Philadelphia Phillies: 15 best trades in franchise history
By Tim Boyle
8) Best Philadelphia Phillies trade: Manny Trillo and Greg Gross from the Cubs.
Not every trade between the Phillies and Cubs was like the Ryne Sandberg deal. Like the deal for Williams, this deal benefitted Philadelphia. Its ranking lands higher on this list because it included a championship.
On February 23, 1979, the Cubs sent Manny Trillo, Greg Gross, and Dave Rader to the Phillies for Henry Mack, Derek Botelho, Barry Foote, Jerry Martin and Ted Sizemore. Although some of the guys in this trade enjoyed success with the Cubs, none of them won a ring with the team. Ultimately, winning a championship is what it all comes down to.
Trillo’s numbers with the Cubs were okay but in four seasons with the Phillies they took a big leap. He would hit .277/.321/.369 for the team as a second baseman with limited power. However, he did win two Silver Sluggers, two Gold Gloves, and made two All-Star appearances. He was even the MVP of the 1980 NLCS when he batted .381/.364/.571 versus the Houston Astros.
Gross played his own key role with the Phillies after this trade. Known best for his pinch-hitting prowess, Gross batted .279/.374/.335 for the Phillies over the course of his ten years with them. Although he hit just one home run the entire 1819 trips to the plate he made, Gross was a brilliant contact hitter who walked 239 times as a member of the Phillies and added just 87 strikeouts.