Much will be written in upcoming weeks about the Phillies once again failing to make the playoffs by just a few games. Baseball experts and writers like me will be putting together lists of things that the Phillies need to do in the off-season. Should Charlie Manuel return as manager? Who should be traded? Who should the Phillies pursue in free agency? Instead of dwelling on the negative, here's my list of the 10 most valuable Phillies in 2005.
1. Ryan Howard
So much for a sophomore slump. With 58 home runs, 149 rbi's and a .313 average Howard came close to a triple crown. Those numbers would have been even better had not teams started walking him so much down the stretch. The only thing that could keep him from winning the league MVP is the fact that the Phillies did not make the playoffs. Howard proved the Phillies right in their decision to trade Jim Thome. He's the franchise player of this team today and probably for the next ten years.
2. Chase Utley
Only Ryan Howard's unbelievable numbers prevented Utley from being the team's MVP. Despite an August slump, Utley's numbers show why he is the league's top second baseman. He finished 10th in the league in batting with a .309 average, 13th in home runs with 32 and 15th in rbi's with 102. When you get those numbers from your second best hitter, you know that you're a good offensive team. In the field Utley saved many a run with his fielding.
3. Jimmy Rollins
So much time is spent discussing why Jimmy Rollins should not be a lead off hitter that people forget how valuable he is both offensively and defensively. He is an amazingly consistent hitter year to year. In 2006 he showed considerably more power than in prior years with 25 home runs. His 83 rbi's were fourth on the team. His clutch hitting in the Phillies stretch drive kept the Phillies in the chase when teams started walking Ryan Howard two or three times a game.4. David Dellucci / Shane Victorino
Who could have imagined that by the end of the season the Phillies would be better off with David Dellucci and Shane Victorino in the outfield instead of Pat Burrell and Bobby Abreu? Neither player is likely to ever be an all-star but that's fine. The Phillies needed players who just came to play hard every day and were upset when their name wasn't in the starting lineup. It's a shame Dellucci is a free agent and likely to leave for somewhere he can play every day.5. Chris Coste
Who could have guessed that a 33 year-old rookie would even make it to the majors much less play such an important role on a team making a playoff run? Brought up strictly as a backup, Coste proved very hard to get out of the lineup despite Charlie Manuel's attempts to do just that. He turned out to be a clutch hitter and the pitching staff appeared very comfortable with his game calling. Does the future of Phillies catching lie with a 33 year old rookie? It just may.6. Cole Hamels
A lot of pressure was placed on Hamels when he arrived in the majors to shore up a starting rotation that was, quite honestly, terrible. He had some rocky outings especially at the beginning, but his performance in August and September showed that he has the potential to be the ace of this staff. In his last 12 starts he went 7-3 and gave up more than three runs only once.7. Brett Myers
This was definitely an up and down year for Myers both on and off the field. After the incident in Boston some were calling for the Phillies to cut or trade him immediately. Luckily cooler heads prevailed. When Myers was "on" he was the best pitcher on the Phillies, but he's also go through stretches where he looked overmatched. The good sign is that his last seven starts were pretty good. He and Hamels will fight for the role of number one on next year's staff.8. Aaron Rowand
Philadelphia fans fell in love with Aaron Rowand especially when he broke his nose crashing into the centerfield wall. Without question, no one plays the game harder and he is a superb centerfielder. How good is he at the plate? The jury's still out. Before he broke his ankle on August 21, Rowand had great months at the plate in April and May, poor months in June and July and a rather mediocre August before his injury. My sense is he's better than he looked most of the summer.9. Geoff Geary
You won't find a player with more of a rubber arm anywhere in the league. Did it just seem like he pitched every day. In fact he pitched in 81 games and led the team with a 2.96 ERA. That goes along with a fine 7-1 record. 60 strikeouts and only 20 walks in 91 innings is equally impressive.10. Tom "Flash" Gordon
Most pundits thought that the Phillies would have a hard time finding a replacement for Billy Wagner, but "Flash" Gordon did a more than adequate job, saving 34 games in 39 opportunities. Gordon was definitely overused in the early going which resulted in his arm problems later in the season. Gordon's a fine closer, but can he last an entire season? The jury is still out on that.
