Philadelphia Phillies: 15 Greatest Outfielders in Team History

Earlier this month, when the Philadelphia Phillies acquired All-Star right fielder Hunter Pence in a trade with the Houston Astros, the team topped off what is now one of the most potent outfield combinations in the league.

Pence, Shane Victorino, and Raul Ibanez are, or have at some point been, statistically among the best in the league at their respective positions. Together, they create a highly solidified outfield on a team that is getting ready to enter the postseason as World Series favorites. 

Let's take a look at how these Phillies outfielders compare to the best in the team's long, and cherished history. 

Honorable Mention: Bake McBride

Phillies Career Stats: 5 Years (1977-1981), 553 G, .292 BA, .335 OBP, 616 H, 299 R, 258 RBI, 131 BB

Although he spent less than half of his career in Philadelphia, Bake McBride managed to become a fan favorite in no time. The right fielder went on a tear after he was traded from St. Louis to the Phillies mid-season, compiling a .339 BA and an OPS of .956 in the 314 at bats he had with the team that season.  

McBride had one of his best years in the majors in his 1980 season, where he helped lead the Phillies to their first World Series victory, which ended a 77-year drought. In the World Series, McBride delivered several key hits, most notably his game-winning single in Game 2. During that year, he racked up 87 RBIs and an impressive .309 batting average. 

Despite putting together a solid resume with the Phillies, McBride simply didn't have the necessary long-term presence with the organization to crack the top 15 in this list.

15. Johnny Callison

Phillies Career Stats: 10 Years (1960-1969), 1432 G, .271 BA, .338 OBP, 1438 H, 774 R, 666 RBI, 513 BB

Johnny Callison may not have the greatest career stats, but with the Phils, he put together several outstanding seasons, earning a number of accolades along the way.

Known for his incredibly strong arm, Callison's most memorable year came in 1964, when he hit a game-winning home run in the All-Star Game and finished second in the league in MVP voting.

Unfortunately, Callison was a part of the 1964 collapse in which the Phillies blew a 6.5 game lead by losing 10 of their last 12 games of the season. But Callison, who was fighting a case of the flu during the losing streak, continued to play, and play hard. During a game against Milwaukee, the left handed hitting Callison was able to strike three home runs, a testament to his skill, his intensity, and his love of the game.

14. Lenny Dykstra

Phillies Career Stats: 8 Years (1989-1996), 734 G, .289 BA, .388 OBP, 829 H, 515 R, 251 RBI, 459 BB

Before being named in the Mitchell Report, being arrested twice within the same year, and befriending Charlie Sheen, Lenny Dykstra was putting together a monster career with the Phillies.

Dykstra, or "Nails," as many fans call him, had a tumultuous ride in Philadelphia, but ultimately, his career was considered to be a major success. An All-Star starter in his first full year with the club, Dykstra carried a .400 batting average into June.

But, in 1991 and 1992, Dykstra found himself caught in a string of injuries, one of which was a result of his driving drunk. 

In 1993, however, "Nails" set a major league record with 773 plate appearances, and led the league in runs, hits, and walks. He helped the Phillies win the pennant and return to the World Series for the first time since 1980, and despite losing the series in six games, Dykstra had forever immortalized his name in Phillies history (even if he is behind bars).

13. Gavvy Cravath

Phillies Career Stats: 9 Years (1912-1920), 1103 G, .291 BA, .381 OBP, 1054 H, 525 R, 676 RBI, 503 BB

Gavvy Cravath put up nine solid years with the Phils, and was a part of the 1915 team that won the franchise's first pennant. Although the team lost to the Boston Red Sox in the World Series, and he never got another opportunity at a title, Cravath established himself as one of the best hitters in the early 1900s.

Nicknamed "Cactus," Cravath led the NL in RBI, hits, runs, walks, and home runs at various points in his career. His time with the Phillies ended after a failed stint as a player-manager in the 1920 season, after which he was released from the team.

12. Pat Burrell

Phillies Career Stats: 9 Years (2000-2008), 1306 G, .257 BA, .367 OBP, 1166 H, 655 R, 827 RBI, 785 BB

"Pat the Bat" is one of the most fascinating candidates on this list. Burrell was great in some moments, and awful in others. His inconsistencies at the plate often outweighed the good he did for the team. Nonetheless, he remains one of the top left fielders in franchise history. He is currently fourth all time among Phillies in home runs, eighth all time in RBI, and fifth all time in walks. 

Burrell had one of the biggest hits in Phillies history when he ripped a double off of the wall in left-center field, which ended up being the go ahead run in the clinching game of the 2008 World Series. Burrell led the Phillies victory parade atop the Budweiser Clydesdale carriage, a fitting end to his career with the team.

11. Garry Maddox

Phillies Career Stats: 12 Years (1975-1986), 1328 G, .284 BA, .320 OBP, 1333 H, 556 R, 566 RBI, 250 BB

Garry "The Secretary of Defense" Maddox was one of the most dominating fielders this city has ever seen, having won eight Gold Gloves in a row. His best hitting season came in 1976, when Maddox batted .330, and played a major role in the team's journey to a division title.

Although Maddox wasn't an elite hitter, he was most certainly a good one. And what he failed to do at the plate, he most certainly made up for with his glove.

10. Sherry Magee

Phillies Career Stats: 11 Years (1904-1914), 1521 G, .299 BA, .371 OBP, 1647 H, 898 R, 886 RBI, 546 BB

Sherry Magee was one of the best hitters of the dead ball era. With the Phillies, he won the batting title in 1910, and led the league in RBIs three times. 

Magee is a borderline Hall of Famer, but has never been able to get the necessary votes to get him in. However, considering the numbers he put up over his career, and the era he played in, one can certainly make a case for him belonging there.

9. Bobby Abreu

Phillies Career Stats: 9 Years (1998-2006), 1353 G, .303 BA, .416 OBP, 1474 H, 891 R, 814 RBI, 947 BB

Bobby Abreu ranks high in just about every category on the Phillies' all time list. He's 13th in average, fourth in on base percentage, seventh in stolen bases, second in walks, ninth in RBIs, ninth in home runs, 12th in hits, fourth in doubles, and ninth in runs scored.

However, he was often maligned for his laid-back approach to the game, and his inability to lead the club. Perhaps the latter point is valid, as the Phils finally won the division the year after Abreu's departure, something they failed to do the nine years he was there.

But with the numbers as staggeringly good as they are, Abreu clearly deserves a place in the top ten. 

8. Greg Luzinski

Phillies Career Stats: 11 Years (1970-1980), 1289 G, .281 BA, .363 OBP, 1299 H, 618 R, 811 RBI, 572 BB

Greg "The Bull" Luzinski was one of the league's best power hitters in the mid-1970s. In 1980, his final year with the Phillies, he was suffering from injuries throughout the entire season, struggling with a .228 batting average.

Despite his poor year in 1980, the four-time All-Star delivered two key game-winning hits in the National League Championship Series against the Houston Astros. It would be Luzinski's final year with the Phillies, and he got to leave the city with a ring on his finger.

Today, Luzinski (and his ring) can be spotted at Citizens Bank Park near his restaurant, Bull's Barbecue. 

7. Del Ennis

Phillies Career Stats: 11 Years (1946-1956), 1630 G, .286 BA, .344 OBP, 1812 H, 891 R, 1124 RBI, 539 BB

Another borderline Hall of Famer, Del Ennis put up monstrous numbers for the Phillies. Ennis was also the all-time home run king for the Phillies until Mike Schmidt took the honor in 1980.

In the 1950 season, Ennis helped carry the team to their first World Series appearance in over 30 years. He batted .311, with 31 home runs, and an astounding 126 RBIs that season. Ennis was born and raised in Philadelphia, making his success story even sweeter.

6. Billy Hamilton

Phillies Career Stats: 6 Years (1890-1895), 732 G, .360 BA, .468 OBP, 1084 H, 880 R, 370 RBI, 553 BB

Hamilton's arrival with the Phillies would end up resulting in an outfield combination featuring Sam Thompson and Ed Delahanty, a truly tenacious coalition manning the outfield.

He led the league in batting average twice, OPS four times, and runs three times. His .360 career average with the Phillies is the highest of all time.

What hurts Hamilton's standing on this list is the fact that he spent just as much time in Boston and Kansas City as he did here in Philadelphia. Had he been here longer, Hamilton may have established himself as the greatest Phillie of all time.

5. Cy Williams

Phillies Career Stats: 13 Years (1918-1930), 1463 G, .306 BA, .380 OBP, 1553 H, 825 R, 795 RBI, 551 BB

Despite being one of just three players born before 1900 to hit 200 home runs, Cy Williams is an under-the-radar candidate for this list. But with his numbers, he definitely belongs this high up. Williams was the home run champion four times, and in 1926, the Phillies' slugger had the highest OPS in the majors.

For the most part, the Phillies posted mostly awful records in all 13 of his seasons with the club. It's a true testament to his toughness and intensity that he was able to make it through all of those years with such an incredibly bad team. 

4. Sam Thompson

Phillies Career Stats: 10 Years (1889-1898), 1034 G, .334 BA, .388 OBP, 1478 H, 930 R, 963 RBI, 344 BB

Hall of Famer Sam Thompson was part of something extraordinarily special during his tenure with the Phils. In 1894, he and his fellow outfielders finished the season with a batting average of .400, which makes it undoubtedly the best Phillies outfield ever, and one of the best of all time.

Thompson led the league in RBIs and slugging percentage in 1894 and 1895, in addition to having the most hits in 1893. In 1888, he racked up 61 RBIs in a single month, a record that hasn't been touched since.

3. Chuck Klein

Phillies Career Stats: 15 Years (1828-1933), 1405 G, .326 BA, .382 OBP, 1705 H, 963 R, 983 RBI, 471 BB

Ranking fifth in the organization in batting average, fourth in RBIs, and second in slugging percentage, Chuck Klein was one of the most impressive bats of the early twentieth century.

Klein managed to pick up an NL MVP award for leading in homers and steals during his 1933 season, and was often complimented for his strong defensive abilities.

Klein was also the first Phillie to have an at bat in an All-Star game.

2. Ed Delahanty

Phillies Career Stats: 13 Years (1888-1889, 1891-1901), 1557 G, .348 BA, .414 OBP, 2214 H, 1368 R, 1288 RBI, 643 BB

Ed Delahanty is, simply put, one of the best players ever to have stepped onto a baseball green. His career started with Philadelphia where, in 1893, he had a breakout year that raised his average to .368, and he knocked in a total of 146 RBIs.

A Hall of Famer, Delahanty led the league in average twice, stolen bases once, home runs twice, and RBIs three times. During one game, Delahanty had an insane day at the plate, hitting four home runs (some of which were inside the park; historians are in disagreement on the exact number) in one game, and the Phillies still found a way to lose.

The right handed hitting Delahanty died tragically in 1903 in a Niagara Falls accident, but the statistical rarities he posted will be remembered as some of the best in franchise history.

1. Richie Ashburn

Phillies Career Stats: 12 Years (1948-1959), 1794 G, .311 BA, .394 OBP, 2217 H, 1114 R, 499 RBI, 946 BB

Richie Ashburn is the greatest outfielder in Phillies history. It's not just because, among all time Phillies, he's eighth in average, second in hits, second in games played, third in runs, and third in walks. 

It's because Richie Ashburn possessed an exceptionally important connection with the Philadelphia fans that ranks among the best in the city's history. His wit, his charm, and his intensity made the fans love him almost as much as he loved them. And although you can easily make an argument for Klein, Delahanty, or Thompson to be number one, "Whitey" had both the numbers and the intangibles to back up his number one status.