Will Any ’08 Phillie Make the Baseball Hall of Fame?

The annual Baseball Hall of Fame voting has recently taken place and the once-exciting tradition of electing a player into the pantheon of baseball immortality has become a drag. Instead of celebration it just sparks repetitive debates about the voting process, off-field character issues for nominees, and whether or not steroid users should be elected even if they had Hall of Fame careers before juicing. This year especially was misery inducing as no players were elected despite a few controversial players being on the ballot with Hall of Fame worthy resumes. It’s no longer about enjoying baseball’s greatness and instead about the hubris of baseball writers and the dark side of the game’s history.

Phillies fans have some intrigue with this year’s voting because Phils Wall of Famer Curt Schilling has come very close to the Hall but has essentially tweeted himself out of election. And former Phillies star turned villain Scott Rolen is gaining some momentum with getting 53% of votes in his 4th year of eligibility.

But here’s a Hall of Fame topic for Phillies fans that isn’t too exhausting: Will a member of the 2008 World Series Championship team make it to Cooperstown? Almost every World Series winning team is guaranteed at least one Hall of Fame player or manager. One notable exception are the 2002 Anaheim Angels, whose best chance at a Hall of Famer is closer Francisco Rodriguez. But in the ’08 Phillies case no one on that team is a lock for the exclusive Hall. General Manager Pat Gillick has been inducted, but otherwise we’re going to see how long the key members of the team will stay on the ballot in the coming years. Shane Victorino is already one-and-done this year after getting zero votes on the ballot, so how about the chances of the rest?

Jayson Werth

Now that Jayson Werth has been retired for a few years he’s finally getting his due from Phillies fans. Overshadowed by the popular infield, Werth arrived in 2007 and immediately put the Phils over the hump as they made the playoffs in each of the four seasons he was there. He batted .444 in the 2008 World Series and also made his only All-Star game in 2009 as a Phillie and led the league in doubles in 2010. With just one All-Star appearance Werth will likely not stay on the ballot after a year, but will still go down as a baseball legend in both Philly and DC.

Ryan Howard

Ryan Howard accomplished a lot in his career, but there are still a lot of What Ifs attached to his name. What if the Phillies didn’t sign Jim Thome to keep Howard off the field in 2003 and 2004? What if the National League had a DH during the early 2000s? And what if he never suffered that infamous Achilles injury? Because of those factors Howard didn’t reach the statistical milestones that are usually required for a place in Cooperstown, but if there is a shift in voting for players who had great careers in short periods then maybe there’s a sliver of hope for the Big Piece.

Cole Hamels

Despite nearly 13 years passing since the 2008 World Series, Cole Hamels has yet to retire from baseball having pitched for the Braves in 2020. Hamels Phillies legacy is already set as one of the greatest homegrown pitchers in franchise history. Although he’s a Philly legend thanks to his performance in the 2008 postseason, Hamels doesn’t quite have the career numbers for the Hall of Fame. He’s made just four All-Star teams, only one season with a sub-3.00 ERA and has been Top 10 in Cy Young award voting only four times.

Charlie Manuel

The most accomplished manager in Phillies history was recently up for the Hall of Fame by the veterans committee but was not elected. Despite last managing at the age of 69, Manuel didn’t get his first managerial job until his mid-50s with the Cleveland Indians. Even with a World Championship and 1,000 career wins, Manuel’s resume doesn’t have the lofty accomplishments of fellow Hall of Fame managers.

Chase Utley

Hall of Fame or not, Chase Utley is an icon in Philadelphia as maybe the most beloved player in Phillies history (anyone under 40 look up how often Mike Schmidt was booed and you’ll be stunned.) Like Howard, Utley was somewhat of a late-bloomer having not gained the full-time 2nd Base spot until his age 26 season. 6 All-Stars, 4 Silver Sluggers, 3 Top 10 finished in MVP voting and 7 World Series home runs are all impressive, but don’t quite make him a lock for Cooperstown. The fact he achieved all that as a 2nd Basemen will help his case, as those offensive stats are rare for those in his position. What also helps is being Mac from It’s Always Sunny’s favorite player, and Mets fan most hated athlete since Chipper Jones.

Jimmy Rollins

The member of the ’08 Phils with the best chance at the Hall of Fame is shortstop Jimmy Rollins. What helps his cause is his longevity, having over 10,000 career plate appearances in 2,275 career games. What also helps is his shiny MVP trophy to go along with his World Series ring, not to mention that being the all-time hits leader for a franchise that’s over 130 years old. What hurts Rollins’ case the most however is that he was inexplicably selected to only three All-Star games in his career. Not even in his 2007 MVP season was he voted in. He won’t make it to the Hall in his first year of eligibility next year, but should garner enough support to remain on the ballot for awhile.

Regardless if a 2008 Phillie gets into Cooperstown, lets make sure the late great Dick Allen gets enshrined!