Game 147 - Bats Take Afternoon Off Against Astros

Houston Astros	2
Philadelphia Phillies	1

1994 Fleer #239

Thursday Afternoon, September 10th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
82-65, 2nd Place, 4 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies managed three hits, wasting a solid effort from Zack Wheeler, and falling by a 2-1 score to the Astros.

What It Means:  This was a frustrating loss, especially as the team heads to Atlanta for a crucial three-game weekend series against the first place Braves.

What Happened:  Wheeler gave up a run on five hits and struck out nine in his seven inning outing.  Jose Alvarado worked out of a jam in the eighth to preserve the tie.  Jhoan Duran allowed a solo home to Cam Smith in the top of the ninth to give the Astros the lead.  The Phillies scored their lone run in the fifth on a fielder's choice groundout from Bryson Stott, with Alec Bohm running into an out at third base.

Featured Card:  I could be wrong, but I feel the window I have to feature Don Mattingly cards on this blog is closing.  As I continue to enter large 5,000 count boxes of junk wax era and 1990s baseball cards into my collection at TCDB, I've come across a bunch of Mattingly cards I forgot I had.  This is one of those cards from the under appreciated 1994 Fleer set.  We could use Mattingly in his prime in the Phillies' line-up right about now.

2026 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2026 Season Summary Index / 2026 Chachi Set Checklist

Spring Training Game 19 - Phils Rain on Jays' Day

Toronto Blue Jays	5
Philadelphia Phillies	8

8 Innings

2024 Topps Archives #262

Spring Training Game 19

Thursday Afternoon, March 12th

BayCare Ballpark - Clearwater, FL

Record - 6-12-1

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies offense jumped on Blue Jays pitching early, scoring eight runs in the first three innings in this rain-shortened win.

What It Means:  The World Baseball Classic is reaching its crescendo, and these spring training games are barely an afterthought.  I'm ready for the regular season to start.

What Happened:  With the score tied 1-1, the Phillies took the lead for good in the second on a Rafael Marchan sacrifice fly followed by a two-run double from Trea Turner.  Alec Bohm hit a solo home run to lead off the third, the first of four runs scored that inning.  The newly extended Jesus Luzardo allowed three runs on five hits in his 3 2/3 innings of work.

Featured Card:  The Phillies announced Chase Utley would be the Wall of Fame inductee this year, in a ceremony taking place before their August 7th game.  I'm happy to report I've already secured four tickets to this game and I can't wait for the ceremony.  Here's one of the more recent Utley cards in my collection, from the 2024 Topps Archives set.  (Is it odd to feel nostalgic about the 1994 Topps set design?)

Camp Head Count:  64 - 6 = 58

With the World Baseball Classic ending and the season suddenly two weeks (!) away, the roster moves should come fast and furious at this point.  Six players were reassigned to minor league camp prior to the game:  Andrew Bechtold (rhp), Michael Mercado (rhp), Kehden Hettiger (c), Mark Kolozsvary (c), Caleb Ricketts (c) and Aidan Miller (inf).

Game 143 - Bullpen Fails Phils Yet Again

1994 Finest #416

Braves 10, Phillies 8 (Game 1 - 10 Innings)
Game 143 - Monday Afternoon, September 11th in Philadelphia
Record - 78-65

One Sentence Summary:  Bryce Harper hit a dramatic, game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth only to have Jose Alvarado immediately allow the go-ahead, and eventual winning run in the top of the 10th.

What It Means:  Frustrating day at work, frustrating day watching the Phillies.

What Happened:  The Phillies trailed by a score of 8-4 after six innings, and clawed back to tie the game with Harper's blast in the ninth.  Trea Turner hit a two-run home in the seventh to make it 8-6 and then Harper homered off Braves' closer Raisel Iglesias with Turner aboard to make it 8-8.  Alvarado entered in the 10th and allowed a lead off single to Kevin Pillar to score the Braves' ghost runner.  Orlando Arcia added an RBI-double to pour salt into the wound.

Prior to all of that, Taijuan Walker labored through 5 1/3 innings, allowing six runs (five earned) on six hits and three walks while striking out five.  Andrew Bellatti gave up two home runs in his 1 2/3 innings of relief.  Alec Bohm had a huge hit in the third, tying the game at 2-2 with a two-run double.

Featured Card:  I had this game on mute on my TV as I opted to work from home today in order to save myself some commuting time.  Maybe I should have driven in?  The few parts of the game I heard were highlighted by John Kruk's commentary, and Kruk remains the only part of the television broadcast team I regularly enjoy.  My 1994 Phillies binder is open next to me, and here's Kruk's shiny card from the 1994 Finest set.

2023 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2023 Season Summary Index / 2023 Chachi Set Checklist

1994 Philadelphia Phillies Photo Cards

Number of Cards:  46
Card Size:  4" x 6"

Description:  For the sixth year in a row, the card fronts feature a photo with the player's, coach's or manager's name in a red band with white text.  The card backs feature biographical information along with complete career statistics.  The card backs also feature the club's 1993 N.L. Champions logo.  From this point forward (as of this writing), the Phillies team issued sets have been sponsor-less.  Medford Food Company sponsored its third and final set in 1993.

How Distributed:  The original 36-card set was available for sale at Veterans Stadium throughout the season.  A ten-card update series was produced and sold at the ballpark in the second half of the season, before the player's strike ended the season prematurely on August 11th.  The update series is fairly difficult to track down.  I attended a few games at the Vet that July, adding the set to my collection.  The Phillies played on only 19 days following the All-Star break and before the strike, meaning the set was on sale for only a short time.

Complete Set Checklist (Unnumbered, presented here alphabetically with uniform number and position from the front of cards): 

1. Larry Andersen (#47 - RHP) 2. Kim Batiste (#5 - INF) 3. Larry Bowa (#2 - Third Base Coach)      4. Wes Chamberlain (#44 - OF) 5. Norm Charlton (#37 - LHP) 6. Darren Daulton (#10 - C) 7. Mariano Duncan (#7 - INF) 8. Lenny Dykstra (#4 - OF) 9. Jim Eisenreich (#8 - OF) 10. Jim Fregosi (#11 - MG) 11. Tyler Green (#28 - RHP) 12. Tommy Greene (#49 - RHP)

13. Dave Hollins (#15 - INF) 14. Pete Incaviglia (#22 - OF) 15. Danny Jackson (#27 - LHP) 16. Doug Jones (#23 - RHP)* 17. Ricky Jordan (#17 - 1B) 18. Jeff Juden (#43 - RHP) 19. John Kruk (#29 - 1B) 20. Tony Longmire (#16 - OF) 21. Roger Mason (#48 - RHP) 22. Denis Menke (#14 - Hitting Instructor)      23. Mickey Morandini (#12 - INF) 24. Bobby Munoz (#35 - RHP)

25. Johnny Podres (#46 - Pitching Coach) 26. Todd Pratt (#6 - Catcher) 27. Ben Rivera (#34 - RHP) 28. Mel Roberts (#26 - First Base Coach) 29. Mike Ryan (#9 - Bullpen Coach) 30. Curt Schilling (#38 - RHP) 31. Heathcliff Slocumb (#51 - RHP) 32. Kevin Stocker (#19 - INF) 33. Milt Thompson (#25 - OF) 34. John Vukovich (#18 - Dugout Assistant)      35. David West (#40 - LHP) 36. Mike Williams (#41 - RHP)

Complete Update Checklist (Unnumbered, presented here alphabetically with uniform number and position from the front of cards):

1. Toby Borland (#42 - RHP)      2. Andy Carter (#50 - LHP) 3. Billy Hatcher (#3 - OF) 4. Mike Lieberthal (#24 - C)

5. Tom Marsh (#21 - OF) 6. Paul Quantrill (#48 - RHP)        7. Randy Ready (#31 - INF)

8. Fernando Valenzuela (#33 - LHP)      9. Phillie Phanatic 10. 1994 Phillies All-Stars

One and Only Phillies Baseball Card (1):  Carter

First Appearance in Phillies Team Issued Set (12):  Borland, Charlton, Hatcher, Jones, Juden, Lieberthal, Longmire, Marsh, Munoz, Quantrill, Slocumb, Valenzuela
Returning Players in Phillies Team Issued Set (24):  Andersen, Batiste, Chamberlain, Daulton, Duncan, Dykstra, Eisenreich, Green, Greene, Hollins, Incaviglia, Jackson, Jordan, Kruk, Mason, Morandini, Pratt, Ready, Rivera, Schilling, Stocker, Thompson, West, Williams

*The Jones card in the original 36-card set erroneously lists his date of birth of January 2, 1972.  This was corrected with a second Jones card (with an identical photo) issued with the update set.

Andy Carter's only Phillies baseball card can be found within the update set.  

Manager (1):  Fregosi
Coaches (6):  Bowa, Menke, Podres, Roberts, Ryan, Vukovich

Phillie Phanatic (1):  The Phanatic is shown atop the Phillies dugout, wearing his blue hat which was briefly introduced at certain home games during the 1994 season.

Broadcasters (0):  N/A
Other Cards (1):  1994 Phillies All-Stars, featuring Vukovich, Fregosi, Podres, Dykstra, Jones, Jackson and Duncan.

Set Composition:  The entire 25-man opening day roster made it into the set, with the exception of outfielder Tom Marsh, who didn't get a card until the update set was released.  Also appearing in the original set were John Kruk, Norm Charlton, Wes Chamberlain and Larry Andersen, who all began the season on the Disabled List.  Charlton would miss the entire season.  The oft-injured Tyler Green got a card too, but he spent the entire season with the Triple-A Red Barons.

The eight players included in the update set were added to the roster between opening day (Marsh) and June 29th (Mike Lieberthal), meaning the update set was likely released shortly after the All-Star break.  Fernando Valenzuela looks as if he was asked to put on a uniform for the sole purpose of letting the Phillies take pictures.

Omissions:  Shawn Boskie, who pitched in 18 games for the Phillies in 1994, is the big omission here.  Boskie was added too late for inclusion in the original set, as the Phillies acquired him from the Cubs on April 12th for Kevin Foster.  He could have been added to the update set, as he was with the club and active up until his trade to the Mariners on July 21st.  Boskie was included within the Mellon Bank Phillies SGA set, given away to all kids attending the June 26th game.  There are four other players who appeared with the Phillies during the strike-shortened season who didn't get team-issued photo cards:  Tom Quinlan, on the roster for 45 days in May and June, Bob Wells, Ricky Bottalico and Tom Edens, who was acquired from the Astros a few weeks before the end of the season.

Variations/Rarities:  In the comments to the original post for this set, fellow Phillies collector Rick  pointed out the following non-set cards/variations.  Rick also adds some of the popular players (including John Kruk) had cards issued including a facsimile autograph.

1. Dick Allen (with 1994 copyright) 2. Doug Jones (corrected birthday of 6/24/57)

Trivia:  The Beckett database lists the set as "1994 Phillies Medford" even though Medford Food Company was not the sponsor of this set.  The listing also omits the ten card update set.  The set's listing in the 2001 Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards lists the set as "1994 Phillies Photocards" and includes only the base 36 cards.

Resources:  Beckett.com; Phillies collector Rick (@rickphils)

This set was originally featured in a post back in November 2014, and I'm going through these older team-issued set posts to update them with new information learned (if any) over the past six years.

1993 Medford Philadelphia Phillies Photo Cards / 1995 Philadelphia Phillies Photo Cards

1980-1999 Phillies Team-Issued Photo Cards Want List / Phillies Team Issued Sets Index Page

Game 137 - Offense Provides Enough Cushion for Bullpen

2022 Bowman Heritage #84

Phillies 9, Padres 7
Game 137 - Monday Night, September 4th in San Diego
Record - 76-61, 2nd Place, 14 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies offense scored often and early and the Phillies bullpen squashed a late comeback attempt by the Padres in this 9-7 win.

What It Means:  Where did the summer go?

What Happened:  Taijuan Walker was the beneficiary again of the run support, as he won his team-leading 15th game.  Walker battled through five innings, allowing four runs on five hits and three walks.  Craig Kimbrel and Jose Alvarado made it interesting in the end, walking a combined four batters over the final two innings but not allowing any runs.  Alvarado earned his seventh save.

Edmundo Sosa, Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber all homered in the win.  Alec Bohm plated three in the first with a bases-clearing double and Cristian Pache added an RBI triple in the third to make it 7-1 Phillies.  Sosa's RBI double drove home Pache and gave the Phillies a 8-1 lead that seemed, and fortunately proved to be, insurmountable.  Bohm had three hits and Bryson Stott tallied a four-hit day, raising his average from .289 to .294 over the course of the game.

Featured Card:  Stott gets the card here for his 4 for 5 day, although Bohm, Turner and Sosa all had multi-RBI performances.  As of this writing, Stott is leading the Phillies with a 4.3 bWAR mark.  Topps has decreased its unique, non-parallel set output again this year, so I've not added as many Phillies baseball cards to my collection in 2023 as I have in years' past.  Here's a 2022 Bowman Heritage card that's 2022 in name only, as it was released in March 2023.

2023 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2023 Season Summary Index / 2023 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 16 - Phillies Offense Unloads on Reds Pitching

2022 Bowman Heritage #84

Phillies 14, Reds 3
Game 16 - Sunday Afternoon, April 16th in Cincinnati
Record - 6-10, 4th Place, 6 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies didn't let up on Sunday afternoon, unleashing 23 hits and 14 runs and leaving Cincinnati in a winning mood.

What It Means:  A day after being shut out by the Reds, 13-0, the Phillies returned the favor (plus one extra run) in this thrashing.  The win gave them a four-game series split and they'll head to Chicago next to take on the White Sox, who also have a disappointing 6-10 record.

What Happened:  Bryson Stott started things off in the first, hitting his first career lead-off home run and extending his season-opening hitting streak to 16 games.  That ties Stott with Puddin' Head Jones for the longest Phillies hitting streak to open a season in the modern era, as Jones began the 1950 season hitting safely in his first 16 games.  Brandon Marsh had a four-hit day, while Stott, Trea Turner, J.T. Realmuto and Alec Bohm all had three hits a piece.  Realmuto hit a seventh inning home run, his second of the season.

Aaron Nola was the recipient of the offense, earning his first win while pitching six strong innings.

Featured Card:  This Stott card arrived over the weekend, and it's from the recently released 2022 Bowman Heritage set, which pays tribute to the original 1994 Bowman design.

Transaction:  Luis F. Ortiz (rhp) was recalled from Lehigh Valley to take McKinley Moore's (rhp) spot on the roster.  Ortiz made his Phillies debut in the ninth, striking out a pair in a scoreless inning.

2023 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2023 Season Summary Index / 2023 Chachi Set Checklist

1994 Topps Phillies Team Set

#238 Kim Batiste

#419 Wes Chamberlain

#380 Darren Daulton

#663 Mariano Duncan

#635 Len Dykstra

#504 Jim Eisenreich

#294 Tyler Green

#570 Tommy Greene

#476 Dave Hollins

#323 Pete Incaviglia

#199 Danny Jackson

#86 Ricky Jordan

#401 John Kruk

#533 Roger Mason

#692 Mickey Morandini

#170 Terry Mulholland

#328 Donn Pall

#597 Todd Pratt

#352 Ben Rivera

#142 Curt Schilling

#57 Kevin Stocker

#722 Milt Thompson

#266 Dave West

#447 Mike Williams

#114 Mitch Williams

#28 Tony Longmire FS

#786 Kevin Foster / Gene Schall CA

#742 Wayne Gomes DP

#608 Darren Daulton MOG

#388 Len Dykstra AS

Traded

#5T Toby Borland

#53T Shawn Boskie

#126T Doug Jones

#102T Bobby Munoz

#43T Heathcliff Slocumb

#130T Ryan Sandberg

1993 Topps Phillies Team Set / 1995 Topps Phillies Team Set

Game 87 - 1994 Fleer Update #U171 Fernando Valenzuela

Braves 12, Phillies 6
Game 87 - Thursday Night, July 4th in Atlanta
Record - 45-42, 3rd place, 6 1/2 games behind the Braves

Annual Post-Vacation Game Summary Catch-Up, Part 8 of 10

One Sentence Summary:  Zach Eflin couldn't make a four run first inning lead last as the Braves pounded the Phillies, 12-6.

What It Means:  This loss and a Nationals win dropped the Phillies into third place for the first time all season.

What Happened:  Eflin lasted just three innings, allowing seven runs (six earned) on seven hits.  The big blow came in the third when Ozzie Albies hit a three-run home run to break a 4-4 tie.  The Phillies were mostly held in check after scoring four runs in the first on singles from Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto and Cesar Hernandez.  Sean Rodriguez added a pinch-hit home run in the sixth followed a few batters later by an RBI double from Rhys Hoskins.

Featured Card:  While sailing aboard the Disney Fantasy, we visited Mexico for the first time as the ship ported in both Cozumel and Costa Maya.  Since the Phillies aren't giving me much to work with in terms of featured cards, here's a card of probably the most famous baseball player born in Mexico, Fernando Valenzuela.  Valenzuela appeared in 8 games for the Phillies back in 1994.

Field Report:  We celebrated the 4th at sea, complete with a fireworks display over the Disney Fantasy.

Transactions:  Juan Nicasio joined the long list of injured relievers this season, landing on the IL with a strained left groin.  Austin Davis was (briefly) recalled to take his place.