Phillies

Phillies Have Four of the Ten Most “Popular” Players in Baseball

By Kyle Scott

Published: Aug 4th, 2011 · 10:35 AM EDT

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It must be my smile, perfectly-cropped beard, and big, safe hands

Ah yes, it’s that time of the month. No, not the three-day stretch when men of all ages fear for their lives and hide any unsecured items which can be used as inconvenient projectiles, but the time when a national publication releases a top 10 list based on some scientific-numbers say so study about sports. Today is that day.

Incredibly, in the latest E-Poll – Nielson collabo, the Phillies came away with four of the top ten most popular players in baseball. Four.

Topping the list is Roy Halladay (appeals to 70% of baseball fans). Chase Utley and Cliff Lee are tied for fourth (57%), and Ryan Howard came in 10th (52%).

Here’s how they reached their conclusion- think of the Rotten Tomatoes style of polling: [Forbes]

The survey, which cites current major leaguers with the highest appeal numbers among those who are known by at least 10% of respondents, was conducted in July by Nielsen and E-Poll, an Encino, Calif. – based market research firm.  Appeal numbers are based on the number of respondents who described a player as someone they “like” or “like a lot.”

 

Perhaps calling these guys baseball’s most “popular” players is not accurate. Having worked for the MLB Shop for two years, Derek Jeter was always (not even close) the top selling jersey- he didn’t even make this list. Most “Likable” Players would probably be a better name for the study, and, based on four Phillies finishing in the top ten, it’s safe to say that Evil Empire thing hasn’t expanded 90 miles south to the City of Brotherly Love. America still likes the Phillies…

… just wait until they win again.

Here is the rather slow-loading slide show of the top ten from Forbes.

Butt slap to our friends from Philly Sports Central for the find