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Mike Lieberthal (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
Typically, being drafted early in the first round of the MLB Draft leads to outsized expectations, but for Mike Lieberthal, the third overall pick of the Phillies in the 1990 draft, it led to undersized doubt.
“I was 155 pounds when I was drafted, so I was a tiny little catcher,” said Liberthal. “When I went out to the minor leagues, everyone was like, ‘This was our third pick? This is a joke.’”
Despite his slight build, the Phillies had faith that the strong-armed and sure-handed Lieberthal would develop into a big league backstop, but even the best defenders have to at least hold their own at the dish. After his first pro season in the Appalachian League, which saw him hit just .228 with four homers, Lieberthal had to adjust his swing and make do with what physicality he had.
“I had to develop into a singles hitter to learn how to hit to shorten my swing in the minor leagues,” said Lieberthal. “My power really didn’t come back until my second year in the major leagues.”
A focus on singles and line drives paid off, earning Lieberthal his first big league call up after just four MiLB seasons, but he then waited longer to settle in as the starting catcher in Philadelphia. He spent multiple seasons backing up established stars, first Darren Daulton, then free agent signing Benito Santiago.
Once taking over the starting job, Lieberthal had a view from behind home plate as baseball changed throughout the late-90s/early-2000s. He was called up during the 1994 strike, witnessed the McGwire/Sosa home run chase of 1998 and the ensuing steroid era fallout and had a front row seat to the storied 1999 All-Star Game during the first of his two all-star selections.
“There was nothing like that Fenway Park All-Star Game,” said Liberthal. “With Ted Williams on the mound, Tony Gwynn, all these superstar older players like Willie Mays. I was just nervous as hell, and then Pedro Martinez strikes out four or five in a row.”
He was also privy to a long Phillies playoff drought. Despite featuring talent like Scott Rolen and Bobby Abreu, the 90s Phillies shared a division with the buzzsaw that was the Atlanta Braves and their 14 straight division titles.
“You can have superstar players on your team, there’s always hope,” said Liberthal. “It was always that hope of could we take down the Braves, would this be the…