Friday, August 5, 2016

Series Preview - Phillies at Padres: August 5th to August 7th


Friday 10:40, Saturday 8:40 and Sunday 4:40
Petco Park - San Diego, CA

Phillies 50-60, 4th place in the N.L. East, 15 games behind the Nationals
Padres 47-61, 4th place in the N.L. West, 15 games behind the Nationals

Phillies Probables:  Jeremy Hellickson (8-7, 3.70), Jake Thompson (0-0, 0.00), Jared Eickhoff (6-12, 3.68)
Padres Probables:  Christian Friedrich (4-6, 4.72), Paul Clemens (0-2, 3.46), Jarred Cosart (0-1, 5.09)

At the Ballpark:  Tomorrow night, all fans will receive a Padres throwback replica jersey from the 1990s and Sunday is U.S. Navy Appreciation Day.

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Cesar Hernandez - .294
Runs:  Odubel Herrera - 59
Home Runs:  Maikel Franco - 20
RBIs:  Maikel Franco - 66
Stolen Bases:  Odubel Herrera - 16

Wins:  Jeremy Hellickson and Vince Velasquez - 8
ERA:  Jared Eickhoff - 3.68
Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 121
Saves:  Jeanmar Gomez - 27

Padres Leaders
Average:  Wil Myers - .275
Runs:  Wil Myers - 70
Home Runs:  Matt Kemp - 23
RBIs:  Matt Kemp - 69
Stolen Bases:  Travis Jankowski - 23

Wins:  Drew Pomeranz - 8
ERA:  N/A
Strikeouts:  Drew Pomeranz - 115
Saves:  Fernando Rodney - 17

1970 Topps #284
1970 Topps #44
1970 Topps Appreciation:  Pitcher Jack Baldschun and infielder Roberto Pena were teammates on the 1969 expansion Padres team, and both also played for the Phillies.

Baldschun began his nine-year career by pitching in parts of five seasons for the Phils between 1961 and 1965.  Used strictly as a relief pitcher, Baldschun led the team in saves in 1962 (13), 1963 (16) and 1964 (21).  He shared closer duties with Gary Wagner in 1965 before the Phillies traded him to the Orioles for Jackie Brandt and Darold Knowles that December.  Picked up by the Padres after two seasons with the Reds, Baldschun was second only to Frank Reberger with relief appearances with 61 to Reberger's 67.  He appeared in 12 games for the 1970 Padres before being released in early April.

The starting shortstop for the Phillies in 1968, Pena was left unprotected by the club and chosen by the Padres in the expansion draft.  He hit a respectable .260 in 138 games for the 1968 Phillies.  Pena is a member of the "Missing Links" club for the Phillies in the 1960s as he never appeared on a Phillies baseball card.

1 comment:

Jim from Downingtown said...

The casual observer may ask "Why would the Phillies leave their STARTING SHORTSTOP unprotected in the expansion draft?" Pena was the starter by default only.

Phillies' fans may remember that the team opened the 1968 season with rookie prospect Don Money (just acquired from the Pirates for Jim Bunning) as their starting shortstop. He quickly proved he wasn't ready for the majors, and was sent down to AAA. Veteran Bobby Wine regained the starting spot, and Pena was called up as the backup.

In a few weeks, Wine's bad back acted up again and he missed the remainder of the season, leaving Pena to start over 130 games that year. (Apparently Gary Sutherland, who shared the SS job with Wine in 1967 had fallen out of favor with the Phillies' brass, and was relegated to utility duty in 1968.)

Pena, Wine, and Sutherland all went to expansion teams in 1969, while Money was handed the starting job - 1 year later than planned.