Game 2 - Not How the Season was Supposed to Start

2020 Topps Opening Day
Ballpark Profile Autographs #BPA-DB

Braves 12, Phillies 4
Game 2 - Saturday Afternoon, March 30th in Philadelphia
Record - 0-2, Tied for 3rd Place, 2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Aaron Nola was hit early and often in his season debut as the Braves throttled the Phillies, 12-4.

What It Means:  It's early, but the Phillies have looked flat and the pitching (save Zack Wheeler and a few relievers) has been bad in the team's first two games.  They'll try to avoid the early season sweep behind Ranger Suarez on Easter Sunday afternoon.

What Happened:  Nola was behind 2-0 before the crowd could settle back into their seats following a 27-minute rain at the outset of the game.  The Phillies retaliated quickly in the bottom of the first, with a questionable bases loaded walk to Nick Castellanos and a two-run single from Bryson Stott.  Stott's hit chased Braves' starter Max Fried from the game.  But the Braves bullpen regained control from that point while Nola, and the Phillies bullpen, did not.  Nola's final line was ugly - 4 1/3 innings, 12 hits, seven earned runs, including a pair of home runs allowed.  The only other excitement for Phillies fans came in the third when J.T. Realmuto hit a solo home run.

Featured Card/Field Report:  Jenna and I attended this game, our first of the season, and 20 years since our first visit to Citizens Bank Park in 2004.  We waited out the rain delay inside Pass & Stowe, and we can highly recommend their french fries.  Like many from the sell-out crowd, we made our way to the exits around the seventh inning as the rain returned and intensified.

One of the highlights for me each year upon the return of Phillies baseball is the ambiance of Citizens Bank Park.  The Phillies have always known how to do pregame ceremonies the right way, and this year was no different with first pitches thrown out yesterday by Eagles' greats Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox.  Dan Baker, the public address announcer, celebrating his 52nd year with the club, was front and center during the ceremonies and it was refreshing to hear his voice yet again after a long, cold winter.  So I'll give Baker the card here as Topps gave him an autographed card in its 2020 Topps Opening Day set.

2024 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2024 Season Summary Index / 2024 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 1 - Phils' Bullpen Can't Preserve Win for Wheeler

2024 Topps #71

Braves 9, Phillies 3
Game 1 - Friday Afternoon, March 29th in Philadelphia
Record - 0-1, Tied for 2nd Place, 1 game behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Zack Wheeler was ace-like, but a lack of Phillies offense and miserable outings from three relievers led to this 9-3 loss to the Braves.

What It Means:  For the second opening day in a row, the Phillies suffered through a pitching meltdown, leading to a loss.  Last year, it was Aaron Nola, Gregory Soto and Connor Brogdon who allowed nine Rangers runs in the fourth inning in Arlington.

We originally had tickets to this game, but the weather and high school baseball happenings ruined our chances of going.  Not counting the 2020 season, this was the first Phillies home opener I've missed since the 2014 season.  I'm planning on starting my next home opener streak in 2025.  We watched some of the pregame ceremonies on TV, at least what was broadcast, with the best highlight being Charlie Manual throwing out the first pitch to his catcher, Larry Bowa.  Manuel had suffered a stroke during the offseason.

What Happened:  Wheeler and Spencer Strider delivered a pitcher's dual, with Wheeler departing after six innings after protecting the Phillies 2-0 lead.  Wheeler allowed five hits and struck out five and was on his way to his first win of the season if not for Matt Strahm, Jose Alvarado and Brogdon.  Those three relievers combined to allow all nine Braves runs in 1 1/3 innings, on seven hits and three walks.  Alvarado was hit particularly hard, earning the loss and starting his 2024 season with an unsightly 67.50 ERA.

Featured Card:  Brandon Marsh provided the offensive excitement for the Phillies, hitting a two-run home run in the fifth after Bryson Stott had singled to start the inning.  This is Marsh's base card from Topps Series One.

Transactions:  On Thursday, the Phillies whittled down their active roster from 31 to 26 by placing five players on the injured list - Dylan Covey (rhp), Orion Kerkering (rhp), Rafael Marchan (c), Michael Rucker (rhp) and Taijuan Walker (rhp).

2024 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2024 Season Summary Index / 2024 Chachi Set Checklist

Braves at Phillies: March 29th to March 31st

1984 Topps #150

1984 Topps #700

Friday 3:05, Saturday 4:05, Sunday 1:35
Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA

At the Ballpark:  After some soggy weather on Thursday, opening day is here!  Fans will receive an Opening Day scarf and be treated to one of the best opening ceremonies in baseball.  Kane Kalas returns to sing the National Anthem and the Phillies will be introduced on the field prior to the first pitch.  On Saturday, fans 15 and over will receive the traditional McDonald's Opening Night t-shirt, even though technically it's an afternoon game.  On Sunday, all fans receive a 2024 schedule magnet.

Braves 104-58 in 2023
N.L. East Champions

Braves Probables
Spencer Strider (20-5, 3.86)
Max Fried (8-1, 2.55)
Chris Sale (6-5, 4.30)

Braves Spring Leaders
Average:  Michael Harris - .333
Runs:  Orlando Arcia and Michael Harris - 9
Home Runs:  Orlando Arcia - 5
RBIs:  Sean Murphy - 12
Stolen Bases:  Eli White - 4

Wins:  Spencer Strider - 3
ERA:  Spencer Strider - 0.79
Strikeouts:  Spencer Strider - 35
Saves:  Seven tied with - 1

Phillies 90-72 in 2023
Advanced to NLCS

Phillies Probables
Zack Wheeler (13-6, 3.61)
Aaron Nola (12-9, 4.46)
Ranger Suarez (4-6, 4.18)

Phillies Spring Leaders
Average:  Whit Merrifield - .405
Runs:  Kody Clemens - 11
Home Runs:  Kody Clemens - 3
RBIs:  Kody Clemens - 10
Stolen Bases:  Johan Rojas - 4

Wins:  Three tied with - 2
ERA:  Aaron Nola - 3.79

Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 17
Saves:  Max Lazar - 2

2024 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2024 Season Summary Index / 2024 Chachi Set Checklist

Spring Training Game 31 - Phils Ready to Start '24 Season

2024 Topps #275

Rays 6, Phillies 3
Spring Training Game 31 - Monday Afternoon, March 25th in Clearwater
Record - 9-15-7

One Sentence Summary:  In a game where the only goal is that no one gets hurt, the Phillies lost to the Rays in the spring training finale, 6-3.

What It Means:  Over the final 13 games of the spring, the Phillies went 1-8-4.  Not great, but all of that will be forgotten once the season starts.  And we'll need to wait a day longer for the season to start, as weather pushed back the home opener from Thursday to Friday afternoon.

What Happened:  It was truly a game of final tune-ups.  David Buchanan got the start, pitching four innings and allowing a pair of runs on five hits.  He'll begin the season in the IronPigs' starting rotation.  J.T. Realmuto hit a two-run home run in the first inning.  Cristian Pache ended the exhibition season by grounding into a double play before the entire team headed north.

Featured Card:  Bryce Harper went 0 for 2 with a strikeout and finished with a spring average of .179, and Kyle Schwarber was 1 for 2 in this game to raise his spring average to .132.  Those numbers won't matter come Friday, and my hope is that my 16th season of documenting the Phillies season on this blog ends with a World Series parade in October.

Camp Head Count:  31

Spring Training Game 30 - Introducing the 2024 Chachi Set

2024 Chachi Almost #1

Phillies 2, Blue Jays 0
Spring Training Game 30 - Sunday Afternoon, March 24th in Clearwater
Record - 9-14-7

One Sentence Summary:  Aaron Nola looked ready for the regular season in his final spring tune-up, as the Phillies held on to defeat the Blue Jays, 2-0.

What It Means:  There's one more exhibition game on Monday and then the Phillies will head north to prepare for the 2024 season opener on Thursday afternoon against the Braves.

What Happened:  Nola threw 79 pitches, going 5 2/3 innings and allowing a pair of hits while striking out four.  Matt Strahm, signed to a contract extension before the game, finished the sixth and pitched a scoreless seventh inning.  The Phillies scored their runs on an RBI single from Trea Turner followed by an RBI double from Alec Bohm in the first inning.

Featured Card:  I didn't plan for the 2024 Chachi set to debut this way, as I usually dedicate a post to each year's selection process, but this seems like an opportune time to announce which vintage Topps flagship set I'll be spending the year mimicking.  I've put off using the 1984 Topps design for my Chachi custom cards as it's never been a favorite of mine, and Topps seems to have run the design into the ground in its recent releases.  (Not as bad as 1987 or 1989 Topps, but it still feels like we've seen the 1984 Topps design way more than we should.)

In any event, there are only a few remaining designs from the 1970s and 1980s to not yet be used for a Chachi set, and given it's the 40th anniversary of the 1984 Topps set, I felt its time had come.  I typically start working on these cards over the summer the year before, but these cards are relatively fresh, having been created just last month.  Admittedly, once I started the process, the design grew on me, and I do have fond memories of collecting this set when it was first released.

Camp Head Count:  31

Before the game, the Phillies traded Jake Cave (of) to the Rockies for cash considerations, and Cave becomes the first card in the 2024 Chachi Almost insert set.  Cave played in 65 games last season for the Phillies, batting .212 with five home runs and 21 RBIs.  He was painfully the final out of the Phillies season, flying out to end NLCS Game 7 against the Diamondbacks.

Andrew Bellatti (rhp) and Jose Ruiz (rhp) were reassigned to minor league camp, meaning no non-roster invitees made the opening day roster this year.  Following the game, Kody Clemens (inf) was optioned to Lehigh Valley, seemingly setting the opening day roster.  To get down to 26 players from the current 31, it's expected the remaining five players - Rafael Marchan (c), Michael Rucker (rhp), Orion Kerkering (rhp), Dylan Covey (rhp) and Taijuan Walker (rhp) - will start the year on the injured list.

Spring Training Game 29 - Phils Nearing End of Exhibition Schedule

2022 Topps #228

Phillies 6, Yankees 6
Spring Training Game 29 - Saturday Afternoon, March 23rd in Tampa
Record - 8-14-7

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies played to yet another tie, and there are only two more spring training exhibition games remaining.

What It Means:  Over their last 11 games, the Phillies are 0-7-4.

What Happened:  Spencer Turnbull got the start and looked great, pitching three scoreless innings while striking out five.  Connor Brogdon and Andrew Bellatti allowed a combined five runs over 1 1/3 innings out of the bullpen, and Ricardo Pinto was the recipient of the seemingly daily blown save.  Pinto allowed the tying run to the Yankees in the ninth.

On the offensive side, Whit Merrifield and Cristian Pache had multi-hit days for the Phillies, with Pache going 3 for 4 in his bid to win the final outfield bench spot.  Bryce Harper returned to the line-up for the first time in over a week, driving in a first inning run with a sacrifice fly.

Featured Card:  After the game, the Phillies announced Taijuan Walker was experiencing shoulder stiffness, causing the team to send him for an MRI.  It would appear as if Turnbull takes his spot in the rotation if Walker isn't ready to start the season.

Camp Head Count:  35

Spring Training Game 28 - Soto Can't Close Out Tigers

2023 Philadelphia Phillies
Kids Club

Tigers 4, Phillies 3
Spring Training Game 28 - Friday Afternoon, March 22nd in Clearwater
Record - 8-14-6

One Sentence Summary:  Leading 3-0 going into the ninth inning, Gregory Soto, the presumed closer to start the season, allowed a pair of home runs and four runs overall as the Tigers stunned the Phillies in a 4-3 defeat.

What It Means:  Not great.  Soto had looked fine all spring until this outing.

What Happened:  Zack Wheeler seems ready for the season to start, as the staff ace pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing a hit and striking out five.  Jose Alvarado, Jeff Hoffman and Seranthony Dominguez followed with three scoreless innings of relief before Soto imploded in the ninth.  Jake Cave, fighting for the final bench spot, had an RBI single in the second and Brandon Marsh added an RBI double in the sixth.  Edmundo Sosa hit a long home run in the seventh, his second of the spring.

Featured Card:  Here's Wheeler's Phillies Kids Club card from last year, available only at the ballpark.  With opening day less than a week away, I can again hope the Phillies make the move to bring back their team-issued photo cards, absent in set form last year.

Camp Head Count:  38 and then 35

Prior to the game, the Phillies optioned Weston Wilson (inf) to Lehigh Valley and reassigned David Buchanan (rhp), Cam Gallagher (c), Aramis Garcia (c) and Jordan Luplow (of) to minor league camp.

After the game, Scott Kingery (inf), David Dahl (of) and Cal Stevenson (of) were reassigned to minor league camp.  By my unofficial tally, the only two non-roster invitees remaining are Andrew Bellatti (rhp) and Jose Ruiz (rhp).

Spring Training Game 27 - Phils Fall Again, Haven't Won This Week

2017 Topps Heritage #42

Rays 6, Phillies 5
Spring Training Game 27 - Thursday Afternoon, March 21st in Clearwater
Record - 8-13-6

One Sentence Summary:  Late inning runs from the Rays took the win away from the Phillies, and it's been a week since the team last won a game.

What It Means:  Austin Brice has had a rough spring, and tasked with holding a 5-3 lead in the eighth, he was charged with a pair of runs as the Rays tied the game.  Brice has already blown three saves, and narrowly missed his fourth as Taylor Lehman was on the mound when the Rays' Willy Vasquez hit his game-tying double.  (Both runs were charged to Brice.)

What Happened:  Kody Clemens, hoping for a bench spot, hit another home run, his third of the spring.  He'd add an RBI single in the sixth.  Johan Rojas and Edmundo Sosa also came through with RBIs in the Phillies' four-run sixth inning.

Featured Card:  Brice was previously reassigned to minor league camp on Tuesday so he was a minor league call-up for this game.  He's got one mainstream baseball card to his name so far, from the 2017 Topps Heritage set.  Brice shares a Marlins Rookie Stars card in that set with Yefri Perez.

Camp Head Count:  43

Spring Training Game 26 - Walker Roughed Up By O's in Loss

2023 Topps Heritage #519

Orioles 13, Phillies 4
Spring Training Game 26 - Wednesday Night, March 20th in Sarasota
Record - 8-12-6

One Sentence Summary:  Taijuan Walker had a rough outing and the Phillies couldn't overcome the early deficit in this 13-4 loss to the Orioles.

What It Means:  This is the point in spring training where you'd like to see the Phillies play a little more competitive baseball.

What Happened:  Walker lasted 2 2/3 innings, allowing seven runs on five hits and three walks.  He allowed three home runs, including a three-run home run in the first from Anthony Santander.  The Phillies went with minor league arms the rest of the way, with the Orioles plating six more runs.  Brandon Marsh and Jordan Luplow both had a pair of hits, and Marsh's triple in the top of the third scored Kyle Schwarber with the first Phillies run of the game.

Featured Card:  Marsh's repaired knee from early spring surgery doesn't seem to be bothering him, as he has been running in the outfield and on the base paths without any ill effects.  With 2024 Topps Heritage about to be released, I still have a few 2023 Topps Heritage Phillies cards yet to be posted, including this Marsh card from last year's High Numbers set.

Camp Head Count:  43

Prior to the game, the Phillies optioned Nick Nelson (rhp) to Lehigh Valley.  Nick Snyder (rhp), Carlos De La Cruz (of), Matt Kroon (of), Simon Muzziotti (of), Nick Podkul (inf) and William Simoneit (c) were all reassigned to minor league camp.

Spring Training Game 25 - Phils/Tigers Tie in Brisk Contest

2022 Topps Chrome Platinum
Anniversary #204

Phillies 0, Tigers 0
Spring Training Game 25 - Tuesday Afternoon, March 19th in Lakeland
Record - 8-11-6

One Sentence Summary:  Ranger Suarez and three Phillies relievers allowed three singles and struck out 12 in this 0-0 tie with the Tigers.

What It Means:  I'll keep this post short, in the spirit of this game, which took one hour and 58 minutes to play.

What Happened:  Suarez struck out four, with David Buchanan, Andrew Bellatti and Connor Brogdon all helping to preserve the shutout.  The Phillies offense had four singles with only one runner reaching second base.

Featured Card:  Tigers' DH and Phillies Room favorite Matt Vierling went 0 for 3 out of the lead-off spot for Detroit.

Camp Head Count:  50

In the biggest roster reduction (so far) for the spring, the Phillies optioned Kolby Allard (lhp), Max Castillo (rhp), Rodolfo Castro (inf) and Darick Hall (1b) to Lehigh Valley.  Austin Brice (rhp), Ricardo Pinto (rhp) and Cody Roberts (c) were reassigned to minor league camp.  We're less than a week away from the tougher roster decisions.

Spring Training Games 23 & 24 - Phils Drop Both Games with Squad Split

2023 Choice Reading Fightin
Phils Update #25

Pirates 11, Phillies 2
Spring Training Game 23 - Monday Afternoon, March 18th in Clearwater

Yankees 4, Phillies 3
Spring Training Game 24 - Monday Afternoon, March 18th in Tampa
Record - 8-11-5

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies split their squad with both sides losing their respective games.

What It Means:  It wasn't a great day for the Phillies.

What Happened:   In Clearwater, minor league pitcher Tyler Phillips got the start and was treated poorly, allowing eight runs on 11 hits in 2 2/3 innings of work.  The offense was largely quiet, going 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position.  J.T. Realmuto had a pair of hits and Jake Cave collected his third double of the spring.

In Tampa, it was a pure bullpen game for the Phillies.  Matt Strahm and Jeff Hoffman didn't give up any runs over the first two innings.  Kody Clemens hit a solo home run in the seventh.

Featured Card:  Phillips has been around since 2015, when he was drafted by the Rangers in the 16th round of the June Amateur Draft.  He attended Bishop Eustace in nearby Pennsauken prior to being drafted, and he joined the Phillies in July 2021 as a waiver claim.  He was a combined 4-7 with Reading and Lehigh Valley last season, making 25 starts and owning a 5.72 ERA in 122 2/3 innings pitched.  I'd think he's slated to once again join the IronPigs' starting pitching rotation.

Camp Head Count:  57

Spring Training Game 22 - Luplow Homers in Debut, Phils Tie Again

2022 Topps Heritage #21

Phillies 5, Blue Jays 5
Spring Training Game 22 - Sunday Afternoon, March 16th in Clearwater
Record - 8-9-5

One Sentence Summary:  For the fifth time this spring, the Phillies played to a tie after the bullpen couldn't lock down the win.

What It Means:  The Phillies wore green hats in honor of St. Patrick's Day, and for the second year in a row the Phillies were not also wearing green jerseys.  The green jerseys were a tradition started in 1986 with the help of Tug McGraw, and ended in 2021 when Nike took over manufacturing MLB's uniforms.  The graphic below is from Phillies Nation's X feed.

What Happened:  Zack Wheeler had another solid spring outing, allowing a run on three hits in his four innings of work.  Spring training stats don't mean much, but Wheeler's 2.00 ERA through three starts and nine innings pitched is impressive.  Following the game, manager Rob Thomson named Wheeler the opening day starter, ending Aaron Nola's streak at six straight opening day starts.  The Phillies held a 5-4 lead going into the eighth, but Austin Brice blew his third save of the spring as the Blue Jays tied up the score.

Cristian Pache and Rodolfo Castro both doubled in the second, giving the Phillies a 3-1 lead.  A Kyle Schwarber single in the fourth made it 4-1 Phillies, and newcomer Jordan Luplow hit a solo home run in the sixth.

Featured Card:  I'm not sure why the Phillies would sign Luplow so late in spring training, unless they didn't feel as if Jake Cave or Pache were going to be viable options as back-up outfielders.  Luplow last appeared on mainstream baseball cards in 2022, including this card from the Topps Heritage set.

Camp Head Count:  57

Spring Training Game 21 & Spring Breakout Game

2023 Choice Clearwater
Threshers #1

Phillies 3, Marlins 3
Spring Training Game 21 - Saturday Afternoon, March 16th in Jupiter
Record - 8-9-4

Tigers Prospects 5, Phillies Prospects 1

Spring Breakout Game - Saturday Afternoon, March 16th in Lakeland

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies played two games, one with current players and one with top prospects, and couldn't find a win in either of them.

What It Means:  The Spring Breakout concept is new in 2024, with each team sending its top prospects to face off against another team's top prospects.  The contests seem to have been well-received, so we'll see if they'll continue this tradition next year.

What Happened:  Against the Marlins, Kolby Allard got the start and went 1 2/3 innings, allowing three hits but no runs.  Phillies reliever Max Castillo was tagged for all three Marlins runs in the fourth and fifth innings.  Whit Merrifield continued to swing a hot bat, collecting two more hits, including a two-run single in the second.

In the Spring Breakout game, Mick Abel started for the Phillies and allowed a solo home run to Tigers prospect Jace Jung.  Jung would hit a second home run in the fifth off Griff McGarry.  Justin Crawford led off for the Phillies and had a pair of singles and a stolen base.  Crawford scored the only run for the Phillies when Aidan Miller singled him home in the first.

Featured Card:  Let's go with a card for Crawford.  He's likely a few years away from being a regular in Phillies game posts on this blog, and by then I'm sure he'll have a ton more baseball cards.  This is his card from last year's Threshers team set.

Camp Head Count:  57

The Phillies are going the wrong way with their spring headcount, adding another non-roster invitee on Saturday.  Jordan Luplow (of) was signed to a minor league contract, a day after the Braves released him.  Luplow has played in parts of seven major league seasons with the Pirates, Indians, Rays, Diamondbacks, Blue Jays and Twins.

Player (position) - 2023 Organization - Last Major Baseball Card

23.  Jordan Luplow - Blue Jays/Twins - 2022 Topps Update #US286 (Diamondbacks)

Spring Training Game 20 - Phils Fall to Astros as Spring Training Rambles On

2022 Topps Now World Series Matchup #WSM-4

Astros 5, Phillies 3
Spring Training Game 20 - Friday Night, March 15th in West Palm Beach
Record - 8-9-3

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies fell quietly to the Astros, 5-3, in one of only two spring training night games they'll play this year.

What It Means:  It would have been cool if this game was televised, but given the outcome it's probably a good thing that I largely ignored it.

What Happened:  Cristopher Sanchez pitched the first 2 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on eight hits.  Spencer Turnbull, Luis F. Ortiz and Yunior Marte all had scoreless innings of relief for the Phillies.  The offense was mostly quiet until the sixth when Johan Rojas walked, Trea Turner singled and Bryson Stott singled Rojas home.  In the ninth, two more runs scored on a Kody Clemens double and a Matt Kroon ground-out.

Featured Card:  Here's a card featuring the shortstops from the 2022 World Series.  Jeremy Pena didn't play in the Friday night spring training game, but in 2022 he'd go on to be the World Series MVP.  I'd love to add some more of these cards to my Phillies collection in 2024.

Camp Head Count:  56

Spring Training Game 19 - Suarez Handles Sox

2024 Topps #229

Phillies 6, Red Sox 1
Spring Training Game 19 - Thursday Afternoon, March 14th in Clearwater
Record - 8-8-3

One Sentence Summary:  Ranger Suarez looked solid in his latest start as the Phillies defeated the Red Sox, 6-1.

What It Means:  This game fell exactly two weeks before opening day.

What Happened:  Suarez pitched 3 2/3 shutout innings, allowing a hit, four walks and striking out five.  The Phillies plated four runs in the second with Edmundo Sosa and Weston Wilson contributing RBI singles and Whit Merrifield adding an RBI double.  Two more runs scored in the sixth following back-to-back doubles from David Dahl and Kyle Schwarber, and an RBI single from Merrifield.  Merrifield is batting .348 so far this spring with four doubles and two home runs.

Featured Card:  Suarez, the club's solid number three starter, is definitely underrated and hopefully he starts to gain more recognition this year.  Here's his first baseball card from 2024, from Topps Series One.

Camp Head Count:  56

Spring Training Game 18 - Marsh Returns as Phils Top Tigers

2024 Topps Royal Blue #71

Phillies 4, Tigers 1
Spring Training Game 18 - Wednesday Afternoon, March 13th in Clearwater
Record - 7-8-3

One Sentence Summary:  Whit Merrifield homered and Aaron Nola had a solid spring outing in this 4-1 win over the Tigers.

What It Means:  Brandon Marsh made his first appearance of the spring after having knee surgery last month.  He went 0 for 2, but looked good on defense.

What Happened:  Nola went 4 2/3 innings, allowing a solo home run and striking out five.  Merrifield tied the score with his second spring home run in the sixth inning.  The Phillies took the lead in the eighth when Kody Clemens scored on a wild pitch.  Singles from Carlos De La Cruz and Jake Cave plated two more runs in the inning.

Featured Card:  I think I'm done buying 2024 Topps packs to open, as I've had my fill.  I still really like the design of this year's cards, and here's another Royal Blue parallel I found in one of the packs my wife Jenna recently brought home for me.

Camp Head Count:  56

Before the game, three more non-roster invitees were re-assigned to minor league camp:  Mick Abel (rhp), Ryan Burr (rhp) and Tyler McKay (rhp).  And while the official head count is 56, there are at least two players who are injured and will likely begin the season on the Injured List.  Dylan Covey (rhp) has been shut down with a shoulder issue and Michael Rucker (rhp) was sent back to Philadelphia to have a numb finger checked out.

Spring Training Game 17 - Phils Offense Can't Support Wheels

1969 Topps #229

Yankees 2, Phillies 1
Spring Training Game 17 - Monday Afternoon, March 11th in Clearwater
Record - 6-8-3

One Sentence Summary:  Zack Wheeler appears ready for the season, as he tossed three shutout innings against the Yankees on Monday afternoon, in a game lost by the Phillies, 2-1.

What It Means:  Opening day is 17 days away.

What Happened:  Wheeler didn't allow a hit and struck out three in his 47-pitch outing.  The bullpen shut down the Yankees until the eighth when Oscar Gonzalez hit a two-run home run off Luis F. Ortiz.  The Phillies offense was quiet all afternoon, with only five hits, including doubles from Whit Merrifield and Aramis Garcia.  Garcia's double came in the ninth, and he'd score the Phillies' only run following a David Dahl sacrifice fly.

Featured Card:  I'm going to save my Wheeler cards for the regular season, as I'm hoping to be featuring quite a few of them.  I'm still plugging along on my 1969 Topps blog, and I'm almost caught up on posts for cards purchased over a year ago at the March 2023 Philly Show.  Here's outfielder Don Lock's card from the set, recently featured here, and it looks as if Lock could use some sunglasses.

Camp Head Count:  59

In the first roster moves of the spring, Tyler Phillips (rhp) and Griff McGarry (rhp) were reassigned to minor league camp and Michael Mercado (rhp) was optioned to Triple-A.  Mercado impressed during his outings, and it's likely he'll be back at some point in 2024.

Spring Training Game 16 - Phils Hold on for Win Following Clemens' Slam

2024 Topps #126

Phillies 9, Pirates 7
Spring Training Game 16 - Sunday Afternoon, March 10th in Bradenton
Record - 6-7-3

One Sentence Summary:  For the second day in a row, the Phillies received a game-tying grand slam, but this time they'd hold on to win the game.

What It Means:  I listened to a lot of this game during a two-hour afternoon drive home, following a memorial service for a dear family friend.

What Happened:  Trailing 5-0 early, the Phillies chipped away with a run in the third and then Kody Clemens' grand slam in the fourth.  Back-to-back doubles in the sixth from Rodolfo Castro and Garrett Stubbs made it 7-5 Phillies.  The Pirates tied it up at 7-7 in the bottom of the sixth, but the Phillies were able to score a pair of runs in the ninth on a costly error by second baseman Termarr Johnson.

Ricardo Pinto picked up the win in his spring debut, and minor league call-up Max Lazer pitched a scoreless ninth to record the save.

Featured Card:  Clemens is front (back?) and center on the Phillies team card in the recently released 2024 Topps Series One.

Camp Head Count:  62

Spring Training Game 15 - Sosa Slams, but Phils Can't Hold Jays

2023 Topps Update #US2

Blue Jays 13, Phillies 5
Spring Training Game 15 - Saturday Afternoon, March 9th in Clearwater
Record - 5-7-3

One Sentence Summary:  Edmundo Sosa hit a sixth inning grand slam to tie the score 5-5, but eight unanswered runs from the Blue Jays in the ninth inning sunk the Phils.

What It Means:  Spring training records mean nothing, but the Phillies have lost a frustratingly bunch of times this spring using minor league pitchers over the last few innings of most games.

What Happened:  Taijuan Walker made his first start of the spring, pitching two innings and allowing a run on two hits while striking out three.  Nick Castellanos hit his second home run of the spring in the second inning.  Sosa unloaded in the sixth after Bryce Harper walked, J.T. Realmuto was hit by a pitch and Bryson Stott singled.  In the ninth, the Blue Jays plated eight runs on seven hits, including a two-run home run and a grand slam, off Phillies relievers Noah Skirrow and Alex Rao.

Featured Card:  Sosa's game-tying slam should have been the story of this game, if not for the ninth inning bullpen meltdown.  Here's his card from the 2023 Topps Update set, his first flagship set appearance with the Phillies.

Camp Head Count:  62

Spring Training Game 14 - Stott, Suarez Star in Win Over 'Stros

Phillies 6, Astros 3
Spring Training Game 14 - Friday Afternoon, March 8th in Clearwater
Record - 5-6-3

One Sentence Summary:  Bryson Stott had four RBIs and Ranger Suarez struck out five in his strong outing, as the Phillies downed the Astros, 6-3.

What It Means:  Opening day is less than three weeks away.

What Happened:  Suarez went 3 1/3 innings, allowing two hits and no runs.  J.T. Realmuto started the scoring with an RBI single in the first, and Stott added an RBI groundout a few batters later.  David Dahl capped the first inning scoring with an RBI double.  Stott hit a two-run home run in the third, his first of the spring, and then completed his day with an RBI single in the fifth.

Garrett Stubbs and his younger brother C.J., a catcher for the Astros, shared a baseball field in this game for the first time in their careers.

Featured Card:  This is Stott's card from last year's Stadium Club set, not released until this past January.

Camp Head Count:  62

Listening to the radio broadcast yesterday, color commentator Kevin Stocker discussed how the Phillies had yet to make any reductions to their active roster, likely due to a virus that's been going through the clubhouse the past week.  The Phillies are hesitant to send players down, in case they're needed with so many people out with this bug.

Spring Training Game 13 - Win Eludes Phils Again

2023 Choice Lehigh Valley
IronPigs #12

Rays 3, Phillies 2
Spring Training Game 13 - Thursday Afternoon, March 7th in Port Charlotte
Record - 4-6-3

One Sentence Summary:  Aaron Nola suffered a rough outing and the Phillies offense was again quiet, losing for the third time this week by a score of 3-2.

What It Means:  The Phillies are 0 for the week so far, having last won a game on Saturday afternoon.

What Happened:  Nola pitched into the fourth, striking out five, but departing with his team trailing, 3-2.  That would be the final score as the remaining six innings were a showcase for both team's bullpens.  Of the six relievers used by the Phillies, only Yunior Marte could earn a spot on the opening day roster, and he threw a scoreless fifth inning.  Edmundo Sosa had a pair of hits, including a double, and Aramis Garcia accounted for all the scoring with a two-run single in the third.

Featured Card:  Catcher Garcia is batting an even .500 (9 for 18) for the spring.  I only have one card of his in my Phillies collection so far, from last year's IronPigs team set.

Camp Head Count:  62

Spring Training Game 12 - Phils Fall Quietly to Orioles

2023 Topps Heritage #588

Orioles 3, Phillies 2
Spring Training Game 12 - Tuesday Afternoon, March 5th in Clearwater
Record - 4-5-3

One Sentence Summary:  A quiet Phillies offense continued to work on some stuff, as Zack Wheeler made his first start since signing his big three-year contract extension.

What It Means:  The Phillies dipped below the .500 mark for the first time this spring, but I don't think any of us are too concerned at this point.

What Happened:  Wheeler went two innings, striking out four and allowing a run on two hits.  Max Castillo entered next and looked great, striking out four and allowing three hits in his three innings.  Jake Cave singled home a run for the Phillies in the fourth after J.T. Realmuto led off with a double.  The Phillies tacked on a run in the ninth when Nick Podkul scored on an infield single from Pedro Martinez.

Featured Card:  Cave, the last out of the Phillies disappointing 2023 playoff run, and now battling for a bench spot, is batting .364 this spring.  He received his first solo mainstream Phillies card in the 2023 Topps Heritage set.

Camp Head Count:  62

I would expect the first spring cuts to start happening any day now.  Only four players haven't yet seen any spring action - Rafael Marchan (c) with a back injury, Brandon Marsh (of) who is recovering from left knee surgery, Taijuan Walker (rhp) with a knee ailment and Ricardo Pinto (rhp) who has had visa issues.

Spring Training Game 11 - Phils Extend Wheeler as Team Falls to Jays

2024 Topps #262

Blue Jays 5, Phillies 2
Spring Training Game 11 - Monday Afternoon, March 4th in Dunedin
Record - 4-4-3

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies continue to work on some stuff as the pitching was great and the offense was mostly absent in this 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays.

What It Means:  The regular season starts in a little over three weeks.

What Happened:  Nick Nelson got the start, going three innings and allowing a solo home run to Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. in the first inning.  Griff McGarry's struggles continued, as the pitching prospect couldn't escape the fifth inning.  He allowed three runs on three hits and a walk and was ultimately tagged with the loss.  At the plate, the Phillies offense was 2 for 15 with runners in scoring position.  Aramis Garcia had an RBI double in the fourth, bringing home Bryson Stott who had tripled to start the inning, and Kody Clemens added an RBI single in the seventh.  Garcia has had a productive spring and is now batting .533 (8 for 15) as he solidifies his place in the team's catching depth chart.

Featured Card:  The big news of the day was the extension of Zack Wheeler's contract, taking him through the 2027 season, and presumably, the rest of his career.  The deal is worth $126 million, and the $42 million average annual value is the highest for a contract extension in MLB history.  Wheeler has been a workhorse and an ace on the staff since he signed with the club before the 2020 season.  He was an All-Star in 2021, and finished in the top six of Cy Young voting in 2021 and 2023.  With Wheeler's signing, the core of the Phillies team is locked up through at least 2025.  Looking ahead to this coming offseason, the only definite free agents are pitchers Jeff Hoffman, Matt Strahm and Spencer Turnbull.

We're in the midst of another Golden Age of Phillies baseball, and this group of players will make up much of the team's future Wall of Fame.  A World Series title is the only thing missing, and hopefully they fix that this year.

Camp Head Count:  62

Spring Training Game 10 - Phils Lose, but Bohm Continues to Hit

2024 Topps Royal Blue #266

Braves 3, Phillies 2
Spring Training Game 10 - Sunday Afternoon, March 3rd in North Port
Record - 4-3-3

One Sentence Summary:  Alec Bohm was 3 for 3 at the plate, but the rest of the Phillies couldn't get much offense going in this 3-2 loss to the Braves.

What It Means:  I settled down to watch this game on TV on Sunday afternoon, having worked most of the previous day, only to find the game was not being televised.  Bummer.  Turns out I didn't really miss much.

What Happened:  Eight Phillies relievers combined to hold the Braves to three runs on five hits, with Connor Brogdon and Yunior Marte starting the game with two scoreless frames.  Minor league call-up Paxton Thompson allowed a two-run home run to Orlando Arcia in the sixth inning, and that was the difference in the ballgame.  Jake Cave had a nice day too, going 2 for 3.

Featured Card:  I mentioned this card in my First Phillie post over the weekend, so I'm glad Bohm gave me an excuse to show it here.  This is the base set Royal Blue parallel, which may not work well with say the Diamondbacks or the Athletics, but it looks great on a Phillies card.  I do wish Topps had taken the extra step of using team coordinated borders for its 2024 flagship set, but I still think the design is fantastic.

With Bohm's 3 for 3 day, he raised his spring average to a gaudy .714.

Camp Head Count:  62

Spring Training Game 9 - Casty's Homer Leads the Way

2023 Topps Allen & Ginter #189

Phillies 3, Twins 2
Spring Training Game 9 - Saturday Afternoon, March 2nd in Clearwater
Record - 4-2-3

One Sentence Summary:  There wasn't a lot of offense in this game as the Phillies managed to squeak by the Twins, winning 3-2.

What It Means:  Just a perfect game to watch on a gray, rainy Saturday in New Jersey.

What Happened:  Nick Castellanos hit his first home run of the spring, and then had to call the batboy out, his son Liam, to remind him to remove his bat before he could touch home plate.  Minor league call-up Felix Reyes had the winning hit with a two-run double in the seventh, scoring William Simoneit and Trevor Schwecke.  These games certainly don't matter, but it's worth noting Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto, Bryce Harper and Bryson Stott were a combined 0 for 9 with six strikeouts.

David Buchanan got the start and allowed a run on two hits over a pair of innings worked.

Featured Card:  Topps Allen & Ginter was released in mid-October last year, so too late for any of the Phillies cards from the set to be featured in game summary posts.  Here's Casty's card from the popular Topps set, which has now been around since 2006.

Camp Head Count:  62

The First Phillie - 2024 Topps!

Topps mixed things up this year, making collectors wait until January 11th to reveal the design of its 2024 flagship set.  In year's past, the design was released in August or September and when the season came to a close with no announcement and no inkling as to what the 2024 Topps cards would look like, I was a little worried.  I prepared myself to be underwhelmed whenever the design was finally released.

My first thought on seeing the design in mid-January:  These are cool.  My second thought:  The neon-like team name is fantastic, and how has Topps not done this before?  This is what a baseball card in 2024 should look like.  It's a modern look with the foggy border elements Topps likes so much from recent years, but collectors are given a solid photo, a unique way of presenting the team name, the team logo and clearly legible names and positions.  It's a great looking card, and it springs to the top of my list of favorite Topps flagship releases over the past 10 years.

The set was officially released on Valentine's Day, but I didn't open my first packs until February 19th.  My wife Jenna found three blaster boxes at our local Target that day, and I happily opened all three after dinner.  In the past, we've made a big show of the first packs of the year, but this year was a little more subdued.  The First Phillie hunt was extremely anti-climatic, as J.T. Realmuto was staring at me atop the first plastic-wrapped bunch of 59 cards I took from the first box I opened.

This is an exciting design, and Topps clearly creates its base cards now to work well with multiple parallel versions.  It wasn't until I had the cards in hand that I realized the team name and photo borders have foil-like features to them.  Scans don't do the cards justice, as these elements can't really be seen unless you're holding them.  I had a blue-bordered Alec Bohm card in one of my three boxes, and I like the full blue border more than the smoky black and white border on the normal base cards.  That's my only complaint, and if I had designed the cards, each card would have a border color corresponding to the player's team.  I like the backs too - very clean, with complete career statistics as has always been the norm with Topps flagship sets.

Finally, it's a promising sign of things to come that three of my top four sets over the past 10 years are all recent releases.  With 2014 dropping off the list, here's a look at my updated rankings:

Best Five:  2024, 2015, 2023, 2022, 2019

Bottom Five:  2016, 2018, 2021, 2017, 2020

Best - 2024 Topps #194

#2 - 2015 Topps #309

#3 - 2023 Topps #278

#4 - 2022 Topps #249

#5 - 2019 Topps #303

#6 - 2016 Topps #15

#7 - 2018 Topps #26

#8 - 2021 Topps #79

#9 - 2017 Topps #247

Worst - 2020 Topps #221

Past First Phillies

2010 Topps #300 Chase Utley

2011 Topps #242 Brad Lidge

2012 Topps #98 Domonic Brown

2013 Topps #6 Ryan Howard
2014 Topps #90 Ethan Martin
2015 Topps #309 Maikel Franco
2016 Topps #15 Ryan Howard
2017 Topps #247 Hector Neris
2018 Topps #26 Cesar Hernandez
2019 Topps #303 Ranger Suarez
2020 Topps #190 Aaron Nola

2021 Topps #79 Roman Quinn

2022 Topps #249 Zack Wheeler

2023 Topps #278 Aaron Nola

2024 Topps #194 J.T. Realmuto

Spring Training Games 7 & 8 - Phils March Closer to Opening Day

2022 Topps 206

Tigers 4, Phillies 2
Spring Training Game 7 - Friday Afternoon, March 1st in Lakeland

Phillies 6, Marlins 6
Spring Training Game 8 - Friday Afternoon, March 1st in Clearwater
Record - 3-2-3

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies split their squad, with Ranger Suarez looking great against the Tigers and Aaron Nola looking not so great against the Marlins.

What It Means:  Work continues to conspire against me, keeping me away from any spring training game enjoyment.  I hope to break away and watch some of the games this weekend.

What Happened:  In Lakeland, Suarez pitched three shutout innings, allowing a hit and striking out two.  Minor league call-up Ryan Burr allowed a pair of sixth inning home runs and the Tigers would eventually win, 4-2.

In Clearwater, Nola lasted three innings, giving up four runs on seven hits.  He didn't record any strikeouts or walks.  Spencer Turnbull followed Nola and restored some order, pitching two perfect innings and striking out four.  Griff McGarry struck out the side in the sixth.  Scott Kingery, playing center field in this game, hit a two-run home run in the sixth.  The newly added Cam Gallagher added a two-run home run in the eighth, and David Dahl hit a solo home run in the ninth to tie the game.

Featured Card:  Suarez's strong start was promising.  Here's his card from the 2022 online-only release from Topps, paying tribute to the original T206 tobacco set.

Camp Head Count:  62