Mariners at Phillies: April 25th to April 27th

2014 Topps Heritage #144

2014 Topps Heritage #16

Tuesday and Wednesday 6:40, Thursday 1:05
Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA

At the Ballpark:  Tuesday is the second Dollar Dog Night of the season, and following the afternoon game on Thursday, seniors are welcome to stroll the bases.

Mariners 10-12
4th Place in the A.L. West, 4 1/2 games behind the Rangers

Mariners Probables
Logan Gilbert (1-1, 3.57)
Marco Gonzales (1-0, 3.78)
George Kirby (2-1, 3.57)

Mariners Leaders
Average:  Jarred Kelenic - .319
Runs:  Ty France and Julio Rodriguez - 17
Home Runs:  Jarred Kelenic - 6
RBIs:  Ty France and Eugenio Suarez - 15
Stolen Bases:  Julio Rodriguez - 5

Wins:  Three tied with - 2
ERA:  Luis Castillo - 1.52
Strikeouts:  Luis Castillo - 34
Saves:  Paul Sewald - 6

Phillies 11-12
4th Place in the N.L. East, 3 1/2 games behind the Braves

Phillies Probables
Bailey Falter (0-3, 4.50)
Taijuan Walker (2-1, 3.80)
Matt Strahm (1-2, 3.00)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Brandon Marsh - .364
Runs:  Nick Castellanos - 19
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 5
RBIs:  Alec Bohm - 18
Stolen Bases:  J.T. Realmuto and Trea Turner - 4

Wins:  Taijuan Walker and Zack Wheeler - 2
ERA:  Zack Wheeler - 4.73

Strikeouts:  Zack Wheeler - 34
Saves:  Jose Alvarado - 3

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

Game 70 - Phils Didn't Mess with Texas

2022 Topps #384

Rangers 4, Phillies 2
Game 70 - Wednesday Afternoon, June 22nd in Arlington
Record - 36-34, 3rd Place, 8 1/2 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Bryce Harper returned to the line-up, but the Phillies still couldn't string together any hits against Rangers starter Jon Gray and three relievers, falling by a score of 4-2.

What It Means:  The Rangers won all four games played against the Phillies this season.  The team travels to San Diego next, where on late Thursday night they'll open up a four-game series against the Padres.

What Happened:  I'm not really sure?  A busy work day and preparing for an upcoming vacation meant I watched very little of this game.  Zack Wheeler got knocked out in the fifth having allowed four runs, but only two earned.  Rhys Hoskins committed a costly error in the second, leading to two Rangers unearned runs.  Kyle Schwarber hit a two-run home run in the third to briefly tie the game 2-2, and it was Schwarber's 19th home run of the season.  Nick Castellanos is in a bit of a slump, having gone 0 for 16 in the last four games.

Featured Card:  Old friend Brad Miller drove in both unearned runs in the second with a single to right.  This is his card from the recently released second series of the Topps flagship set.  Despite his electing free agency in early November and signing a two-year deal with the Rangers in mid-March, he's still featured with the Phillies in the set.

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

Game 24 - Rangers Defeat Ranger

2022 Topps Heritage #108

Rangers 6, Phillies 4
Game 24 - Tuesday Night, May 3rd in Philadelphia
Record - 11-13, 3rd Place, 6 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  A lack of offense and an untimely error from Alec Bohm led to this 6-4 defeat at the hands of the visiting Texas Rangers.

What It Means:  The Phillies continue to be a frustrating team to watch.

What Happened:  Ranger Suarez fell to 2-1 after allowing five runs (three earned) in his five innings of work.  He departed following an error in the top of the sixth from Bohm that put runners on first and second.  Seranthony Dominguez entered and both his inherited runners ultimately scored to give the Rangers the lead.

The Phillies had scored three quick runs in the first, but then were held scoreless until J.T. Realmuto homered in the eighth.  The first inning runs came via a two-run double from Rhys Hoskins and an RBI single from Didi Gregorius.  The overall offense was 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position.

Featured Card:  Old friend Brad Miller returned to Citizens Bank Park, pinch-hitting in the seventh inning for the Rangers.  Miller signed a two-year deal with Texas in the offseason.  His Phillies baseball card output consisted mostly of several Topps Now appearances, but he did receive a belated Phillies card in this year's Topps Heritage set.

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

Game 128 - 2021 Topps Now #575 Brad Miller

Phillies 7, Diamondbacks 6 (11 Innings)
Game 128 - Friday Night, August 27th in Philadelphia
Record - 64-64, 2nd Place, 5 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Despite a record-setting 26th blown save by the bullpen (courtesy of Ian Kennedy) the Phillies willed their way to this win with a few extra inning clutch hits.

What It Means:  Hopefully this is the start of another winning streak?

What Happened:  Aaron Nola went 5 1/3 innings and he left with a runner on third and the Phillies holding a slim 2-1 lead, thanks to a two-run home run from Bryce Harper in the third.  Connor Brogdon entered the game and a quick sacrifice fly tied the score at 2-2.  J.T. Realmuto gave the Phillies a two-run lead once again in the seventh with a two-run single to center.  Kennedy allowed a single and a home run (from Christian Walker) from the first two batters he faced in the ninth and the game would go to extra innings.

The Diamondbacks took a 6-4 lead in the 10th when Ketel Marte homered off Enyel De Los Santos.  Brad Miller then dramatically tied the game again with a two-run home run of his own in the bottom of the inning.  That set up Jean Segura to deliver the winning hit in the 11th, scoring ghost-runner Ronald Torreyes, and the Phillies had a subdued celebration on the field.

Featured Card:  I was harsh towards Miller during this game, so I'll give him the card here.  This is his third Topps Now card (so far) this season, from his July 29th walk-off grand slam.

Field Report:  Doug and I were there for this game and given the latest Covid outbreak on the club (see below) he came up empty in his pre-game autograph hunt.  And I'll admit we didn't stay for the full game as Doug had an early morning baseball practice the next day.  I did snap and Tweet the photo shown below, showing a seemingly new feature at the ballpark.  After each Nola strikeout, the bank of lights above the scoreboard would quickly flash and arrange into a K.  We were back at the ballpark on Saturday night, and the Phillies didn't repeat this light show with Kyle Gibson on the mound.

Transactions:  I've stopped counting how many players and games have been lost this season to Covid protocols and some of the Phillies players opting to not get vaccinated.  Zach Eflin (rhp), Luke Williams (inf) and Andrew Knapp (c) were placed on the Covid injured list.  Rafael Marchan (c) and De Los Santos (rhp) were recalled and Jorge Bonifacio (of) had his contract selected.  Finally, Chase Anderson (rhp) was released.

Hey there @PhilliesCBP - this K light new? We liKe it. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Usaw1SY2XT

— Jim Passaro (@jimpassaro) August 28, 2021

2021 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2021 Season Summary Index / 2021 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 125 - First Family Trip to the Ballpark Since May

Rays 3, Phillies 1
Game 125 - Tuesday Night, August 24th in Philadelphia
Record - 63-62, 2nd Place, 4 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  More lack of clutch hitting against a tough Rays' pitching staff and a rough inning from Archie Bradley led to this 3-1 loss.

What It Means:  The Braves also lost, so the Phillies stay put in the standings.

What Happened:  Ranger Suarez pitched a gem, going 6 2/3 innings (his longest outing of the year) and allowing a run on six hits.  Bradley came on in the eighth with the score tied, 1-1, and allowed a lead-off single to Brett Phillips before hitting Randy Arozarena.  Nelson Cruz then doubled home both Phillips and Arozarena, although Odubel Herrera didn't help matters when he whiffed on the ball and it rolled to the warning track.  The Phillies only run came in the fourth when Brad Miller doubled home Didi Gregorius.  Gregorius had two of the team's six hits, with the offense going 0 for 5 overall with runners in scoring position.

Featured Card/Field Report:  And we were there!  After enjoying dinner in the Boardwalk area of the ballpark, near Bull's BBQ, and getting the requisite photo and autograph from the Bull himself, Greg Luzinski, we settled into our seats in the Diamond Club.  Doug received his first in person autograph in two years when Miller graciously signed his scorecard prior to the game.  It was muggy and the game honestly flew by, especially as it was our first game as a family since late May.  Unfortunately, the Phillies couldn't pull out the win and as Bryce Harper would say on Wednesday, the team is basically just "wasting time" at this point.

Transactions:  Freddy Galvis (inf) and Sam Conrad (rhp) were both activated from the injured list.  Jorge Bonifacio (of) was designated for assignment and Enyel De Los Santos (rhp) was optioned to Lehigh Valley.

2021 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2021 Season Summary Index / 2021 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 102 - 2021 Topps Now #480 Brad Miller

Phillies 11, Nationals 8 (Game 2 - 8 Innings)
Game 102 - Thursday Afternoon, July 29th in Philadelphia
Record - 51-51, 2nd Place, 3 1/2 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Brad Miller hit a stunning extra inning walk-off grand slam to give the Phillies an improbable 11-8 win over the Nationals.

What It Means:  Wow!  The Phillies were down 7-0 after three innings courtesy of emergency starter Cristopher Sanchez, Connor Brogdon and a bunch of errors, but they kept fighting and ultimately came back to win.

What Happened:  Rhys Hoskins homered in the third, with Andrew McCutchen and Alec Bohm going back-to-back with home runs in the fourth, making in 7-3.  McCutchen added an RBI-single in the fifth, making it 7-4.  Down to their final inning, and with two outs, Miller singled, McCutchen walked, Bohm hit an RBI-single to make it 7-5, and then J.T. Realmuto delivered a game-tying two-run single to tie the score.  The Nationals scored their ghost runner in the eighth to give them an 8-7 lead.

Featured Card:  Miller's slam came with Rafael Marchan (ghost runner), Jean Segura (intentionally walked) and pinch-hitter (!) Aaron Nola (walked) on base.  Miller crushed the pitch thrown by reliever Sam Clay and the Phillies had their latest dramatic walk-off win.  Miller has already appeared on two Topps Now cards this season, and I have a feeling he'll get this third for this game.

Field Report:  Full disclosure . . . I did not stay for this entire game.  I'm not proud of this.  Having watched the entire first game, enjoyed the company of a few dozen co-workers, watched the Phillies go down 7-0 in the third inning, and getting the Tornado Watch alert on my phone, I decided it was OK for me to leave early.  I regret my decision, and I'll do better.  Go Phils!

2021 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2021 Season Summary Index / 2021 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 85 - 2021 Topps Now #448 Brad Miller

Phillies 8, Cubs 0
Game 85 - Thursday Night, July 8th in Chicago
Record - 42-43, 2nd Place, 4 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Brad Miller, getting the start at first base over the hot Rhys Hoskins, launched three home runs and drove in five runs in this 8-0 win over the Cubs.

What It Means:  Miller became the first Phillies player with three home runs in a game since Jayson Werth did it against the Blue Jays in 2008.

What Happened:  Did Gregorius also had a nice night at the plate, going 3 for 5 with a two-run home run in the seventh.  Zach Eflin battled through six scoreless innings of work, allowing only five hits, to earn the win.  Archie Bradley, Hector Neris and Ranger Suarez kept the Cubs off the scoreboard for the final three innings.

Featured Card:  To date, Miller has only two Phillies baseball cards - a Topps Now card from 2019 and another Topps Now released a week ago to celebrate his walk-off hit against the Padres.  Hopefully he ends up with a more mainstream Phillies baseball card before the year is done.

2021 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2021 Season Summary Index / 2021 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 58 - One of the Weirdest Phillies Games I've Ever Seen

2021 Chachi #49

Phillies 12, Nationals 6
Game 58 - Sunday Afternoon, June 6th in Philadelphia
Record - 28-30, 3rd Place, 4 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  In a long, hot and weird game, the Phillies ultimately prevailed, 12-6, in a nearly five-hour contest that had a little bit of everything.

What It Means:  Monday is the second of seven scheduled off days in June, and then the Braves come to town for a mid-week series.  (One of those off days is already gone as the Phillies will play a make-up game against the Reds on June 28th.)

What Happened:  What didn't happen?  I don't often use bulleted lists for these game summaries, but this game merits it:

• Home plate umpire Brian O'Nora departed in the first inning after becoming ill and the umpiring crew went with a three-man squad for the game.  This was the first of many delays in this game.
• Nationals pitcher Austin Voth was hit in the eye with a Vince Velasquez pitch and was escorted from the field, bloodied by the beaning.
• The Phillies plated seven runs in the fourth inning, including the 1,000th run of Andrew McCutchen's career, making him only the fifth active player to have reached that plateau.
• Brad Miller homered in the fifth inning and debuted the new Phillies straw home run hat, apparently to be worn by a player upon returning to the dugout to celebrate his home run.
• In the sixth inning, J.T. Realmuto hit his 100th career home run, a three-run shot, giving the Phillies a 12-6 lead.  Realmuto joyfully donned the new home run hat after rounding the bases.
• Cristopher Sanchez made his big league debut in the eighth inning and after recording two outs, the netting behind home plate collapsed.  What followed was a 20-minute, incredible display of ingenuity as the grounds' crew rigged the net back into position with some rope and impressive knot-work.  This all transpired while the ballpark's speakers blared the William Tell Overture.

Featured Card:  All this transpired while at my Mom's house for some pool time and burgers and I felt it appropriate to create a special highlight card to mark the weirdness of the game.  This has some precedence in Chachi sets, as I created a highlight card back in 2007 to mark the time the entire Phillies roster helped the Rockies' ground crew secure their tarp during a fierce rain storm.

Transactions:  Chase Anderson (rhp) and David Hale (rhp) were placed on the Covid injured list.  Sanchez (lhp) was recalled from Lehigh Valley and Hector Neris (rhp) was activated from the paternity list.

2021 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2021 Season Summary Index / 2021 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 48 - 2013 Topps Update #US224 Brad Miller

Marlins 9, Phillies 6
Game 48 - Monday Night, May 24th in Miami
Record - 23-25, 4th Place, 1 1/2 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  This game was never as close as the final score makes it seem as the Phillies were outplayed by the Marlins, 9-6.

What It Means:  The Phillies continue to play truly uninspired baseball.  With Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto and Didi Gregorius all currently lost to injury and anyone not named Zack Wheeler struggling in the starting pitching rotation, it's hard to feel any kind of excitement about the club right now.

What Happened:  A four-run ninth inning gave this game a respectable final score, but in actuality the Phillies were out of it after the Marlins plated two in the sixth off Zach Eflin and four more in the seventh off Brandon Kintzler.  On the bright side, Jean Segura, Rhys Hoskins, Brad Miller and Ronald Torreyes all had multi-hit nights.  Hoskins hit a ground-run double in the third that temporarily gave the Phillies a 2-1 lead.

Featured Card:  Miller hit his 100th career home run in the ninth off Marlins' reliever Shawn Morimando, who was making his first appearance in the majors since 2016.  I believe the only Phillies baseball card featuring Miller is from the 2019 Topps Total set, but the nine-year veteran has had his share of Topps flagship cards dating back to 2013.  Here's his rookie card from the 2013 Topps Update set, and his first home run came back on July 19, 2013 against Bud Norris and the Astros.

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2021 Chachi #11 Brad Miller

#13
Bradley Austin Miller
Infield

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  195
Opening Day Age:  31
Born:  October 18, 1989, Orlando, FL
How Obtained:  Signed by the Phillies as a free agent formerly with the St. Louis Cardinals, February 17, 2021
Contract Status:  Signed through 2021
Major League Teams:  Seattle Mariners 2013-2015; Tampa Bay Rays 2017-2018; Milwaukee Brewers 2018; Cleveland Indians 2019; Philadelphia Phillies 2019; St. Louis Cardinals 2020; Philadelphia Phillies 2021

First Phillies Card:  2019 Topps Total #477
First Phillies Minor League Card:  N/A
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  N/A

Newest Card Added:  2019 Topps Total #477

Topps Flagship Set Appearances (7):  2013-2018, 2020

1 - Miller baseball card in my collection per The Phillies Room Checklist as of 4/16/21.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2019 Chachi #48
2019 Chachi Photo Night #8
2019 Chachi Photo Cards #33
2019 Chachi Departures #5 - Phillies
2019 Chachi Departures #5 - Cardinals
2021 Chachi New Additions #10
2021 Chachi #11

Miller returned to the Phillies for the 2021 season after spending last year with the Wild Card-winning Cardinals.  He has yet to see much game action, receiving only one start at first base so far this season.

Miller's first stint with the club yielded exactly one Phillies baseball card, in the limited 2019 Topps Total release.  And with no updated team-issued photo card set produced in 2019 and no set so far in 2021, he has yet to appear on an officially issued photo card.  Hopefully that changes soon.

2021 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2021 Season Summary Index / 2021 Chachi Set Checklist

Bamboo Brad Returns; Flurry of Ex-Phils Sign Elsewhere

2021 Chachi New Additions #10

2021 Chachi Departures #3

2021 Chachi Departures #4

2021 Chachi Departures #5

2021 Chachi Departures #6

On Wednesday, the official first day of spring training, the Phillies announced the return of popular super utility player Brad Miller, who had spent last season with the Cardinals.  Miller's introduction of a lucky bamboo plant to the Phillies clubhouse during the summer of 2019 sparked a mini winning streak, and led to an increase in bamboo sales across the local area.  To make room for Miller on the 40-man roster, reliever Seranthony Dominguez was placed on the 60-day IL as he continues his recovery from Tommy John surgery.

At this point, most of the ex-Phillies that made up the rogue's gallery of the 2020 team have found new homes, with the exceptions of relievers Jose Alvarez and David Robertson.  The day will come when we no longer have to reflect back on the pain caused by the team's 2020 bullpen.  Of the players listed below, I'm saddest to see the departure of Phil Gosselin and I hope The Phillies Room Favorite finds himself a steady job on the Angels' roster.

Departures - 2020-2021 Offseason

• Deolis Guerra - rhp (10/14/20) - Elected free agency, signed a minor league contract with the Oakland Athletics (2/2/21).
• Trevor Kelley - rhp (10/14/20) - Elected free agency, signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs (12/14/20).
• Jose Alvarez - lhp (10/28/20) - Elected free agency.
• Jake Arrieta - rhp (10/28/20) - Elected free agency, signed with the Chicago Cubs (2/17/21).
• Jay Bruce - of (10/28/20) - Elected free agency, signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees (2/12/21).
• Tommy Hunter - rhp (10/28/20) - Elected free agency, signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets (2/14/21).
• Brandon Workman - rhp (10/28/20) - Elected free agency.
• Phil Gosselin - inf (10/30/20) - Outrighted off 40-man roster, elected free agency, signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Angels (2/11/21).
• Heath Hembree - rhp (10/30/20) - Outrighted off 40-man roster, elected free agency, singed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians (2/5/21).
• Adam Morgan - lhp (10/30/20) - Outrighted off 40-man roster, elected free agency, signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs (2/12/21).
• Blake Parker - rhp (10/30/20) - Outrighted off 40-man roster, elected free agency, signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians (2/16/21).
• David Phelps - rhp (10/30/20) - Club option declined, elected free agency, signed with the Toronto Blue Jays (2/11/21).
• David Robertson - rhp (10/30/20) - Club option declined, elected free agency.
• Reggie McClain - rhp (12/10/20) - Selected by the Yankees in the minor league portion of the annual rule 5 draft.
• Garrett Cleavinger - lhp (12/29/20) - Traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers with the Phillies receiving Jose Alvarado in exchange from the Tampa Bay Rays.
• Kyle Garlick - of (1/22/21) - Claimed off waivers by the Atlanta Braves.
• Victor Arano - rhp (1/22/21) - Claimed off waivers by the Atlanta Braves.
• Cole Irvin - lhp (1/30/21) - Traded to the Oakland Athletics for cash considerations.

2021 Chachi Departures #7

2021 Chachi Departures #8

2021 Chachi Departures #9

2021 Chachi Departures #10

2021 Chachi Departures #11

Coming Back - 2020-2021 Offseason

• Ronald Torreyes - inf (10/15/20) - Elected free agency, re-signed with the Phillies as a minor league free agent (1/4/21).
• J.T. Realmuto - c (10/28/20) - Elected free agency, re-signed with the Phillies (1/29/21).
• Didi Gregorius - ss (10/28/20) - Elected free agency, re-signed with the Phillies (2/10/21).

New Additions - 2020-2021 Offseason

• Johan Quezada - rhp (10/30/20) - Claimed off waivers from the Miami Marlins.
• Ian Hamilton - rhp (12/7/20) Claimed off waivers from the Seattle Mariners.
• Kyle Holder - inf (12/10/20) - Selected from the Yankees in the annual rule 5 draft.
• Jose Alvarado - lhp (12/29/20) - Acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays with the Dodgers receiving Garrett Cleavinger in exchange.
• Sam Coonrod - rhp (1/9/21) - Acquired from the San Francisco Giants for Carson Ragsdale.
• Archie Bradley - rhp (1/18/21) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the Cincinnati Reds.
• C.J. Chatham - inf (1/18/21) - Acquired from the Boston Red Sox for a player to be named later.
• Matt Moore -lhp (2/3/21) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks.
• Chase Anderson - rhp (2/8/21) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the Toronto Blue Jays.
• Brad Miller - inf (2/17/21) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Already Gone - 2020-2021 Offseason

• Kyle Holder - inf (1/30/21) - Traded to the Cincinnati Reds for cash considerations.
• Ian Hamilton - rhp (2/5/21) - Claimed off waivers by the Minnesota Twins.
• Johan Quezada - rhp (2/10/21) - Traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for cash considerations.

Hunter Returns; Updated List of Offseason Moves

2019 Topps #619

2020 Chachi Departures #11

2020 Chachi Departures #10

2020 Chachi Departures #5

On Wednesday, the Phillies brought back reliever Tommy Hunter on a one-year deal and moved David Robertson to the 60-day disabled list.  Robertson is recovering from Tommy John surgery and at best he could be back with the team in the second half of the season.  Hunter was limited to 5 1/3 innings last season for the Phillies and missed most of the year with an elbow injury.

Listed below is a look at an updated list of comings and goings for the Phillies, and by my unofficial tally there are still a few ex-Phillies out there looking for new homes as spring training gets started:  RHP Jared Hughes, Pat Neshek and Fernando Salas, LHP Pat Neshek and third baseman Mitch Walding.  Sean Rodriguez reportedly signed with the Marlins, although that deal has yet to be officially announced.

I'm bummed that Phillies Room favorite Brad Miller won't be coming back.  He was one of the sole bright spots last year in an otherwise disappointing season.

Moving On - 2019-2020 Offseason

• Rob Brantly - c (9/30/19) - Elected free agency, signed the San Francisco Giants (1/18/20).
• Fernando Salas - rhp (9/30/19) - Elected free agency.
• Corey Dickerson - of (10/31/19) - Elected free agency, signed with the Miami Marlins (1/7/20).
• Brad Miller - inf (10/31/19) - Elected free agency, signed with the St. Louis Cardinals (2/12/20).
• Logan Morrison - 1b (10/31/19) - Elected free agency, signed with the Milwaukee Brewers (1/9/20).
• Juan Nicasio - rhp (10/31/19) - Elected free agency, signed with the Texas Rangers (1/22/20).
• Sean Rodriguez - inf-of (10/31/19) - Elected free agency.
• Drew Smyly - lhp (10/31/19) - Elected free agency, signed with the San Francisco Giants (1/16/20).
• Nick Vincent - rhp (10/31/19) - Elected free agency, signed with the San Francisco Giants (2/9/20).
• Jose Pirela - of (11/1/19) - Released, signed with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp (Japan) (11/2/19).
• Jared Hughes - rhp (11/4/19) - Club option declined, elected free agency.
• Pat Neshek - rhp (11/4/19) - Club option declined, elected free agency.
• Jason Vargas - lhp (11/4/19) - Club option declined, elected free agency.
• Jerad Eickhoff - rhp (11/4/19) - Outrighted, elected free agency, signed with the San Diego Padres (12/27/19).
• Mike Morin - rhp (11/4/19) - Outrighted, elected free agency, signed with the Milwaukee Brewers (1/31/20).
• Edubray Ramos - rhp - (11/4/19) - Outrighted, elected free agency, signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers (1/8/20).
• Mitch Walding - 3b (11/4/19) - Elected free agency.
• Maikel Franco - 3b (12/2/19) - Non-tendered, elected free agency, signed with the Kansas City Royals (12/27/19).
• Cesar Hernandez - 2b (12/2/19) - Non-tendered, elected free agency, signed with the Cleveland Indians (12/29/19).

Coming Back - 2019-2020 Offseason

• Phil Gosselin - inf (11/4/19) - Outrighted, elected free agency, signed with the Phillies (12/20/19).
• Blake Parker - rhp (11/4/19) - Outrighted, elected free agency, signed with the Phillies (2/5/20).
• Tommy Hunter - rhp (10/31/19) - Elected free agency, signed with the Phillies (2/12/20).

New Arrivals - 2019-2020 Offseason

• Robert Stock - rhp (10/30/19) - Claimed off waivers from the San Diego Padres.
• Cristopher Sanchez - lhp (11/20/19) - Acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays for Curtis Mead.
• Zack Wheeler - rhp (12/9/19) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the New York Mets.
• Didi Gregorius - ss (12/13/19) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the New York Yankees.
• Nick Martini - of (1/14/20) - Claimed off waivers from the Cincinnati Reds.
• Reggie McClain - rhp (1/31/20) - Claimed off waivers from the Seattle Mariners.
• Deolis Guerra - rhp (2/5/20) - Claimed off waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers.

8 File for Free Agency; Pirela Released

2020 Chachi Departures #4

2020 Chachi #23

2020 Chachi Departures #5

2020 Chachi Departures #6

2020 Chachi Departures #7

On Halloween, the day after the conclusion of the World Series, eight Phillies filed for free agency.  Of the eight, I could see Brad Miller returning to fill a bench role and Drew Smyly might provide some depth at Triple-A.  It would be great to see Corey Dickerson return, but it's not clear how he would fit in to an already crowded outfield.

In a paper move only, outfielder Odubel Herrera was activated from the restricted list where he has languished since mid-May due to his arrest for domestic violence.

2020 Chachi Departures #8

2020 Chachi Departures #9

2020 Chachi Departures #10

2020 Chachi Departures #11

Finally, outfielder Jose Pirela was released as he'll pursue an opportunity to play in Japan.  In 12 games for the Phillies, Pirela hit .235 (4 for 17) with a home run and two RBIs.  He leaves having appeared on zero Phillies baseball cards, making him a prime candidate for a future Phillies Missing Links custom set.

I'm showing off some of the 2020 Chachi cards I created for these departed players above.  As I've done in the past, I'll also create a variation card for each player with whatever new team they land with.  I have to say I'm enjoying working with the 1991 Topps template more than I thought I would, and I'm looking forward to spending all next season with this design.

Moving On - 2019-2020 Offseason

• Rob Brantly - c (9/30/19) - Elected free agency.
• Fernando Salas - rhp (9/30/19) - Elected free agency.
• Corey Dickerson - of (10/31/19) - Elected free agency.
• Tommy Hunter - rhp (10/31/19) - Elected free agency.
• Brad Miller - inf (10/31/19) - Elected free agency.
• Logan Morrison - 1b (10/31/19) - Elected free agency.
• Juan Nicasio - rhp (10/31/19) - Elected free agency.
• Sean Rodriguez - inf-of (10/31/19) - Elected free agency.
• Drew Smyly - lhp (10/31/19) - Elected free agency.
• Nick Vincent - rhp (10/31/19) - Elected free agency.
• Jose Pirela - of (11/1/19) - Released.

New Arrivals - 2019-2020 Offseason

• Robert Stock - rhp (10/30/19) - Claimed off waivers from the San Diego Padres.

Game 162 - Fan Appreciation Day; Long Offseason Begins

Marlins 4, Phillies 3
Game 162 - Sunday Afternoon, September 29th in Philadelphia
Record - 81-81, 4th place, 16 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies missed out on their first winning season since 2011, dropping the 2019 season finale by a 4-3 score to the last place Marlins.

What It Means:  Was this manager Gabe Kapler's final Phillies game at the helm?

What Happened:  With Maikel Franco representing the tying run on second base in the bottom of the ninth, Andrew Knapp struck out swinging on a ball out of the zone to end the game and the Phillies extremely disappointing season.  Bryce Harper and Adam Haseley had a pair of hits.  The offense went 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position, leaving 13 men on base.  A bullpen game from the start, the Marlins jumped on starting pitcher Blake Parker for three runs early.

Featured Card:  Brad Miller hit two more home runs (13) and went 4 for 5 overall with three RBIs.  Matt Breen Tweeted Miller is the first player in Phillies history with three multi-home run games in a nine-game span and Corey Seidman added Miller's 12 home runs and 16 extra-base hits were both the most by any Phillies player ever with 130 or fewer plate appearances in a  season.

Field Report:  My family arrived to the ballpark early, as we've now made it a tradition to attend the final game of the year and enjoy Fan Appreciation Day.  While Jenna, Ben and I decided to eat first (Jenna and Ben at Pass and Stow and me at Bull's BBQ), Doug took off as soon as the gates opened for a prime spot down the first base line to hopefully add a few last autographs to his collection.  Fellow collector Rick kept him company and both were featured in the Phillies' Instagram story of the day.

Doug added autographs from Miller, Jared Eickhoff, Zach Eflin and Scott Kingery and Rick passed along a Phil Gosselin Chachi Photo Card he had signed for us.  Doug was bummed Bryce Harper didn't make his way over to the waiting crowd to sign any autographs.  In between eating his pizza, Ben and I got pictures with Jared Hughes and Edgar Garcia, and we caught part of the broadcast team - Larry Andersen, Scott Franzke, Ben Davis and Gregg Murphy as they were leaving the Diamond Club entrance lobby.

Once at our seats, we noticed Aaron Nola talking to a small group of people and the ace of the staff posed for a quick picture with Ben.  We didn't come away with any prizes or other souvenirs, but we had a great day and we're already anxious for Opening Day 2020.

Memory Lane - Game 162
This is my 11th season of posting on this blog and I truly enjoy and appreciate the outlet this has provided for me to share my love of baseball, baseball cards and (occasionally) the Phillies.  Unlike some of the Phillies current coaching staff, I'll be back in 2020 and I sincerely thank you for following along, commenting and sharing your Phillies stories.

October 4, 2009 - Catcher Paul Hoover singled in the winning run in the 10th in a 7-6 win over the Marlins.
October 3, 2010 - The Phillies lost 8-7 to the Braves in their final tune-up before facing the Reds in the NLDS.
September 28, 2011 - The Phillies closed out the 2011 regular season with a 13-inning victory against the Braves, setting a franchise record with their 102nd regular season win.
October 3, 2012 - The Phillies closed out their 2012 season with a lethargic 5-1 loss to the N.L. East Champion Nationals.
September 29, 2013 - Zach Miner got the ball for the Phillies and lasted 2 1/3 innings in a 12-5 loss to the Braves.
September 28, 2014 - Cole Hamels pitched another fine game and suffered through another outing with minimal run support.
October 4, 2015 - Phillies avoid 100 losses and Ichiro makes his pitching debut in a 7-2 victory.
October 2, 2016 - Phillies bid an emotional farewell to franchise icon Ryan Howard.
October 1, 2017 - Phils clobber Mets in Pete Mackanin's final game as manager.
September 30, 2018 - Lame duck Phillies win season finale in Gabe Kapler's frustrating debut season.
September 29, 2019 - Phillies miss postseason for 8th year in a row, Brad Miller finishes the season red hot.

Want to revisit every game of the 2019 season?  My handy game summary index can be found here.

Game 153 - 2019 Topps Total #477 Brad Miller

Phillies 9, Indians 4
Game 153 - Saturday Night, September 21st in Cleveland
Record - 79-74, 4th place, 15 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Home runs from Bryce Harper and Jay Bruce along with a pair of home runs from Brad Miller led to this 9-4 win over the Indians.

What It Means:  I was in Phoenix for a work conference for most of this past week, and as I'm writing this (on Thursday) this is the last game the Phillies have won.  They've since been eliminated from the postseason and dropped five in a row to fall to .500 on the season.

What Happened:  Jason Vargas had a decent outing, pitching 6 2/3 innings and allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits while striking out eight.  Harper had a four-RBI game with his three-run home run (33) in the fifth and a sacrifice fly in the ninth.

Featured Card:  Brad Miller has been pushed into starting duties at the end of this season, and he's done fairly well with the bat.  In September, and through Wednesday night's game against the Nationals, he's hitting .273 (12 for 44) with two doubles, six home runs and eight RBIs.  To date, this is his only Phillies baseball card, released in limited quantities in the Topps Total set, available only for purchase online.  And is that departed hitting coach John Mallee making a blurry cameo appearance in the background?

Game 104 - Photo Night Returns! (Part One)

2019 Chachi Photo Night #2

2019 Chachi Photo Night #16

2019 Chachi Photo Night #8

Braves 15, Phillies 7
Game 104 - Saturday Night, July 27th in Philadelphia
Record - 54-50, 3rd place, 7 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Braves absolutely demolished the Phillies in this 15-7 loss.

What It Means:  This is one of the worst games Jenna and I have ever witnessed in person.  It only helped a little that both teams were wearing awesome throw-back uniforms, with the Phillies in their infamous, all-burgundy Saturday Night Special uniforms.  These uniforms were worn once and only once back in 1979.

What Happened:  Zach Eflin allowed 10 runs (six earned) in his 2 2/3 innings of work, with Jean Segura and Rhys Hoskins contributing to the drubbing with costly errors.  The offense showed some punch with 12 hits and both J.T. Realmuto (13) and Sean Rodriguez (3) hit home runs.

2019 Chachi Photo Night #3

2019 Chachi Photo Night #5

2019 Chachi Photo Night #10

Featured Cards/Field Report:  Photo night returned!  One of the games we look forward to every season is the annual Phillies Photo Night promotion.  The players and coaches walk along cordoned sections of the outfield - some fast and some slow - and pose for pictures with the fans.  With last year's event cancelled due to rain, it was nice to return to this now annual tradition.

Promptly at 5:40, Bryce Harper was the first player to emerge and he took a brisk walk around the ballpark, never getting more than 15 feet away from the sectioned off fans.  Maybe over the next 13 years, that will slowly change and he'll interact more with us.  After Harper's stroll and polite waves, the rest of the team made their way around the outfield.  We enjoyed talking with the broadcasters and coach Pedro Guerrero asked if he could try on Ben's sunglasses.  New Phillie Mike Morin was very nice and he was one of the last players, along with Pat Neshek, out on the field.  Neshek was great to talk to as well.

2019 Chachi Photo Night #1

2019 Chachi Photo Night #4

2019 Chachi Photo Night #6

2019 Chachi Photo Night #7

2019 Chachi Photo Night #9

Doug snuck autographs from Morin and Brad Miller, although technically that was against the Photo Night rules.  We missed seeing Rhys Hoskins and Sean Rodriguez as their handlers shuffled them off the field right before both arrived at our location.  We also missed getting photos with Jean Segura (walked right by us), Scott Kingery, Nick Williams, Aaron Nola and Nick Pivetta, as none of them made it over to our spot.  Any other players and coaches (including manager Gabe Kapler) not listed here or not featured on the cards I've created, we simply didn't see.  J.T. Realmuto and Zach Eflin were excused as they were getting ready for the game, and unless I'm mistaken I think Jake Arrieta skipped the event entirely.

After leaving the field, Doug stationed himself by the Phillies dugout and added autographs to his collection from coaches Dusty Wathan, Rob Thomson and Figueroa.  Adam Haseley also graciously signed for him again.  I'll have the rest of the Photo Night insert cards in a second post.

Memory Lane
1984 Photo Day - Hudson, Maddox and Lefebvre
2004 Photo Day - First at Citizens Bank Park
2006 Photo Day - with Rick White
2007 Photo Day - with Shane Victorino
2016 Photo Day - Parts One, Two and Three
2017 Photo Night - Parts One, Two and Three
2018 Photo Night - Cancelled due to rain
2019 Photo Night - Part One and Part Two