Meet the newest Phillie

Larry Shenk
Phillies Insider
Published in
2 min readJan 20, 2017

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Michael Saunders

As you know by now an experienced left-handed bat has been added to the Phillies lineup with the signing of 30-year-old free agent outfielder Michael Saunders. He’ll wear #5, last worn by Pete Orr in 2011.

Tidbits
He an RHP Nick Pivetta, one of the Phillies young pitching prospects, are products of the same high school, Lambrick ParK SS in Victoria, British Columbia.

Michael was originally drafted (11th round, 2004) by the Mariners out of Tallahassee (FL) Community College and traded to Toronto for former Phillie, LHP J.A. Happ, 12/3/14.

In his major league career, Michael has played LF (269 games), CF (253) and RF (124).

Phillies have penciled him in RF. Their opening day RF last year in Cincinnati? Cedris Hunter.

Michael played on Team Canada in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China and in the 2013 World Baseball Classic. Will he do the same this spring?

MLB Firsts
Made major league debut in Cleveland, 7/24/09, hitless in 4 AB.

First major league hit came off Cliff Lee, then pitching for Cleveland, in the next game.

His first major league home run came on Mother’s Day, 5/10/10, against the Angels’ Evan Santana in Seattle. Michael gave the ball to his mother, Jane, who was at the game. After battling cancer since her son was 11, she passed away on 8/3/11.

2015 Injury
Stepped on a sprinkler head while shagging fly balls in spring training and tore his meniscus, 2/25/15. Surgery and complications limited him to 9 games that season.

2016 In Review
Went 3-for-3 with 2 homers and 5 RBI against the Phillies in a spring training game, 3/5 in Dunedin.

Hit 3 homers and drove in 8 runs vs. Baltimore, 6/17/16.

Selected to the AL All-Star team in the Final Vote. Had one hitless at-bat in the game.

Hit .381 in 8 postseason games with 1 HR.

Batted cleanup more than other spot in the lineup, 48 G, 13 2B, 12 HR, 28 RBI, .250.

Hit .333, 10 HR, 20 RBI in innings 7–9.

His .815 OPS was 4th best on the Blue Jays but higher than any Phillies hitter.

Statistical Randomness
Finished season with career-high 32 doubles. Last Phillies left-handed hitter with that many? Chase Utley, 36 inn 2014.

Also hit career-high 24 homers. Last Phillies LH hitter with that many? You say Ryan Howard. Incorrect. With 27 in 2013 it was RF Dominic Brown.

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Larry Shenk offers insight into the past, present-day and future of his beloved Phillies.