Friday, May 17, 2013

Reds at Phillies: May 17th to May 19th

Friday 7:05, Saturday 4:05 and Sunday 1:35
Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA

Reds 25-16, 2nd Place in the N.L. Central, 1 1/2 games behind the Cardinals
Phillies 19-22, 3rd Place in the N.L. East, 3 1/2 games behind the Braves

Reds Probables:  Tony Cingrani (2-0, 2.89), Bronson Arroyo (3-4, 3.76), Homer Bailey (2-3, 3.51)
Phillies Probables:  Cliff Lee (4-2, 2.86), Kyle Kendrick (4-1, 2.47), Jonathan Pettibone (3-0, 3.41)

At the Ballpark:  Tonight is Irish Heritage night at the ballpark with a Youth Softball Celebration following on Saturday afternoon.  On Sunday, all kids 14 and under will receive a Phillies Floppy Hat.

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Michael Young - .296
Runs:  Chase Utley - 21
Home Runs:  Domonic Brown and 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 - 47
Saves:  Jonathan Papelbon - 7

1973 Topps #335, #52 and #28
1973 Topps Flashback:  This is the last meeting between these two teams this year, so I'm squeezing in three cards of players with ties to both the Phillies and the Reds.  When the Phils traveled to Cincinnati, I featured three cards of key members of the 1983 Wheeze Kids.

Bobby Tolan is the only player featured here who played for both the Reds and Phillies.  Hal McRae and Denis Menke both played for the Reds, but they were coaches during their time with the Phils.  Tolan enjoyed his best season with the Reds in 1970 when he hit .316 and led the National League in stolen bases with 57.  Following four seasons with the Reds, Tolan spent two years in San Diego before signing with the Phillies as a free agent prior to the 1976 season.

In two seasons with the Phils, Tolan hit .253 with just 10 stolen bases.  His one mainstream Phillies card can be found in the 1977 Topps set.

Menke (1972-1973 with the Reds) and McRae (1968, 1970-1972 with the Reds) were teammates during the 1972 season.  Menke was nearing the end of his 13-year career, while McRae was just getting started.  McRae was traded to the Royals in November 1972 and he'd spend the next 15 seasons playing in Kansas City.

Menke was named the Phillies hitting coach in 1989 when Nick Leyva took over as manager.  He'd outlast Leyva, serving as Jim Fregosi's hitting coach through the 1996 season.  In 1997, both Menke and Fregosi were out and Terry Francona began his four-year odyssey as the Phillies manager.  Francona's named McRae his hitting coach and they were both unceremoniously dumped following the woeful 2000 campaign.

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