Philadelphia Baseball History

The middle infield positions are the key to a team's defense.  With the ball coming at you fast, the second baseman mus be quick on his feet, and sure with his glove.  Of course it helps if the second baseman is talented with the bat, too.  Here are our top five picks for the best Phillies second basemen of all time. 5.            Juan Samuel Juan Samuel was fast.  In his first full season with the Phillies, 1984, he stole 72 bases.  He also batted .272, and made the All-Star team.  Over the next three seasons, he batted .264, .266 and .272 respectively, stealing 53, 42 and 35 bases.  He was an All-Star again in 1987.  In 1988, The Phillies tried to switch Sammy to the outfield, and his offensive number suffered because of it.  He hit .243 in 1988 and .246 in 51 games in 1989.  With his offensive numbers dwindling, Samuel likely brought his greatest value to the team in 1989, when the Phillies traded h...

It was the late seventies. As a seven or eight year old boy, I was excited to see my favorite baseball player, the Bull, Greg Luzinski, come to the Kiddie City on Erie Avenue near the Juniata Park section of Philadelphia. But the Bull was suffering from an injury that day, and couldn’t make it. In his place, the Phillies sent their star catcher, Bob Boone.  Sure, I was disappointed Luzinski couldn’t make it. But everyone knew Bob Boone. By 1979, he had already been an All-Star three times. He may not have been a serious offensive threat. But he did win Gold Gloves in 1978 and 1979.  And so, Boone showed up. He climbed up on to the temporary stage they had built in the Kiddie City parking lot, and demonstrated some toy. I think it was one of those machines that lobbed a plastic ball in the air that you then hit with a plastic bat. Of course, it didn’t matter. I wasn’t there to buy a new toy. I was there to meet one of the players on my favorite team.  Afterwa...