It is next to impossible to discuss Dick Allen and his tenure with Philadelphia without mentioning the controversy that surrounded him.

It needs to be mentioned that Allen was the first black star for the Phillies, and this was at a time when all of the other teams in MLB had integrated had African-American players of note.  Allen suffered through severe racism as the first black player for their minor league team in Little Rock and despite being an instant star with Philadelphia the racially charged city often targeted him.

Bobby Abreu was the master of plate discipline and the maestro of working a pitch count.  The Venezuelan would get much of his due when he was traded to the New York Yankees, but it was in Philadelphia where he was at his best and a two time All Star who the sabremetricians absolutely loved.

A master of the change up and the four seam fastball, Cole Hamels will always be remembered for his role as the staff ace in the 2008 World Series win.  In that post season, Hamels went 4-0 where he fanned 30 batters and was named the NLCS and World Series MVP. 

Gavvy Cravath did not make his MLB debut until he was 27 with the Red Sox but he was bemoaned as being too slow to be an effective player by fans, management, and teammates alike.  He would bounce around until a clerical error at the age of 31 gave him a second chance with the Phillies and he certainly made the most of the opportunity.