maddox, they got not only that, but a solid offensive player as well.

Though he was nicknamed the "Secretary of Defense," Maddox had a say in the offensive output as well, using his naturally balanced swing to collect base hits and hit for power. He retired with more than 100 home runs and a .285 batting average.

18. Darren Daulton

Darren Daulton was, without a doubt, the heart and soul of the Phillies clubhouse throughout most of the 1990s. However, he was also the heart and soul of the offense when he was healthy, and the main reason for that was an excellent swing not often seen out of a catcher.

A left-handed hitter, Daulton was the rare type of backstop that was solid both at the plate and behind it. He wasn't the flashiest hitter, but Daulton's swing was very technically sound. He used his lower half very well to generate torque and had the upper body strength to generate excellent bat speed through the strike zone.

A vocal leader and offensive threat, it's no wonder Daulton remains a fan favorite to this day.

17. Jayson Werth

I definitely wanted to include Jayson Werth on this list, but struggled with his positioning on it for a number of reasons. The first is an obvious statement for anyone who watched him with the Phillies: Werth struggled with consistency with his swing.

In one at-bat, Werth could look like a perennial All-Star worthy of that gigantic contract he signed with the Washington Nationals with one of the smoothest strokes in all of baseball. On the next swing, he could find a way to make himself look foolish by stretching for pitches on the outer portion of the plate.

But when Werth got a pitch he could handle, he did, and nine times out of 10, looked really good doing it. He has a long limbs, but with the Phillies, found a way to reign them in for a much more compact swing, helping him to generate power.

He may not be a fit for everyone on a list like this, but I felt as though, given other options, he was worth a spot like this. If you wanted to knock him back a few positions, I wouldn't put up much of a fight.

16. Mike Lieberthal

Mike Lieberthal was a very good offensive catcher. Even though that fact resonated in the back of my mind, I never noticed just how nice his swing was until I went back and looked at some video while researching this list.

He wasn't a big guy, but Lieberthal managed to generate a lot of power. He had very quick hands through the strike zone and good balance at the plate. Like a lot of guys on this list, he wasn't the flashiest of hitters, but had a very natural looking swing that often produced a positive result.

15. Scott Rolen

Phillies fans have made their feelings about Scott Rolen pretty clear over the years: For lack of a better description, they hate him. Much like Von Hayes, Rolen was supposed to be the cornerstone of the franchise that led them to their first World Series title since 1980, but in the prime of his career and unwilling to wait for the farm system to develop, Rolen wanted out.

Calling St. Louis "baseball heaven" was pouring salt on an open wound.

Regardless of that, there is no denying that Rolen had one of the best swings in the history of the Phillies organization. Though he never won a title with the Phillies, his swing was undoubtedly a winner. His big frame allowed him to get excellent extension at the plate.

Because he was able to keep his swing balanced, Rolen displayed excellent power, but his proficiency for making contact made him one of the game's biggest threats at the dish.

14. Placido Polanco

Heading into the 2012 season, Phillies' third baseman Placido Polanco is basically a shell of his former self. Riddled by injuries and inconsistency, Father Time has not been kind to him. One thing that has remained consistent through the later portion of his career, however, is the swing that made him a perennial .300 hitter in his prime.

Without ever having much power, Polanco created a balanced swing that allows him to drive the ball to all fields. He has very quick hands. Because of that, he is able to bring the bat through the strike zone with great speed regardless of where the ball crosses the plate.

Add to that the fact that he has one of the most technically sound swings in the game, and it should be no surprise that Polanco rarely strikes out and often makes contact.

13. Lenny Dykstra

Lenny Dykstra may not have had the prettiest batting stance, but his swing was an entirely different conversation. After spending his New York Mets career as a platoon player, the Phillies saw enough potential in that swing to make Dykstra an everyday player, and were rewarded in 1990—his first full year with the club—with an All-Star campaign.

Dykstra had great balance at the plate, using his front leg to stabilize his swing and generate a lot of torque. "The Dude" also had quick wrists and could drive the barrel of the bat through the strike zone with impressive, and somewhat surprising, power for a guy who is just 5'10".

12. Pat Burrell

At least with the Phillies, Pat Burrell had the type of swing that you love to see in a power hitter—one that I feel doesn't get enough love.

Yes, Burrell as a player had his flaws. He was a dreadful fielder and by 2008, he was struggling to make contact at the plate, posting three consecutive seasons of a batting average beneath .260. A big, bumbling left field, people often said that "Pat the Bat" was a designated hitter out of position in the National League, and while that may have been the case, he was right at home at the plate.

A polished hitter coming out of college, the Phillies had big plans for Burrell. With Scott Rolen blocking his progress at third base in the MLB, the Phillies decided to move him to left field to make room for his swing in the lineup.

Balanced and with a slight uppercut, Burrell was the power hitter that fans had been longing to see with the Phillies. In the early portion of his career, Burrell also had tremendous bat speed. While he sometimes looked as though he was a bit too uncoordinated for his own good, his swing looked good (especially when he made contact, which quickly became a problem.)

11. Ryan Howard

Speaking of pretty looking swings from power hitters, say what you want about Ryan Howard, but when he gets a pitch he can handle, he usually does and looks good doing it.

Howard's swing is one that doesn't come as naturally as some of the others on this list, but at the end of the day, a lot of hard work crafted one of the best swings in the history of the Phillies' organization. He kicks things off with what has become a trademark pointing of the bat to balance himself.

At that point, Howard uses the lower portion of his body to stable himself and create balance while generating torque for his powerful upper body. With a slight uppercut, Howard has good bat speed through the strike zone, particularly on the inner half of the plate.

When he makes contact, not only does it go far—it looks good.

10. Richie Ashburn

You don't get to be the type of hitter that Richie Ashburn was without having one of the most technically sound, natural looking swings in the game. At just 5'10", Ashburn had very little power, even by the standards of his time. He knew that. That's why his approach was to get on base any way possible.

He had excellent balance at the plate and could replicate his swing with ease. Though choking way up on the bat gave him an odd looking stance, his swing was much more smooth. He had quick hands as it was, and after choking up on the bat even further, Ashburn could meet the ball at any spot over the plate and had the bat control to take it to any field.

If you asked "Whitey" about his swing, however, you'd probably get a couple of interesting responses. After all, the man had a strange superstition—he used to take his bat to bed with him to stay close to it.

9. Johnny Callison

It often seems as though any left-handed hitters with above-average success at the MLB level have a sweet swing, and Johnny Callison was certainly no exception. After failing to catch on with the Chicago White Sox, the Phillies took a chance on the outfielder (and his swing) and acquired him prior to the 1960 season.

A few years later, Callison had developed one of the best left-handed swings in the game, and the Phillies were reaping the rewards. He was named to his first All-Star team in 1962. In the seasons that followed was able to develop more power, which helped him to two more All-Star Games (where he would eventually hit a dramatic, three-run home run.)

8. Bobby Abreu

Bobby Abreu may not be the most popular man in the city of Philadelphia, but there is very little not to like about the man's swing, even today.

Abreu was in the prime of his career when he was patrolling right field for the Phillies, and his swing was better than ever. Both naturally gifted and technically sound, Abreu was able to do a number of things at the plate.

First and foremost, he had excellent discipline with his swing, rarely fooled by pitches. Great balance at the plate created a sturdy base for a powerful upper half, and Abreu had very quick hands to quickly drive the barrel of the bat through the strike zone.

Simply a gifted offensive player, Abreu continues to have a swing that allows him to hit for both average and power, and that in and of itself is a very sweet thing.

7. Dick Allen

There's a strong case to be made that Dick Allen belongs in the Hall of Fame, and while that is a conversation for another day, it was a powerful swing that brought the controversial slugger into that conversation at all.

Signed by the Phillies as an amateur free agent out of high school, Allen found his way into trouble on more than one occasion, leading the Phillies to trade him to the St. Louis Cardinals before re-acquiring him later in his career.

In both stints, however, one thing about Allen remained the same: His swing.

Regardless of that, I struggled with Allen's position on this list because his swing doesn't look as natural as some of the others on this list. He took a step away from the plate, which would cause most hitters to fly open at the hip—normally a bad thing.

However, Allen was strong as bull. Even though he stepped away from the plate, he generated so much torque on top of having quick hands that he looked as though he could break the speed of sound with his swing.

Somehow, he managed to turn an unnatural habit into one of the sweeter swings in Phillies history.

6. Jim Thome

With more than 600 home runs and a surefire Hall of Famer, it sure is hard not to like Jim Thome's swing, especially in his first go-around with the Phillies.

Signed to put the Phillies back on the map, Thome did just that with his powerful swing, clubbing mammoth home runs and helping to make the Phillies a legitimate franchise for the first time in a long time.

After a little help from Charlie Manuel while both were with the Cleveland Indians, Thome had perfected his swing. With a point of the bat (similar to the one that Ryan Howard uses), Thome found a way to create balance for himself at the plate.

A strong lower half gives the slugger excellent balance, and he generates enough torque to give his hands the boost that few players have ever been able to generate. He has great bat control and that slight uppercut that the best power hitters have.

It'll be interesting to compare his swing now heading into 2012 to his swing when the Phillies traded him after 2004.

5. Pete Rose

You don't get to be baseball's all-time hits leader without having a sweet swing, and Pete Rose had a swing that helped him collect more than 4,000 career hits.

The Phillies temporarily made Rose the highest paid free agent of all-time prior to the 1979 season in order to bring a winning culture to Philadelphia. Even though the club missed the postseason that season, in 1980 they won it all for the first time, and it's hard to say that was a coincidence.

Though Rose had an abnormal stance, he turned it into one of the best swings the Phillies franchise had ever seen. Technically sound and well balanced, there were few pitchers that got the best of "Charlie Hustle."

4. Ryne Sandberg

Talk about difficult decisions. When I originally created this list, this man wasn't on it. Then I went back and decided that it would be a crime to leave him off. After I put him back on, I questioned whether or not he was qualified. I took him off. Then I put him back on.

This is the question I wrestled with: Do six at-bats qualify Ryne Sandberg for this list?

When all was said and done, I had decided to include him. Though all but six of Sandberg's 8,385 at-bats came as a member of the Chicago Cubs, he still had those six at-bats with the Phillies, and few hitters ever, in the history of the game, had a sweeter swing than Ryno.

2,836 hits later, I don't think we need a real explanation as to why.

3. Gregg Jefferies

I know what you're thinking right now, and the answer is yes, I am serious. 

After naming a Hall of Fame player with six at-bats for the Phillies on the previous slide, the award for third sweetest swing in the history of the Phillies' organization belongs to none other than Gregg Jefferies, whom the Phillies were able to lure to town for the 1994 season after reaching the World Series the year prior.

Though his career wasn't all too spectacular as a member of the Phillies (he did post a .751 OPS), his swing was.

More often than not, switch hitters look much more comfortable batting left-handed, but not Jefferies. His swing was as close to perfect as you can get from the left-handed batter's box, and watching him on the other side was like looking in the mirror.

A switch hitter with not one, but two, sweet swings certainly deserves a ranking this high.

2. Mike Schmidt

Any time you're talking about great aspects of hitting in regards to the Phillies franchise, Mike Schmidt's name is bound to come up in some way, shape or form, so this shouldn't come as much of a surprise.

One of the premier power hitters of his day, Schmidt wasn't always one of the smoothest swingers. He struggled early in his career before finally settling in against MLB pitching, and the rest was history.

With a strong base, quick hands and tremendous power, Schmidt retired as the only member of the Phillies' to ever hit 500 home runs in the uniform, a feat that may stand for a long, long time, all thanks to that beautiful swing.

1. Chase Utley

Chase Utley does a lot of things well in the game of baseball, and having a sweet swing is certainly one of them. Drafted by the Phillies in the first round of the amateur draft, he was hailed as the best second baseman to come out of the system since Ryne Sandberg. That certainly has been a fair statement to date.

What makes his swing so unique is that it is so compact. Utley stands completely still at the plate as the pitcher is delivering the ball, and outside of a short leg kick, it appears as though almost all of his swing is generate through his upper body, but this isn't entirely true.

Utley has a very strong base and doesn't need the leg kick that you'll see from some of his teammates, like Shane Victorino, for example. His swing is so balanced that he is able to generate torque with that small kick, and his wrists are so fast that he is able to hit for power that way.

Simply put, Utley's swing doesn't need an explanation. It's a thing of beauty.