Monday, September 9, 2013

2013 Topps Museum Collection #40 Cole Hamels

Phillies 3, Braves 2
Game 143 - Sunday Afternoon, September 8th in Philadelphia
Record - 66-77, 3rd Place, 19 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Darin Ruf salvaged the well-deserved win for Cole Hamels with a solo home run in the eighth, giving the Phils a 3-2 win over the Braves.

What It Means:  It means that the lowly Phillies have swept the first place Braves.  The win improved Ryne Sandberg's managerial record to 13-10.

What Went Right:  Hamels was spectacular yet again, with his only blemishes coming in the form of two monster home runs allowed to Braves left fielder Evan Gattis.  Hamels struck out nine on the way to his seventh win of the season.  Chase Utley started the scoring in the first with an RBI double, followed by an RBI single from Ruf.

2013 Choice Lehigh Valley
IronPigs Update #20
Featured Cards:  I absolutely had to feature a Hamels card to honor his gem in this game.  But I couldn't miss another opportunity to continue the Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs Update Team Set Appreciation Week at The Phillies Room.  B.J. Rosenberg earned his first career save in this game, as a result of regular closer Jonathan Papelbon needing the day off.
 
According to my non-scientific records, Rosenberg's sole Phillies card to date can be found in the team's 2.1 postcard set from last year.  His only cards in 2013 can be found in the IronPigs' team sets.

6 comments:

Steve F. said...

If the Phils can win the next 19 (22-game wining streak total) and the Braves lose the next 20 (24-game losing streak total), we'll have a one-game playoff for the . They'd better do the coin toss soon to see who will host the game....

Steve F. said...

"for the _division title_" that was supposed to say....

Anonymous said...

"Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs Update Team Set Appreciation Week" has spread over to The Shlabotnik Report... well, actually it's "Choice Card Design Used For The Lehigh Valley IronPigs Update Team Set Appreciation Week".

http://shlabotnikreport.wordpress.com/2013/09/09/awesome-minor-league-team-set-designs/

Jim said...

Steve - I'm honestly surprised the Phillies didn't send out Postseason invoices this year. Even in years past when they hadn't yet been mathematically eliminated, they'd send out an invoice.

I think this marks the first year since 2003 or 2004?

Steve F. said...

You're right--and last year they not only sent them out but I fell for it and placed an order. I don't remember the date, but I remember being at a big Friday night win at the park. I went with my friends for a quick beer at McFadden's after the game (maybe one of two or three times I have ever done that) and mentioned to one of them that it was the deadline for ordering postseason tickets that night at midnight but that I wasn't going to place an order. He told me I was being dumb not ordering them, and between the win, the peer pressure, the beer, and being at the stadium, I cracked and placed my order using my iPhone right there. Of course they then went into a tailspin and I had a large credit card bill I had to pay and then didn't get the refund until the next billing cycle....

Steve F. said...

Whoomp, there it is, "Front Style 219":

http://www.choicesportscards.com/baseball/baseball_designs.html

Sorry, that sort of takes the magic away, giving it a name like that!