By Tim Kelly, Sports Talk Philly editor 
It's been 10 years since Jimmy Rollins declared the Philadelphia Phillies the team to beat prior to the 2007 season, before slashing .296/.344/.531, hitting 30 home runs and winning the National League MVP, all while leading the Phillies to their first playoff appearance since 1993.
Rollins was the second consecutive Phillie to win the National League MVP, as his teammate Ryan Howard had the year before. Howard slashed an incredible .313/.425/.659, while breaking the club record with 58 home runs and driving in 149 runs.
A decade later, Sports Talk Philly staffers were asked which season they thought was more memorable; Howard in 2006 or Rollins in 2007. Here's what they had to say:
Kevin Durso, editor
Selection: Rollins
The phrase "team to beat" would be nothing if it wasn't for Jimmy Rollins, not because he used it when describing the 2007 Phillies, but backed it up with an incredible season that was without question MVP worthy. In the glorious era from 2007-2011, Rollins was the swagger behind the Phillies. Look no further than his RBI triple on the final day of the season that helped him join the 20-20-20-20 club. In addition, these were career numbers for Rollins across the board. Ryan Howard's 2006 season was record-setting and should not be overlooked. It was probably the more impressive MVP season. But in terms of being more memorable, you can't ignore how Rollins served as a spark plug for the rest of the 2007 Phillies and started off a run that defined an era of Phillies baseball.
Matt Albertson, historical contributor
Selection: Howard
Ryan Howard in 2006 was arguably the best year any Phillie ever had; better than Mike Schmidt's 1980 campaign, better than Chuck Klein's 1933 Triple Crown season, and better than any of the 1894 Phillies' outfielders (the all .400 hitting outfield) Ed Delahanty, Billy Hamilton, and Sam Thompson. Rollins had a .296/.344/.531 slash with an .875 OPS. Howard slashed .313/.425/.659 with a 1.084 OPS and hit 58 homers and drove in 149 runs. While Rollins outdistanced Howard by nearly one WAR point, the offensive production wasn’t even close. Rollins had the best season of anyone in the National League, but Howard had the best season in team history.
Kevin Reavy, staff writer
Selection: Rollins
Jimmy Rollins' MVP campaign was small-ball excellence, and it jives well with the way the game was turning, and the way it is today. Mike Trout could take MVP honors this year with similar numbers. But, that's the thing. Baseball currently has guys that can do what Rollins did. While it remains a special season for him and the Phillies organization, it's hardly memorable in the scope of the game's long history.
Don't believe me? Rickey Henderson is Rollins' favorite player. In comparison to J-Roll's MVP year, Henderson had six seasons with a higher OPS, and never had a single full season in his 25-year playing career with an OB% as low as Rollins' .344.
Ryan Howard at least batted .300 (.313) in his MVP season in 2006– something Rollins never did in his career.
Howard is one of just two NL first basemen to bat .300 and club 50 home runs. The other was that Johnny Mize guy you've only kinda heard of, in 1947, way before the first non-stick frying pan was invented.
Jesse Larch, staff writer
Selection: Rollins
For Rollins to follow Howard's MVP with one of his own established the team as a premiere contender for the World Series, and his ability to cash the checks that his mouth wrote make his MVP even more special. How many players were as outspoken as Rollins and put as much attention on themself and then backed it up with an MVP?
Matthew Shinkle, staff writer
Selection: Howard
While it's hard to go against the always smiling face of Jimmy Rollins who coined the 'Team to Beat' phrase in early 2007 just before the Phillies began their reign of dominance in the NL East, I have to say Ryan Howard's MVP season was more memorable. Howard had one of the more memorable seasons in MLB history when he led the league in Home Runs (58) and RBI's (149) while hitting .313, his highest single-season average. This was a tremendous followup to his NL Rookie of the Year award just a year before, which had every Phillies fan ready to watch to team's next Mike Schmidt type player just beginning his career. He would be in the running for NL MVP voting for the next five years, however the 2006 season stands out as the type of player fans should remember when they look back at with Ryan Howard.
