Series Preview - Braves at Phillies: September 28th to September 30th

2018 Chachi Fan Favorites #44

2018 Chachi Fan Favorites #45

Friday and Saturday 7:05, Sunday 3:05
Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA

Braves 89-70, 1st place in the N.L. East, 8 games ahead of the Nationals
Phillies 78-81, 3rd place in the N.L. East, 11 games behind the Braves

Braves Probables:  Mike Foltynewicz (12-10, 2.88), Anibal Sanchez (7-6, 2.96), Kevin Gausman (5-2, 2.80)
Phillies Probables:  Jerad Eickhoff (0-0, 9.00), Aaron Nola (16-6, 2.45), Ranger Suarez (1-1, 6.00)

At the Ballpark:  The annual Fan Appreciation Day will be held on Sunday afternoon with all fans receiving a 2019 Phillies schedule Fathead.

Braves Leaders
Average:  Freddie Freeman - .308
Runs:  Ozzie Albies - 104
Home Runs:  Ronald Acuna, Jr. - 26
RBIs:  Freddie Freeman - 95
Stolen Bases:  Ender Inciarte - 28

Wins:  Mike Foltynewicz and Sean Newcomb - 12
ERA:  Mike Foltynewicz - 2.88
Strikeouts:  Mike Foltynewicz - 193
Saves:  Arodys Vizcaino - 16

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Odubel Herrera - .256
Runs:  Cesar Hernandez - 89
Home Runs:  Rhys Hoskins - 33
RBIs:  Rhys Hoskins - 94
Stolen Bases:  Cesar Hernandez - 19

Wins:  Aaron Nola - 16
ERA:  Aaron Nola - 2.45
Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 216
Saves:  Seranthony Dominguez - 14

It's finally, and mercifully, over.

Series Preview - Phillies at Rockies: September 24th to September 27th

2018 Chachi Fan Favorites #42

2018 Chachi Fan Favorites #43

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 8:40, Thursday 3:10
Coors Field - Denver, CO

Phillies 78-77, 2nd place in the N.L. East, 9 1/2 games behind the Braves
Rockies 85-70, 2nd place in the N.L. West, 1 1/2 games behind the Dodgers

Phillies Probables:  Zach Eflin (11-7, 4.09), Vince Velasquez (9-11, 4.59), Nick Pivetta (7-13, 4.58), Jack Arrieta (10-10, 3.94)
Rockies Probables:  Jon Gray (11-8, 5.07), Chad Bettis (5-2, 5.18), German Marquez (13-10, 3.91), Antonio Senzatela (6-6, 4.52)

At the Ballpark:  There are no scheduled giveaways for this series.  The Rockies hope to remain in the Wild Card hunt while the Phillies will attempt to score more than a run per game.

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Odubel Herrera - .256
Runs:  Cesar Hernandez - 88
Home Runs:  Rhys Hoskins - 32
RBIs:  Rhys Hoskins - 93
Stolen Bases:  Cesar Hernandez - 19

Wins:  Aaron Nola - 16
ERA:  Aaron Nola - 2.45
Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 216
Saves:  Seranthony Dominguez - 14

Rockies Leaders
Average:  Nolan Arenado - .293
Runs:  Charlie Blackmon - 111
Home Runs:  Nolan Arenado - 34
RBIs:  Nolan Arenado - 103
Stolen Bases:  Trevor Story - 26

Wins:  Kyle Freeland - 16
ERA:  Kyle Freeland - 2.84
Strikeouts:  German Marquez - 210
Saves:  Wade Davis - 41

Game 154 - The Worst Phillies Baseball Card of 2018

2018 Topps Now Road to Opening Day Bonus #ODB-20

Braves 5, Phillies 3
Game 154 - Saturday Afternoon, September 22nd in Atlanta
Record - 78-76, 2nd place, 8 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Jake Arrieta lasted just two innings and Mike Foltynewicz no-hit the offense through six innings, as the Braves dropped the Phillies, 5-3.

What It Means:  The loss clinched the N.L. division pennant for the Braves.

What Happened:  This was the shortest outing of Arrieta's career in what should be considered a bust of a season for the offseason acquisition.  The Phillies rallied for three runs in the 8th with a two-run single from Cesar Hernandez and an RBI-single from Rhys Hoskins.  Maikel Franco flew out to left fielder Ronald Acuna, Jr. to end the game and eliminate the Phillies in the division.

Featured Card:  The Phillies have made me cranky and I thought this was as good an opportunity as any to showcase what I believe to be the worst Phillies baseball card of 2018.  I'm not one to complain too often about Topps, but it's no secret within the hobby that their quality control department is sometimes lacking and it's seemingly getting worse every year.  Their unintentional errors range from presenting incorrect information on the backs of some cards to using the wrong font or design elements when reproducing their vintage designs.

The background for this particular card is that Topps produced a 15-card set during spring training for each team and sold the team sets exclusively on their website for $50.  If you purchased a team's set, bonus cards would be unlocked for certain milestones, including your team being in first place in their division at the All-Star break.  As I purchased a Phillies team set in February, and since the Phillies were in first place way back on July 15th, I was rewarded a bonus card.

This is that bonus card, which I received on August 16th.  The photo used for the card is clearly from last season as it features Aaron Altherr (optioned to Triple-A shortly after the break), Odubel Herrera and Michael Saunders, released by the Phillies on June 23, 2017, a full year before the date this card celebrates.  This baseball card, much like the 2018 Phillies season, makes me irrationally angry.

Game 153 - 2018 Phillies Team Issue 2 Update #40 Wilson Ramos

Braves 6, Phillies 5
Game 153 - Friday Night, September 21st in Atlanta
Record - 78-75, 2nd place, 7 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  It was Pat Neshek's turn to implode as the Braves won 6-5 behind a deflating five-run seventh inning.

What It Means:  The Braves magic number to clinch the division is two.  The Phillies will need to go at least 4-5 the rest of the way to clinch a winning season, which would be their first since 2011.

What Happened:  The Phillies took a 3-1 lead in the 7th when Ronald Acuna, Jr. misplayed a ball in left, leading to a two-run double from Wilson Ramos.  Jose Bautista followed that with a pinch-hit single to make it 4-1.  Pat Neshek and Luis Avilan combined to allow five runs on five hits and a pair of walks while recording just two outs in the bottom of the 7th.

Featured Card:  I'm not sure if he'll be back next year or not, but Ramos has had a nice run since being activated on August 15th.  In 27 games for the Phillies, Ramos is hitting .390 (30 for 77) with 17 RBIs.  10 of his 30 hits have been for extra bases.

Game 152 - 2013 Bowman Platinum Prospects #BPP59 Jesse Biddle

Braves 8, Phillies 3
Game 152 - Thursday Night, September 20th in Atlanta
Record - 78-74, 2nd place, 6 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  A four-run eighth inning doomed the Phillies and hastened their now inevitable elimination from the postseason.

What It Means:  I'm ready for the offseason.  It's tough to watch these games and the joy experienced when watching (some) games earlier in the season has all but evaporated.  And I can't help but wonder how many more games Pete Mackanin would have won with this same flawed roster.

What Happened:  Jorge Alfaro singled in the 3rd to score Asdrubal Cabrera and tie up the game at 3-3.  The game stayed tied until the 7th when Tommy Hunter allowed back-to-back doubles to Dansby Swanson and Lucas Duda, giving the Braves a 4-3 lead.  Luis Garcia entered in the 8th, did not retire a batter, and allowed four more runs to score.

Featured Card:  Jesse Biddle was the beneficiary of the win for the Braves, as he had recorded the final two outs in the top of the 7th.  I'm sincerely glad to see Biddle finding success, but I just wish he had found it while wearing red pinstripes.

Game 151 - 2018 Topps Big League Star Caricature Reproductions #SCR-RH Rhys Hoskins

Phillies 4, Mets 0
Game 151 - Wednesday Night, September 19th in Philadelphia
Record - 78-73, 2nd place, 5 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Zach Eflin pitched five shutout innings while Rhys Hoskins and Odubel Herrera both homered in this 4-0 win over the Mets.

What It Means:  The Phillies have their second series win in a row and they head to Atlanta to start a crucial four-game series with the Braves.  Realistically, the Phillies need to sweep the Braves or at least take 3 out of 4 to have any chance of a postseason appearance.  It's been an interesting season, to say the least, and this may be as close to experiencing playoff games that the Phillies get this year.

What Happened:  Eflin picked up his 11th win and struck out a career-high 9 batters.  Hoskins homered (32) in the 1st to get the Phillies on the board and Herrera added a two-run home run (22) in the 4th.  Jose Bautista contributed a pinch-double in the 5th, driving in Carlos Santana with the 4th run.

Featured Card:  As pointed out on Phillies Twitter, Hoskins' home run gave him 50 for his career making him the second-fastest Phillies player to that mark and the seventh fastest in the history of baseball.  Hoskins hit his 50th in his 192nd game while it took Ryan Howard only 182 games.

Series Preview - Phillies at Braves: Setpember 20th to September 23rd

2018 Chachi 1978 Topps Missing Links #12

1978 Topps #38

Thursday and Friday 7:35, Saturday 1:05, Sunday 1:35
SunTrust Park - Atlanta, GA

Phillies 78-73, 2nd place in the N.L. East, 5 1/2 games behind the Braves
Braves 84-68, 1st place in the N.L. East, 5 1/2 games ahead of the Phillies

Phillies Probables:  Vince Velasquez (9-11, 4.50), Nick Pivetta (7-13, 4.67), Jake Arrieta (10-9, 3.77), Aaron Nola (16-5, 2.44)
Braves Probables:  Kevin Gausman (5-2, 2.61), Julio Teheran (9-8, 3.97), Sean Newcomb (12-9, 4.04), Mike Foltynewicz (11-10, 2.90)

At the Ballpark:  On Saturday, the first 40,000 fans will receive a pink tomahawk in support of the Braves' Breast Cancer Awareness day.  Sunday is Fan Appreciation Day with fans able to take photos on the field prior to the game, kids can run the bases following the game and former Phillies Gene Garber and Paul Byrd (along with Phil Niekro and Tommy Gregg) will be signing autographs beginning at 11:30.

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Odubel Herrera - .256
Runs:  Cesar Hernandez - 86
Home Runs:  Rhys Hoskins - 32
RBIs:  Rhys Hoskins - 92
Stolen Bases:  Cesar Hernandez - 18

Wins:  Aaron Nola - 16
ERA:  Aaron Nola - 2.42
Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 201
Saves:  Seranthony Dominguez - 14

Braves Leaders
Average:  Freddie Freeman - .311
Runs:  Ozzie Albies - 101
Home Runs:  Ronald Acuna, Jr. - 26
RBIs:  Freddie Freeman and Nick Markakis - 92
Stolen Bases:  Ender Inciarte - 26

Wins:  Sean Newcomb - 12
ERA:  Mike Foltynewicz - 2.90
Strikeouts:  Mike Foltynewicz - 188
Saves:  Arodys Vizcaino - 15

Game 150 - 2018 Topps Big League #285 Jorge Alfaro

Phillies 5, Mets 2
Game 150 - Tuesday Night, September 18th in Philadelphia
Record - 77-73, 2nd place, 5 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Backed by RBI pinch-hits from Wilson Ramos and Justin Bour, along with a three-run home run from Jorge Alfaro, the Phillies rode a 5-run 6th inning to a 5-2 win over the Mets.

What It Means:  The Braves continue to lose, and the Phillies are now 5 1/2 back in the East following this game.

What Happened:  Aaron Nola allowed two runs on six hits in his 5 2/3 innings of work and came away with a no decision.  One of the runs he allowed came on a solo home run to opposing pitcher Steven Matz.  Hector Neris pitched a scoreless 9th inning to record his first save since June 16th.

Featured Card:  Alfaro earns the card for his huge 6th inning blast.

Transaction:  Aaron Loup was activated from the disabled list prior to the game, giving the Phillies 40 active players on their roster.  Hard to believe, Harry.

Game 149 - 1941 Double Play (R330) #123 & #124 Nick Etten & John Rizzo

Mets 9, Phillies 4
Game 149 - Monday Night, September 17th in Philadelphia
Record - 76-73, 2nd place, 6 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Jake Arrieta struggled again and Michael Conforto drove in six runs for the Mets in this 9-4 loss.

What It Means:  The Braves lost too and the Phillies remained 6 1/2 back in the division.

What Happened:  Arrieta lasted five innings, giving up four runs on nine hits.  Conforto hit a three-run home run off Hector Neris in the 9th, putting the game out of reach.  J.P. Crawford contributed a bases clearing triple in the 5th.

Featured Card:  As Matt Breen Tweeted, the Phillies are on pace for their worst finish to a season since the 1942 Phillies went 6-21 in September.  That 1942 Phillies team was missing several players due their service in World War II and they finished with a record of 42-109.  Nick Etten was one of the few bright spots on that team as the first baseman hit .264 with 8 home runs and 41 RBIs.  Etten's partner on this 1941 card, Johnny Rizzo, had moved on to the Brooklyn Dodgers for the 1942 season.

Game 148 - 1989 Score Hottest 100 Rising Stars #62 Keith Miller

Marlins 6, Phillies 4
Game 148 - Sunday Afternoon, September 16th in Philadelphia
Record - 76-72, 2nd place, 6 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies couldn't regain an early lead, falling to the Marlins, 6-4.

What It Means:  The Braves keep losing too, prolonging this agonizing September.

What Happened:  Cesar Hernandez homered (13) off the first pitch he saw from the Marlins' Jose Urena.  Luis Garcia gave up three Marlins runs in the 6th to seal the win.  The Phillies made it interesting, scoring twice in the 9th but Rhys Hoskins struck out with a runner on second to end the game.

Roman Quinn drove in a pair of runs.  Aaron Altherr didn't enter the game until the 7th but still had two hits.

Featured Card:  This piece of information as Tweeted by Doug Kern caught my eye, pertaining to Saturday's game against the Marlins.  With his home run in the 2nd inning on Saturday, Justin Bour became the first Phillies player to hit a pinch-hit home run in the 2nd inning since Keith Miller did it against the Pirates on June 10, 1988.  Miller was pinch-hitting for Danny Clay who had relieved Shane Rawley after Rawley surrendered five runs while recording one out in the first.

Field Report:  I had to fly out of Philadelphia for a brief work trip, and I took this picture from the plane just as the game was ending.  From this height, you can't tell the Phillies are having an awful September.

Series Preview - Mets at Phillies: September 17th to September 19th

1978 Topps #171

2018 Chachi 1978 Topps Missing Links #13

Monday and Tuesday 7:05, Wednesday 6:05
Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA

Mets 69-80, 4th place in the N.L. East, 14 games behind the Braves
Phillies 76-72, 2nd place in the N.L. East, 6 1/2 games behind the Braves

Mets Probables:  Zack Wheeler (11-7, 3.23), Jason Vargas (6-9, 6.47), Steven Matz (5-11, 4.18)
Phillies Probables:  Jake Arrieta (10-9, 3.66), Aaron Nola (16-5, 2.42), Zach Eflin (10-7, 4.26)

At the Ballpark:  There are some themed tickets available for this series, but otherwise no special promotions or giveaways.

Mets Leaders
Average:  Brandon Nimmo - .266
Runs:  Brandon Nimmo - 74
Home Runs:  Michael Conforto - 25
RBIs:  Michael Conforto - 69
Stolen Bases:  Amed Rosario - 18

Wins:  Noah Syndergaard - 12
ERA:  Jacob deGrom - 1.78
Strikeouts:  Jacbo deGrom - 251
Saves:  Jeurys Familia - 17

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Cesar Hernandez - .257
Runs:  Cesar Hernandez - 86
Home Runs:  Rhys Hoskins - 31
RBIs:  Rhys Hoskins - 91
Stolen Bases:  Cesar Hernandez - 18

Wins:  Aaron Nola - 16
ERA:  Aaron Nola - 2.42
Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 201
Saves:  Seranthony Dominguez - 14

Game 147 - 2018 Phillies Team Issue Update #54 Austin Davis

Phillies 5, Marlins 4
Game 147 - Saturday Night, September 15th in Philadelphia
Record - 76-71, 2nd place, 6 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies rode two big hits and seven relievers to this 5-4 win over the Marlins.

What It Means:  The Braves lost and their magic number to clinch the division stayed at 9 with 15 games to play.

What Happened:  Vince Velasquez gave up four runs in the 2nd and was lifted for pinch-hitter Justin Bour in the bottom of the inning.  Bour delivered, lining a single to left scoring two runs.  The other big hit came from Cesar Hernandez who contributed a three-run home run (12) in the 5th to give the Phillies the lead for good.  Those were two of the team's total of four hits on the night.

Featured Card:  The bullpen pitched seven shutout innings, allowing two hits and walking none.  Pat Neshek closed it out to add his 5th save of the season.  Austin Davis had the longest outing, going 1 1/3 innings and lowering his season ERA to 3.48.  I was happy to see Davis had received one of the eight update cards inserted into the team's photo card set, as this is his first official Phillies baseball card.  Davis' only other baseball cards can be found within Phillies minor league team sets over the past several seasons.

Game 146 - Sign for Doug, Hit a Homer

2018 Topps Living Set #4

2018 Topps Now #340

2018 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #24

2018 Topps Living Set #40

Phillies 14, Marlins 2
Game 146 - Friday Night, September 14th in Philadelphia
Record - 75-71, 2nd place, 7 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  It all came together for one night as the offense exploded and Zach Eflin delivered a quality start in this 14-2 whomping of the Marlins.

What It Means:  With the postseason all but out of reach, perhaps the team has relaxed a little.  I'm still a little bitter and frustrated, but Doug and I spent a few innings of this game going through our proposed 2019 line-up, which includes both Manny Machado AND Bryce Harper.

What Happened:  Aaron Altherr had a big night, hitting two home runs (8), driving in five runs and executing a great slide at home to score from second on a fielder's choice ground-out that Roman Quinn beat out in the 4th.  Rhys Hoskins (31), Quinn (2) and Mitch Walding (1) also homered with Walding's being the first hit of his career.  Carlos Santana went 3 for 3 and scored three runs while Jose Bautista added two doubles.  Hoskins started his third game of the season back at first base, which could be a preview of things to come next season.

Eflin improved to 10-7 by allowing just a run in his 6 1/3 innings.  Drew Anderson threw the final 2 2/3 innings, allowing a run on four hits.

Featured Cards/Field Report:  Doug and I attended this game with a few simple goals - obtain an autograph or two for Doug's collection and enjoy some ballpark food.  We accomplished those two goals and also witnessed one of the more enjoyable Phillies games in recent memory.

Doug stationed himself at the corner of the Phillies dugout and had the most successful autograph gathering night of the season.  Hoskins, Scott Kingery, Quinn, Altherr, manager Gabe Kapler and coach Rick Kranitz all signed for him, some of them signing multiple items for his collection.  Doug was happy to help a few of the younger autograph seekers call over players.  I found him this morning admiring his new treasures and he allowed me to photograph and scan them for this post.

Series Preview - Marlins at Phillies: September 14th to September 16th

2018 Chachi Fan Favorites #40

2018 Chachi Fan Favorites #41

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

Marlins 57-89, 5th place in the N.L. East, 25 games behind the Braves
Phillies 74-71, 2nd place in the N.L. East, 7 1/2 games behind the Braves

Marlins Probables:  Wei-Yin Chen (6-10, 4.72), Elieser Hernandez (2-7, 5.25), Jose Urena (6-12, 4.29)
Phillies Probables:  Zach Eflin (9-7, 4.42), Vince Velasquez (9-11, 4.30), Jake Arrieta (10-9, 3.66)

At the Ballpark:  There are some themed tickets available for this series, but otherwise no special promotions or giveaways.

Marlins Leaders
Average:  Starlin Castro and J.T. Realmuto - .284
Runs:  Brian Anderson - 80
Home Runs:  J.T. Realmuto - 20
RBIs:  J.T. Realmuto - 70
Stolen Bases:  Cameron Maybin - 8

Wins:  Wei-Yin Chen and Jose Urena - 6
ERA:  Jose Urena - 4.29
Strikeouts:  Jose Urena - 122
Saves:  Kyle Barraclough and Brad Ziegler - 10

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Maikel Franco - .268
Runs:  Cesar Hernandez - 83
Home Runs:  Rhys Hoskins - 30
RBIs:  Rhys Hoskins - 89
Stolen Bases:  Cesar Hernandez - 18

Wins:  Aaron Nola - 16
ERA:  Aaron Nola - 2.42
Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 201
Saves:  Seranthony Dominguez - 14

Game 145 - 2018 Topps Archives #56 Aaron Nola

Nationals 5, Phillies 1
Game 145 - Wednesday Night, September 12th in Philadelphia
Record - 74-71, 2nd place, 7 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Aaron Nola allowed a pair of home runs in his five-inning outing and Stephen Strasburg struck out 9 Phillies in this 5-1 loss.

What It Means:  Driving home from baseball practice on Wednesday night, Doug didn't even want to listen to the game.  "It's too frustrating," he said.  Doug is 11, and unfortunately this is the first of many times during his life that the Phillies will just be "too frustrating."

This was most likely Bryce Harper's last game at Citizens Bank Park as a member of the Nationals.

What Happened:  J.P. Crawford received a rare start at shortstop and he enjoyed a 3 for 4 night with a solo home run (3) in the 5th inning.

Featured Card:  Aaron Nola recorded his 200th strikeout in this game, becoming the first Phillies pitcher to reach that mark in a season since Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels did it in 2013.

Game 144 - 2018 Phillies Team Issue Update #19 Jose Bautista

Nationals 7, Phillies 6 (Game 2 - 10 Innings)
Game 144 - Tuesday Night, September 11th in Philadelphia
Record - 74-70, 2nd place, 6 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The 2018 Phillies season unofficially ended for me when the Nationals came from behind to win in extra innings, 7-6.

What It Means:  This loss marked the moment I crossed the threshold from "They still have a chance," to "I can't believe they completely fell apart and blew it."  Granted, the Phillies weren't supposed to compete for a playoff spot this year and the so-called experts, along with the team's own front office, projected them to truly be ready for contention beginning with the 2019 season.

So it was a bit of a pleasant shock when the Phillies took over first place very briefly on May 26th only to lose it the next day.  They kept playing sloppy baseball, they kept getting suspect relief performance and they kept coming up empty when a big hit was needed, but somehow they were back in first place on July 6th.  They were 15 games over .500 on August 7th having held onto the top spot in the division for a month when the bottom dropped out.

The little mistakes became big mistakes.  The offense all but evaporated and the occasional bright spots came from either a pitching performance from Aaron Nola or another home run from Rhys Hoskins.  Since August 5th, the Phillies have gone 11-23 and they're 0-10-1 in their 11 series played since then.  (Meghan Montemurro Tweet.)  The July ascent was unexpected and all too short.  The August/September collapse was quick and has gone on way too long.

What Happened:  The Phillies exploded for five runs in the 5th thanks to four doubles and three singles.  It was the kind of rare outburst the Phillies had been striving towards and hoping for all season.  But in the end, it meant nothing.  The Nationals scored three in the 9th to tie the score, with the tying run coming on a bases-loaded walk from Luis Garcia.  Juan Soto homered off Yacksel Rios in the 10th to send the Nationals to the double header sweep.

Featured Card:  I got an e-mail from fellow collector Rick during the first game alerting me to the presence of new photo cards to be found in the team-issued set.  I've updated the set's listing here with the 8 new cards.

This is Jose Bautista's first (and to date only) Phillies baseball card, found within these updated sets.  Bautista homered in the 8th inning, making him the first player in baseball history to hit a home run with three different teams in the same division in the same season.  (Jayson Stark Tweet.)

Field Report:  It was empty and at one point my wife texted me that I should start screaming to see if she could hear me on TV.

Game 143 - Doug's Blast at The Yard Not Enough for Offense

Nationals 3, Phillies 1 (Game 1)
Game 143 - Tuesday Afternoon, September 11th in Philadelphia
Record - 74-69, 2nd place, 5 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  In a mostly empty ballpark, the Phillies crept closer to their offseason with a lifeless 3-1 loss to the Nationals.

What It Means:  The ground's crew didn't put the tarp on the field over the rainy weekend, and the field was deemed unplayable on Monday night necessitating a rare Tuesday afternoon game.

What Happened:  The offense was shut down by the Nationals' Erick Fedde who struck out 9 over 5 2/3 scoreless innings.  The Phillies managed five hits, including doubles from J.P. Crawford and Justin Bour.  Nick Pivetta lasted 4 1/3 innings and gave up two runs on three hits, including a home run to Spencer Kieboom.

Transaction:  The Phillies set a franchise record when they recalled pitchers Drew Anderson, Enyel De Los Santos and Ranger Suarez from the IronPigs, giving them 39 active players on their roster.  The disabled Aaron Loup is the sole member of the 40-man roster not currently active.

Featured Cards/Field Report:  Doug and I were two of about 500 people at this game.  We didn't arrive until the 5th inning, but we took advantage of the empty park with Doug's first trip to the wiffle ball field at The Yard.  He promptly sent a ball over the center field batter's eye, which was probably one of the hardest hit balls for the home team on Tuesday afternoon.

Between games, Doug and I took the field for a pre-game ceremony as part of the ALS Phillies Phestival sponsor's night.  While Doug was holding a sign for my employer, he was attacked by the Phillie Phanatic and I quickly took this picture from behind while an on-field photographer took the pair's picture from the front.

Series Preview - Nationals at Phillies: September 10th to September 12th

1978 Topps #449

1978 Topps #513

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 7:05
Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA

Nationals 71-72, 3rd place in the N.L. East, 8 games behind the Braves
Phillies 74-68, 2nd place in the N.L. East, 4 1/2 games behind the Braves

Nationals Probables:  Tanner Roark (8-15, 4.23), Stephen Strasburg (7-7, 4.04), Joe Ross (0-0, 0.00)
Phillies Probables:  Jake Arrieta (10-9, 3.61), Nick Pivetta (7-11, 4.66), Aaron Nola (16-4, 2.29)

At the Ballpark:  It's odd to have a three-game series this late in the season without any promotions or giveaways, but here we are.

Nationals Leaders
Average:  Anthony Rendon - .298
Runs:  Bryce Harper - 92
Home Runs:  Bryce Harper - 32
RBIs:  Bryce Harper - 91
Stolen Bases:  Trea Turner - 37

Wins:  Max Scherzer - 17
ERA:  Max Scherzer - 2.31
Strikeouts:  Max Scherzer - 271
Saves:  Sean Doolittle - 22

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Maikel Franco - .266
Runs:  Cesar Hernandez - 82
Home Runs:  Rhys Hoskins - 30
RBIs:  Rhys Hoskins - 88
Stolen Bases:  Cesar Hernandez - 18

Wins:  Aaron Nola - 16
ERA:  Aaron Nola - 2.29
Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 196
Saves:  Seranthony Dominguez - 14

Game 142 - 1992 ALS Phillies Phestival #45 Tug McGraw

Mets 6, Phillies 4
Game 142 - Sunday Afternoon, September 9th in Flushing
Record - 74-68, 2nd place, 4 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Failing to take advantage of Jacob deGrom being scratched from his start due to the rainy weather, the Phillies dropped this game 6-4 to the Mets.

What It Means:  The Phillies have not won a series since sweeping the Marlins at the beginning of August.  They've dropped nine consecutive series of three games or more.  As Larry Shenk Tweeted, the Phillies are now 15-17 against the (bad) Marlins and Mets this season while the Braves are 26-9 against those two teams.  That's going to end up being the difference between a postseason appearance and no October baseball.

What Happened:  Rhys Hoskins gave the Phillies a 2-0 lead with a two-run home run (30) in the 1st.  The Phillies led until Michael Conforto hit a 3-run home run in the 5th off Vince Velasquez.  The offense couldn't recover.

Featured Card:  I'm cranky and it's still raining as I'm writing this.  Here's a card signed by Tug McGraw featuring a smiley face drawn by Tugger.

Ya gotta believe.  (Right?)

Game 141 - 2018 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #18 Joey Meneses

Mets 10, Phillies 5
Game 141 - Saturday Night, September 8th in Flushing
Record - 74-67, 2nd place, 3 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Zach Eflin was hit hard and the offense left 12 runners on base in this 10-5 loss to the Mets.

What It Means:  I sound like a broken record, but this team does not look like a team that should be or will be playing in the postseason.

What Happened:  Eflin exited after three innings, having allowed six runs on four hits and three walks.  The Phillies couldn't capitalize when they had runners on base.  They banged out 14 hits, but had just five runs to show for it.  Cesar Hernandez went 4 for 4 and Rhys Hoskins hit his 29th home run.

Carlos Santana started at third base, as he had done on Wednesday night, as manager Gabe Kapler is trying to inject some life into the line-up by having both Santana and Justin Bour start.  Prior to his Wednesday night start, Santana had not started at third since May 22, 2014. 

Featured Card:  The Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs had their season end on Saturday night when the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders eliminated them from the next round of postseason play.  Outfielder/first baseman Joey Meneses was the International League MVP this season, hitting .311 with 23 home runs and 82 RBIs.  This was Meneses' first year in the Phillies organization after playing the first seven seasons of his professional career in the Braves organization.  It's puzzling to me why the Phillies won't clear a 40-man roster spot and bring up Meneses to perhaps jumpstart a fizzling offense.

Transaction:  Continuing the trend of adding on a player per day, the Phillies recalled Mitch Walding from the IronPigs.  There are now 36 players on their active roster.  Of the available players on their 40-man roster, only pitchers Drew Anderson, Enyel De Los Santos and Ranger Suarez aren't active with pitcher Aaron Loup on the disabled list.

Game 140 - 2018 Topps Archives #217 Rhys Hoskins

Phillies 4, Mets 3
Game 140 - Friday Night, September 7th in Flushing
Record - 74-66, 2nd place, 2 1/2 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Rhys Hoskins hit a clutch home run in the 8th to send the Phillies to a 4-3 victory and give Aaron Nola his 16th win.

What It Means:  The Phillies needed a big hit and Hoskins delivered.

What Happened:  Nola gave up all three Mets runs in his seven innings of work, including two home runs, while striking out eight.  Seranthony Dominguez and Tommy Hunter kept the Mets off the board in the final two innings and Hunter recorded his 4th save.

Carlos Santana hit a two-run home run (22) in the 3rd and Asdrubal Cabrera punished his former team with an RBI-single in the 6th.

Featured Card:  Here's the slugger's recently released card from the Topps Archives set, featuring a tribute to the original 1981 Topps release (or the 2006 Chachi set, depending on your point of view).  Had Topps consulted with me on the original design for the 1981 Topps cards, I would have gently nudged them to change "Outfielder" to "Outfield" on the card to mimic the original.  Missing little details like this drives me batty.

Transaction:  Andrew Knapp joined the team, brining the number of active players on the roster to 35.

Game 139 - 2018 Phillies Team Issue 2 #19 Ben Lively

Marlins 2, Phillies 1
Game 139 - Wednesday Night, September 5th in Miami
Record - 73-66, 2nd place, 3 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  In his second start for the Marlins, rookie Sandy Alcantara completely confused the Phillies offense and the Marlins won this game, 2-1.

What It Means:  I know the Phillies are way ahead of their rebuild schedule, but up until a few weeks ago I had high hopes that this team might actually see some postseason play.  It's seeming less and less likely with every passing loss.  They sure haven't looked like a playoff team the past few months.

What Happened:  Rookie Austin Dean drove in both Marlins runs off Phillies starter Nick Pivetta, who went just four innings.  Three of the Phillies' six hits came from Jorge Alfaro, and overall the offense went 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position.

Featured Card/Transaction:  Ben Lively, who had been designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for Jerad Eickhoff, was claimed off waivers by the Kansas City Royals.  In his 20 games for the Phillies (all starts) in 2017 and 2018, Lively compiled a record of 4-9 with a 4.81 ERA.  He leaves behind a handful of Phillies cards, including two appearances in both of this year's team issued photo card sets.

Lively Complete Chachi Checklist
2017 Chachi #38
2017 Chachi In Action #3
2018 Chachi #16

Arrived During the 2018 Season

Trevor Plouffe (4/23/18) - Signed as a minor league free agent, formerly with the Texas Rangers organization.
Asdrubal Cabrera (7/27/18) - Acquired from the New York Mets for Franklyn Kilome.
Wilson Ramos (7/31/18) - Acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays for a player to be named later or cash.
Aaron Loup (7/31/18) - Acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays for Jacob Waguespack.
Justin Bour (8/10/18) - Acquired with cash from the Miami Marlins for McKenzie Mills.
Luis Avilan (8/22/18) - Acquired from the Chicago White Sox for Felix Paulino.
Jose Bautista (8/28/18) - Acquired from the New York Mets for a player to be named later or cash.

Departed During the 2018 Season
Drew Hutchison (6/5/18) - Designated for assignment and elected free agency.
Hoby Milner (7/15/18) - Sold to the Tampa Bay Rays.
Zac Curtis (7/31/18) - Designated for assingnment and claimed off waivers by the Texas Rangers, 8/7/18.
Jake Thompson (8/14/18) - Traded to the Milwaukee Brewers for cash considerations.
Mark Leiter, Jr. (9/1/18) - Claimed off waivers by the Toronto Blue Jays.
Ben Lively (9/5/18) - Claimed off waivers by the Kansas City Royals.

Game 138 - 2018 Phillies Team Issue 2 #16 Cesar Hernandez

Phillies 9, Marlins 4
Game 138 - Tuesday Night, September 4th in Miami
Record - 73-65, 2nd place, 3 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Carlos Santana hit a lead-off home run and the offense plated six runs in the first two innings as the Phillies defeated the Marlins, 9-4.

What It Means:  Work travel has made me miss most of the Phillies games this past week, although it seems like I'm better off having missed the majority of these games. 

What Happened:  Jake Arrieta struck out a season high 11 in 7 1/3 strong innings of work.  Santana's home run was his 21st of the season and Asdrubal Cabrera (23) also homered in the 4th.

Featured Card:  Santana's lead-off home run was nice, but the bigger hit that inning came from Cesar Hernandez who cleared the bases with a two-out triple.  Hernandez has been inconsistent in the second half at the plate, and he's lost his lead-off spot in the line-up, so it was nice to see him come through with the big hit.

Transaction:  J.P. Crawford was recalled from Lehigh Valley, brining the number of active players on the roster to 34.  Also, Jesmuel Valentin cleared waivers and was outrighted to the IronPigs.

2018 Chachi #55 Jerad Eickhoff

#48
Jerad Joseph Eickhoff
Relief Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'4"  Weight:  244
Opening Day Age:  27
Born:  July 2, 1990, Evansville, IL
Drafted:  Selected by the Texas Rangers in the 15th round of the June 2011 draft
Teams:  Phillies 2015-
Acquired:  Acquired with Matt Harrison, Nick Williams, Jorge Alfaro, Jake Thompson and Alec Asher from the Texas Rangers for Cole Hamels, Jake Diekman and cash considerations, July 31, 2015

2015 Chachi #60

2016 Topps #2

22 Eickhoff Baseball Cards in My Collection per The Phillies Room Checklist
First Phillies Card:  2016 Topps #2
First Topps Flagship Base Card:  2016 Topps #2
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  2016 Phillies Team Issue #48
Newest Card:  2018 Topps #621

2016 Phillies Team Issue #48

First Mention on The Phillies Room:  July 31, 2015 - Cole Hamels (and Jake Diekman) are now officially members of the Texas Rangers and the Phillies have six new players in their organization that I've honestly never heard of before.  No offense meant here, but if Matt Harrison, who was an A.L. All-Star in 2012, bumped into me on the streets of Philadelphia I'd have no idea he was the newest Phillies starting pitcher.

The best way for me to get acclimated with these new guys is to summarize their baseball card careers to date.  I won't attempt to provide scouting reports on these players as I'm just purely interested in getting to know them through their baseball cards for now.  If you want something a little more in-depth, I thought this article was a good read . . .

Jerad Eickhoff (RHP - AAA) - Eickhoff has been in the Rangers organization since 2011 and he's appeared in 18 games this season (17 starts) for the AAA Round Rock Express.  It doesn't appear as if Eickhoff has any mainstream baseball cards to date, although he has appeared in a number of Rangers minor league team sets.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2015 Chachi #60
2016 Chachi Preview #2
2016 Chachi #17
2016 Chachi #68 ERA Leaders (with Jeremy Hellickson)
2016 Chachi #69 Pitching Leaders (with Jeremy Hellickson and Vince Velasquez)
2016 Chachi #70 Strikeout Leaders (with Jeremy Hellickson and Vince Velasquez)
2017 Chachi Preview #3
2017 Chachi #15
2017 Chachi Phillies Phestival #19 (with Andres Blanco)
2017 Chachi Archives #6
2017 Chachi Photo Night #8
2018 Chachi #55
2018 Chachi Phillies Phestival #11 (with Jesmuel Valentin and Pedro Guerrero)

Card statistics through 9/3/18.

Series Preview - Phillies at Mets: September 7th to September 9th

2018 Chachi 1978 Topps Missing Links #6

2018 Chachi #403

Friday and Saturday 7:10, Sunday 1:10
Citi Field - Flushing, NY

Phillies 73-66, 2nd place in the N.L. East, 3 1/2 games behind the Braves
Mets 63-76, 4th place in the N.L. East, 13 1/2 games behind the Braves

Phillies Probables:  Aaron Nola (15-4, 2.23), Zach Eflin (9-6, 4.05), Vince Velasquez (9-10, 4.10)
Mets Probables:  Steven Matz (5-11, 4.20), Noah Syndergaard (10-3, 3.33), Jacob deGrom (8-8, 1.68)

At the Ballpark:  All fans receive a free Mets t-shirt on Friday.  The first 15,000 fans will receive a Mets cool weather winter hat on Saturday night and a Mets chip bowl on Sunday afternoon.

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Maikel Franco - .267
Runs:  Cesar Hernandez - 82
Home Runs:  Rhys Hoskins - 27
RBIs:  Rhys Hoskins - 84
Stolen Bases:  Cesar Hernandez - 17

Wins:  Aaron Nola - 15
ERA:  Aaron Nola - 2.23
Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 188
Saves:  Seranthony Dominguez - 14

Mets Leaders
Average:  Brandon Nimmo - .272
Runs:  Brandon Nimmo - 68
Home Runs:  Michael Conforto - 21
RBIs:  Asdrubal Cabrera and Michael Conforto - 58
Stolen Bases:  Amed Rosario - 18

Wins:  Noah Syndergaard and Zack Wheeler - 10
ERA:  Jacob deGrom - 1.68
Strikeouts:  Jacbo deGrom - 230
Saves:  Jeurys Familia - 17

Just One Card & Missing Links - 1970s Phillies Edition

1975 Topps #405

1977 Topps #394

1979 Topps #169

1980 Topps #277

1981 Fleer #585

Having tackled the Phillies Missing Links from 1980 through 2008 at this point, I wanted to see what a Phillies Missing Links set from the 1970s would look like.  As far as I can tell, and please offer revisions in the comments if needed, listed below are the players who suited up with the Phillies between 1970 and 1979 and never received a Phillies baseball card.

Below this list, I've presented what I believe to be those Phillies players who received just one Phillies card, with most of these occurring in the team-issued photo card sets from the '70s.  I don't know if creating cards for these players is a project I'll tackle in the near-term, but with the checklist in place the next step would be hunting and gathering pictures of these players in red pinstripes (or baby blue road uniforms).

Phillies Missing Links of the 1970s - Initial Checklist
1 Del Bates (1970)
2 Mike Jackson (1970)
3 Manny Muniz (1971)
4 Dave Downs (1972)
5 Bob Terlecki (1972)
6 Dave Wallace (1973-1974)
7 John Stearns (1974)
8 Larry Fritz (1975)
9 Ron Clark (1975)
10 John Montague (1975)
11 Rick Bosetti (1976)
12 Bill Nahorodny (1976)
13 Mike Buskey (1977)
14 Manny Seoane (1977)
15 Dan Warthen (1977)
16 Orlando Gonzalez (1978)
17 Kerry Dineen (1978)
18 Todd Cruz (1978)
19 Horacio Pina (1978)
20 Dan Boitano (1978)
21 John Poff (1979)
22 Jack Kucek (1979)


Just One Card
1970
Doc Edwards - 1970 Phillies Photocards*
Bill Laxton - 1970 Phillies Photocards

1971
Bobby Pfeil - 1971 Phillies Photocards

1972
John Bateman - 1972 Phillies Photocards
Gary Neibauer - 1972 Phillies Photocards

1974
Allan Bannister - 1975 Phillies Photocards
Jesus Hernaiz - 1974 Phillies Photocards
Frank Linzy - 1974 Phillies Photocards
Pete Richert - 1974 Phillies Photocards
Erskine Thomason - 1976 SSPC #600^


1975
Cy Acosta - 1975 Phillies Photocards
Don Hahn - 1975 Phillies Photocards
Wayne Simpson - 1976 SSPC #599^

1976
Fred Andrews - 1977 Phillies Photocards
Tim Blackwell - 1977 Phillies Photocards

1977
Dane Iorg - 1977 Phillies Photocards

1978
Dan Larson - 1980 Phillies Photocards

1979
Rudy Meoli - 1979 Phillies Photocards

*As a coach, with two variations so he might not technically belong on this list.
^Wearing a Toledo Mud Hens uniform.

Just One Card Links
1970 to 1979
1980 to 1989
1990 to 1995
1996 to 1999
2000 to 2004
2005 to 2009