100 Greatest Phillies: 34 – Von Hayes
Outfielder
1983-1991
Career w/Phillies: .272 AVG / 124 HR / 568 RBI / 202 SB
Von Hayes hit 14 home runs, drove in 82, stole 32 bases and hit .250 for the Cleveland Indians in 1982. That resume was enough for the Phillies to trade five players (including Julio Franco) to Cleveland for Hayes, a trade that would define the Phillies for the rest of the decade. Hayes wasn’t a bad player — in fact, he was very good. He was an extremely disciplined player, walking more than 100 times twice. And when he got on base, he reeked havoc, stealing at least 20 bases six times, including a 48-SB outburst in 1984. Between that year and 1987, Hayes slammed 69 homers, hitting into the .280s. He suffered an injury that kept him sidelined in 1988, but he rebounded tremendously in 1989 with a career-high 26 homers. But Hayes got hurt too much, and after a poor 1991 season, was traded to the Angels, where he finished his career.
Comment: A strong five-tool player, Hayes wasn’t quite the face of the franchise, but was a solid player for most of nine seasons in Philadelphia. He could field and throw, hit and homer and, of course, run. He was so fast his name became fodder in “Major League.” Better than being known as five-for-one.
