Jayson Werth

Position: Rightfield

Height, weight: 6-5, 212

Age: 30. Birthdate: May 20, 1979

Hometown: Springfield, Ill.

Years pro: 7

How acquired: Signed as a free agent by the Phillies on Dec. 18, 2006, after missing entire '06 season because of wrist surgery.

This year: Werth set career highs in games (159), at-bats (571), runs (98), hits (153), doubles (26), home runs (36) and RBI (99).

Career: When he was drafted in the first round (22nd overall) of the 1997 draft by Baltimore, the 6-5 Werth was a catcher. Eventually his athleticism was impossible to ignore and he moved to the outfield. He made his major league debut with Toronto, playing 15 games in 2002. He played 102 games with the Dodgers in 2005 but injured his wrists and eventually was released. He rediscovered himself with the Phillies.

It's in the genes: Most notably, his grandfather, Ducky Schofield, was on the world champion Pirates in 1960. His mother, Kim Schofield Werth, was an Olympic-caliber performer in the long jump and 100 meters.

A potential showdown: Not to get ahead of ourselves - fine, getting ahead of ourselves - it will be interesting to see Werth go against A.J. Burnett should the Phillies and New York Yankees make the World Series. Burnett hit Werth with a 96-mph fastball that cost him a season because of surgery on a broken wrist. The two have matched up since then, but what better time than baseball's biggest stage to exact some revenge.

A manager's perspective: Charlie Manuel always has been a big fan of Werth, often saying, "I think he's getting healthier and, yeah, he has a chance to hit more than 30 home runs in a season. I truly believe that." Werth hit 36 this season.

- Michael Radano