Billingsley Arrives, Horst Departs

2015 Chachi New Additions #7

2015 Chachi Departures #8

On Thursday, the Phillies singed right-handed pitcher Chad Billingsley, who has missed most of the past two seasons due to injury.  Billingsley is expected to start the season on the disabled list, but he could join the starting pitching rotation by late April.  Phillies fans will remember Billingsley as the losing pitcher in all three N.L.C.S. games in which they faced him - Games 2 and 5 of the 2008 series, and Game 3 of the 2009 series.

Despite missing the entire 2014 season, Billingsley was card #623 in the 2014 Topps set.  He'll wear #38 with the Phillies, which of course was Kyle Kendrick's old number.  Cesar Jimenez was designated for assignment to make room for Billingsley on the 40-man roster, and Jimenez is currently in roster limbo.

Going the other way to the Dodgers, in a completely unrelated move, is Jeremy Horst.  The lefty reliever signed with the Dodgers as minor league free agent this past week.  Horst spent all of 2014 with the Triple-A IronPigs.  He was one of the team's most reliable relievers in 2012, going 2-0 with a 1.15 ERA over 32 games.  Horst's only three Phillies baseball cards can be found in the 2012 second team issued set and both 2013 team issued sets.

Moving On
Reid Brignac (10/2/14) - Elected free agency.  (Signed with the Miami Marlins organization 11/19/14)
Jeremy Horst (10/2/14) - Elected free agency.  (Signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers organization 1/27/15)
Jeff Manship (10/2/14) - Elected free agency.  (Signed with the Cleveland Indians organization 12/24/14)
Tony Gwynn, Jr. (10/10/14) - Outrighted off the 40-man roster and elected free agency.
Mike Adams (10/30/14) - Team option declined, making him a free agent.
Kyle Kendrick (10/30/14) - Elected free agency.
Wil Nieves (10/30/14) - Elected free agency.
A.J. Burnett (11/3/14) - Declined option for 2015, elected free agency.  (Signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates 11/14/14)
Brad Lincoln (11/4/14) - Elected free agency.  (Signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates organization 11/18/14)
Antonio Bastardo (12/10/14) - Traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Joely Rodriguez.
Jimmy Rollins (12/19/14) - Traded with cash to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Tom Windle and Zach Eflin.
Marlon Byrd (12/31/14) - Traded with cash to the Cincinnati Reds for Ben Lively.

Coming Back
Andres Blanco (11/13/14) - Signed to a minor league contract and invited to spring training.
Koyie Hill (11/20/14) - Signed to a minor league contract and invited to spring training.
Sean O'Sullivan (12/16/14) - Signed to a minor league contract and invited to spring training.

New Additions
Elvis Araujo (11/13/14) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the Cleveland Indians organization.
Joely Rodriguez (12/10/14) - Acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates for Antonio Bastardo.
Odubel Herrera (12/11/14) - Selected in the annual Rule 5 draft from the Texas Rangers.
Andy Oliver (12/11/14) - Selected in the annual Rule 5 draft from the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Aaron Harang (1/5/15) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the Atlanta Braves.
Jordan Danks (1/16/15) - Claimed off waivers from the Chicago White Sox.
Chad Billingsley (1/29/15) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The First Moves of the 2014-2015 Offseason

2014 Chachi Almost #7

I'm the guy who gets an alert from MLB Trade Rumors titled "Minor League Free Agents" and I immediately stop what I'm doing to check it out.  Three Phillies were on the list of new free agents, and another pitcher joined the ranks of ex-Phillies a few days later.

Presented below are your first Ex-Phillies of the offseason.

2014 Phillies Team Issue 2 #17

Moving On
Reid Brignac (10/2/14) - Elected free agency.
Jeremy Horst (10/2/14) - Elected free agency.
Jeff Manship (10/2/14) - Elected free agency.
Sean O'Sullivan (10/6/14) - Outrighted off the 40-man roster and released.

Horst spent the entire season in Triple-A, earning him the final Chachi Almost card of 2014.  He had an impressive 2012 campaign, pitching to a 1.15 ERA in 32 games.  But everything seemed to fall apart for him in 2013 (0-2, 6.23 ERA in 28 games) and he hasn't been heard from since.  Horst appeared in three Phillies team issued sets - the 2012 second series set, and both 2013 sets.

Brignac and Manship both appeared in the 2014 second series set, marking their only appearances on Phillies cardboard.  O'Sullivan had a card in the 2014 Lehigh Valley IronPigs set and will join the ranks of Missing Links - Phillies players with no Phillies baseball cards.

2013 Chachi #21 Jeremy Horst

#47

Jeremy Michael Horst

Relief Pitcher

Bats: Left  Throws: Left  Height: 6'3"  Weight: 217

Born: October 1, 1985, Cheyenne, WY

Home: De Pete, WI

Drafted: Selected by Cincinnati Reds in 21st round of June 2007 draft

Teams: Cincinnati Reds 2011, Phillies 2012-

Acquired: Acquired from the Cincinnati Reds for Wilson Valdez, January 25, 2012

Contract Status: Pre-arbitration eligible

2012 Chachi #41 Jeremy Horst

#47

Jeremy Michael Horst

Relief Pitcher

Bats: Left  Throws: Left  Height: 6'3"  Weight: 217

Born: October 1, 1985, Cheyenne, WY

Home: De Pete, WI

Drafted: Selected by Cincinnati Reds in 21st round of June 2007 draft

Teams: Cincinnati Reds 2011, Phillies 2012

Acquired: Acquired from the Cincinnati Reds for Wilson Valdez, January 25, 2012

Contract Status: Pre-arbitration eligible

2012 Phillies Team Issue 2 #8 Shane Victorino

Giants 6, Phillies 5 (10 Innings)
Game 95 - Saturday Afternoon, July 21st in Philadelphia
Record - 41-54, 5th Place, 14 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  Jonathan Papelbon let another one get away, as the Phils lost again in extras, 6-5.

What It Means:  So much for momentum.  Coming off the feel-good four-game win streak, the Phillies have lost three in row following this game.

What Went Wrong:  Cole Hamels, with trade rumors swirling, gutted his way through 7 2/3 innings, allowing five runs on ten hits while striking out six.  He also hit his first career home run, paying back Matt Cain who had just hit a home run off Hamels.  Chase Utley hit a solo home run in the first and Ryan Howard hit a three-run home run in the sixth to give the Phillies a 5-4 lead.

But Hamels allowed his third home run of the day in the eighth to the smoking hot Melky Cabrera, and the game was tied.  Papelbon pitched a scoreless ninth, but couldn't escape the tenth.

2012 Phillies Team
Issue 2 #47

Featured Cards:  The Phillies have outdone themselves with the release of a 40-card second series of their team issued photo cards.  Similar to the prior two years, the 2012 second series features an entirely new design, new photos and new players.  I'm very impressed with the player selection here, and with the exception of B.J. Rosenberg, who appeared in three games in June, every member of the 2012 squad (to date) now has a Phillies card.  Here's the break-down when compared to the first series:

Cards Subracted (8) - Michael Martinez, Domonic Brown, Scott Podsednik, Jim Thome, Michael Stutes, Chad Qualls, Jose Contreras, David Herndon
Cards Added (10) - Jason Pridie, Mike Fontenot, Hector Luna, Erik Kratz, Raul Valdes, Jeremy Horst, Brian Sanches, Joe Savery, Jake Diekman, Announcers card

I've featured Shane Victorino's card at the top of this post because his name is coming up in a bunch of trade rumors these days too.  Victorino collected his 1,000th career hit in this game and sadly, it appears as if his time as a Phil could be coming to an end.

Field Report:  I was able to pick up the new photo card set since Jenna and I were at this game as part of the largest regular-season crowd in Citizens Bank Park history.  I sincerely hope it's not the last time I get to see Hamels in his home Phillies uniform.  The Phillies are now 3-5 in games I've attended this season.