Philadelphia Phillies: Top Five Current Players
Even struggling teams have good players. Here are the best five players currently on the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Philadelphia Phillies are coming down the stretch and are set up to finish this season out of last place this season thanks to the lowly Atlanta Braves. The good news for the Phillies is their slight improvement is legitimate thanks to the up and coming prospects the Phillies have gathered over the past few seasons.
They have gone into a full rebuild over the last few years and are just now beginning to recover from some regrettable contracts. While Ryan Howard and Carlos Ruiz may still be around for now, they are the last of the Phillies old regime. The Phillies were a powerhouse for a few years but thanks to locking up too many of their players long term quickly became an older team that couldn’t compete.
Since then, they have quickly rebuilt and turned their farm system to one that should give them plenty of up and coming players in future seasons. The problem right now is letting those players learn on the job mixed in with a few veterans who have seen their better seasons.
Learning on the job for young players can at times hurt their confidence and development but, more often than not, proves to be helpful in preparing them to compete every day at a Major League level. The Phillies are using the last of their rebuild time wisely using it to find the guys that they think are closest to helping.
Next: The Old Guard
5. Ryan Howard
The Phillies top five is mainly made up of young players with a lot of potential. Ryan Howard is the exception. He is the last remaining Phillie from the old regime. His bat and legs are both slowed and he no longer is the monster of a hitter he once was.
He still earns a spot on this list however for the amazing seasons he put together in a Phillies uniform. His best season came in 2006 when he hit .313 hitting an amazing 58 homers and driving in 149 runners. Few players will ever put together a season quite as amazing as the year that Ryan Howard had in 2006.
The problem is, Ryan Howard is ten years removed from his best season and can no longer be that player. The Phillies will soon make the tough decision to move on from Ryan Howard. Until then Howard remains one of the best players on the Phillies roster based simply on his best seasons and career production.
Howard has hit 376 homers all in a Phillies uniform and could pass 400 before his career ends. Ryan Howard’s glory days are gone but what he brought to the team is still well worth remembering.
Next: A Most Wanted Starter
4. Jeremy Hellickson
Jeremy Hellickson is a player who is there to hold down a rotation spot for the Phillies while they wait for prospects to establish themselves. For now he has been one of the most consistent pitchers with the Phillies this season and looked more like the player he once was with the Tampa Bay Rays.
He has provided a good example this season for a rotation full of younger players who are still trying hard to establish themselves as Major League pitchers.
Hellickson really struggled in Arizona but for now has found a home with the Phillies. Putting up his best numbers since his early days with the Rays. He has proven to be a smart addition for a Phillies team that looks to be rebuilding the right way. While they are far removed from the postseason race they are headed in a direction that has them steadily improving with a constant influx of new talent.
The Phillies have made many smart moves over the past few seasons to get out from under some regrettable contracts. Adding Hellickson was one of those moves. The amount of pitching talent the Phillies have may soon force him out of the rotation but for now he remains the most consistent Philly pitcher.
Next: The Young Catcher
3. Cameron Rupp
Cameron Rupp has taken over starting catching duties for the Phillies and is playing himself into the Phillies future plans. The young catcher has had a great season both as a catcher and a hitter.
He has had a challenging season as a catcher working with a lot of different pitchers and learning how best to call their game. He has done so admirably throughout the season and may have forced his way into the Phillies future plans.
The 27-year-old catcher has had a nice season at the plate as well hitting .276 and knocking 14 balls out of the park. While those numbers may not seem very impressive they are well above average for a catcher especially one hitting in the Phillies lineup. Rupp’s one concerning trend at the plate this season has been his strikeout level. If he can lower it just a bit in the coming seasons he could well become one of the better hitting catchers in the National League.
Rupp is a nice piece for the Phillies to help their young pitchers as they finish the rebuild and continue to turn their team into a contending team once again. They are headed in that direction and may be there sooner than many fans think.
Next: The New Guy in CF
2. Odubel Herrera
Odubel Herrera is a fun player to watch. He has made himself into a great outfielder and an above-average hitter. He can steal 20+ bases a season while hitting .280 or better. He is a player that brings more to the team then his current numbers might suggest. He is in the later part of his second full season with the Phillies and is part of their future.
He has a great glove and is learning to become a very good base runner. The one part of his game that is lacking is power. He will not hit twenty balls over the fence but he doesn’t have to. He is a good player without having to make power a part of his game.
The one thing that is interesting to point out as well is that he is still a very young player. He is only 24-years-old and could conceivably improve as he matures. That can be said for much of the Phillies roster. They have successfully filled their roster with young talent with plenty of upside. Unlike Odubel however, much of this talent is still in the minor leagues or working to establish themselves. For now Odubel is one of the best players on the Phillies roster.
Maikel Franco
Maikel Franco makes this list more so on his talent level than anything he has done as of yet. Not to say he has not putting together some nice numbers his first few seasons as a Philly. He has set career-high numbers in many categories this season and has surpassed the twenty homer mark already. He is also an above-average third baseman who has his best seasons still in front of him.
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Franco has more power than he has shown as of yet and should step into the middle of the Phillies batting order for many seasons to come. They needed someone to take over as the face of their franchise with Howard’s career coming to an end and Chase Utley and Cole Hamels long gone.
The problem for Franco will be the added pressure of having to be the guy, as he matures with players around him still learning. If he can overcome that he has a chance to be the star player that the Phillies hope and expect him to be.
Next: BoSox Ortiz Breaks Another Record
Overall the Phillies roster is one that is still evolving with few pieces that are set or positions that are locked down. In the coming seasons that will change. Until it does though Phillies fans will have plenty to watch as they pay attention to the young talent that the Phillies are now bringing up and letting learn at a Major League level.