Detroit Tigers: 1990-1999 All-Decade Team
By Matt Snyder
Left Field: Tony Phillips
Fryman may get the distinction of being the most valuable Tiger of the 1990s, but Tony Phillips follows close behind on the leader boards. He spent only five years with the Tigers (from 1990 to 1994) but he made the most of those years a true all-around player.
Phillips could play the infield or the outfield. In the corner or up the middle. He started 18 or more games at every position (except first base and catcher) in his time with the Tigers, including 70 or more games at second base, third base, left field, and right field.
Utility players often have the reputation of being light with the bat, but that did not hold up with Phillips. He was Ben Zobrist before Ben Zobrist existed. He tallied more than four WAR in each of his five seasons with the ball club and averaged double-digit home runs and 100 runs scored to go with an outstanding .800 OPS.
Phillips was a true managers dream: a player that could be plugged in anywhere on the diamond without sacrificing anything on defense or offense. The fact that Tony Phillips never really had a “natural” position is a testament to his supreme athletic ability and overall baseball sense.