Philadelphia Phillies: 2016 Season in Review

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Jun 2, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; (From left to right ) Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Herrera (37) and shortstop Galvis and third baseman Franco and second baseman Blanco prior to action against the Milwaukee Brewers at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

PHILLIES 2016 POSITION PLAYERS

Odubel Herrera was the team’s lone NL All-Star representative. In his second big league season, Herrera hit for a .286/.361/.420 slash line with 15 homers. He led the club with 25 stolen bases and 87 runs scored.

Oct 2, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Howard (6) greets first baseman Joseph (19) as he is subbed out during the ninth inning against the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park. The Philadelphia Phillies won 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

First base was expected to be a platoon when the season opened, with veteran Ryan Howard, likely in his Phillies swan song after a long and mostly glorious career, splitting time with perennially disappointing Darin Ruf.

Instead, while Ruf again was largely disappointing and relegated to the minors for the majority of the season, it was rookie Tommy Joseph who emerged to form the right-handed side of that platoon.

Together, Howard and Joseph combined for 46 home runs, 71 extra-base hits, and 106 RBI. On the season’s final day, the club and its fans bid a proper farewell to ‘The Big Piece’ with a stirring ceremony.

Middle infielders Freddy Galvis and Cesar Hernandez were a mixed bag. Galvis showed surprising pop, banging 20 homers and driving in 67 runs, and chipped in with 17 stolen bases.

Hernandez hit .294 with a .371 on-base percentage to lead the team in both categories. His speed allowed him to swipe 17 bags. But he was also thrown out stealing 13 times, often running the club out of scoring opportunities with maddening consistency.

At the hot corner, Maikel Franco tied for the club lead with 25 homers and led the squad with 88 RBI. However, his .255/.306/.427 slash line in his first full big league season is a disappointment, and he seemed lost at the plate for large stretches.

Aside from Herrera, there was little to no production from the rest of the outfield corps. Peter Bourjos, Tyler Goeddel, Aaron Altherr, Cody Asche, and Jimmy Paredes received the vast majority of the innings in the other two spots.

Those five players took up two regular spots in the lineup and produced just a combined 21 homers, 115 runs scored, and 97 RBI. Altherr led the group with a .253 average and .304 on-base percentage.

Behind the plate, Cameron Rupp hit 16 homers over 419 plate appearances, and did a nice job handling the often-changing pitching staff.

A.J. Ellis came in a late season trade for veteran Carlos Ruiz and did a nice job after the beloved ‘Chooch’ finished up his once-glorious Phillies career with a largely uneventful and unproductive final four months.

With Howard and Ruiz now gone, the final pages have been turned on the Phillies past, and it is all about the future.

Of the position players receiving regular playing time this past season, only Herrera, Franco, and perhaps Joseph seem to have a place in a future winning Phillies starting lineup.

Joseph will have to prove that he can handle himself against all types of pitching on an everyday basis in 2017 before he can be considered a true part of a future core.

Galvis may have a utility role, or may even be able to start for a contender, but only if he can slide over to 2nd base and handle that position well.

The biggest key will be Franco, who has the talent to be so much more than he demonstrated on most days over this past season. He needs to step up and become a far more consistent hitter in the middle of the lineup.

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