Picking Up World Series Rings

Image Credit: Josh Miller/Phillyist

So, as the playoffs begin this evening with a divisional-round showdown against the Cincinnati Reds, here are the five players we'd most like to see get first championship rings:

1. Roy Halladay: Despite being one of baseball's best pitchers over the past decade, Doc will make his first postseason start in Game One against Cincinnati. He was brought here to replace Cliff Lee, the ace of last year's Pennant-winning team, and instantly became a fan-favorite. Halladay has supplied several of the season's most memorable moments. He opened the schedule with a win and effectively closed it with a shutout to clinch the division—both in Washington, DC. He pitched the second-ever perfect game in Phillies history against Miami and later became the franchise's first twenty-game winner in twenty-eight years (he finished with twenty-one victories). He likely will add a Cy Young award to his haul, and hopefully a few gemstones.
2. Roy Oswalt: Second in the postseason rotation and second on our list. While Halladay replaced Lee, Oswalt was brought here (thanks again, Ed Wade) to form an ace triumvirate, which Phillies nation tasted for the brief time Halladay, Lee and Hamels were all on the roster. The former-Astro lived up to his billing as a great late-season pitcher. He went 7-1 with a 1.74 ERA in twelve starts as a Phillie. He also made a putout as a replacement outfielder in the game that made umpire Scott Barry a household name (and dartboard fodder). Oswalt went to one World Series in 2005 with Houston (a four-game sweep by the Chicago White Sox), and was named MVP of the National League Championship Series along the way.
3. Placido Polanco: Like Oswalt, Polanco came up empty in his lone World Series appearance. Not only did his Detroit Tigers lose in 2006 to the St. Louis Cardinals, but Polanco failed to muster a hit in seventeen at-bats. Polly has been clutch for the Phillies this year though. Originally brought here in a trade for Scott Rolen and dealt away for Ugueth Urbina (still serving jail time for attempted murder in Venezuela), the free-agent signee has provided a major upgrade over Pedro Feliz at third base. Polanco has played at a Gold Glove-caliber level in the field and led the team in hits. When healthy, he and Carlos Ruiz have wielded the two most-consistent bats in Manuel's hot-and-cold lineup.
4. Raúl Ibáñez: As the longest-tenured Phillie on the list, Rauuuuuuuuuuuuuul would have been higher were it not for a slump that seemingly endured from the 2009 to the 2010 all-star break (including last postseason). Still, in his two years with the Fightins, Ibáñez has carried the team for stretches, including a key period this July and August when Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins all missed significant time with injuries. Ibáñez has averaged twenty-five home runs and eighty-eight RBI since joining the team as Burrell's replacement.
5. Wilson Valdez: There were several candidates for this last spot, but ultimately Valdez has had the biggest hand in leading the Phillies to the best record in baseball. Valdez was an afterthought when the season began with Juan Castro as the bench's primary utility infielder, but the Mets defector played in 111 games. Filling in for Rollins at shortstop and Utley at second, Valdez supplied outstanding defense and adequate hitting. His improved performance at the plate—.297 in September—allowed Manuel to rest an ailing-again Rollins as the Phillies locked up the division.

Honorable mention:

• Mike Sweeney and Brian Schneider: At 37 and 33 respectively, Sweeney and Schneider are making their first forays into meaningful October baseball. Combined, they have twenty-seven seasons, 2,427 games and 8,139 at-bats without a playoff appearance.
• Domonic Brown: Don't get us wrong: We want Brown to get rings. We just want him to truly earn them by leading future Phillies teams to championships once be becomes an everyday player.

What!? No Ross Gload?

• Ross Gload: The Phillies pinch-hitter extraordinaire was a member of the 2005 White Sox team that beat Oswalt's Astros. So, Gload has a ring. That said, he has been a key piece of the 2010 team, adding pop off of the bench and filling in nicely for Howard at first. He could be this year's Matt Stairs, too.

This year's Adam Eaton?

• Greg Dobbs: Admittedly, the comparison is far from perfect. Dobbs never received a $24-million contract, and he already helped the Phillies win a World Series. Since hitting .301 in 2008, however, he has blown big time. He hit .247 last season and .196 this year. Juan Castro also could have worked here, presuming he gets a ring with a Phillies title.