Throughout the Phillies’ rich and almost 150-year history, some of the game’s greatest players have worn red pinstripes and roamed the outfield. There are lists that are solely based on WAR, and this one isn’t one of them. Is Tommy Hunter actually comparable to Ryan Howard?
In order to rank the best outfielders in Phillies history, a reviewer’s eyes need to straddle the whole player experience, taking into account all of their contributions to the team. Greatness is determined by a player’s critical plays, leadership in the locker room, consistency, postseason contributions, and position relative to his peers.
The five best catchers, first basemen, second basemen, shortstops, third basemen, starters, and relievers in Phillies history have already been listed, in case you missed it.
Prior to delving into the ranking, let us acknowledge three deserving candidates who were not quite in the top five but still hold a special place in the annals of Phillies outfield greats.
Greg Luzinski, a crucial member of the 1980 squad, comes first. Luzinski, an 11-year veteran of the team who was a four-time All-Star, finished second twice in the National League MVP voting during his prime. He was a mainstay in the middle of the lineup. In 1976, he had his greatest season yet, hitting 39 long balls and scorching his way to a.988 OPS.
Even though Luzinski wasn’t well-known for his glovework, his career 130 OPS+ is exceptional, and he still collected 26.4 WAR. Granted, that’s less than players like Del Ennis (32.5 WAR) and Johnny Callison (38.4 WAR), but Luzinski was more dominant than both of them at the height of their careers. And none gave Philadelphia a World Series victory. In 2025, the Hall of Fame’s Era Committee will take him into consideration.
Next is Callison, a three-time All-Star who has a career OPS+ of 115 and 38.4 WAR. He could have easily been in the top five, just like Luzinski. He carried on Richie Ashburn’s tradition as the team’s best player after playing for the Phillies from 1960 to 1969. He was second in MVP voting in 1964, defeating players like Lou Brock, Willie Mays, Frank Robinson, and Roberto Clemente who were all great in their heyday.
The third honourable mention who just missed the cut is Ellis. Ellis, an 11-year Philadelphia veteran, was a member of three All-Star teams and amassed a 29.9 WAR and 117 OPS+. With 126 RBI in 1950, he led baseball in RBIs and finished his career with seven career knocks in above 100. He was an RBI machine. Despite having a brief career—just 11 complete seasons and 288 home runs in total—he was one of the greatest power threats of his time, according to Baseball Reference.
19th-century Phillies greats like Ed Delahanty and Sam Thompson are not given their due on this list because the game was very different after the turn of the century and fielding gloves were not even widely used in baseball until the 1890s. They should both undoubtedly be taken into account for a comparable list with more inclusive criteria.
Of course, there are alternative names. Given that Pat Burrell’s mashing career came to an end in the fall of 2008, some could argue that he merits consideration. Lenny Dykstra was the greatest of the best for a few years and won the 1993 pennant, whatever else can be said about him. One of the greats of the 1920s, Cy Williams, was so influential that he could not be disregarded.
There’s a chance that one of the young Phillies players, like Johan Rojas and Brandon Marsh, will end up on this list at some point. But then again, someone was probably creating a similar listicle once, wondering where Dominic Brown would end up at the end of the day.
However, these are the five finest outfielders in Phillies history as of spring training 2024.
Leave a Reply