Phillies Missing Links of the 1990s - #3 Darrin Chapin

#41
Darrin John Chapin
Relief Pitcher

On January 8, 1992, the Yankees traded pitching prospect Darrin Chapin to the Phillies for a player to be named later.  The move was made to clear roster space for the Yankees, and it was a poorly kept secret that Charlie Hayes would eventually be the player to be named later once the Yankees did a little more roster maneuvering.  Hayes was officially dealt on February 19th to complete the trade.

Chapin's Phillies career was limited to just one inning of relief on April 27th against the Padres.  He was recalled earlier that day to take Andy Ashby's spot in the rotation after Ashby suffered an injury. He wouldn't appear in another game before being sent back down to Scranton on May 6th to make room for Dale Murphy, who was activated from the disabled list.

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  170
Born:  February 1, 1966, Warren, OH
Drafted:  Drafted by the New York Yankees in the 6th round of the 1986 amateur draft, January 14, 1986
Major League Teams:  New York Yankees 1991; Phillies 1992
Professional Affiliations:  New York Yankees 1986-1991; Phillies 1992; Minnesota Twins 1993; Florida Marlins 1994; Cleveland Indians 1995

Phillies Career
1 game, 2 innings, 2 runs on Jerald Clark 2-run home run
Acquired:  Acquired from the New York Yankees for a player to be named later (Charlie Hayes), January 8, 1992
Debut:  April 27, 1992 - Relieved Curt Schilling in the seventh inning
Final Game:  April 27, 1992
Departed:  Granted free agency, October 11, 1992 and signed with the Minnesota Twins organization

1992 Donruss #745

1992 Topps Debut '91 #33

1992 ProCards #2441

1992 Scranton/Wilkes- Barre Team Issue #8

5 Chapin Baseball Card in My Collection
First Card:  1992 Donruss #745
Last Card:  1992 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons Team Issue #8

Other Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1992 Donruss #745
First Topps Base Card:  N/A
Last Mainstream Card:  1992 Topps Debut '91 #33
Other Notable Cards:  1988 Ft. Lauderdale Yankees #4; 1992 ProCards #2441; 1992 SkyBox AAA #219; 1994 ProCards #2867

Sources:  Baseball Reference and The Trading Card Database

This is a continuing series looking at those players who spent time with the Phillies but possess no baseball card proof of their time in Philadelphia.  I will make my way through the decade of the 1980s first and then work my way forward.  In some cases, the First and Last Mainstream cards listed above have been subjectively chosen if multiple cards were released in that year.

Phillies Missing Links of the 1990s - #2 Dave LaPoint

#42
David Jeffrey LaPoint
Starting Pitcher

The 1982 World Series was the first ever Fall Classic I followed game-by-game, and when the Phillies signed former Cardinals pitcher Dave LaPoint one day before the start of the regular season in 1991, I was thrilled that he was now in the Phillies starting pitching rotation.  Unfortunately, LaPoint's tenure with the 1991 Phillies ended just as abruptly as it began and there are only a  few photos showing the 12-year veteran in the uniform of his ninth and final team.

Signed on April 7th and released on April 23rd, LaPoint's 16 days with the Phillies consisted of two starts in which he pitched five innings, allowing 10 runs on 10 hits and six walks.  More memorable than his 16.20 ERA with the Phillies is this headline, forever preserved in my 1991 Phillis Scrapbook, noting that LaPoint's Phillies debut and penultimate game in the Majors was "Disa-LaPointing."

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'3"  Weight:  205
Born:  July 29, 1959, Glens Falls, NY
Drafted:  Drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 10th round of the 1977 amateur draft, June 7, 1977
Major League Teams:  Milwaukee Brewers 1980; St. Louis Cardinals 1981-1984; San Francisco Giants 1985; Detroit Tigers 1986; San Diego Padres 1986; St. Louis Cardinals 1987; Chicago White Sox 1987-1988; Pittsburgh Pirates 1988; New York Yankees 1989-1990; Phillies 1991
Professional Affiliations:  Milwaukee Brewers 1977-1980; St. Louis Cardinals 1981-1984; San Francisco Giants 1985; Detroit Tigers 1986; San Diego Padres 1986; St. Louis Cardinals 1987; Chicago White Sox 1987-1988; Pittsburgh Pirates 1988; New York Yankees 1989-1990; Phillies 1991; Milwaukee Brewers 1991; Chicago Cubs 1991; Minnesota Twins 1993; Adirondack Lumberjacks 1996 (Independent)

Phillies Career
2 starts, 0-1, 16.20 ERA
Acquired:  Signed as a free agent formerly with the New York Yankees, April 7, 1991
Debut:  April 14, 1991 - Lasted 1 1/3 innings, allowing six runs on five hits to the Cardinals
Final Game:  April 20, 1991
Departed:  Released, April 23, 1991, and signed with the Milwaukee Brewers organization May 9, 1991

1983 Donruss #544

1983 Topps #438

1988 Topps #334

1991 Upper Deck #483

5 LaPoint Baseball Card in My Collection
First Card:  1991 Donruss #481
Last Card:  1991 Upper Deck #483

Because LaPoint pitched with the Phillies in 1991, I added each of his five mainstream baseball cards to my 1991 Phillies binder, all featuring him with the Yankees.

Other Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1983 Donruss #544
First Topps Base Card:  1983 Topps #438
Last Mainstream Card:  1991 Upper Deck #483
Other Notable Cards:  1977 TCMA Newark Co-Pilots #21, 1985 Topps Traded #71T, 1986 Topps Traded #61T, 1987 Topps #754, 1988 Topps #334, 1989 Topps #89

Sources:  Baseball Reference and The Trading Card Database

This is a continuing series looking at those players who spent time with the Phillies but possess no baseball card proof of their time in Philadelphia.  I will make my way through the decade of the 1980s first and then work my way forward.  In some cases, the First and Last Mainstream cards listed above have been subjectively chosen if multiple cards were released in that year.

Phillies Missing Links of the 1990s - #1 Louie Meadows

#29
Michael Ray Meadows
Outfielder

Louie Meadows served as a back-up infielder for the Houston Astros in parts of four seasons before being set free and signing with the Phillies in July 1990.  He spend July and August with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons before earning a September call-up.  Perhaps best remembered as the guy who actually appeared on Wes Chamberlain's original 1991 Topps card, Meadows only appeared in 15 games for the Phillies, going 1 for 14 (.071).  He never started a game for the Phillies, entering only as a pinch-runner, pinch-hitter or late inning defensive replacement.

He played part of the 1991 season with the Red Barons before calling it a career.

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  190
Born:  April 29, 1961, Maysville, NC
Drafted:  Drafted by the Houston Astros in the 2nd round of the 1982 amateur draft, June 7, 1982
Major League Teams:  Houston Astros 1986, 1988-1990; Phillies 1990
Professional Affiliations:  Houston Astros 1982-1990; Phillies 1990-1991

Phillies Career
15 games, .071 (1 for 14)
Acquired:  Signed as a free agent formerly with the Houston Astros, July 4, 1990
Debut:  September 5, 1990 - Pinch-ran for Ricky Jordan and scored a run on a Lenny Dykstra single
Final Game:  October 3, 1990
Departed:  Granted free agency following the 1990 season, but returned for the 1991 season to play for the Red Barons.  It's not clear when/how he ultimately left the organization.

1988 Fleer Update #U-92

1989 Topps #643

1991 Topps #603A

1991 ProCards #2552

4 Meadows Baseball Cards in My Collection
First Card:  1990 Topps #534
Last Card:  1991 ProCards #2552

Other Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1988 Fleer Update #U-92
First Topps Base Card:  1989 Topps #643
Last Mainstream Card:  1990 Upper Deck #160
Other Notable Cards:  1983 TCMA Daytona Beach Astros #26, 1989 Fleer #361, 1989 Upper Deck #401, 1991 Topps #603A (Wes Chamberlain error card)

Sources:  Baseball Reference and The Trading Card Database

This is a continuing series looking at those players who spent time with the Phillies but possess no baseball card proof of their time in Philadelphia.  I will make my way through the decade of the 1980s first and then work my way forward.  In some cases, the First and Last Mainstream cards listed above have been subjectively chosen if multiple cards were released in that year.

Series Preview - Phillies at Diamondbacks: June 27th to June 29th

Monday and Tuesday 9:40, Wednesday 3:40
Chase Field - Phoenix, AZ

At the Ballpark:  Tonight is a Dog Days of Summer special event at Chase Field.  From the Diamondbacks' website:

Located along the main concourse behind the left-center field wall, the PetSmart Patio features a family-friendly atmosphere with multi-tiered seating that is perfect for groups of humans and canines of various sizes. For each Dog Days of Summer game held at Chase Field, pets can enjoy concessions such as dog-friendly ice cream with toppings like kibble and other pet treats. As part of the Dog Days of Summer ticket package, pet parents will also receive a PetSmart "Doggie Bag," complete with free items from PetSmart.

Phillies Missing Links of the 1980s - #18 Steve Stanicek

#33
Stephen Blair Stanicek
Pinch Hitter

The older brother of the Orioles' Pete Stanicek, Steve Stanicek accumulated nine pinch-hit appearances with the Phillies as a September call-up in 1989.  A first baseman with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons, Stanicek never took the field while with the Phillies.  He had one hit in nine pinch-hit appearances, an RBI single off the Expos' Zane Smith.

In nine seasons in the minor leagues with the Giants, Brewers and Phillies organizations, Stanicek hit 108 home runs.  His best season by far was 1987, when he hit .352 with 25 home runs and 106 RBIs for the Triple-A Denver Zephyrs, earning him a promotion to the Brewers.  His brief appearances with the Brewers in 1987 and the Phillies in 1989 were to be his only Major League action.

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  190
Born:  June 19, 1961, Lake Forest, IL
Drafted:  Drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 1st round of the 1982 amateur draft, June 7, 1982
Major League Teams:  Milwaukee Brewers 1987; Phillies 1989
Professional Affiliations:  San Francisco Giants 1982-1985; Milwaukee Brewers 1986-1988; Phillies 1989-1990

Phillies Career
9 games, 1 for 9 (.111) with an RBI single and 3 strikeouts
Acquired:  Signed as a free agent formerly with the Milwaukee Brewers, January 11, 1989
Debut:  September 5, 1989 - Pinch-hit for Dwayne Murphy in the seventh inning and flied out to left
Final Game:  October 1, 1989
Departed:  Released by the Phillies, October 11, 1989, but came back to play the 1990 season in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre

Just for the heck of it, here are the nine batters Stanicek pinch-hit for during his Phillies career: Dwayne Murphy, Todd Frohwirth, Lenny Dykstra, Ken Howell (x 2), Don Carman, Tom Barrett, Jason Grimsley and Pat Combs.

1988 Fleer #174

1989 CMC Scranton/Wilkes- Barre Red Barons #12

1990 CMC #242

1990 ProCards #608

3 Stanicek Baseball Card in My Collection
First Card:  1989 CMC Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons #12
Last Card:  1990 ProCards #608

Other Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1988 Fleer #174
First Topps Base Card:  N/A
Last Mainstream Card:  1988 Fleer #174
Other Notable Cards:  1984 First Base Shreveport Captains, 1988 Kenner Starting Line-Up Talking Baseball Orioles #16, 1989 ProCards #717, 1990 CMC Pre-Rookie #242

Sources:  Baseball Reference and The Trading Card Database

This is a continuing series looking at those players who spent time with the Phillies but possess no baseball card proof of their time in Philadelphia.  I will make my way through the decade of the 1980s first and then work my way forward.  In some cases, the First and Last Mainstream cards listed above have been subjectively chosen if multiple cards were released in that year.

Phillies Missing Links of the 1980s - #17 Gordon Dillard

#50
Gordon Lee Dillard
Relief Pitcher

No offense to Gordon Dillard, but my fondest memory of his brief Phillies career is my Dad announcing in an exaggerated announcer's voice one May morning in 1989, "And my new favorite Phillie is that . . . Gordon Dillard."

Dillard came to the Phillies in December 1988 along with Ken Howell from the Orioles for outfielder Phil Bradley.  The deal was one of a flurry of small trades orchestrated by new Phillies GM Lee Thomas.  Dillard reported to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre following spring training in 1989, but was recalled in early May due to an injury to Jeff Parrett.  He appeared in five games for the Phillies, allowing three runs in four innings, and when Parrett returned from the disabled list he was sent back down to Scranton.

Left off the Phillies 40-man roster that offseason, he was selected by the Pirates in the Rule 5 draft, but he'd never make it back to the Majors.

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  190
Born:  May 20, 1964, Salinas, CA
Drafted:  Drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 14th round of the 1986 amateur draft, June 2, 1986
Major League Teams:  Baltimore Orioles 1988; Phillies 1989
Professional Affiliations:  Baltimore Orioles 1986-1988; Phillies 1989; Pittsburgh Pirates 1990; Salinas Spurs (Independent) 1991

Phillies Career
5 games, 4 innings pitched, 6.75 ERA
Acquired:  Acquired with Ken Howell from the Baltimore Orioles for Phil Bradley, December 8, 1988
Debut:  May 5, 1989 - Relieved Howell in the ninth inning of a 7-0 blow-out win against the Reds
Final Game:  May 16, 1989
Departed:  Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the Rule 5 draft, December 4, 1989

1989 CMC Scranton/Wilkes-
Barre Red Barons #7

1 Dillard Baseball Card in My Collection
First Card:  1989 CMC Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons #7
Last Card:  1989 CMC Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons #7

Other Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  N/A
First Topps Base Card:  N/A
Last Mainstream Card:  N/A
Other Notable Cards:  1987 ProCards #1489, 1990 CMC #2, 1991 Crown/Coca-Cola Baltimore Orioles #105

Sources:  Baseball Reference and The Trading Card Database

This is a continuing series looking at those players who spent time with the Phillies but possess no baseball card proof of their time in Philadelphia.  I will make my way through the decade of the 1980s first and then work my way forward.  In some cases, the First and Last Mainstream cards listed above have been subjectively chosen if multiple cards were released in that year.

Phillies Missing Links of the 1980s - #16 Al Pardo

#31
Alberto Judas Pardo
Catcher

For two straight years in 1988 and 1989, when the Phillies needed to add an additional catcher to their bench in September, Al Pardo got the call.  Wearing #35 in 1988 and #31 in 1989, Pardo accumulated only three at-bats in his two stints with the Phillies, striking out twice and grounding out to second.  Prior to his brief Phillies career, Pardo was a back-up catcher for the Orioles, playing in 50 games in 1985 and 1986.

As of this writing, Pardo is one of only four players born in Spain to have reached the Majors.

Bats:  Both  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  187
Born:  September 8, 1962, Oviedo, Spain
Drafted:  Drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2nd round of the 1980 amateur draft, June 3, 1980
Major League Teams:  Baltimore Orioles 1985-1986; Phillies 1988-1989
Professional Affiliations:  Baltimore Orioles 1980-1986; Atlanta Braves 1987; New York Mets 1987-1988; Phillies 1988-1989; Yucaton Leones 1993

Pardo also appears to have spent time playing in China and Japan.

Phillies Career
3 games, 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts
Acquired:  Purchased from the New York Mets, July 30, 1988
Debut:  September 5, 1988 (Game 1) - Entered the game in the sixth inning, replacing John Russell in a blow-out loss to the Cubs
Final Game:  September 9, 1989
Departed:  Released, October 11, 1989

1986 Donruss #489

1986 Topps #279

1989 CMC Scranton/Wilkes- Barre Red Barons #21

1989 ProCards #711

2 Pardo Baseball Card in My Collection
First Card:  1989 CMC Scraton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons #21
Last Card:  1989 ProCards #711

Other Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1986 Donruss #489
First Topps Base Card:  1986 Topps #279
Last Mainstream Card:  1986 Topps #279
Other Notable Cards:  1981 TCMA Miami Orioles #2, 1988 ProCards #1594

Sources:  Baseball Reference and The Trading Card Database

This is a continuing series looking at those players who spent time with the Phillies but possess no baseball card proof of their time in Philadelphia.  I will make my way through the decade of the 1980s first and then work my way forward.  In some cases, the First and Last Mainstream cards listed above have been subjectively chosen if multiple cards were released in that year.

Series Preview - Phillies at Giants: June 24th to June 26th

Friday 10:15, Saturday 10:05 and Sunday 4:05
AT&T Park - San Francisco, CA

At the Ballpark:  There's a postgame fireworks show tonight.  On Saturday, the first 40,000 fans will receive a Madison Bumgarner bobble head and on Sunday afternoon, the first 20,000 fans will receive a Giants LED watch.

1970 Topps #28

1970 Topps #77

1970 Topps Appreciation:  On November 7, 1973, the Phillies traded pitcher Billy Wilson to the Brewers for pitcher Frank Linzy.

As I wrote in a series preview post a few years ago, Wilson spent his entire five-year career with the Phillies, going 9-15 in 179 games between 1969 and 1973.  Originally drafted in 1962, Wilson spent seven seasons in the minors before getting the call and making his debut as a 26-year-old on April 8, 1969.  He'd never actually pitch for the Brewers.

Linzy had put together a relatively successful career as a reliever with the Giants, Cardinals and Brewers and 1974 was to be his final year in the Majors.  With the Phillies that season, Linzy appeared in 22 games pitching to a 3.28 ERA.  His sole Phillies baseball card can be found within the 1974 Phillies Photocards set.

Aloha!

The Phillies Room will be on auto-pilot until early July due some routine annual maintenance and scheduled staff vacations.

During this time, stay tuned for a daily post featuring a Phillies Missing Links custom card, featuring players from the 1980s and 1990s who spent time with the team but never appeared on a Phillies baseball card.  (Please see this post for an explanation of this project.)

Mahalo and go Phils!

2016 Phillies Team Issue 2 #13 Freddy Galvis

Phillies 7, Twins 3
Game 74 - Thursday Afternoon, June 23rd in Minneapolis
Record - 31-43, 4th place, 12 1/2 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  Jared Eickhoff and Freddy Galvis helped the Phillies break their 9-game losing streak in a 7-3 win over the Twins.

What It Means:  This is the Phillies third win in their last 17 games and Eickhoff has won all three. It doesn't get any easier for the team as they'll now head to San Francisco for a three game series with the first place Giants.

What Happened:  Eickhoff held the Twins to two runs (one earned) over six innings on five hits. The offense showed life for the third straight game, knocking out 15 hits.  Galvis had a five-RBI day, capped by his three-run home run in the eighth inning.  Ryan Howard also homered (11) and singled, marking his first multi-hit game since April 29th.

Featured Card:  This is Galvis' card from the second team issued photo card set.

Be sure to check out the 2016 Season Summary page with game results and links to game summary posts.

1982 Donruss #354 Pete Mackanin

Twins 6, Phillies 5
Game 73 - Late Wednesday Night, June 22nd in Minneapolis
Record - 30-43, 4th place, 13 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  Adam Morgan had another mediocre outing and the Twins edged the Phillies, 6-5.

What It Means:  The free fall continues and the Phillies now have a nine-game losing streak.

What Happened:  Home runs from Cameron Rupp (6) and Andres Blanco (3), RBI singles from Blanco and Ryan Howard and a big error from Twins right fielder Max Kepler gave the Phils a 5-2 lead in the fifth.  The Twins battled back though with the big blow being a two-run triple from Eduardo Escobar that Peter Bourjos probably should have caught.

Morgan gave up 11 hits and five runs (four earned) in his five innings of work, and he's most likely IronPigs-bound once Vince Velasquez is activated from the disabled list.

Featured Card:  I'm at a complete loss, so here's another card of manager Pete Mackanin with the Twins.  This card comes from of my all-time favorite sets - 1982 Donruss.

Be sure to check out the 2016 Season Summary page with game results and links to game summary posts.

1982 Fleer #556 Pete Mackanin

Twins 14, Phillies 10
Game 72 - Tuesday Night, June 21st in Minneapolis
Record - 30-42, 4th place, 13 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies found their bats, but Aaron Nola suffered his third straight early exit and the Twins won a 14-10 slugfest.

What It Means:  For the third straight start, Nola failed to make it out of the fourth inning.  He has a 15.83 ERA in that span, allowing 17 earned runs in 9 2/3 innings.  The Phillies are mired in an eight-game losing streak.

What Happened:  Peter Bourjos (2), Tommy Joseph (8), Cameron Rupp (5) and Maikel Franco (12) all homered for the Phillies.  Bourjos and Cody Asche both had three hits.  Nola's shaky start put the Phillies in an early hole and David Hernandez allowed three runs in the eighth to put the game out of reach.

Featured Card:  Manager Pete Mackanin joked before the game that the Twins had retired his #14 after he had worn it.  This is partially true, as Mackanin wore that number for his final two seasons in the Majors in 1980 and 1981.  Immediately after Mackanin wore the number, it was inherited by Kent Hrbek who wore it between 1982 and 1994 before the Twins retired it in his honor . . . and not Mackanin's.

Be sure to check out the 2016 Season Summary page with game results and links to game summary posts.

Series Preview - Phillies at Twins: June 21st through June 23rd

Tuesday and Wednesday 8:10, Thursday 1:10
Target Field - Minneapolis, MN

Phillies 30-41, 4th place in the N.L. East, 13 games behind the Nationals
Twins 21-48, 5th place in the A.L. Central, 18 games behind the Indians

Phillies Probables:  Aaron Nola (5-6, 3.51), Adam Morgan (1-6, 6.49), Jared Eickhoff (4-9, 3.49)
Twins Probables:  Tyler Duffey (2-6, 5.56), Kyle Gibson (0-5, 6.06), Tommy Milone (0-1, 5.79)

At the Ballpark:  Tonight, the first 10,000 fans will receive a Twins travel bag.  On Thursday afternoon, all fans will receive a giant 2016 Topps card of Glen Perkins.  Topps has created an oversized card set featuring one card per team and the cards are only available at select games this season.  The complete calendar and a checklist of available cards can be found here.  (I've already added the Nola card to my 2016 Phillies binder.)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Odubel Herrera - .302
Runs:  Odubel Herrera - 36
Home Runs:  Maikel Franco - 11
RBIs:  Maikel Franco - 33
Stolen Bases:  Odubel Herrera - 9

Wins:  Aaron Nola and Vince Velasquez - 5
ERA:  Jared Eickhoff - 3.49
Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 93
Saves:  Jeanmar Gomez - 19

Twins Leaders
Average:  Eduardo Nunez - .321
Runs:  Brian Dozier and Eduardo Nunez - 33
Home Runs:  Byung-ho Park - 12
RBIs:  Miguel Sano - 27
Stolen Bases:  Eduardo Nunez - 16

Wins:  Ricky Nolasco - 3
ERA:  Ervin Santana - 4.83
Strikeouts:  Ricky Nolasco - 73
Saves:  Kevin Jepsen - 7

1970 Topps #288

1970 Topps #25

1970 Topps #75

1970 Topps #194

1970 Topps Appreciation:  We've got a quartet of former Phillies and Twins players for this edition of 1970 Topps Appreciation, and I'm cheating a little here since the first three players above were already featured together in a series preview post back in 2013.  That season, I took a look at the 1973 Topps set, and here's what I wrote then:

It's a trio of former Phillies and Twins for today's flashback.  Of the three, utility player Cesar Tovar spent the least amount of time with the Phillies.  Tovar began his career with eight respectable years with the Twins, finishing in the top 25 of the A.L. MVP voting in five consecutive seasons.  He was the A.L. leader in doubles (36) and triples (13) in 1970, and he led the league in hits (204) in 1971. The Phils acquired him prior to the 1973 season for Joe Lis, Ken Reynolds and Ken Sanders. 

Tovar had an unforgettable single season in the N.L. with the Phils, hitting .268 in 97 games while seeing time at third base, second base and all three outfield positions . . . 

[Jim] Kaat was an original member of the first Minnesota Twins team in 1961, after the franchise relocated from Washington.  The bulk of his 25 year career was spent in Minnesota, and he's second on the franchise's all-time wins list (190) behind Walter Johnson's 417.  Kaat played until 1983, earning the distinction of being the last active former member of the Washington Senators. 

Kaat and [Larry] Hisle were teammates on the Twins for only part of the 1973 season, as Kaat was waived and picked up by the White Sox in August.

The newcomer for this post is Charlie "Chuck" Manuel who is much more famous for guiding the Phillies to a 2008 World Champtionship than he is for his time playing for the Twins.  Here's what I wrote when I originally featured his 1970 Topps card in a post from 2010:

Chuck (now known as Charlie) Manuel was signed by the Twins as an amateur free agent in 1963. He worked his way up through the Twins' minor league system from 1963 through 1968, eventually making his big league debut on Opening Day 1969. (He pinch-hit for pitcher Ron Perranoski in the 12th inning of a game the Twins would eventually lose, grounding to second off Royals' pitcher Moe Drabowsky.) Billy Martin led the Twins to the AL West pennant in 1969, but the team was swept in the ALCS by the Orioles. 

Manuel stuck with the Twins for the entire '69 season and he's featured here on his 1970 Topps rookie card. The back of the card mentions that Manuel "hits with power" despite his low home run totals throughout his professional career. The cartoon is interesting in that it features a blindfolded Manuel happily displaying his bunting prowess. I never would have pegged Manuel as an expert bunter, but there you have it. 

He'd play in parts of the next 3 seasons with the Twins, appearing in 223 games and compiling a .199 batting average with 4 home runs. In October 1973, which was a very good month, Manuel was traded to the Dodgers with Glenn Ezell for Mike Floyd and Jim Fairey, ending his Twins career.

1964 Topps Giants #36 Johnny Callison

Diamondbacks 3, Phillies 1
Game 71 - Monday Afternoon, June 20th in Philadelphia
Record - 30-41

One Sentence Summary:  The Diamondbacks completed the four-game sweep of the Phillies, 3-1, as the team's offensive woes continued.

What It Means:  Each time I think the Phillies have hit rock bottom, they add another loss to their tally.  The team has lost seven in a row and 11 of their last 12 games.  They'll now head to Minnesota to open a three game series against the worst team in baseball.

What Happened:  Jeremy Hellickson gave up three first inning runs and then settled down for the duration of his outing.  He ended up pitching seven strong innings, allowing six hits (only two after the first inning) and striking out six.  The offense had six hits and went 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position.

Featured Card:  As pointed out during this game's radio broadcast, this is the first time the Phillies have had a winless homestand of six games or more since September 1964, when their entire world fell apart around them.

In one of the greatest, most devastating collapses in baseball history, the 1964 Phillies had a 6 1/2 game lead in the National League on September 20th with 12 games to play.  On September 21st, they'd lose the first of 10 games in a row, including seven in a row at home to the Reds and Braves, to drop out of first place.

Bring on the Twins!

Be sure to check out the 2016 Season Summary page with game results and links to game summary posts.

2016 Topps Archives 1985 Topps Father-Son #FS-BB Bob & Bret Boone

Diamondbacks 5, Phillies 1
Game 70 - Sunday Afternoon, June 19th in Philadelphia
Record - 30-40

One Sentence Summary:  Zach Eflin rebounded nicely in his second Major League start, but the offense was once again dormant in this 5-1 loss to the Diamondbacks.

What It Means:  The Phillies have themselves a six-game losing streak and they've lost 10 of their last 11 games.  They haven't scored four runs or more in a game since last Sunday.

What Happened:  Eflin pitched into the sixth inning, allowing two runs on four hits, lowering his ERA to 10.80.  The offense managed only three singles, and their lone run scored on a bases loaded double play ball hit by Tommy Joseph.

Featured Card:  The current Phillies squad (with the exception of Eflin) didn't do much in this game to merit a featured card, so I'll go with a card of the duo that threw out the first pitch before this game. Bob Boone threw the ceremonial first pitch to his son Bret Boone, as both were on hand for the Phillies' Father's Day festivities.

This card is an update of the subset found within the 1985 Topps set and I recently pulled it from a pack of 2016 Topps Archives.  Bob Boone had a card in that original set with his father, Ray.  Bob and Ray were also featured on a similar subset within the 1976 Topps set.

Be sure to check out the 2016 Season Summary page with game results and links to game summary posts.

2016 Topps Archives #258 Odubel Herrera

Diamondbacks 4, Phillies 1
Game 69 - Saturday Afternoon, June 18th in Philadelphia
Record - 30-39, 4th place, 13 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  The offensive woes continued as Zack Greinke pitched the Diamondbacks to a 4-1 victory.

What It Means:  The Phillies are mired in a five game losing streak.

What Happened:  Odubel Herrera hit a first inning solo home run and then everything went quiet for the Phillies.  Their next hit didn't come until Andres Blanco led off the seventh with a single.

Featured Card:  For Father's Day, I let my sons pick the featured card for this post.  Since Herrera provided the only real excitement for the Phillies in this game, he got the nod from both of them.

Field Report:  We took advantage of the wonderful weather yesterday and purchased four tickets in Section 110 for this game.  We were assured the tickets would be in the shade, underneath an overhang . . . and we were for about an inning and a half.  The hot sun and another crappy Phillies game made us decide to walk around the ballpark more than we usually would, taking in the sights and sounds and food.

For those interested, I asked two different vendors (at both Newstand locations) if Tommy Joseph was now included within the team issued photo card sets.  Both vendors were kind enough to open the sets and look through each one, confirming that Joseph wasn't included yet.  The second vendor I spoke to informed us that a third team issued set was likely to be released following the All-Star break.

We can home with four Maikel Franco bobble heads, although one of the bobble heads immediately lost both arms when I tried to insert Franco's bat into his batting gloves.  Unfortunately, this is a very symbolic representation of the current state of the Phillies offense.

Be sure to check out the 2016 Season Summary page with game results and links to game summary posts.

1999 SkyBox Premium Autographics #42 Robert Person

Diamondbacks 10, Phillies 2
Game 68 - Friday Night, June 17th in Philadelphia
Record - 30-38, 4th place, 13 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  The free fall continued as every aspect of the Phillies game looked awful in a 10-2 loss to the Diamondbacks.

What It Means:  As pointed out in this Tweet from Meghan Montemurro, the 17 home runs allowed by Phillies pitchers in their last four games is a franchise record in a four-game span.  The previous record of 16 home runs allowed was set by the 1999 Phillies over two different four-game spans between September 3rd and September 6th, and between September 4th and September 7th.

I put together the little chart below to show those responsible for this damage.

What Happened:  A pair of errors by Cesar Hernandez led to three unearned runs in this game. Adam Morgan departed in the fifth having allowed 10 hits and seven runs, although he did strike out eight.  Cameron Rupp's two run triple in the first was the sole bright spot of this game.

Featured Card:  Despite appearing in 31 games for the 1999 Phillies, I believe this is Robert Person's only Phillies baseball card from that season.

Transaction:  Desperately in need of fresh bullpen arms, Colton Murray was sent down to Lehigh Valley and Severino Gonzalez was recalled to take his place.  Gonzalez had started seven games for the Phillies last season, pitching to a 7.92 ERA.  He's had more success so far this season as a reliever.

Be sure to check out the 2016 Season Summary page with game results and links to game summary posts.