Philadelphia Phillies Best All-Time Teams

With the Philadelphia Phillies winning the World Series in 2008 (Carlos Ruiz charges out to meet pitcher Brad Lidge) and going to two straight World Series, Phils fans minds go to where this team ranks among the all-time great teams in baseball.

Well, they have not made their mark ... yet.

The Atlanta Braves of the 1990s and early 2000 won 14 straight National League Eastern Division championships and one World Series, and the New York Yankees won three straight World Series in 1998, 1999 and 2000.

There is time for this current squad to mark its own history.

But in the meantime, for fun, I will rank my top 11 Phillies teams, ranked mostly by regular season, post season, and what could have been.

1977: What Could Have Been for This Team

This Danny Ozark-led team finished 101-61, won the National League East, and lost in the NLCS to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Talent-wise, this is the best Phillies team ever, in my opinion.

Greg Luzinski had 39 home runs, 130 RBI and Mike Schmidt had 38 home runs and 101 RBI.

Steve Carlton led the league with a 23-10 record, 2.64 ERA. Larry Christenson went 19-6 , Jim Lonborg was 11-4 and Randy Lerch 10-6.

With a chance to go ahead in the NLCS series 2-1 on Friday, Oct. 7, the Los Angeles Dodgers scored three runs in the top of the ninth to take a 2-1 lead and won the series the next day.

In Phillies' history, game three of the NLCS is known as "Black Friday."

What could have been ...

2009: What an Offensive Explosion!

The defending World Series champions acquired Raul Ibanez—and Jayson Werth hit his offensive grove.

With Charlie Manuel at the helm, the team led the NL East most of the year and finished with a 93-69 record. That they lost to the Yankees, four games to two in the World Series, does not diminish this team's accomplishments.

Four batters had more than 30 home runs as Ryan Howard (45), Chase Utley (31), Jayson Werth (36) and Raul Ibanez (34) all surpassed the mark. If not for some late season nagging injuries, this team would have also had four players with 100 RBI.

Howard had 141 RBI, Utley and Ibanez 93 and Jayson Werth 99 RBI.

Joe Blanton, Jamie Moyer, and J.A. Happ each had 12 wins. Mid-season addition Cliff Lee went 7-4, but was terrific with two World Series performances and great playoff series'.

Brad Lidge had 31 saves, but blew 10.

With such a magnificient offense and Cliff Lee's brilliant, yet short stay in Philadelphia, this is my second all-time favorite Phillies team.

1980: The First World Series is the Sweetest

It is a memory etched upon all Phillies' fans—Tug McGraw striking out Willie Wilson of the Kansas City Royals to win the franchises' first-ever World Series title.

Manager Dallas Green led the team to a 91-71 mark. It was Pete Rose’s second year in Philadelphia and he hit .282.

His protege, "Herbie", Mike Schmidt hit .282 and led the league with 48 home runs and 121 RBI.

Steve Carlton lead the league in wins going 24-9, Dick Ruthven was 17-10, and late season addition Bob Walk was 11-7. Carlton led the league with 286 strikeouts.

It took the Phillies six games to win the World Series in 1980, but all most of us will probably remember is Tug's strike out of Wilson.

2008: What a Year, Another World Series!

This Charlie Manuel team finished first in the National League East with a 92-70 mark.

The franchises' second World Series title came after victories over the Milwaukee Brewers, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and finally the Tampa Bay Rays.

Ryan Howard had 48 home runs, 146 RBI. Chase Utley and Pat Burrell added 33 home runs each.

Jamie Moyer led the pitching staff with a 16-7 record.

The title would not have happened, however, without the career year of Brad Lidge, who converted 41-41 regular season save opportunities and a perfect playoff series.

More than three million people flooded the streets of Philadelphia on Halloween Day 2008 as the fans celebrated the long-awaited championship.

This team may not have been as talented as other Phillies teams, but under Manuels' lead, they never quit and never lost the lead after the eight inning, thanks to Lidge.

1993: This Team Captured Fans' Fancy, WS Berth

This rag-tag team lead wire-to-wire for a 97-65 record under manager Jim Fregosi to make it all the way to the World Series.

It was not the most purely talented team, but four regulars, John Kruk, shown, (.316), Kevin Stocker (.324), Lenny Dykstra (.305) and Jim Eisenreich (.318), led the way and part time player Ruben Amaro, Jr., current Phillies GM, hit .333.

Curt Schilling posted a 16-7 mark.

Mitch Williams had 43 saves, but what some fans will remember was "The Wild Thing" giving up the series-winning home run to Joe Carter of Toronto.

It doesn't matter to me. This team beat the Braves in the playoffs, made it the World Series, and was the ultimate definition of "team chemistry."

1976: The Start of Something Great

1976 was the first of two straight 101-61 seasons under manager Danny Ozark.

Mike Schmidt led the league with 38 home runs, 107 RBI, Garry Maddox hit .330, Dave Cash led league with 12 triples, and Steve Carlton went 20-7.

The team lost its first of three straight playoff losses, losing 3-0 in the National League East Championship Series to Cincinnati.

1950:

With no divisional playoffs and only one winner in each league, the 1950 Phillies captured the National League pennant with a 91-63 mark under manager Eddie Sawyer.

Slugger Del Ennis hit .311 and led the league in RBI with 126 and Richie Ashburn hit .303.

Reliever Jim Konstanty, shown, led the league with 22 saves. They lost the World Series 4-0, as Konstanty pitched 8 one-run innings in a 1-0 loss in game one. This team lost three close games to give the crown to the Yankees.

1915: The First National League Pennant for Phillies

The 1915 Phillies recorded a 90-62 record under manager Pat Moran.

Star player Grover Alexander posted a 31-10 record and a 1.22 ERA with three saves.

Gavvy Cravath lead league with 24 home runs, 115 RBI.

Boston beat Philadelphia 4-1 in the 1915 World Series.

1983: A

The 1983 Phillies included three members of the 1975-76 World Champion Cincinnati Red, the last National League back-to-back World Series winners.

The team finished 90-72 under managers Pat Corrales (43-42) and Paul Owens (47-30).

Steve Carlton posted a 15-16 record, while John Denny lead the pitching staff with a 19-6 record.

Mike Schmidt hit 40 home runs with 109 RBI. The team featured "Big Red Machine" alumni Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, and Tony Perez.

Morgan got hot in September to help the team win the NL East.

Al Holland also had 25 saves.

The Phils topped the Dodgers 3-1 in the championship series, but lost the World Series to Baltimore, 4-1.

1978: Third straight Division Title

A 90-72 mark under manager Danny Ozark brought the Phillies their third straight National League East crown.

Larry Bowa hit .294, Greg Luzinski hit 35 home runs and 101 RBI, and Steve Carlton went 16-13.

They eventually lost 3-1 in League Championship series to Los Angeles Dodgers.

A 84-78 mark in 1979 gained the Phillies a fourth-place finish, or else the Phils would have had five straight NL East titles.

Pittsburgh won the WS in 1979. I should know, I attended the National League championship clinching game vs. the Reds at Three Rivers Stadium while I was attended Bethany College in northern West Virginia.

2007: The Start of the Second Phillies title run?

At the start of the 2007 season, Jimmy Rollins said that the Phillies were the team to beat.

Well, it took until the last weekend of the season to come to fruition.

With a 89-73 record under manager Charlie Manuel, the Phillies won the National League East. When the Phillies beat the Washington Nationals and the Mets lost to the Florida Marlins on the last day of the season, the crown was finally belonged to the Philies.

The Mets had led the NL East all season long, save the last weekend.

Shown, Phils' closer Brett Myers reacts to the season-ending strikeout and the Phils' first division crown since 1993.

Ryan Howard had 47 home runs, 136 RBI, Chase Utley had a .332 batting average, and Jimmy Rollins and Pat Burrell hit 30 home runs each.

Cole Hamels went 15-5, with a 3.39 ERA. This squad lost the NL Division series to Colorado 3-0.