Philadelphia Phillies: Most Valuable Phillie of the Year
Though 2017 was a year many Philadelphia Phillies fans would like to forget, the season did have its fair share of bright spots. But who’s the 2017 MVP?
Though the 2017 MLB season didn’t exactly go how the Philadelphia Phillies may have hoped, no player should give the team, or their fanbase for that matter more hope for the future more than rookie phenom Rhys Hoskins.
After starting off the 2017 season off in Triple-A, Hoskins exploded onto the scene as one of the most promising young power hitters in all of Major League Baseball and gave fans a glimpse of a player who could very well see his face immortalized on the Phillies‘ Wall of Fame.
In Hoskins, a former fifth-round pick from California State University Sacremento, the Phillies have finally found a young, disciplined power hitter with a love for the game, who could very well be the cornerstone piece needed to build a new dynasty around.
And he’s a true student of the game.
Where other players with a similar skillset may be overly aggressive and try to force home runs based on natural talent alone, Hoskins’ has shown incredible plate discipline far beyond his years, and looks the part of a player who could end up joining the 50 home run club, an honor a Phillie has obtained since Ryan Howard did so in 2006.
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In only 50 games with the big club, Hoskins made his presence known, both in the City of Brotherly Love and on the national stage by bashing in 18 home runs and an incredible 48 RBIs as the team’s starting first baseman. Simply put, the Phillies became must watch tv whenever Hoskins stepped up to bat as the 24-year-old from Sacremento quickly established himself as something truly special.
Hoskins set the rookie record for most home runs in a player’s first 18 games as a pro, with 11, and quickly became an opposing pitcher’s worst nightmare. I mean just how many first-year sluggers start getting pitched around a month into the season? Hoskins did.
Even though his historic pace cooled down slightly as opposing teams got more tape on the young slugger, Hoskins’ performances gave Philly fans something they haven’t had in a long time: hope.
While the team may not be good now and may continue to have their fair share of growing pains under new manager Gabe Kapler, at least we have Hoskins, a true student of the game who plays it the right way.
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Not since the days of Howard, Chase Utley and Cole Hamels have fans so quickly connected with a young player, as number 17 jerseys have started to become a fixture at Citizens Bank Park. While the jury’s still out on whether or not the young power hitter will ever blossom into a truly transcendent star, he without a doubt gave Phillies fans a reason to tune into games, regardless of the score, and in my eyes, that makes Rhys Hoskins the Most Valuable Phillie of the Year.