Power Rankings: Phillies at the All-Star Game Part I, Pitching

Over the last 85 years, the Phillies have sent 188 representatives to the MLB All-Star Game, including 118 position players and 70 pitchers. Their performances ran the gamut from terrible to outstanding, and everywhere in between.

Here, I've ranked five of the very best pitching performances, as indicated by Win Probability Added. While there are other stats you could use, I like the balance between results and leverage presented by WPA, so I've set aside my opinion-based science for this exercise.

5. Heathcliff Slocumb, 1995, WPA .145

1995 was Slocumb's only All-Star appearance in a ten year career spent with eight teams. Coming in to replace Carlos Perez in the bottom of the seventh, with runners at first and second and one out, he struck out Ivan Rodriguez and Jim Edmonds to end the threat. Of course, in the eighth, he was pulled after a one-out single by Roberto Alomar. Slocumb would claim the win in the eventual NL victory.

4. Curt Simmons, 1952, WPA .156

In 1952, Simmons was a 23 year old ace on a staff headlined by 25 year old Robin Roberts, and with a team ERA of 3.07. Simmons did lead the league with six shutouts that year, however. Named the starter in the ASG (Roberts having pitched two days prior), Simmons pitched three innings, allowing only a double and a walk to Dom DiMaggio, and striking out three. The NL would go on to win after five innings, the game shortened by rain.

3. Robin Roberts, 1953, WPA .159

In the first half of the 1950s, Roberts was the best pitcher in baseball. Between 1950 and 1956, he led the majors in Innings Pitched, Strikeouts, Complete Games, Shutouts and OBP against. He was seventh, fourth and sixth in ERA, FIP, and ERA+ respectively. He was even third in saves! So it shouldn't be a surprise to see him on this list. Named the starter in the ASG, he allowed only a walk to Billy Goodman in the first and a single to Gus Zernial in the second. He struck out three. As an aside, this might be the most Phillies ASG ever, as the four Phillies (Roberts, Simmons, Richie Ashburn and Granny Hamner) combined for a WPA of .442, pacing the NL to a 5-1 victory.

2. Chris Short, 1967, WPA .227

The 1967 Phillies were the 2012 Phillies of 1967. Coming off recent success, they had dropped to a .500 team. Okay, that's a stretch, but work with me here. Both teams had Dallas Green on the payroll, and both had excellent (more or less) pitching. Short was the No. 2 starter behind Jim Bunning on a staff with an ERA of 3.10; and the heir apparent to that staff, being 29 to Bunning's 35. In the ASG, he pitched two clean innings in relief, allowing only a walk to Carl Yaztremski, which, as sins go, is not a big one. He struck out Jim Fregosi, before handing the game over to Mike Cuellar. Worth noting is that Short, Cuellar and Don Drysdale each had identical WPAs. Former Fairbanks Goldpanner Tom Seaver finished it off.

1. Vicente Padilla, 2002, WPA .269

Flotilla rejoice. Padilla's 2002 season was the best of his career, and he was rewarded with an ASG appearance. Pitching a scoreless 10th and 11th innings, he, alongside Freddy Garcia who did likewise for the AL, paved the way for the infamous Tie and the resulting Because It Needs To Matter (TM). Great.

Also Notable:

Turk Farrell, 1958

Farrell, a hard-throwing righthander, was brought in to pitch the heart of the AL batting order in the seventh of a losing game. After walking Mickey Mantle, he struck out Jackie Jensen, Moose Skowron, Frank Malzone and Ted Williams, preserving the score. Unfortunately, the AL's Bill O'Dell slammed the door on the Senior Leaguers, earning the save. Farrell's four strikeouts are the most ever in a single ASG appearance by a Phillie.

Danny Jackson, 1994

Traded from the newly minted Florida Marlins for two guys I've never heard of, Jackson was a mainstay of the Phils' 1993 Pennant winner, and was having a solid season when he was picked for the ASG the following year. Unfortunately for NL manager Jim Fregosi. Jackson came in to relieve Jim Hudek with one out in the 7th, with runners on first and third. Scott Cooper doubled. Kenny Lofton singled. Will Clark singled. Jackson was relieved. His ASG ERA of ∞ is the highest for a Phillie.

Roy Halladay, 2011

After being snubbed for the start in 2010 in favor of Ubaldunsustainable Jimenez, Doc started the 2011 game with vigor, pitching two perfect innings with a strikeout on only 19 pitches. When he was lifted, it was for Cliff Lee, which was just crazy awesome because how bad was our pitching staff amirite? Unfortunately for narratives everywhere, Lee struggled in his second inning.

There you have it, folks. The five best, and three otherwise interesting All-Star appearances by a Phillies' pitcher. Stay tuned for tomorrow's Part II featuring hitting performances!