Recently, ESPN revealed a list of the Top 100 MLB Players of All Time . Their methodology included gathering data and information to have a panel vote on players head to head in order to determine the rankings. As a result, 12 players with ties to the Philadelphia Phillies made the list, including one current player.
All the Phillies that appeared were; Jim Thome (98), Bryce Harper (94), Roy Halladay (92), Ryne Sandberg (91), Steve Carlton (58), Grover Cleveland Alexander (57), Nap Lajoie (48), Jimmie Foxx (40), Joe Morgan (37), Pete Rose (34), Mike Schmidt (18), and Pedro Martinez (11).
Of course, some guys from that list are far more remembered as members of other teams rather than their time in Philadelphia. Players such as Morgan and Rose will always be thought of as leaders of the Big Red Machine Cincinnati Reds from 1970-1979 first and foremost. As enjoyable as it’d be to claim the second highest ranked pitcher on the list, Pedro Martinez will always be a Red Sox rather than a member of the 2009 runner-up Phillies.
That being said, Philadelphia has its own players on the list to be proud of. Leading off is defending NL MVP, Bryce Harper. Ranked as the seventh best active player, it's safe to say winning his second MVP already has returned national respect to Harpers’ name.
He is also the youngest member on the list at age 29, a full year younger than the top ranked active player, Mike Trout. With nearly every retired and eligible member being in the Hall of Fame, other than those with off the field concerns, it certainly bodes well for Harper’s chances at enshrinement in Cooperstown down the line.
It is notable that the list includes highly scrutinized players like Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens as well as the blacklisted Shoeless Joe Jackson and Pete Rose. However, the list has been trending due to Derek Jeter (28), ranking above one of the greatest hitters of this century, Albert Pujouls (30).
The inner circle of Phillies included on the list is made up of Halladay, Carlton, Alexander, and Schmidt. With the Phillies being historically stingy with their jersey retirements, these are the few players who made both lists. Nowadays, it causes a painful laugh to see the historical success of Philadelphia pitching. With three pitchers on a list dominated by position players, that shows a significant strength in their history.
To nobody's surprise, Schmidt is the highest ranking true Phillie on the list. As a three-time MVP, 12-time All-Star, 10-time Gold Glove Award winner, and the leader of one of the only two Phillies World Series Championship teams, Schmidt had to be an easy choice for the top 25 of all time. With the 268 players in the Hall of Fame representing the top 1% of players ever, according to the Hall’s website, the top 25 would represent a true inner circle of Cooperstown. Schmidt was also deservedly the highest ranked third baseman and the only one in the top 25.
Though not everybody will agree with the exact order of this list, it still pays homage to Philadelphia’s rich baseball history. With Schmidt already representing the club as one of the game's best ever, attention now turns to how high Harper can climb by the end of his career. All that’s left now is to lift the lockout so Harper can get started defending his MVP crown.
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