The Philadelphia Phillies All-Time Line Up

The Philadelphia Phillies hold the distinction of the longest standing franchise in professional sports having been formed 127 years ago. As many Phillies fans will attest, the team has endured more than its fair share of lean seasons on its way to also setting the record for most losses with 10,167 and counting.

Of course, a great deal of that is ancient history as the team is currently considered one of the elite teams in baseball, if not professional sports. The present period of prosperity has included three consecutive National League Eastern Division Titles, two straight National League Pennants and the 2008 World Series Championship.

Besides the actual accomplishments, Philadelphia has transformed into a baseball destination spot. Night in and night out, arguably the best venue in sports is filled to capacity with passionate fans who come to see some of the very best players its sport has to offer.

As the team prepares to embark on another promising season, I have decided to take a look back through the Philadelphia Phillies checkered past to see how current players stack up against their predecessors. As part of that trip through time, I present to you the Philadelphia Phillies all-time line up. No rules, no guidelines—just my own personal anachronistic "Dream Team."

Batting First: Richie Ashburn - Center Field

The choice to lead-off for the Phillies all-time dream team is Richie Ashburn. "Whitey" played 12 seasons in a Phillies uniform from 1948-1959 and became one of the most accomplished and beloved players in the team's history.

Over his career, Ashburn was elected to six National League All-Star Teams, won two batting titles and was a key player on the Phillies National League Champion "Whiz Kids" team in 1950. He was also an excellent center fielder who covered a lot of ground, often amazed with seemingly impossible catches, and regularly gunned out runners (averaging more than 14 assists over his first 10 seasons.)

Ashburn was a prototype lead-off hitter who worked the count, always had a high on base percentage and expertly ran the bases. He led the league in OBP four times in his career, including three remarkable seasons at or above .440. He amassed 2,574 hits over his career on his way to a .308 lifetime batting average.

After his playing days were over, Richie joined the Phillies television and radio broadcast team, later pairing with the late Harry Kalas to form one of the most entertaining and well loved announcing duo's in the sport. "His Whiteness" as Kalas would often refer to his blonde haired partner, incorporated a dry wit, an upbeat style, and a penchant for telling humorous anecdotes.

One of his most memorable stories involved himself in 1957. During a game, he popped a foul ball into the crowd that struck a spectator. A few minutes later when play resumed, Ashburn hit another foul into the stands that struck the same woman as she was being carried off on a stretcher. Fortunately, she was not seriously hurt, and the two became close friends after the incident.

The stature that he gained in Philadelphia through his dual role stints is evidenced by the dedication of "Ashburn's Alley" and the "Richie 'Whitey' Ashburn Broadcast Booth" in Citizen's Bank Park. Two years before suddenly passing away in 1997, Ashburn was recognized for his stellar play by being inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Statistics R HR RBI AVG SB OBP SLG
Phillies 1114 22 499 .311 199 .390 .388
Career 1322 29 586 .308 234 .393 .382

Honorable Mention:
Garry Maddox - The "Secretary of Defense" won eight Gold Glove Awards and hit .284 over his 12 seasons in a Phillies uniform, using his blazing speed to patrol center field. The Phillies qualified for the postseason six times in that period, with the pinnacle being the 1980 World Series Championship.

Batting Second: Chase Utley - Second Base

Although he is still in the prime of his career, Chase Utley has already clearly achieved the status as the greatest second baseman in Phillies team history. Despite hailing from laid back Southern California, Utley has won the hearts of Philadelphians with his blue collar, intense style of play almost as much as his rare combination of skills.

Chase is the proverbial "Five Tool" player and widely recognized as the top second baseman in the game today. He has been instrumental to the team's emergence as one of the very best teams in Major League Baseball with three consecutive National League Eastern Division titles, two NL pennants and the 2008 World Series Championship. Besides his remarkable contributions between the white lines, his legendary preparation and demeanor have been central to the Phillies winning team chemistry.

After being drafted in the first round out of UCLA, Utley joined the Phillies big club three years later in 2003 and quickly became a fixture. Since becoming a regular, Utley has averaged .301 at the plate with 29 HR's and 101 RBI's over the past five seasons—great production for any player, but especially for a middle infielder.

As impressive as his stat lines may be, Utley is tremendously admired for the many less tangible contributions that he makes towards winning games. The consummate gamer tires pitchers by working deep into the count, runs the bases with aggressive precision, and manufactures ways to get on base with his keen eye and his resolve to absorb pitches off his body.

Having just turned 31, the fan favorite likely has a great deal more yet to come but has already accumulated an impressive resume. Utley has been recognized as a National League All-Star and Silver Slugger each of the past four years. He has also finished in the top 15 of the annual MVP voting for five consecutive years, while remaining one of the favorites to grab a trophy in the near future.

Statistics R HR RBI AVG SB OBP SLG
Phillies 602 161 585 .295 83 .379 .523
Career 602 161 585 .295 83 .379 .523

Honorable Mention:
Juan Samuel - The 1984 Sporting News Rookie of the Year was a fixture at the top of the line-up for 5 1/2 seasons and one of the most exciting players to ever wear the red pinstripes. He possessed a combination of power and blazing speed that is rarely found in a second baseman. He still holds the single season record for steals with 72 and often raced to stretch hits into doubles and triples. His best season was 1987 when he collected 37 doubles, 15 triples, 28 home runs, 100 RBI and 35 stolen bases while hitting .272.

Manny Trillo - Manny was a tremendous fielder with a whip-like arm who was one of the major's best at turning double plays. He won three Gold Glove Awards and two Silver Slugger Awards in his four Phillies seasons. Fans may remember him best for his MVP play in the 1980 NL Championship series.

Batting Third: Mike Schmidt - Third Base

Like Utley, this is an easy choice. Phillies fans as well as baseball players and pundits view Michael Jack Schmidt as the greatest player in team history. He has also been largely recognized as the best player to have ever graced the position in the rich history of the sport.

After an ignominious start to his career when he failed to break the "Mendoza line" with a .196 batting average and striking out more than once per game in 1973, Schmidt pulled a reverse "sophomore jinx" by emerging as an All-Star the next year. That season launched a phenomenal career that garnered many awards and culminated in a first ballot Hall of Fame selection in 1995.

Schmidt played before the "Steroids Era" that propped up stats, yet currently sits in 14th place on Major League Baseball's home run list with 548. He may end up back in the unqualified top ten if baseball officials elect to apply asterisks to some of the "juice" inflated totals of players after him.

Throughout his 18 year career (all with the Phillies), Schmitty collected a large amount of hardware for his mantel, including six Silver Slugger, 10 Gold Glove, and three Most Valuable Player Awards. He was also named to 12 NL All-Star Teams.

His best seasons coincided with the MVP trophies. In the Phillies 1980 Championship year, the smooth third third baseman clubbed 48 home runs and collected 121 RBI while batting .286 with .624 OBP.

Schmidt followed that up with what was on track to be his greatest season in 1981, but a mid-season strike eliminated more than 1/3 of the scheduled games. In just 102 games, he banged out 31 home runs and drove in 91. Additionally, he registered career highs with a .316 batting average, .435 on base percentage and a .644 slugging percentage.

For all his accomplishments, Schmidt periodically drew criticism from the Philadelphia fans and media for what sometimes appeared to be indifference. His calm demeanor and effortless style were occasionally misinterpreted as lack of hustle or intensity. Of course, another sore spot related to his high strikeout totals, but this also enabled him to draw a high number of free passes.

Through the repetitive opportunity that he provided, Schmidt is somewhat intertwined with former broadcast legend Harry Kalas through a trademark call. Phillies fans will always remember the congenial baritone voice excitedly exclaiming, "Its ha long drive to deep left field....that ball is outta here—Michael Jack Schmidt!"

Statistics R HR RBI AVG SB OBP SLG
Phillies 1506 548 1595 .267 174 .380 .527
Career 1506 548 1595 .267 174 .380 .527

Honorable Mention:
Dick Allen - No matter whether you called him Rich, Richie, Dick or Crash, Allen is arguably the most talented player ever to wear a Phillies uniform. The prodigious slugger played the first half of his career in Philadelphia and then later returned for a couple seasons. Unfortunately, his career was often interrupted by injury and controversy, but he still managed to amass 351 home runs and a .292 batting average. Allen was a seven time All-Star, the 1964 NL Rookie of the Year, and the 1972 AL MVP.

Batting Fourth: Ryan Howard - First Base

Like his current teammate Chase Utley, Ryan Howard has already established himself as the top Phillies player at his position in a relatively short period of time. In what amounts to four and one half seasons, Howard has terrorized opposing pitchers around the league and accumulated many accolades while doing it.

After being groomed in the Phillies farm system, the team resisted trading him and Howard got his opportunity in the big leagues when Jim Thome went down with a season ending injury. He quickly answered any questions whether he was major league ready when he put together an "NL Rookie of the Year" campaign in just 88 games.

The Phillies elected to move fan favorite Thome in the offseason to clear space for Howard and have never looked back. He rewarded them with an MVP sophomore campaign, establishing a team record for home runs with 58 while driving in 149 runners. He also batted .313 with a .425 OBP and .659 SLG.

Needless to say, he was making quite an impression with his wildly impressive stat totals but punctuated it all with some of the longest bombs in major league history. Over the past four seasons since his rookie campaign, Howard has averaged a staggering 50 HR's and 143 RBI's and has continued to be a "Sports Center" highlight waiting to happen.

Despite playing a position shared by some of the other most accomplished hitters around baseball, Ryan has been named to a pair of NL All-Star Teams and awarded the Silver Slugger in 2006. He has also finished in the top five in MVP voting in each of the last four years.

Howard, Utley, and Jimmy Rollins are central to the nucleus that has propelled the team to elite status over the past three years. At 30 years of age, the "Willie Stargell-with-better-wheels-like" slugger may have his best days still ahead of him as he cuts down on his strikeouts and continues to hone the art of hitting.

What a scary thought for opposing pitchers and teams. What an exciting prospect for the Phillies and their fans.

Statistics R HR RBI AVG SB OBP SLG
Phillies 465 222 640 .279 10 .376 .586
Career 465 222 640 .279 10 .376 .586

Honorable Mention:
John Kruk - The lovable player most likely to be voted "Best Guy to Hangout With" had an impressive stint with the Phillies. Over six seasons that included the 1993 NL Pennant winning team, Krukker hit .309 and was elected to the NL All-Star Team three times.

Jim Thome - The future Hall-of-Famer was great in his 2 1/2 seasons with the team, cracking 96 home runs in 361 games. Ironically, if the team had traded Howard and kept Thome, he might have been in the Dream Team starting line up.

Dick Allen - No matter whether you called him Rich, Richie, Dick or Crash, Allen is arguably the most talented player ever to wear a Phillies uniform. The prodigious slugger played the first half of his career in Philadelphia and then later returned for a couple seasons. Unfortunately, his career was often interrupted by injury and controversy, but he still managed to amass 351 home runs and a .292 batting average. Allen was a seven time All-Star, the 1964 NL Rookie of the Year, and the 1972 AL MVP.

Batting Fifth: Chuck Klein - Right Field

In three different tours of duty with the club, Chuck Klein established himself as one of the organization's top all-time players. Although his career spanned 17 seasons, his best work came over the initial six years after the Phillies signed him when the Commissioner essentially ruled a group of St. Louis Cardinals players "free agents."

Klein quickly proved to be one of the Phillies organization's shrewdest business transactions ever as he averaged 36 HR's and 139 RBI's while batting .359 over a five year period from 1929-1933. In that span, Klein won the NL MVP Award and twice was runner-up.

The lefty slugger put together some of the greatest campaigns in team, and league, history. Ironically, he won a rare Triple Crown in 1933, yet finished second in the MVP voting. Additionally, he barely got any MVP consideration in 1930 when he accumulated a Ruthian stat line that included 250 hits, 40 HR's, a team record 170 RBI's, and a .386 batting average.

Besides being a prolific hitter, Klein also made his mark on defense and the base paths. He used his strong arm in right field to set a single-season record of 44 assists that still stands today. And, he was the last player to lead the league in home runs and steals in a season.

Twenty-two years after his untimely death, Baseball's Veteran's Committee recognized his talents by inducting him into the Hall of Fame.

Statistics R HR RBI AVG SB OBP SLG
Phillies 963 243 983 .326 71 .379 .553
Career 1168 300 1201 .320 79 .375 .543

Honorable Mention:
Ed Delahanty - Not to be confused with the famous talking horse, "Big Ed" put together some eye popping numbers over his 13 year stint with the Phillies, including three seasons where he hit over .400. Because his career was almost entirely prior to the recognized "modern era" when fielders essentially wore fat fingered batting gloves, his statistics carry less weight.

Batting Sixth: Del Ennis - Left Field

Throughout his 11 seasons in a Phillies uniform, Del Ennis was one of the most feared hitters in the National League. Only the legendary Stan Musial had more runs batted in during that period of time.

Along with "Dream Team" teammate Richie Ashburn, he was one of the top players on the 1950 "Whiz Kids" club that made a magical run until being derailed by the New York Yankees in the World Series. That year in his best season, he led the league with 126 RBI, while banging 31 HR's and batting .311.

Ennis was selected for the All-Star Team three times, won the first ever Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award in 1946 and was a fixture in the MVP voting, finishing as high as fourth in 1950. Overall, he batted .286 and cranked out 259 HR's while with the Phillies.

Although he was not particularly fast or a great fielder, Ennis kept runners honest with a feared throwing arm. He was mostly stationed in left field throughout his career but also saw action in right.

Like many professional athletes before and after him, he was highly scrutinized by Philadelphia fans. His time spent in the city was like the Dow Jones Industrial Average with many highs and lows, but his body of work is worthy of a spot in the team's all-time line up.

Statistics R HR RBI AVG SB OBP SLG
Phillies 891 259 1124 .286 44 .344 .479
Career 985 288 1284 .284 45 .340 .472

Honorable Mention:
Greg Luzinski - Prior to operating his popular barbecue stand at Citizen's Bank Park, "The Bull" had an accomplished Phillies career worthy of mention. Luzinski protected Mike Schmidt in the batting order through the 70's and the World Championship 1980 season. He was a feared long ball hitter who launched many massive shots while also hitting over.300 in four different seasons. The Bull amassed 223 HR's and 811 RBI's while donning a Phillies uniform but was conversely a bit of a liability in the field and on the bases.

Batting Seventh: Jimmy Rollins - Shortstop

As strong testimony to the talent assembled on the current Phillies team, Jimmy Rollins breaks the Dream Team line-up along with fellow infielders Utley and Howard. And, like the other two, he is still in his prime at 31-years-old with the promise of many more good days ahead.

This remarkable trio has served as the foundation for the current Phillies era's success, both on and off the field. Utley's work ethic and intensity and Howard's humble leading man approach are complemented perfectly by "J-Roll's" warmth and infectious smile. Together they serve as role models for the rest of the team to emulate—a perfect blend of fun, focus, drive and selflessness.

Rollins is arguably the best defensive shortstop in the team's history, with opinion likely split down the middle with Larry Bowa, the only other shortstop even in the debate for the all-timer team. J-Roll makes less errors, has an overall better fielding fielding percentage, and possesses a slightly stronger arm; whereas, Bowa had greater range.

The two players are pretty much polar opposites. Bowa is a Type A++ who played like his hair was on fire and with a perpetual snarl, while the nickname J-Roll accurately embodies the player's smooth, calm, and pleasantly upbeat persona.

The comparisons quickly end when considering the offensive side of the ledger. Bowa was a workmanlike player who scratched out hits by punching the ball and using his excellent speed. He averaged 24 steals per season and hit .264 during his Phillies career, but was a true singles hitter with only 13 HR's total and a .320 slugging percentage.

Conversely, Rollins has averaged more than 16 HR's and a .439 slugging percentage over his 9 full seasons. Although he is sometimes criticized for not drawing enough walks, he has been the team "igniter" averaging 104 runs scored and 36 stolen bases per campaign while hitting .274.

In 2007, Rollins was recognized with the NL MVP Award after putting together a truly spectacular campaign that was one of the best ever by a shortstop. That season, he collected 139 runs, 212 hits, 38 doubles, 20 triples, 30 home runs, 94 RBI and 41 stolen bases while hitting .296. And, as a true all around player, he committed just 11 errors while turning 110 double plays in playing all 162 regular season games.

In terms of hardware, Jimmy has been awarded the Gold Glove each of the last three seasons, the 2007 NL Silver Slugger Award, and the 2007 NL MVP. He has also been a three-time All-Star.

Statistics R HR RBI AVG SB OBP SLG
Phillies 945 146 621 .274 326 .329 .439
Career 945 146 621 .274 326 .329 .439

Honorable Mention
Larry Bowa - See above.

Batting Eighth: Mike Lieberthal - Catcher

This is probably one of the two most controversial and debatable players in the line-up. From a stats perspective, Mike Lieberthal belongs on the team, but many discount his accomplishments because he played in a down period in Philadelphia and was not viewed as a classic receiver.

During his 13 seasons in Philly, the team never once qualified for the postseason. Accordingly, purists argue that Bob Boone was the best backstop in the team's history as his career aligned with one of the greatest periods of prosperity in team history.

Lieberthal was clearly the better offensive player, hitting for a decent average and with some pop in his bat. His best season was 1999 when he hit .300 with 31 HR's, and 96 RBI's. Overall, he batted .275 in his Phillies career with a .450 slugging percentage.

Boone hit for a 16 point lower batting average and 80 point lower slugging percentage. And, while Lieberthal never experienced the postseason, Boone played on six different clubs that advanced to the playoffs and, of course, the 1980 World Championship team.

Although his team's top pitcher preferred not to pitch to him, Boone was recognized around baseball for his defensive excellence as he garnered seven Gold Glove Awards. He was also elected to four All-Star squads versus two for Lieberthal.

"Lieby" never carried the reputation with the glove, but he was recognized with one Gold Glove. In terms of throwing, "Booney" gunned out 10 percent more runners over his career.

This is a true toss-up, but because Lieberthal was more than adequate behind the plate and substantially better at the plate, he gets the nod.

Statistics R HR RBI AVG SB OBP SLG
Phillies 528 150 609 .275 8 .338 .450
Career 534 150 610 .274 8 .337 .446

Honorable Mention:
Bob Boone - See above.

Batting Ninth: Steve Carlton- Pitcher

This is the other potential hot debate. Grover Cleveland Alexander is a true legend of the game, a Hall of Famer who posted some spectacular numbers in Philadelphia. Additionally, Robin Roberts recorded 234 wins in his brilliant career while in a Phillies uniform and is a fellow member of the exclusive club recognizing all-time baseball greats.

The two provide stiff competition for the final selection to the Phillies Dream team, but after careful deliberation, Steve Carlton gets this writer's vote. And, as deserving as the other two icons may be, I offer no apologies for selecting "Lefty."

Carlton, of course, was a first ballot Hall of Fame selection, too, who rung up 329 victories to place 11th all-time. Factoring out the four years that he hung on too long and his first two years when he saw limited action, an average Carlton campaign was 17-11 over 18 seasons. He also amassed the fourth highest strikeout total in MLB history with 4,136.

Lefty gave his best years to the Phillies, accumulating a 241-161 record with a 3.09 ERA—winning four Cy Young Awards in the process. Five times he eclipsed 20 wins in a Phils uniform, including one of the best seasons in the history of baseball.

After being acquired from the Cardinals prior to the 1972 season, Carlton pitched 346 innings on his way to posting a 27-10 record, 1.97 ERA, 8 shutouts, and 310 strikeouts. What made this particular season almost astonishing was that he did it on a last place club that only won 59 games. Putting that in perspective, he personally accounted for 46 percent of his team's total wins that year.

Although Alexander tallied a 190-91 record and 2.18 ERA in Philadelphia and is third all-time in Major League Baseball with 373 wins, I still have a hard time getting over the era in which he played.

Alexander's career spanned 1911-1930 and a huge chunk of his wins were registered at a time when 8-12 HR's would lead the league. It was also a time when leagues were still racially segregated.

Another factor that helped tip the scale relate to the success of the club while Carlton was the staff ace. The 10-time All-Star anchored a team that made six trips to the postseason, won two National League Championships and the 1980 World Championship.

Sporting a mid-90's fastball and arguably the best slider in the history of the game, Carlton was truly one of the most dominating pitchers of his period and all-time. Well, maybe with a small apology to Alexander (may he rest in peace), I'll stand by Lefty.

Statistics W L PCT ERA BB SO SHO SV
Phillies 241 161 .600 3.09 1252 3031 39 0
Career 329 244 .574 3.22 1833 4136 55 2

Honorable Mention:
Grover Cleveland Alexander - See above.

Robin Roberts - Carlton and Alexander edge out Roberts in the rankings due to his higher ERA and lower winning percentage.

Conclusion

So, there you have it– the Phillies all-time line up:

Richie Ashburn- CF
Chase Utley- 2B
Mike Schmidt- 3B
Ryan Howard- 1B
Chuck Klein- RF
Del Ennis- LF
Jimmy Rollins- SS
Mike Lieberthal- C
Steve Carlton- P

Much of the fun in doing this type of exercise comes from the ensuing debate. In that spirit, let me know what you think. Did I get it about right, totally nail it, miss on a couple or make a mess of it? Who would you add or subtract? How would the current Phillies team fare against the All-Time team?

Gary Suess is the founder of Philadelphia Sports blog "I'm Just Saying, Philly"