Saturday, March 31, 2012

1983 Donruss #189 Bob Dernier

Yankees 13, Phillies 9
Spring Training Game 30 - Friday Night, March 30th in Tampa
Record - 12-15-3

One Sentence Summary:  The Yankees won a slugfest in Tampa, banging out 15 hits and downing the Phils, 13-7.

What It Means:  It was a very long, and at times a very boring game.

What Went Wrong:  It was a bullpen game from the outset for Phillies, as they trotted out seven different relievers to face the Yankees in the only exhibition night game the team will play in Florida this year.  Jonathan Papelbon got knocked around by the Bombers, allowing four runs in his 2/3 innings of work.  The last three pitchers used by the Phils, Julio Rodriguez, Lisalberto Bonilla and Colton Murray, are all slated for Single-A this year.

On the bright side, Juan Pierre had four hits and Carlos Ruiz had a three-run double in the third.  The Phillies offense actually outhit the Yankees, 16-15.

Featured Card:  I started this here very blog three years ago last night.  At the time, I had no idea how much I'd enjoy this three-year journey as I've followed the Phillies and shared a large part of my Phillies baseball card collection.  As promised in my State of The Phillies Room Address in February, I'm going to keep at this thing until it's no longer fun, and I'd like to think that day is a long ways off.

The first baseball card I featured on this blog was of my favorite all-time player, Bob Dernier.  In honor of my three-year blogoversary*, here's one of Dernier's few Phillies cards I haven't yet featured on the blog.

Thanks again for reading.  I sincerely appreciate it.

*This word was my wife Jenna's contribution to this post.

5 comments:

Section 36 said...

Happy Blogoversary!

night owl said...

Happy, happy! It's been fun.

Jim said...

Thanks guys!

Steve F. said...

Happy anniversary!

I got to see Bob Dernier play at Reading in 1980, probably at least 5 times. I was just 11 then, so I don't remember many specific plays--but I do remember how fast he was. I also have a vague recollection of a great diving catch he made on a night when the grass was wet from a light drizzle. Four years later I saw Joe Lefebvre effectively end his career there on a similar night. He was on a rehab assignment and hurt himself slipping in the outfield. He sat out the rest of the year and all of 1985 before making an effort to return in 1986. He played in just 14 games and hit just .111. Thank goodness the slick Reading grass didn't take down Bobby D like it did Joe!

BTW, would Bob possibly have played RF with Reading at times that year? For some reason I seem to recall that, although perhaps I remember him ranging there to make a great catch.

Jim said...

Thanks Steve!

I thought Bobby D. was exclusively a center fielder in the minors, but I could be wrong.