100 Greatest Phillies: 46 – Eppa Rixey
Starting Pitcher
1912-1920
Career w/Phillies: 1604 IP / 87-103 / 2.82 ERA / 690 K
Eppa Rixey is a Hall of Famer. But he did not quite earn that title by pitching in Philadelphia. Once he left the City of Brotherly Love, Rixey put in 12 very solid seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, finishing with 266 wins and a career 3.15 ERA. Before, he was a very good pitcher for the Phils, a team that improved tremendously during his tenure. He had his best seasons when the Phils had their best seasons – in 1915 and 16. In 1915 Rixey went just 11-12, but had a 2.39 ERA. In 1916 he went 22-10 with a 1.85 ERA, good for third in the National League. He was solid with a 2.27 ERA in 1917, but went 16-21. Surrounding those years were some injuries and rookie hiccups, but during his prime, Rixey was among the best. He was traded to the Reds, where he would flourish into a Hall of Famer. Who did the Phillies get in return for Rixey? Jimmy Ring (No. 72 on the list) and Greasy Neale. Yes, the all time great Eagles head coach Greasy Neale.
Comment: Another case of a guy who became a Hall of Famer elsewhere, at least the Phils had Rixey for a little while. He and Grover Cleveland Alexander helped nail down a rotation that was among the best in baseball during the teens. It’s a shame Rixey had to go when he did. Then again, maybe the Eagles wouldn’t have been so good.
