Series Preview - Phillies at Cardinals: June 9th to June 11th

Friday 8:15, Saturday and Sunday 2:15
Busch Stadium - St. Louis, MO

Phillies 21-37, 5th Place in the N.L. East, 16 1/2 games behind the Nationals
Cardinals 26-32, 4th Place in the N.L. Central, 4 1/2 games behind the Brewers

Phillies Probables:  Jeremy Hellickson (5-3, 4.50), Nick Pivetta (1-2, 5.18), Aaron Nola (3-3, 4.28)
Cardinals Probables:  Michael Wacha (2-3, 4.67), Carlos Martinez (4-5. 3.29), Adam Wainwright (6-4, 4.82)

At the Ballpark:  This is a great weekend for give-aways at Busch Stadium!  The first 30,000 adult fans will receive an Orlando Cepeda bobblehead tonight.  The Hall of Famer spent three seasons with the Cardinals from 1966 to 1968 and was the N.L. MVP in 1967.  The first 30,000 adult fans will receive a Cardinals print shirt on Saturday and kids will receive a Rawlings baseball glove on Sunday afternoon.

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Aaron Altherr - .287
Runs:  Cesar Hernandez - 40
Home Runs:  Tommy Joseph - 10
RBIs:  Aaron Altherr - 31
Stolen Bases:  Cesar Hernandez - 6

Wins:  Jeremy Hellickson - 5
ERA:  Jeremy Hellickson - 4.50
Strikeouts:  Jerad Eickhoff - 57
Saves:  Hector Neris - 5

Cardinals Leaders
Average:  Jedd Gyorko - .307
Runs:  Dexter Fowler - 31
Home Runs:  Matt Carpenter - 11
RBIs:  Matt Carpenter - 30
Stolen Bases:  Three tied with - 5

Wins:  Adam Wainwright - 6
ERA:  Mike Leake - 2.70
Strikeouts:  Carlos Martinez - 88
Saves:  Seung-hwan Oh - 13

1982 Topps #581

1982 Topps #367

1982 Topps Appreciation:  I featured Dick Ruthven's 1982 Topps card earlier this week along with Gene Garber's card as the two pitchers had once been traded for each other.  Jim Kaat is also in the club of pitchers included in trades for Ruthven, as Kaat was acquired from the White Sox (with Mike Buskey) by the Phillies for Ruthven, Alan Bannister and Roy Thomas on December 10, 1975.

Pitcher Ron Reed spent half a season with the Cardinals in 1975 before the Phillies acquired him to bolster their 1976 bullpen.  Kaat and Reed were teammates on the Phillies during a successful period for the team between 1976 and 1979.

By 1982, Kaat was playing in the last full season of his 25-year career, appearing in 62 games for the Cardinals with an impressive 4.08 ERA.  Reed continued to provide steady relief for the Phillies in 1982, appearing in 57 games and recording 14 saves.