We have changed up the format for our This Date in Phillies History feature. No more burying the lead at the bottom of the post, and we’re including some Phillies information from around this thing called the internet. We hope you enjoy the new format. You can always find any edition of the feature by using the “Phillies History” drop down at the top of the site. From there, just click on “This Date in Phillies History.”
The Main Event
February 1, 2007 – The Philadelphia Phillies and pitcher Brett Myers agreed to a three-year, $25.75 million contract extension. The deal kept Myers with the Phillies as a key part of their pitching staff heading into the 2007 season and included plans for him to start on Opening Day before he was later moved to the bullpen that year.
Brett Myers was one of those pitchers who always seemed larger than life, both in personality and in presence on the mound. Drafted by the Phillies in the sixth round of the 1999 draft out of Durango High School in Las Vegas, Myers moved quickly through the minor leagues thanks to a live arm and an aggressive approach. By 2002, at just 21 years old, he was in the Phillies’ rotation, and it was clear the organization believed he was part of its long-term core. He didn’t arrive as a polished ace, but he arrived fearless, unafraid to challenge hitters and willing to learn on the fly at the major league level.
Myers’ best-known years came in Philadelphia, where he pitched from 2002 through 2009. Early on, he showed flashes of dominance, striking out hitters with a mid-to-upper 90s fastball and a sharp breaking ball. His breakout season came in 2003, when he went 14–9 with a 4.05 ERA and over 200 strikeouts, establishing himself as a frontline starter. Two years later, he took another step forward by winning 13 games and earning the first of his two All-Star selections.
The Phillies valued Myers enough to sign him to a three-year contract extension on February 1, 2007, a move that reflected their belief that he would anchor the starting rotation. That same year, he was temporarily moved to the bullpen, a shift that would have derailed some pitchers. Instead, Myers embraced it. He saved 21 games, earned another All-Star nod, and played a key role in stabilizing a team that was transitioning toward contention.
Highs, Lows, and Personal Warts
Myers’ time in Philadelphia was not without turbulence. On the field, inconsistency often followed him. He would look unhittable one night and struggle to find the strike zone the next. Off the field, his personal life drew unwanted attention. In 2006, he was arrested following an incident involving his wife, a moment that cast a shadow over his career and reputation. While the charges were later dropped, the episode highlighted issues with anger and impulse control that Myers never entirely escaped. To his credit, he remained accountable publicly and continued to take the mound, but the incident became part of his story and shaped how many fans viewed him.
Despite the ups and downs, Myers was a contributor to the Phillies’ golden era. He was part of the 2008 World Series championship team, pitching out of the bullpen during the postseason and providing valuable innings in October. By 2009, his role shifted again, splitting time between starting and relieving, before the Phillies declined his option and allowed him to leave via free agency.
Life After Philadelphia
After leaving the Phillies, Myers reinvented himself multiple times. He signed with the Houston Astros and enjoyed a strong 2010 season, earning his third All-Star selection and proving he still had plenty left in his arm. He later pitched for the Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, and San Diego Padres, often serving as a rotation stabilizer or bullpen veteran. His durability stood out, even as his velocity dipped and his role became less defined.
Myers’ final major league appearance came in 2013, closing the book on an 11-year career that included more than 1,300 innings and over 1,300 strikeouts. He never quite became the consistent ace some envisioned, but he carved out a career built on adaptability, toughness, and a willingness to accept whatever role his team needed.
Brett Myers remains a complicated figure in Phillies history. He was talented, flawed, emotional, and undeniably important to a franchise that reached the mountaintop in 2008. His career serves as a reminder that success in baseball is rarely linear, and that personal struggles often intersect with professional achievement in uncomfortable ways. For Phillies fans, Myers is remembered not just for the numbers, but for the intensity, the unpredictability, and the sense that when he was on the mound, something memorable, good or bad, was about to happen.
Events around baseball…
February 1, 1926 – The New York Yankees sell first baseman Wally Pipp to the Cincinnati Reds. In 1925, an injury forced Pipp out of the Yankees lineup, resulting in his permanent replacement by future Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig (we all remember how that one turned out for Gehrig.)
Also from PBN
- Versatile Gold Glover Signs with the Phillies
- Substack (free): PBN Extra Innings – How Does Dylan Moore Change Things in Philadelphia?
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Phillies on the web
- NBC Sports Philadelphia: Life After Ranger examines the Phillies 2026 rotation.
- The Phillies Show podcast (find it at the usual podcast spots): Todd Zolecki, Jim Salisbury, and Ruben Amaro compare the Phillies and the Mets lineups.
Philadelphia Baseball Birthdays on February 1
Pete Wood (born 1867): A Canadian-born right-handed pitcher who appeared in parts of two major league seasons and pitched for the Philadelphia Quakers (a predecessor franchise to the modern Phillies) in 1889. Wood made two starts and a relief appearance, posting a 5.21 ERA. He was released by the Quakers in July of 1889 and never returned to the majors.
Darrin Chapin (born 1966): Made four relief appearances in the majors — 3 with the Yankees (1991) and 1 with the Phillies (1992) — posted a career 6.14 ERA.
Hector Luna (born 1980): A Dominican-born infielder/outfielder who signed a minor league contract with the Phillies in December 2011 and played 28 games with them in 2012. His first official at-bat with the Phillies was a grand slam against pitcher Michael Bowden and the San Diego Padres.
Darnell Sweeney (born 1991): An infielder/outfielder who was acquired by the Phillies on August 19, 2015, in a trade that sent Chase Utley to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Sweeney hit .176 in 37 games with the Phillies in 2015. After the 2016 season, he was dealt back to the Dodgers along with Darin Ruf for infielder Howie Kendrick.
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