The first decade of the century ended with back to back World Series appearances for the Philadelphia Phillies. However, the 2010’s represented nothing more than mediocrity. They finished the decade 46 games under .500 at 787-833. They only managed two seasons above .500 in 2010 and 2011. The 2011 team won an impressive 102 games, but that was the only bright spot. The rest of the decade was desperately disappointing.
Many of the players on this team actually peaked in the 2000s. That shows just how poor a decade the 2010s were in the City of Brotherly Love. However, there were multiple standout performances. The best individual seasons at each position were taken in order to create this All Decade roster.
Starting Pitcher: Roy Halladay (2010)
A simple choice. Roy Halladay was phenomenal in his debut season with the Phillies. He posted 33 starts, 250 innings, a 2.44 ERA with 219 strikeouts. He led the league with four complete games and four shutouts. His record of 21-10 gave him a league best wins total. His walks per nine innings rate of 1.1 and strikeouts to walks fate of 7.3 were also league leading numbers. A perfect game was followed by a no-hitter in his first ever postseason start. A thoroughly deserved Cy Young award was the cherry on the cake. Masterful season.
Closer: Jonathan Papelbon (2014)
Jonathan Papelbon was not a good teammate but he certainly was a good closer. He posted a 2.04 ERA with 39 saves in 2014. That season was a bad one for the Philadelphia Phillies, but Papelbon was excellent.
Catcher: J.T. Realmuto (2019)
The Phillies were spoilt in the earlier decade of this century by having Carlos Ruiz behind the dish. Ruiz has some excellent years in 2011 and 2012 too. But J.T. Realmuto gets the nod for being the more complete player. He hit .275 with 25 homers along with 83 RBI too, accumulating an impressive 4.5 fWAR. Realmuto possesses a gift rare among catchers in being an excellent base runner. As shown by his nine stolen bags last year. He won the Silver Slugger and Gold Glove, solidifying his status as the best catcher in the game.
First Base: Ryan Howard (2010)
Rhys Hoskins could have got the shout here, but sentimentality wins out. Ryan Howard’s 0.9 fWAR isn’t an impressive number, but he was paid to hit not field. He certainly did that, producing a slash line of .276/.353/.505 with 31 homers and 108 RBI. He wasn’t the powerhouse he once was at the plate, but he could still mash.
Second Base: Chase Utley (2013)
Chase Utley hit for a .284/.348/.475 slash with 18 dingers and 69 RBI. He had a higher WAR in 2010 but his 2013 slash line and more impressive power win out. Much like Howard, he was past his best. He still played with quality and passion that the only other secondbasemen of the decade, Cesar Hernandez, could not match.
Third Base: Maikel Franco (2015)
The Phillies have an impressive history at third, boasting the likes of Mike Schmidt and Scott Rolen amongst their best. Placido Polanco and Pedro Feliz were even steadily productive. In Maikel Franco, the Phillies thought they had their next star at the position. He was excellent in his rookie season. Posted a slash of .280/.343/.497, with 14 homers and 50 RBI. Franco flattered to deceive and despite showing power, has been very inconsistent ever since.
Short Stop: Jimmy Rollins (2012)
File Jimmy Rollins alongside Howard and Utley in the “past their best” column. Rollins won the MVP five years prior and was no longer that player. But he still managed to post numbers of .250/.316/.427 with 23 homers and 68 RBI. His offensive numbers are not like those of his prime years. But his 4.9 fWAR illustrates just how good he was on defense. He clinched his fourth Gold Glove on the back of a 15 defensive WAR, which ranked fourth amongst all shortstops.
Left Field: Domonic Brown (2013)
A name that will send shivers down the spine of Philadelphia Phillies fans everywhere. Dominic Brown was meant to be their next big thing. Their next true superstar. Once deemed “untouchable” by the Phillies front office, Brown only managed this one good season. He was impressive, notching a slash line of .272/.324/.494 with 27 home runs and 83 RBI. 52 extra-base hits too.
Centre Field: Shane Victorino (2011)
Shane Victorino was perennially underrated in Philadelphia. He was a consistent performer year after year. Hitting for .279/.355/.491, he displayed his ability to hit for average and get on base. His slugging percentage and 17 homers showed his power. He stole 19 bases and most impressively struck out a measly 63 times.
Right Field: Bryce Harper (2019)
With a huge contract came huge pressure for Bryce Harper, but he didn’t let it burden him. Harper is a magnet for criticism, often unfair. But he delivered in 2019, launching 35 homers and posting a career-high 114 RBI. In addition, he played above-average defense with a DRS of nine, second on the team behind Realmuto’s 11.
Rotation
Roy Halladay (2010)
Aaron Nola (2018)
Cole Hamels (2011)
Cliff Lee (2011)
Jeremy Hellickson (2016)
Bullpen
Jonathan Papelbon (2014)
Ken Giles (2014)
Pat Neshek (2017)
Hector Neris (2016)
Antonio Bastardo (2011)
Ryan Madson (2011)
Bench
Rhys Hoskins (2019)
Raul Ibanez (2011)
Carlos Ruiz (2012)
Jean Segura (2019)
Jayson Werth (2010)
Cesar Hernandez (2019)
Outlook
The latter half of the 2000s brought about the Philadelphia Phillies most successful period in over 25 years. They won two pennants and a World Series. The 2010s were incredibly disappointing. With Bryce Harper on board and settled, the Phils can expect big things from him. He anchors the lineup with Didi Gregorius, J.T. Realmuto, and Rhys Hoskins. Zack Wheeler is their big free-agent splash and he joins a rotation led by their young stud Aaron Nola. With Joe Girardi on board as the new skipper, the Phillies can hope that the 2020s will bring brighter days.
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