Philadelphia Phillies starting lineup of the all-time greats
By Tim Boyle
Batting third for the Philadelphia Phillies is 2B Chase Utley.
Chase Utley will always be “The Man.” Who better to knock in the first runs of the game than the guy who brought the city a world-effin-championship?
Utley is more than just a fan favorite. He is the greatest second baseman in franchise history and has 13 seasons with the team to prove it.
Totals with the Phillies include a .282/.366/.481 slash line, 233 home runs, and 900+ runs, and RBI. Although things declined quickly after the 2009 season, Utley’s prime makes him a wonderful candidate to hit third in this lineup.
From 2005-2008, Utley had four straight 100 RBI seasons. From 2006-2009, he crossed into triple digits in runs scored. A rare breed of second baseman that could hit for power, average, and produce runs as well as score them, he is the prototype of what you want from your third-place hitter.
Saying anything negative about Utley is a bit blasphemous, even if his final years with the team weren’t so sunny. Even when he was no longer winning Silver Sluggers and making All-Star appearances, Utley was a guy the Phillies could rely on for the occasional big hit and constant leadership.
While he is one of only a few on this list to not have a Hall of Fame plaque in Cooperstown or an MVP, you can’t have any all-time great Phillies lineup without him.