100 Greatest Phillies: 75 – Jay Johnstone

Jay Johnstone
Outfielder
1974-1978

Career w/Phillies: .303 AVG / 33 HR / 200 RBI / 20 SB

One of the game’s greatest fourth outfielders, Jay Johnstone spent four seasons with the Phillies. And in Philadelphia, he was a very solid hitter, posting his best numbers as he hit his prime. A journeyman by the time the Phils grabbed him, he quickly provided veteran leadership to a young outfield that included Greg Luzinski and Mike Anderson. He was also a great postseason hitter, putting up a ridiculous 7-for-9 in the 1976 National League Championship Series. He would later hit a pinch home run for the Dodgers in the 1981 World Series. Moreover, Johnstone was known for his pranking ways, and pranked Tommy Lasorda more than the Phanatic.

Comment: Steady and strong, Johnstone was instrumental in bringing a winning attitude to Philadelphia in the mid 1970s. While he never got the playing time a regular received, he was always very good at his job, and posted very good numbers as a fourth outfielder.

Tim Malcolm

Tim first found the Phillies as a little infant at Veteran’s Stadium, cheering on a Juan Samuel game-winning home run in his very first game. With the pinstripes in his blood, he witnessed Terry Mulholland’s 1990 no-hitter, “Steve Carlton Night” at the Vet, game three of the 1993 World Series, countless games during the charmed 2008 championship season and various road excursions. Since November 2007 Tim’s been writing about them daily at Phillies Nation, becoming one of the world’s most popular Phillies scribes. You can catch him on Twitter and Facebook, as well. When he’s not talking about the Phils he’s relaxing with a St. Bernardus ABT 12 or one of his many favored brews.