4 Greatest Infielders in Phillies History

The Philadelphia Phillies were established in 1883, but they didn't accomplish much until their first World Series title in 1980. Later, the franchise won its second ring in 2008, with a few National League Pennants mixed in both after and in between.

Most of the famous Phillies of old were actually outfielders, when you look at the stars of earlier eras, but there has been a select list of Phil's legends to play the diamond. These are the top four Phillies infielders of all-time.

4. Ryan Howard, 1B (2004-16)

Ryan Howard was dominant in his prime. / Rich Schultz/Getty Images

Ryan Howard's career played out like a lit fuse on a stick of dynamite. From 2005 (technically his rookie season by games played) to 2011 he was one of the most feared power hitters in the game, helping lead Philadelphia to five straight NL East titles from '07-'11 and two World Series appearances (one title). After the explosion, his numbers took a dive. Even so, Howard finished second on the Phillies all-time home run list with 382, as well as third on their RBI list. His list of accomplishments is a long one, ranging from NL Rookie of the Year to NL MVP. He was a three-time All-Star, Hank Aaron Award winner, Silver Slugger, two-time Home Run Champ, three-time RBI Champ, NLCS MVP, member of the 50 HR Club, Home Run Derby Champion and more. Howard even won the Mike Schmidt MVP Award three times.

3. Jimmy Rollins, SS (2000-14)

Jimmy Rollins did it all during his time with the Phillies. / Bob Levey/Getty Images

One of the Phillies' fan favorites known as "J-Roll," Jimmy Rollins has the most hits in franchise history. The short stop was a teammate of Howard, and a huge part of the run Philadelphia went on in the late 2000's. He was a World Series Champion in 2008 and three-time All-Star before that. J-Roll has his own laundry list of achievements including a Mike Schmidt and Roberto Clemente Award. He was an all-around talent with defense and speed to add to his bat. Rollins led the MLB in steals in 2001 and was a four-time Gold Glover with one Silver Slugger. The 2007 National League MVP is currently sixth in Phillies total WAR.

2. Chase Utley, 2B (2003-15)

World Series Champion Chase Utley was beloved by Phillies fans. / Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images

Second in all-time WAR and defensive WAR for any Phillies player, second baseman Chase Utley was the third head of the Phillies dragon in the 2008 Championship run. The middle infielder could hit for power, with the sixth most home runs and seventh most RBI in franchise history. Utley was a six-time All-Star with Philadelphia (five years straight), four-time Silver Slugger, Mike Schmidt MVP winner and a member of the Sports Illustrated 2000's All-Decade Team (among other accomplishments). He never won an MVP like Howard or Rollins, but Utley was the most consistent force on both offense and defense of the three.

1. Mike Schmidt, 3B (1972-89)

All-time Phillies great mike Schmidt. / Hunter Martin/Getty Images

The driving force of the first World Series run, Mike Schmidt has become infamous as the greatest Phillies player of all-time. Like Howard, he was a career Phil and still leads the franchise in most offensive and defensive categories to this day. His total WAR was a phenomenal 106.9, and he dominated both sides of the ball. With 548 home runs and 1,595 RBI, Mike Schmidt didn't just win awards, he had awards named after him (as you can see above). Schmidt was a 12-time All-Star and three-time NL MVP! He won 10 Gold Gloves, six Silver Sluggers, eight NL HR titles and four NL RBI titles. The legendary third baseman was even World Series MVP in 1980. Now his No. 20 is retired with Philadelphia forever. He was not just recognized in high regard by the Phillies however. Schmidt is a member of the MLB All-Century Team and the MLB All-Time Team, and he was inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame in 1995 on his first ballot.

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Michael Obermuller is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Michael Obermuller also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username king_mizzard. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.