Picking the Philadelphia Phillies' MVP for Each of the Last 25 Seasons

In good times, and in bad times. In sickness, and in health.

For those who have watched the Philadelphia Phillies play baseball over the last 25 seasons, that has been the feeling. Though the marriage has been rocky at times, specifically, through most of the 1990s and into the early 2000s, those who have been able to endure have been rewarded, the highlight of the agreement—a big, shiny World Series trophy in 2008.

It hasn't been easy. The club has featured superstars and replacement level players. Stars have demanded trades that would send them as far away from the Phillies as possible, and then again, players would only waive their trade rights if the Phils came calling.

In the last 25 years, they said that Veterans Stadium needed to go. It was old and decrepit and sucking the life out of the franchise, and it did. Thus, Citizens Bank Park was built. In its infancy, they said that pitchers would never come to Philadelphia to play there, and now that time has worn on, the Phillies have the best pitching staff in baseball.

The point is this: Things change. People change.

However, one thing that absolutely can not change from season to season is that no matter how good or how bad a club may be, they'll have a best player. Whether that player was the cream of the crop or the best of a bunch of mediocre guys, the Phillies have had a team Most Valuable Player over each of the 25 seasons.

Some players won't come as much of a surprise, but others...Well, you'll just have to read on to find out.

1987: Mike Schmidt

The Line: .293 / .388 / .548, 35 HR, 113 RBI

Even at the back end of his career, Mike Schmidt was still the greatest player on the Phillies' roster. Even though they would never come close to reaching the World Series again after the 1983 season, Schmidt would continue to rule the Phillies both on the defensive side of the ball with great defense at third base, but also at the plate.

He capture the league's MVP Award a season earlier, and in 1987, Schmidt was the team's most valuable player. He slugged 35 home runs and once again led the offense, despite having a relatively mediocre supporting cast.

Honorable Mention: I thought long and hard about giving the nod to Steve Bedrosian here, who led the league with 40 saves and captured the National League's Cy Young Award. In the long run, however, I decided that Schmidt's contribution to the club outweighed Bedrosian's controversial reception of the award.

1988: Kevin Gross

The Line: 12-14, 3.69 ERA

The Phillies were really bad in 1988 and there wasn't a single player that was particularly exceptionally, so choosing an MVP was kind of like choosing a player who was the best of the worst. With Mike Schmidt's balky knees forcing him out for a large portion of the season and Von Hayes refusing to live up to his full potential, the door was opened for a pitcher to claim that honor.

That man is none other than the ace of the 1988 Phillies, right hander Kevin Gross. Though he posted a losing record, the Phils didn't exactly give him much run support to work with. Winning 12 games was an accomplishment in and of itself, and Gross pitched well.

Realizing he was having a career year, the Phils traded him in the off-season.

1989: Von Hayes

The Line: .259 / .376 / .461, 26 HR, 78 RBI

Though Von Hayes never lived up to the hopes the Phillies had placed on him when they sent five players to the Cleveland Indians for his services, it would extremely unfair to say that Hayes was not a good player. In fact, while with the Phillies, he was one of the better players the organization had ever seen.

The outfielder had a fine season in 1989, when he hit 26 home runs and drove in 78 runs. A solid defender, Hayes shared an outfield in 1989 with a couple of guys yet to appear on this list—Lenny Dykstra and an impractical left fielder: John Kruk.

1990: Lenny Dykstra

The Line: .325 / .418 / .441, 9 HR, 66 RBI

Now firmly cemented as a member of the Phillies' outfield, Lenny Dykstra was quickly becoming one of the best outfielders to have ever played the game for the Phils, and in 1989, he had one of the best seasons of his career. He led the league in OBP at a .418 clip, and once on base, stole 33 bases.

He played good defense in center field and showed off his power to the gaps, pushing himself into the conversation as one of the league's premier, five-tool outfielders. He finished ninth overall in MVP voting, but as far as the Phillies are concerned, he was number one.

1991: John Kruk

The Line: .294 / .367 / .483, 21 HR, 92 RBI

By 1991, the Phillies had realized that John Kruk was not your prototypical left fielder and had (thankfully) moved him to first base. Now playing a less demanding position, Kruk hit his stride at the plate and became the Phils' most productive hitter, posting a high batting average, hitting 21 home runs, and collecting 92 RBI.

Surprisingly enough, the "Krukker" still toyed with the outfield (including center field) in 1991, and was an above average defender, at least, statistically speaking.

Honorable Mention: Though Kruk had the most productive season, you could make a case for Lenny Dykstra, who also had solid numbers in 1991. On the mound, Terry Mulholland won 16 games as the team's ace.

1992: Darren Daulton

The Line: .270 / .385 / .524, 27 HR, 109 RBI

Darren Daulton was the heart and soul of the Phillies in the early 1990s, but his on-the-field skill-set may have been most apparent during the 1992 season. Daulton led the league in RBI with 109, and was tied for the team-lead in home runs at 27 with third baseman Dave Hollins.

Behind the plate, Daulton was an important factor in drawing the most out of a relatively mediocre pitching staff (outside of Curt Schilling and Mitch Williams) and was a rock, defensively.

Honorable Mention: Though neither were particularly close to taking the honor away from Daulton, both John Kruk and Dave Hollins had very good seasons that are worth a mention.

1993: Lenny Dykstra

The Line: .305 / .420 / .482, 19 HR, 66 RBI

As the Phillies made their run at the World Series in 1993, they received contributions from players up and down the roster, but none more diverse than those made by center fielder Lenny Dykstra. While playing above average defense in center field, Dykstra did it all at the plate, posting a high batting average and excellent on-base percentage, showing good power, and stealing 37 bases.

Honorable Mention: Just about every offensive player the Phillies had in 1993 could have been considered for this season. In fact, every regular aside from left fielder Milt Thompson posted an OPS better than .800, and that stands true for platoon players Wes Chamberlain and Pete Incaviglia. Also, Curt Schilling picked up 16 wins to lead the rotation.

1994: Danny Jackson

The Line: 14-6, 3.26 ERA

The 1994 season was marred by a labor strike following the expiration of the Collective Bargaining Agreement after just 115 games. Regardless of that, Phillies position players couldn't find a way to stay healthy. The only regular to play more than 100 games was right fielder Jim Eisenreich, and that weighed heavily on this decision.

Danny Jackson probably wasn't happy about having to go on strike, because he was having the best season of his career. The lefty posted an ERA of just 3.26 and collected 14 wins—a huge boost for the Phillies following Curt Schilling's disappointing start to the year.

Honorable Mention: When Darren Daulton was on the field, he was excellent in 1994, but he played in just 69 games. The same could be said for guys like John Kruk, Lenny Dykstra, and even Mickey Morandini, who missed time with injury, but none were as impressive or effective as Jackson.

1995: Jim Eisenreich

The Line: .316 / .375 / .464, 10 HR, 55 RBI

Because of the labor strike from the previous season, the 1995 season was shortened to 144 games as both sides finalized the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. When the season finally began, however, the Phillies didn't exactly come ready to play. They were pretty bad.

In fact, it was tough to select an "MVP," but since we have to choose one here, we'll go with starting right fielder Jim Eisenreich. He was consistent at the plate, hitting for a high batting average and posting an excellent OBP, stealing 10 bases in 1994.

Honorable Mention: Ricky Bottalico may have had the best season out of any player on the roster, but with Heathcliff Slocumb on the roster hogging the closer's role, his role wasn't all that effective. I would argue that Eisenreich had more of a say in the outcome of a game than Bottalico, and that gives him the edge.

1996: Curt Schilling

The Line: 9-10, 3.19 ERA

Once again in 1996, the Phillies weren't very good, but their ace, Curt Schilling, had a nice season. Though he posted a losing record, the right handed starter posted an ERA of just 3.19 and a WHIP of 1.085. He completed eight games and tossed two shutouts. Schilling was named to the All-Star team and finished fourth in Cy Young voting.

Honorable Mention: Once again, Ricky Bottalico was phenomenal for the Phillies out of the bullpen. Now with Heathcliff Slocumb out of the way, he took over as the club's closer and had a more prominent role, but couldn't overcome Schilling's accomplishments. Offensively, Benito Santiago and Jim Eisenreich both had nice seasons as well.

1997: Curt Schilling

The Line: 17-11, 2.97 ERA

Fresh off of a fantastic season as the Phillies' ace in 1996, Curt Schilling took to the mound once again in 1997 and once again, became the team's MVP. This time he posted a winning record, collecting 17 wins and posting fantastic a fantastic ERA and WHIP of 2.97 and 1.046, respectively. In arguably his best season as a Phillie, he was named to the All-Star team and posted a K/BB rate of nearly five.

Honorable Mention: Fourth starter Garret Stephenson had a solid season for the Phils, and Scott Rolen would have been the MVP, had Schilling not been so good.

1998: Scott Rolen

The Line: .290 / .391 / .532, 31 HR, 110 RBI

Nowadays, fans of the Phillies may absolutely despise Scott Rolen, but it is hard to deny how good he was during his days with the club. Though he may not have had the patience to stick around for better days, Rolen put up MVP-caliber numbers during his tenure with the Phillies, particularly in 1998, one of his best seasons with the team.

Rolen belted 31 home runs to lead the Phillies, driving in 110 runs and leading an otherwise sluggish offense. Fresh off of a Rookie of the Year Award the prior season, Rolen continued his forward momentum in a promising career.

Honorable Mention: Scott Rolen may have been the man in 1998, but Bobby Abreu was a close second. He'd have his day though.

1999: Bobby Abreu

The Line: .335 / .446 / .549, 20 HR, 93 RBI

1999 was the emergence of Bobby Abreu as a complete five-tool player. Though his defense was shoddy at times, his work at the plate more than made up for that. In 1999, he posted an incredible batting average and on-base percentage, slugged 20 home runs, and even stole 27 bases.

Because he would later request to be traded, much like Scott Rolen, his reputation with the Phillies would become even more questionable. However, that shouldn't stop Phillies' fans from thinking of him as one of the greatest players in the club's history.

Honorable Mention: To give you an idea of just how good Abreu was in 1999, Mike Lieberthal posted an OPS of .914 and hit 31 home runs as a catcher and still couldn't top the right fielder.

2000: Bobby Abreu

The Line: .316 / .416 / .554, 25 HR, 79 RBI

By the turn of the century, Bobby Abreu had become one of the league's most feared offensive players. With a tremendous 1999 season in the books, he looked to build on that momentum in 2000 and succeeded in doing just that by popping 25 home runs, driving in 79 runs, stealing 28 bases, and playing an overall, well-rounded game.

Honorable Mention: Though their record showed they were a bad team, the 2000 Phillies had a few guys who could hit. Abreu just edged out Scott Rolen, and Mike Lieberthal, Pat Burrell, and Ron Gant also had impressive seasons.

2001: Bobby Abreu

The Line: .289 / .393 / .543, 31 HR, 110 RBI

By 2001, it was clear that one man had a stranglehold on the Phillies' MVP honors—Bobby Abreu. With little competition, as long as Abreu was having a good season, more likely than not, he was going to be the team's most valuable player.

2001 was no different. Abreu slugged 31 home runs and stole 36 bases to propel the offense, once again displaying impressive on-base abilities, including his proficiency for drawing walks. He played in every game that season and finished 16th in MVP voting.

Honorable Mention: Scott Rolen and Pat Burrell each had impressive seasons at the dish, and Robert Person (somehow) managed to win 15 games for the Phillies, but none could best the year Abreu had.

2002: Pat Burrell

The Line: .282 / .376 / .544, 37 HR, 116 RBI

If you preferred to go with Bobby Abreu once again for the 2002 season, I would not have a gripe about that, but Pat Burrell represented more than Abreu for the club as time progressed.

With a new ballpark on the horizon, many of the same expectations that were placed upon Von Hayes were reserved for Burrell, and though he would never live up to the hype either, it sure looked as though he would in 2002. The Phillies' left fielder hit 37 home runs and drove in 116 runs to lead the offense, and when Scott Rolen and Abreu left town in the near future, Burrell would do no such thing.

Honorable Mention: Like I said above, if you believe that Abreu deserves to get the nod here once again, I'd completely understand. Randy Wolf and Vicente Padilla also had nice seasons at the top of the Phils' rotation.

2003: Jim Thome

The Line: .266 / .385 / .573, 47 HR, 131 RBI

In his first season with the Phillies, Jim Thome was everything the club expected, and then some. As they prepared to move into their new ballpark next season, ownership and the front office had decided the time was right to spend big money, and as such, also decided to woo Thome into donning red-pinstripes.

In the short term, it was a great move by the Phillies. Thome's arrival rejuvenated a dormant fan base, and his presence in the middle of the lineup was felt league-wide. Thome slugged his way into a tie for the lead league in both home runs and RBI at 47 and 131, respectively. He would finish fourth in the league's MVP voting.

Honorable Mention: As was a common theme during this period in Phillies' history, Bobby Abreu once again put up some tremendous numbers, and could've been the MVP for this season as well. His well-rounded game makes him a tremendous offensive asset, but Thome's arrival put the Phillies back on the map.

2004: Bobby Abreu

The Line: .301 / .428 / .544, 30 HR, 105 RBI

When Citizens Bank Park opened in 2004, the Phillies had turned the page, and though they weren't contenders right away, there were obvious signs that the team was heading in that direction. In its inaugural season, however, it was a familiar face that led the Phillies' offensive attack—Bobby Abreu.

Once again, Abreu took his multifaceted approach to the plate, hitting 30 home runs, driving in runners at a high clip, and posting a fantastic on-base percentage. He was as much of a threat on the base paths as ever, swiping 40 bases, and along with his home run total, he collected 47 doubles and a triple.

Honorable Mention: With a little bit of pitching in 2004, the Phillies may have been a contender. Along with Abreu, Jim Thome, Pat Burrell, and Mike Lieberthal gave that lineup some thunder, and other players like Placido Polanco, Jimmy Rollins, and David Bell all had solid seasons.

2005: Chase Utley

The Line: .291 / .376 / .540, 28 HR, 105 RBI

By 2005, a new era was dawning in Philadelphia, as Bobby Abreu's tenure neared its end and the Phillies were forced to move Placido Polanco to make room for this man, Chase Utley.The fans begged that he be inserted into the starting lineup and the club obliged and boy, did it ever pay off.

In his first full season as the club's second baseman, Utley hit 28 home runs and drove in 105 runs from a position that was normally not as offensively inclined. In their first season under manager Charlie Manuel, the Phillies finished in second place and were on their way up the division's ladder. Behind Utley's stellar defense and offensive production, they would be a force to be reckoned with in the near future.

Honorable Mention: Bobby Abreu once again had a fantastic season, but this time, he finished in third place. Filling in for the injured Jim Thome, Ryan Howard stepped onto the scene and captured the Rookie of the Year Award.

2006: Ryan Howard

The Line: .313 / .425 / .659, 58 HR, 149 RBI

After capturing the Rookie of the Year Award the year prior, the Phillies were confident about Ryan Howard's future. In fact, they were so confident that they traded Jim Thome to the Chicago White Sox and gave him the full-time job.

He did not let them down.

In his first full season as the Phillies' first baseman, Howard set the club's all-time record for home runs in a single season with 58, smashing Mike Schmidt's mark. He posted an incredible OPS of 1.084 and was named the National League's MVP when the season came to an end.

Honorable Mention: Now, the pieces were set in motion. Chase Utley had another great season, as did Pat Burrell. The Phillies traded Bobby Abreu mid-season, and though the haul did not bring any returns, the move did open the door for Shane Victorino. Cole Hamels made his debut this season, and the Phillies saw a glimpse of their future.

2007: Jimmy Rollins

The Line: .296 / .344 / .531, 30 HR, 94 RBI

Prior to the start of the 2007 season, Jimmy Rollins made his famous prediction that the Phillies were the "team to beat" in the NL East, and as things turned out, he was right. The truth is, however, that the club couldn't have done it without him. The Phils' shortstop was simply playing inspired baseball.

Perhaps a rare showing of a "five-tool infielder," Rollins could do it all in 2007. One of the best defensive shortstops in the game, Rollins showed off his range and arm frequently. At the plate, he smashed 30 home runs, posted a high batting average and on-base percentage, and even stole 41 bases.

For the first time in what seemed like forever, the Phillies won the NL East this season.

Honorable Mention: I seriously considered putting Chase Utley in this spot, and I don't think that would have been inaccurate. Ryan Howard also had a phenomenal year, and Cole Hamels began coming into his own at the MLB level.

2008: Brad Lidge

The Line: 2-0, 1.95 ERA, 42 SV (7 postseason SV), 0 BS

I decided to take a bit of a leap of faith with this selection. When a team wins the World Series, it is because a number of players are having fantastic seasons, and that was the case with the Phillies in 2008, when the lineup practically slugged their way into the World Series.

However, in its rawest form, a team's most valuable player is the one player that was the most integral piece to the club's success from that season. Would the Phillies' lineup have been a potent force without the likes of Chase Utley, or Ryan Howard? They would have been good.

Would the pitching staff have been able to have the success that it did without Brad Lidge at the back end of the bullpen in the ninth inning? No.

Coming over from Houston in the off-season, the Phillies thought that Lidge needed nothing more than a change of scenery, and apparently, he agreed. Lidge pitched a perfect season, as far as a closer is concerned, which means to say that he did not blow a single save. All in all, he was phenomenal, and the Phillies wouldn't have won the World Series without him.

Honorable Mention: If I was a tad more conventional (I'm not), I probably would have gone with Utley here. However, Cole Hamels also had his best season to date with the Phillies, and a number of offensive players (Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Pat Burrell, Shane Victorino, Jayson Werth) all had nice seasons as well.

2009: Chase Utley

The Line: .282 / .397 / .508, 31 HR, 93 RBI

Perhaps the best illustration of why Brad Lidge was the team's MVP in 2008 was the disastrous campaign he had in 2009. He posted an ERA of more than seven, and had it not been for bullpen arms like Ryan Madson and Chan Ho Park, the Phillies may not have even made it back to the World Series in 2009, but they did.

The reason they made it back to the World Series was once again a thunderous offensive unit, led once again by the diverse attack of Chase Utley. The Phils' second baseman hit 31 home runs, drove in 93 more, and even managed to steal 23 bases.

To put the cherry on top, Utley's World Series performance, in which he hit five home runs, was simply phenomenal.

Honorable Mention: Ryan Howard finishes as a close second this season, and Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez round out the offensive candidates. Rookie lefty JA Happ made 23 starts and was quite impressive, winning 12 of them and posting a sub-three ERA.

2010: Roy Halladay

The Line: 21-10, 2.44 ERA, 9 CG, 4 SHO

The prize of the off-season for the Phillies, Roy Halladay certainly did not disappoint in his debut season for the club. Though the Phillies sent a multitude of talent to the Toronto Blue Jays to acquire their ace, it was well worth it. "Doc" collected 21 wins, posted an ERA of just 2.44, and a WHIP of just 1.041.

He led the club to the postseason, and though the Phillies could not secure a return to the World Series, it wasn't for a lack of effort on Halladay's part. After all, this is the man who tossed a perfect game during the regular season and followed that performance up with a postseason no-hitter—just the second of all-time.

Honorable Mention: Cole Hamels had a great season, but wasn't particularly close to beating out Halladay.

2011: Cliff Lee

The Line: 17-8, 2.40 ERA, 6 CG, 6 SHO

Maybe a bit of a surprise here, but I'm not sure people realize just how good Cliff Lee was in 2011. Though he got off to a slow start, he certainly picked up the pace and became one of the best pitchers of the season. He won 18 games, and had the Phillies shown him a bit of support, could have reached 20. He posted an ERA of 2.40 and a WHIP of 1.027.

Honorable Mention: For a while, I was torn between Lee and Roy Halladay. In the end, most advanced metrics favored Lee, and so, I chose him. Cole Hamels and Ryan Madson also had great seasons, as well as Antonio Bastardo. On the other side of the ball, no one was particularly close, unless you value half-seasons, in which case Hunter Pence was excellent.