Thursday, December 23, 2004
More Phun Phacts…
Q: How bad was the Phillies Twentieth Century (1901-1999) performance?
A: Well, one World Series championship (1980), four losses in World Series (1915, 1950, 1983 & 1993), nine total playoff appearances, and a 6,979 – 8,280 record (.457). By the way, seven of the Phillies nine playoff apperances happened in an 18 year window between 1976 & 1993. Prior to 1976, the Phillies made the playoffs twice in three-quarters of a century.
Q: That’s depressing. Let’s turn to individual achievement. Who has played in the most games for the Phillies?
A: Mike Schmidt, at 2,404 games. Second place is occupied by Richie Ashburn, at 1,794 and Larry Bowa at 1,739. Schmidt had 10,062 plate appearances for the Phillies during that stretch.
Q: Okay, what about hits?
A: Schmidt narrowly edges out Richie Ashburn here: 2,234 to 2,217. Ashburn, I should note, had 1,230 fewer At-Bat’s … (Ashburn had a .311 career BA to Schmidt’s .267…) Bobby Abreu is well-behind Schmidt: 1,093 games.
Q: Are any modern Phillies threatening any records?
A: Yes, Bobby Abreu is actually seventh all-time on the Phillies in doubles (286) and will probably pass both Ashburn (287) and Del Ennis (310) in 2005 for fifth. Abreu is 156 doubles behind Ed Delahanty, the Phillies career leader with 442. Abreu is also almost halfway (739) to Schmidt’s career walks (1,507). Abreu has a better walks-per-plate appearance than Schmidt (.156 to .149).
Q: What about Schmidt's home run record?
A: Schmidt has 548 career home runs for the Phillies, double the number of the No. 2 man on the list: Del Ennis (259). Bobby Abreu is ninth at 163 right now and could occupy Ennis' slot before his career in Philadelphia is over. Scott Rolen is tenth at 150, but Mike Lieberthal (129) could pass him this season with 22 home runs. Pat Burrell is 13th (127) and Jim Thome, in just two seasons, is 23rd with 89. Thome came within one home run in 2003 of equaling Schmidt's single-season team record of 48 in 1980. Thome has the second (47; 2003) and fifth (42; 2004) most home runs in a single-season.
Q: What record did the Phillies shatter in 2004?
A: Team home runs with 215, breaking the old mark set by the 1977 team by 29.
Q: 215 home runs? They must have broken the team slugging mark too, right?
A: Wrong. The Phillies .443 slugging percentage last year was pretty good, but the team record of .476 was actually set in (check this out) 1894. Yeah, 100 years ago. The 1894 team may have hit just 40 home runs, but they hit a whopping 131 triples. The ’04 team had just 23.
Q: Do you have any other Phun Phacts?
A: Along with the Brewers, Expos and Pirates, the Phillies have never played in an NLDS.
Dazzle your friends and neighbors!
That's it until December 27th. I am working on some pieces about the importance of defense to the Phillies, as well as who I think the best shortstop is in the National League. You'll see both next week, and I have a few other big projects I am working on.
All I want is a National League Pennant, Santa. Merry Christmas!
A: Well, one World Series championship (1980), four losses in World Series (1915, 1950, 1983 & 1993), nine total playoff appearances, and a 6,979 – 8,280 record (.457). By the way, seven of the Phillies nine playoff apperances happened in an 18 year window between 1976 & 1993. Prior to 1976, the Phillies made the playoffs twice in three-quarters of a century.
Q: That’s depressing. Let’s turn to individual achievement. Who has played in the most games for the Phillies?
A: Mike Schmidt, at 2,404 games. Second place is occupied by Richie Ashburn, at 1,794 and Larry Bowa at 1,739. Schmidt had 10,062 plate appearances for the Phillies during that stretch.
Q: Okay, what about hits?
A: Schmidt narrowly edges out Richie Ashburn here: 2,234 to 2,217. Ashburn, I should note, had 1,230 fewer At-Bat’s … (Ashburn had a .311 career BA to Schmidt’s .267…) Bobby Abreu is well-behind Schmidt: 1,093 games.
Q: Are any modern Phillies threatening any records?
A: Yes, Bobby Abreu is actually seventh all-time on the Phillies in doubles (286) and will probably pass both Ashburn (287) and Del Ennis (310) in 2005 for fifth. Abreu is 156 doubles behind Ed Delahanty, the Phillies career leader with 442. Abreu is also almost halfway (739) to Schmidt’s career walks (1,507). Abreu has a better walks-per-plate appearance than Schmidt (.156 to .149).
Q: What about Schmidt's home run record?
A: Schmidt has 548 career home runs for the Phillies, double the number of the No. 2 man on the list: Del Ennis (259). Bobby Abreu is ninth at 163 right now and could occupy Ennis' slot before his career in Philadelphia is over. Scott Rolen is tenth at 150, but Mike Lieberthal (129) could pass him this season with 22 home runs. Pat Burrell is 13th (127) and Jim Thome, in just two seasons, is 23rd with 89. Thome came within one home run in 2003 of equaling Schmidt's single-season team record of 48 in 1980. Thome has the second (47; 2003) and fifth (42; 2004) most home runs in a single-season.
Q: What record did the Phillies shatter in 2004?
A: Team home runs with 215, breaking the old mark set by the 1977 team by 29.
Q: 215 home runs? They must have broken the team slugging mark too, right?
A: Wrong. The Phillies .443 slugging percentage last year was pretty good, but the team record of .476 was actually set in (check this out) 1894. Yeah, 100 years ago. The 1894 team may have hit just 40 home runs, but they hit a whopping 131 triples. The ’04 team had just 23.
Q: Do you have any other Phun Phacts?
A: Along with the Brewers, Expos and Pirates, the Phillies have never played in an NLDS.
Dazzle your friends and neighbors!
That's it until December 27th. I am working on some pieces about the importance of defense to the Phillies, as well as who I think the best shortstop is in the National League. You'll see both next week, and I have a few other big projects I am working on.
All I want is a National League Pennant, Santa. Merry Christmas!
Comments:
Phillies are a bit like my Royals in that there really has been only one truly great player in the franchise -- Schmidt has that same level of reverence as George Brett (if not more), and rightly so. All-time great.
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