All-Team Phillies Line-up

So, I was reading another article that a gentlemen did on an all-time Phillies team.  I disagreed with a lot so I figured why not give it a shot.

I will start with the Catcher.

Catcher

Top 3-Bob Boone, Mike Leiberthal, Darren Dalton

Starter- Bob Boone

I know some Phillies fans who didn't have the privilege of seeing Mr. Boone play will like most people just look at stats and say that Leiberthal leads the Phillies Catchers in HR, RBI, and hits or other hoopla.  But this is the problem with comparing era's.  I feel if Boone played when Leibe did he would have smashed those records but hey, that's just an opinion.

Backup- Mike Leiberthal

Lets move on to first base now as there are really only a couple stand out players in Phillies history.

Top 3- Ryan Howard, Pete Rose, Jim Thome

Starter- Pete Rose

Get out of here with everyone's Ryan Howard is the best thing since sliced bread.  Sure he can hit home runs which is fantastic but he can't catch a cold.  I've never seen suck pathetic fielding in my life.  For this reason and the fact that he was arguably the best in his era, Pete Rose will be my first basemen

Backup- Ryan Howard

Ah Yes, the second basemen, where Phillly fans will scream and shout a unanimous "Utley".  Who knows maybe I will too.

Top 3-Chase Utley, Manny Trillo, Juan Samuel

After these three there really is a major drop off.  Chase Utley is a fan favorite for many reasons.  One of these is hustling.  There is nothing more I love to see (other than a Hit) than a guy bust his butt down the first base line on a ball grounded to second.  It let's me know "hey, this guys here to play and win" and this is the reason he would be on my team......but not as the starter.  Behold, starting second basemen Manny Trillo.  THE best fielding second basemen I have ever seen.  The Ozzie Smith of the right side.  Combine that with his .278 average as a Phillie and over .320 OBP he is the guy that would anchor my right side of the infield.

Starter- Manny Trillo

Backup- Chase Utley

Next we move top Shortstop where I think that there are only two possibilities.

Top 2- Larry Bowa, Jimmy Rollins

If i had my choice I think I wouldn't take either but I guess I have to.  Besides for Jimmy Rollins MVP year last year he's been nothing but average his whole career, usually swinging and popping up the first pitch he sees.  L-Bow was good but he couldn't hit the ball out if his life depended on it.  But because J- Roll covers more ground and is stronger he would be my starting Shortstop

Starter- Jimmy Rollins

Backup- Larry Bowa

Third base...where to begin.  Another position where there have only been two standouts in my mind

Top 2- Scott Rolen, Mike Schmidt

Let me just start by saying that I absolutely HATE Mike Schmidt with a passion.  He is an ass hole and the least clutch hitter in the history of Philadelphia baseball.  All you had to do was yell "Hey Mike, there's a guy on 2nd" and he would strike out.  And people think that his 500+ homers are great.  Well yes they are but most of them were when they were up 10-2 and didn't need it.  Come through in the clutch a little, please Mike

Scott Rolen, probably the best fielder in his era and very close to Schmidt in this category but his overal talent level is a little below Schmidt's

Starter- Mike Schmidt

Backup- Scott Rolen

Outfielders...I'm not gonna lie.  I read the other persons article and was dying laughing on his 1 outfielder section (not trying to be a dick bud, just one mans opinion)

Top Outfielders- Richie Ashburn, Garry Maddux, Greg Luzinski, Gary Matthews, Cluck Klein

These people are studs.  Its pretty tough to pick 3 but here I go

In Center- Richie Ashburn

The best leadoff hitter of all time and the best Phillie of all time so he is my outfield leader. 

In Left- Gary Maddux

Yes, i know this is not his normal position but he is too good of an outfielder to not be on the team.

In Right- Greg Luzinski

Once again I know its not his position but Maddux is playing left for me so Greg is gonna take one for the team and move to right.

Lets move on to the Starting Pitching

Ace- Steve Carlton

The phillies all time leader in....pretty much everything gets the call on the first day of the season.

2nd- Grover Clevelend Alexander

An official beast.  I would be honored to have this hall-of-famer be on my pitching staff.

3rd- Jim Bunning

Man, my team must be good if he is 3rd in the rotation

4th- Robin Roberts

He was always my grandfathers favorite pitcher.  I can always remember growing up and him telling me how great of a pitcher he was and he could pitch 30 innings a game if the phillies needed him to.  So for this reason, he is in my rotation.

5th- Curt Shilling

Its a shame his head was bad.  He could had a great full career here and we would have a World Series title to prove it.

Relievers.

This is the part that really cracked me up.  A guy picked Brad Lidge.  I'm sure if he waited a couple of years, he could be right.  But the guy hasn't pitched a full season for us yet and already hes the best...come on.

 I would only have to take 2 because these pitchers arent babies and can pitch more than 6 innings a game

Reliever 1- Tug McGraw

He closed out are last championship, you can pitch for me anyday Tug.

Reliever 2- Mitch Williams. 

Its a shame that all of his positives are out shined by Joe Carter's HR in the 1993 World Series.

Manager- Terry Franconia

Just kidding

Manager- Dallas Green

Well here is my team.  I think that I made all the right decisions to lead my team to a Championship