Bill Conlin: Conlin's All-Time Phillies Call-Stars | Philadelphia Daily News

Lefthanded pitcher

* Jim Kaat (1976-79). The Flinging Dutchman is regarded by many as the best pitcher not in the Hall of Fame. There is no controversy, however, surrounding his fabulous career as a multifaceted communicator who is in his third time around as a Yankees broadcaster. Seven Emmys, both for his booth work and special projects, tell it all. Google "Jim Kaat broadcast career" and prepare to be amazed by this exceptional man's accomplishments.

Bullpen

* Tug McGraw (1975-84). The fabulous character who had a tugboat named for him, who performed "Casey at the Bat" with the Philly Pops Orchestra, who masterminded the syndicated cartoon "Scroogie," and who left the imprint of his big heart and bigger soul on so many people, could have been a superb color man. But McGraw insisted on peeling his way down to the next level of everything. As a Met, he even cut the hair of homeless men in the Bowery. Tug made his TV bones as a longtime sports-feature and oddball-story reporter for Channel 6 "Action News." During an extraordinarily productive Mets minor league season in 1966, Tug fathered a son during a brief relationship. Tim McGraw became one of the most famous country singers of all time. Tug and his son had become close by the time brain cancer took him on Jan. 5, 2004.

* Larry Andersen (1983-86, 1993-94). Not every journeyman reliever can be traded for a Jeff Bagwell and survive to talk about it as one of the game's best analysts. Fans grumbled when Andy was moved out of the TV booth and paired on radio with newcomer Scott Franzke. But the Andy and Franzke Show has provided some of the best radio baseball since the halcyon days of Harry and Whitey. Just two buddies talkin' baseball for nine innings.

* Kent Tekulve (1985-88). The angular reliever with the just-above-the-shoetops delivery was a member of the Phillies' TV broadcast team from 1991 to '97. He was as affable and knowledgeable behind a mike as he was on the mound. Teke currently does Pirates postgame analysis for Fox Sports Network.

* Mitch Williams (1991-93). Wild Thing earned forgiveness for the 1993 pitch that sank a million hopes by refusing to slink into the shadows and by revealing himself not only as a good guy, but as a standup guy. And once Mitch grinned into the hot lights that cause severe lockjaw in so many, he revealed a talent for straight shots fired with a folksy, humorous and authoritative delivery. His only foreseeable problem will be to budget time for all the work coming his way.

* Ricky Bottalico (1994-98, 2001-02). Solid work in the booth last season for the wretched Lehigh Valley IronPigs earned him work as a CSN baseball analyst, including the "Post-Game Live" gig. Once Ricky Bo loses the "alumni bias" that sometimes causes him to broad-brush obvious chinks in the Phils' armor, he should be a star.

This compilation is dedicated to the memory of Harry Kalas, a friend and inspiration to every ballcaster mentioned. *

Send e-mail to bill1chair@aol.com.

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http://go.philly.com/conlin.

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