1997 Philadelphia Phillies Photo Cards

Number of Cards:  36
Card Size:  4" x 6"

Description:  The fronts feature full color photos with the player's, coach's or manager's name in grey letters against a red stripe background.  The Interleague Play Inaugural Year logo is also featured on the fronts of the cards.  The card backs feature biographical information along with complete career statistics.

How Distributed:  The 36-card set was available for sale at Veterans Stadium throughout the season.  The 2001 Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards notes that the set was sold for $10.  For the third year in a row, there was no update set issued.

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

1. Ruben Amaro (#37 - OF) 2. Ron Blazier (#22 - RHP) 3. Ricky Bottalico (#52 - RHP) 4. Rico Brogna (#2 - 1B) 5. Galen Cisco (#42 - Pitching Instructor)         6. Chuck Cottier (#3 - Bench Coach) 7. Darren Daulton (#10 - 1B/OF) 8. Terry Francona (#7 - MG) 9. Reggie Harris (#40 - RHP) 10. Rex Hudler (#14 - INF) 11. Gregg Jefferies (#25 - LF) 12. Kevin Jordan (#23 - INF)

13. Mark Leiter (#31 - RHP) 14. Mike Lieberthal (#24 - C) 15. Calvin Maduro (#50 - RHP) 16. Wendell Magee, Jr. (#29 - OF) 17. Derrick May (#34 - OF) 18. Hal McRae (#56 - Hitting Instructor)         19. Brad Mills (#9 - First Base Coach) 20. Michael Mimbs (#47 - LHP) 21. Mickey Morandini (#12 - 2B) 22. Bobby Munoz (#35 - RHP) 23. Mark Parent (#8 - C) 24. Erik Plantenberg (#41 - LHP)

25. Mark Portugal (#21 - RHP) 26. Joe Rigoli (#59 - Bullpen Coach) 27. Scott Rolen (#17 - 3B) 28. Scott Ruffcorn (#33 - RHP) 29. Ken Ryan (#51 - RHP) 30. Curt Schilling (#38 - RHP) 31. Kevin Sefcik (#31 - INF) 32. Jerry Spradlin (#48 - RHP) 33. Kevin Stocker (#19 - SS) 34. Danny Tartabull (#45 - OF) 35. John Vukovich (#18 - Third Base Coach)         36. Phillie Phanatic

One and Only Phillies Baseball Card (2):  Harris, Plantenberg

First Appearances (14):  Blazier, Brogna, Hudler, Leiter, Maduro, Magee Jr., May, Parent, Portugal, Rolen, Ruffcorn, Sefcik, Spradlin, Tartabull
Returning Players (12):  Amaro, Bottalico, Daulton, Jefferies, Jordan, Lieberthal, Mimbs, Morandini, Munoz, Ryan, Schilling, Stocker

Kevin Sefcik's card shows his uniform number as #31, even though Sefcik had switched to #11 at the start of spring training to accommodate veteran addition Mark Leiter who took over #31.  

Manager (1):  Francona
Coaches (6):  Cisco, Cottier, McRae, Mills, Rigoli, Vukovich

Phillie Phanatic (1):  The Phanatic is once again pictured riding his ATV.

Broadcasters (0):  N/A

Set Composition:  Change was in the air in 1997, as less than half of the players or coaches featured in this set had appeared in previous team-issued photo card sets.  Relievers Reggie Harris and Erik Plantenberg make their first and last appearances on Phillies baseball cards.  The entire 25-man opening day roster is included in the set, along with Kevin Jordan, who opened the season in the minors, and pitchers Mark Portugal and Ken Ryan, who started the season on the disabled list.  Four additional players began the year on the DL and did not receive cards in the set - pitchers Edgar Ramos, Tyler Green and Mike Grace and long-time center fielder Lenny Dykstra.

Omissions:  Any one not on the opening day roster missed getting a photo card, save for two players who were active at the time of the annual ALS Autograph and Auction Party, held on June 19th - see below.  If the Phillies wanted to issue an update set following the All-Star Break, the set could have included Billy Brewer, Rob Butler, Midre Cummings, Bobby Estalella, Wayne Gomes, Ryan Nye, Ricky Otero and Garrett Stephenson.

Variations/Rarities:  As fellow collector Rick commented on the original post back in November 2014, the Phillies created cards for two additional players for the ALS Autograph and Auction Party - Beech and Gomes.  Also active on June 19th, and not getting cards for the event, were Butler, Nye and Otero.

ALS Autograph and Auction Party 1. Matt Beech (#55 - LHP) 2. Wayne Gomes (#58 - RHP)

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 photo card set posts to update them with new information learned (if any) over the past nine years.

1996 Philadelphia Phillies Photo Cards / 1998 Philadelphia Phillies Photo Cards

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

Rolen Elected Into Hall of Fame

1996 Topps #434

1997 Topps #268

1998 Topps #25

1999 Topps #125

2000 Topps #328

2001 Topps #478

2002 Topps #610

2002 Topps #709

On Tuesday evening, and with 76.3% of the votes, Scott Rolen squeaked into the Hall of Fame and will be inducted in Cooperstown on July 23.  It was Rolen's fifth year on the ballot, and he saw a steady ascent since receiving just 10.2% of the votes during his initial year of 2018, when the ballot had been much more crowded.  He's a Hall of Famer on the strength of his combined offensive and defensive output, and his induction hopefully builds the case for Dick Allen, Dale Murphy and eventually Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley.

Rolen was drafted by the Phillies in the 2nd round of the June 1993 amateur player draft, and he'd make his big league debut on August 1, 1996, getting the call after third baseman Todd Zeile was dealt to the Orioles at the trade deadline.  Rolen was the team's opening day third baseman in 1997, ultimately winning the Rookie of the Year in the National League, after batting .283 with 21 home runs and 92 RBIs.  He'd win his first of eight Gold Gloves the following year in 1998.  Rolen was the Phillies' opening day and regular third baseman between 1997 and mid-2002, during some pretty lean years.  Not looking to sign a contract extension, and wanting to play for a winning team, he was dealt to the Cardinals on July 29, 2002 with Doug Nickle and cash for Placido Polanco, Bud Smith and Mike Timlin.

I was disappointed and upset with Rolen when the trade was announced, and I've since gotten over that.

In his seven seasons with the club, he appeared in 884 games, nearly 200 more than he appeared with the Cardinals.  Rolen batted .282 with 150 home runs and 559 RBIs with the Phillies, again surpassing his totals with the Cardinals.  He's not yet decided which hat his plaque will show when he's inducted, and while a Cardinals hat probably makes the most sense, I'm hoping he wears a Phillies hat.  Rolen also seems a natural candidate to be the team's Wall of Fame Inductee in 2023, but no official announcement has been made.

1997 Topps Phillies Team Set

#14 Ricky Bottalico

#413 Len Dykstra

#161 Jim Eisenreich

#299 Sid Fernandez

#242 Mike Grace

#229 Gregg Jefferies

#56 Mike Lieberthal

#302 Wendell Magee Jr.

#64 Mickey Morandini

#106 Ricky Otero

#268 Scott Rolen

#144 Ken Ryan

#82 Benito Santiago

#368 Curt Schilling

#384 Kevin Stocker

#205 Bobby Estalella PROS

#492 Ron Blazier PROS

#479 Adam Eaton DP

1996 Topps Phillies Team Set / 1998 Topps Phillies Team Set

2022 Chachi #29 Joe Girardi MG

#25
Joseph Elliott Girardi
Manager

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  195
Opening Day Age:  57
Born:  October 14, 1964, Peoria, IL
Contract Status:  Signed through 2022 with a club option for 2023
Major League Teams:  Chicago Cubs 1989-1992; Colorado Rockies 1994-1995; New York Yankees 1996-1999; Chicago Cubs 2000-2002; St. Louis Cardinals 2003
As a Coach:  New York Yankees 2005
As a Manager:  Florida Marlins 2006; New York Yankees 2008-2017; Philadelphia Phillies 2020-

First Phillies Card:  N/A
Newest Card Added:  2020 Topps Allen & Ginter Field Generals #FG-6
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (16):  1990-1998, 2000-2003, 2008-2010

1 - Girardi baseball card in my collection per The Phillies Room Checklist as of 5/7/22.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2019 Chachi #69 - New Manager HL
2020 Chachi Preseason Photo Cards #25
2020 Chachi #31
2020 Chachi Fan Favorites #24
2021 Chachi #27
2021 Chachi #58 - Weird Game HL
2021 Chachi Fan Favorites #15
2022 Chachi #29

1990 Topps #12

1993 Topps #425

1997 Topps #291

2003 Topps #521

2009 Topps #555

2022 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2022 Season Summary Index / 2022 Chachi Set Checklist

2022 Chachi #28 Corey Knebel / 2022 Chachi #30 Phillies Coaches

Phillies Missing Links of the 2000s - #20 Randall Simon

#12
Randall Carlito Simon
Pinch Hitter

Three years after the "Sausage race incident," Randall Simon found himself with the Phillies, contending for the N.L. Wild Card and serving in a pure pinch-hitting role.  The experiment didn't really work as Simon went just 5 for 21 (.238) with no extra base hits and only two RBIs.  In 2007, the Phillies invited him to spring training as a non-roster invitee, but he didn't make the team and his Major League baseball career ended.

Simon's best season came in 2002 with the Tigers when he hit .301 with 19 home runs and 82 RBIs.  His production dropped every year afterwards as he bounced from the Pirates to the Cubs, back to the Pirates, briefly with the Devil Rays and Rangers and then finishing with the Phillies.  Only 31 in 2006, Simon played in parts of four more seasons (through 2010) in Mexico and with various independent teams.

The photo I had to use for his 2016 Chachi card features Simon playing for the Netherlands in the 2006 World Baseball Classic.

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  180
Born:  May 25, 1975, Willemstad, Curacao
Signed:  Signed by the Atlanta Braves as an amateur free agent, July 17, 1992
Major League Teams:  Atlanta Braves 1997-1999; Detroit Tigers 2001-2002; Pittsburgh Pirates 2003; Chicago Cubs 2004; Pittsburgh Pirates 2004; Tampa Bay Devil Rays 2004; Phillies 2006
Professional Affiliations:  Atlanta Braves 1993-1999; New York Yankees 2000; Florida Marlins 2000; Detroit Tigers 2001-2002; Pittsburgh Pirates 2003; Chicago Cubs 2004; Pittsburgh Pirates 2004; Tampa Bay Devil Rays 2004; Texas Rangers 2006; Phillies 2006; Potros de Tijuana (Mexico) 2007; Rojos del Aguila de Veracruz (Mexico) 2007; Newark Bears (Independent) 2008; Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks (Independent) 2009; Gary SouthShore RailCats (Independent) 2010; Rockford RiverHawks (Independent) 2010

Phillies Career
23 games, .238 (5 for 21) with 2 RBIs and 2 walks
Acquired:  September 1, 2006 - Purchased from the Texas Rangers.
Debut:  September 2, 2006 - Pinch-hit for Jon Lieber in the 8th inning against the Braves, singling off Tyler Yates.  Simon was replaced with pinch-runner Joe Thurston.
Final Game:  September 30, 2006 - Pinch-hit for Geoff Geary in the 9th inning against the Marlins, striking out against Joe Borowski.
Departed:  Spring Training 2007 - Released.

0 Simon Baseball Cards in My Collection

Complete Chachi Checklist
2006 Chachi #58

1997 Fleer #653

2003 Topps #119

2003 Topps Heritage #156

2004 Topps #624

2006 Chachi #58

Other Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1997 Fleer #653
First Topps Base Card:  2003 Topps #119
Last Mainstream Card:  2004 Topps Chrome #356
Other Notable Cards:  1997 Bowman #131, 1998 Upper Deck #301, 2002 Fleer Tradition #321, 2002 Topps 206 #338, 2003 Topps Heritage #156, 2004 Topps #624

Sources:  Baseball Reference and The Trading Card Database

Phillies Missing Links of the 2000s
1 Kirk Bullinger
2 Chris Pritchett
3 Bryan Ward
4 Mark Holzemer
5 Turner Ward
6 P.J. Forbes
7 Matt Walbeck
8 Kelly Stinnett
9 Valerio de los Santos
10 Josh Hancock
11 Brian Powell
12 Paul Abbott
13 Todd Jones
14 A.J. Hinch
15 Ramon Martinez
16 Matt Kata
17 Aquilino Lopez
18 Adam Bernero
19 Jose Hernandez
20 Randall Simon

This is a continuing series looking at those players who spent time with the Phillies but possess no baseball card proof of their time in Philadelphia.  In some cases, the First and Last Mainstream cards listed above have been subjectively chosen if multiple cards were released in that year.

Phillies Missing Links of the 2000s - #9 Valerio de los Santos

#28
Valerio Lorenzo de los Santos
Relief Pitcher

Even though the Phillies were 13 games behind the Braves in the division on September 2nd, they were still in the Wild Card hunt, just a game behind the Marlins.  To bolster the bullpen down the stretch, lefty Valerio de los Santos was purchased from the Brewers.  He appeared in six games for the Phillies in September, but half of those outings resulted in runs being scored by the opponent.  He finished his Phillies career with a 9.00 ERA, earned over just four innings pitched.  By my unofficial observation at the time, he was one of two current Phillies pitchers (along with Jose Mesa) who didn't take the field on September 28, 2003 for the post-game closing ceremony of Veterans Stadium.

de los Santos pitched in parts of nine seasons in the Majors, finding the most success with the Brewers between 2000 and 2003.

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  225
Born:  October 6, 1972, Las Matas de Farfan, Dominican Republic
Signed:  Signed by the Milwaukee Brewers as an amateur free agent, January 26, 1993.
Major League Teams:  Milwaukee Brewers 1998-2003; Phillies 2003; Toronto Blue Jays 2004; Florida Marlins 2005; Colorado Rockies 2008
Professional Affiliations:  Milwaukee Brewers 1995-2003; Phillies 2003; Toronto Blue Jays 2004; Florida Marlins 2005; Chicago White Sox 2006; Sultanes de Monterrey (Mexico) 2007; Dorados de Chihuahua (Mexico) 2007; Colorado Rockies 2008; Vaqueros Laguna 2011 (Mexico); Long Island Ducks (Independent) 2011

Phillies Career
6 games, all in relief - 1-0, 9.00, 4 strikeouts, 3 walks in 4 innings pitched
Acquired:  Purchased from the Milwaukee Brewers, September 2, 2003.
Debut:  September 4, 2003 - Relieved Jose Mesa after he had blown a save in the ninth inning against the Mets, pitching 2/3 of an inning.  Earned the win when Mike Lieberthal hit a walk-off single to left to score Marlon Byrd.
Final Game:  September 25, 2003 - Relieved Randy Wolf in the fifth inning, pitching an inning and allowing a run on two hits to the Marlins.
Departed:  December 21, 2003 - Granted free agency, signed as a free agent with the Toronto Blue Jays, December 27, 2003.

1997 Bowman #319

2003 Topps Total #59

2003 Upper Deck 40-Man #419

2004 Topps Total #403

2 de los Santos Baseball Cards in My Collection
2003 Topps Total #59
2003 Upper Deck 40-Man #419

Other Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1997 Bowman #319
First Topps Base Card:  N/A
Last Mainstream Card:  2004 Topps Total #403
Other Notable Cards:  1999 Fleer Tradition #329, 2000 Pacific Omega #187, 2001 MLB Showdown First Edition #235

Sources:  Baseball Reference and The Trading Card Database

Phillies Missing Links of the 2000s
1 Kirk Bullinger
2 Chris Pritchett
3 Bryan Ward
4 Mark Holzemer
5 Turner Ward
6 P.J. Forbes
7 Matt Walbeck
8 Kelly Stinnett
9 Valerio de los Santos

This is a continuing series looking at those players who spent time with the Phillies but possess no baseball card proof of their time in Philadelphia.  In some cases, the First and Last Mainstream cards listed above have been subjectively chosen if multiple cards were released in that year.