Phillies GOAT - Second Base

The Man vs. the Hall of Famer.

When considering options for second base, it really comes down to two guys–Chase Utley and Nap Lajoie. Utley played in more than 1,500 games in 13 seasons for the Phillies and was a fan favorite. He was so beloved that on his first visit back to Philadelphia after being traded to the Dodgers, he got standing ovations. It was thrilling and emotional. And he hit 2 homers that night. His first big league hit was a grand slam. Nobody played harder or smarter.

Lajoie played for the Phillies from 1896 to 1901. His lowest batting average as a Phillie was .324. He led the league in slugging and total bases in 1897 and in doubles and RBI in 1898. After 1 season and 1 game stint with the Athletics, Lajoie played for Cleveland. His Hall of Fame plaque reads "great hitter and most graceful and effective second baseman of his era." Lajoie's best years came after his time with the Phillies. He led the American League in hitting 5 times, including .426 in 1901, the highest batting average ever for a season.

Lajoie hit .345 in his Phillies tenure with an .894 OPS, while Utley hit .282 with an OPS of .826. But Lajoie only played 315 games as a second baseman for the Phillies. Utley gets the nod.