Skip to main content

Sunday School: Phillies History Lesson 85

By the time current Phillies television analyst Gary Matthews Sr. joined Philadelphia as a player, he was already a veteran of eight full Major League seasons. An outfielder, Matthews was named as the National League Rookie of the Year in 1973 as a member of the San Francisco Giants.

Matthews debuted in the Majors at age 21 in 1972. Having only played 20 games, as a late season call up, he was still considered a rookie the following season. In 1973, Matthews posted double digits in stolen bases, doubles, triple and homeruns while batting .300 en route to being named the senior circuit's top freshman.

During his years in San Francisco, Matthews, a first round draft pick by the Giants in 1968, continued to be a steady contributor. Following the 1976 season, the Giants and Matthews could not agree on terms for a new deal and Matthews was granted free agency.

Matthews would sign with Atlanta where he became an All-star. His best season as a Brave came in 1979, when Matthews posted a .304 batting average while smacking 27 homers and driving in 90 runs.

In 1981, Matthews was traded to the reigning World Champion Phillies late in spring training for pitcher Bob Walk, who, as a rookie, started game 1 of the World Series in 1980 for Philadelphia. With the Phillies, Matthews filled the void in left field vacated by Greg Luzinski, who departed after 11 seasons with Philadelphia. In his first year as a Phillie, Matthews batted .301 in 102 games of a strike shortened season. He wrapped up his first season with the Phillies on a tear, earning NL Player of the Month honors with a .330 average, 7 HR and 31 RBI in September.

In 1982, Matthews led the league in games, playing in all 162 contests, and batted .281 with 19 homeruns, 83 RBI and 21 steals. In 1983, Matthews' stats declined a bit (.258 avg., 10 HR, 50 RBI & 13 SB), after splitting playing time with Greg Gross in left field. However, the Phillies returned to the postseason for the sixth time in eight years and Matthews would shine, winning the NLCS Most Valuable Player Award after leading the Phils past the Dodgers. In the four game series, Matthews went 6-for-14 (.429 avg.) with 3 homeruns and 8 RBI. The Phillies would go on to lose in the World Series to Baltimore, however.

The following spring, just prior to coming north, the Phillies sent Matthews, along with Bob Dernier, to the Cubs for relief pitcher Bill Campbell and utility man Mike Diaz, who never played a game for the Phillies.

With Chicago, the 33-year-old Matthews helped solidify the team's offense, and assisted with the team's run to win 96 games and dethrone the Phillies as NL East division winners. That regular season, Matthews led the NL in walks (103) and subsequently on-base percentage (.410). He also finished fifth in league MVP voting in 1984. Matthews played 3 1/2 seasons with the Cubs before a trade sent him to Seattle.

After playing 45 games with the Mariners and wrapping up the 1987 season, Matthews retired from playing. A 16-year MLB veteran, Matthews would go on to coach within the Cubs, Blue Jays and Brewers organizations before stepping into the broadcast booth, where he now calls games as a color analyst. Matthews' son Gary Matthews Jr. has played at the Major League level for 12 seasons with the Cubs, Mets, Rangers and other clubs.

______________________________________________________________


You can follow PhoulBallz.com on Twitter by clicking HERE.

Connect with PhoulBallz.com on Facebook by clicking HERE.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

World Series Preview: Phillies vs. Astros

The Fall Classic is set to get underway on Friday with the Phillies opening on the road to take on the Astros in a best-of-seven series. This year marks 75 years since the first time a World Series was televised and this year each game will be broadcast on the FOX television network.  ESPN will have the radio broadcast and that feed can be streamed by using this link . Game 1 Friday, 8:03pm Eastern....in Houston.  RHP Aaron Nola (11-13, 3.25 ERA) vs. RHP Justin Verlander (18-4, 1.75 ERA).  In 16 road starts during the regular season this year, Nola notched a 5-9 record with a 3.00 ERA.  Nola has struck out 18 and walked three in 17 1/3 innings pitched this postseason.  Earlier this month, Nola tossed 6 2/3 scoreless innings at Houston.  In 15 home starts during the regular season, Verlander sported a 10-1 record with a 1.64 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP.  Verlander has a 5.68 ERA and has not recorded a win in seven career World Series starts.  Verlander has...

PhoulBallz Interview: RHP Ben Brown talks TJ recovery, O'Hoppe, cancelled season

Image- MiLB.com Out of action since last May when it was determined he required Tommy John surgery, righty pitching prospect Ben Brown is using the downtime of the pandemic hiatus to continue his physical recovery.  A 33rd round draft selection of the Phillies back in 2017, Brown made his professional debut that same year, posting a 2.57 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP in 10 appearances in the rookie level Gulf Coast League.  The following season, Brown began to make a name for himself in the GCL, striking out 16 batters in one July appearance.  He would post a 3.12 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP in 10 games (eight starts) before earning a promotion and finishing the season with a pair of outings with Class A short-season Williamsport. Brown, a Long Island, NY native, opened last year with Class A Lakewood.  In four appearances with the BlueClaws, he struck out 20, walked four and allowed no runs in 13 2/3 innings and looked well on his way to making an impact on betting odds and avai...

2019 Phillies Prospects Countdown: #7 LHP JoJo Romero

JoJo Romero, image- Jay Floyd With a growing crop of very talented pitching prospects in the Phillies organization, left-hander JoJo Romero is certainly among the standouts. The five-foot-11 200-pounder was the Phils’ 4th round draft selection in 2016. That year he helped Yavapai College, the same school that the Phillies drafted Kenny Giles from in 2011, clinch the JuCo World Series, leading the way with an 11-5 record, a 3.64 ERA and a 10.2 K/9 mark. He also tossed a complete game gem to earn the win in their title game. After signing with the Phillies, Romero made his professional debut as a member of the short-season Class A Williamsport Crosscutters. There, he notched a 2-2 record with a 2.56 ERA while striking out 31 and walking 11 in 45 2/3 innings. In 2017, he got off to a terrific start with the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws. In 13 starts, Romero tallied a 5-1 record with a 2.11 ERA and a 9.3 K/9 mark and was honored as a South Atlantic League mid-season All-Star. R...