More postcards from Fan Appreciation Day.Homegrown talent abounds on the Phillies. Just see Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Pat Burrell, Cole Hamels, Brett Myers, and Ryan Madson. Also Phillie farmhands: prospect Lou Marson, catching in the bullpen for the postseason, and Kyle Kendrick, recalled to be with the team for the World Series. Carlos Ruiz was an amateur free agent who came up in the system; Shane Victorino a Rule 5 draft pick from the Dodgers, who declined to take him back.
Former GM Ed Wade resisted trading Ryan Howard even when the Phillies had acquired the immensely-popular Jim Thome to play 1st base, then refused to trade Chase Utley to the hungering A's. No need to ask how those non-moves worked out. Pat Gillick, despite some real clunkers, was responsible for trading Thome so that Howard could take over at 1st. And this offseason, he traded for closer Brad Lidge, he of the 41-consecutive regular season saves and 5 so far in postseason, then signed him midseason to a three-year deal. Then there are the in-season acquistions, last year of Jamie Moyer and this of Joe Blanton. All of these guys have come up big.
