Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
Indians 21-16, 2nd Place in the A.L. Central, 1/2 game behind the Tigers
Phillies 18-21, 3rd Place in the N.L. East, 4 1/2 games behind the Braves
Indians Probables: Scott Kazmir (2-1, 4.87), Corey Kluber (2-2, 5.64)
Phillies Probables: Jonathan Pettibone (2-0, 3.63), Cole Hamels (1-5, 4.18)
At the Ballpark: All fans will receive a nice-looking blue Phillies hat tonight as part of the Teva Respiratory Asthma Awareness Night. On Wednesday afternoon, and I'm not making this up, fans will have a chance to meet the popular children's group The Wiggles from 1:30 until 2:30. The Wiggles will dance with the Phanatic on top of the Phillies dugout during the seventh inning stretch.
Phillies Leaders
Average: Michael Young - .310
Runs: Chase Utley - 21
Home Runs: Chase Utley - 7
RBIs: Chase Utley - 24
Stolen Bases: Ben Revere - 7
Wins: Kyle Kendrick and Cliff Lee - 4
ERA: Kyle Kendrick - 2.47
Strikeouts: Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee - 43
Saves: Jonathan Papelbon - 7
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| 1973 Topps #272 and #425 |
Alex Johnson made his debut with the Phillies at the age of 21 on July 25, 1964. He was viewed as the left fielder of the future when he arrived, but his time with the club lasted just two seasons. In 140 games with the Phillies, he hit .296 with 12 home runs and 46 RBIs. Following the 1965 season, Johnson was part of a six-player trade with the Cardinals that saw the Phils ship Pat Corrales and Art Mahaffey to St. Louis in exchange for Dick Groat, Bob Uecker and Bill White. For the Cardinals, Johnson was the key to the deal.
I had no idea how much Johnson seemingly struggled with his mental health throughout his career until I read this fascinating biography over at the SABR website. Johnson was already playing for his sixth team (the Rangers) by the time his 1973 Topps card was released. He appeared as a Phillie within the 1964 and 1965 Topps sets.
Ed Farmer came up with the Indians in 1971. He pitched in parts of three seasons with Cleveland and a half season with Detroit, before coming to the Phillies at the end of Spring Training in 1974. Farmer appeared in just 14 games with the Phils in '74, and he didn't make it back to the Majors until 1977 for a two batter appearance with the Orioles. The Phils signed him as a free agent prior to the 1982 season, and he went 2-6 in 47 games with the club. He earned his release in August 1983 after putting up the Quallsian numbers of 0-6 with a 6.08 ERA.
Farmer appeared in the 1974 Phillies Photo Card set (if you can find one of those sets for sale, please let me know) and he appeared on eight Phillies cards from 1982 to 1983 commemorating his second stint in maroon pinstripes. Farmer has broadcast White Sox games since 1991, and today he's the team's primary play-by-play broadcaster.
2 comments:
Re that 1974 team set, I bid on these postcards as they come up on eBay on occasion, and a 1974 Schmidt card (not his rookie team-issued card but his third such card) sold recently for $288, IIRC. His rookie 1972 card is currently on eBay, ending tonight with a few other cards (the only one of value is a Carlton from I think 1974) and bidding is currently at $252. That one could potentially go much higher.
If it were at say $50, there's no way I would be posting a reference to it before it was done and in the win column for me. But that's too rich for my blood.
$257.71 was the final bid. Once I'm rich and famous, all of these cards will be mine!
; )
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