Game 32 - Phils Shut Out Nationals Again

2020 Topps Now Road to
Opening Day #OD-487

Phillies 3, Nationals 0
Game 32 - Wednesday Night, September 2nd in Philadelphia
Record - 17-15, 2nd Place, 3 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Zack Wheeler and two relievers combined to shutout the Nationals for the second night in a row as the Phillies won, 3-0.

What It Means:  The Phillies have sole possession of second place in the East and they'll go for a rare four-game sweep against the Nationals on Thursday afternoon.

What Happened:  Wheeler improved to 4-0 with 6 2/3 strong innings, allowing three hits while striking out six.  David Phelps was perfect in his Phillies debut, recording four outs, and Brandon Workman made it interesting again but retired the Nationals in the ninth to earn his fourth Phillies save.

Featured Card:  Wheeler would normally get the card here, but I'm not sure how many other chances I'll have to feature a Neil Walker card, so I'm taking the chance now.  Walker was starting at first base for Rhys Hoskins who was red out but in need of a night off, especially given his history against Nationals' starting pitcher Max Scherzer.  Walker singled home the Phillies first two runs in the fourth and finished the night 3 for 3.

Topps continued its Topps Now Road to Opening Day offering this summer with a Summer Camp extension available in a few waves.  Walker was a surprise addition to the set, and I'm grateful for his inclusion as this could be his one and only Phillies baseball card.

2020 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2020 Season Summary Index / 2020 Chachi Set Checklist

2020 Chachi #12 Neil Walker

#12
Neil Martin Walker
Infield

Bats:  Switch  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  214
Opening Day Age:  34
Born:  September 10, 1985, Pittsburgh, PA
How Obtained:  Signed by the Phillies as a minor league free agent, January 22, 2020
Contract Status:  Signed through 2020
Major League Teams:  Pittsburgh Pirates 2009-2015; New York Mets 2016-2017; Milwaukee Brewers 2017; New York Yankees 2018; Miami Marlins 2019; Philadelphia Phillies 2020

First Phillies Card:  N/A
First Phillies Minor League Card:  N/A
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  N/A

Newest Card Added:  N/A

Topps Flagship Set Appearances (11):  2005, 2010-2019

0 - Walker baseball cards in my collection per The Phillies Room Checklist as of 8/7/20.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2020 Chachi #12

It hasn't entered my collection yet, but Walker does have one Phillies card (so far) as he appeared in the 2020 Topps Now Road to Opening Day - Summer Camp limited edition set.  I thought he was a strange inclusion at the time the checklist was released but I'm now glad he's in the set, as it might be his first and last Phillies baseball card.

Walker was one of four members of the 2013 pennant winning Pirates team in camp with the Phillies this spring, along with Andrew McCutchen, Josh Harrison and Francisco Liriano.  He was one of three non-roster invitees to make the Phillies opening day roster, along with Phil Gosselin and Ramon Rosso.

2020 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2020 Season Summary Index / 2020 Chachi Set Checklist

Non-Roster Invitee List - 25 . . . and Counting?

2014 Topps Heritage #417

2014 Topps Heritage #317

2014 Topps Heritage #73

2012 Topps Heritage #121

No sooner had I posted on Tuesday an update to the Phillies non-roster invitee list with the Post Title, "Non-Roster Invitee List - 21 and Done?" did news start coming out on Twitter on the signing of several more veteran players.  The Phillies added four fairly well-known players to the invitee list, bringing the total to 25 and the total tally of players coming to camp to 65.  I've been tracking this kind of thing since 2012 and this is the highest number of players since the 67 who were in camp in 2016.

Veteran right-handed pitchers Bud Norris and Drew Storen, along with lefty Francisco Liriano and infielder Neil Walker will all get serious looks down in Clearwater.  Norris is a 10-year veteran who most recently pitched for the Cardinals in 2018.  He enjoyed his best years with the Orioles in the mid-2000s and was a 15-game winner in 2014.  Storen is the former Nationals closer who lost his job to Jonathan Papelbon in 2015.  He has 99 career saves and last pitched for the Reds in 2017.

Liriano is a 14-year veteran and had a decent year for the Pirates last season, appearing in 69 games and pitching to a 3.47 ERA.  And finally Walker also had his best seasons with the Pirates in the early 2000s.  He was with the Marlins last year and hit .261 in 115 games.

Walker, Liriano, Andrew McCutchen and Josh Harrison were all teammates on the 2015 Pirates team that won the N.L. Wild Card and all four will be in camp with the Phillies in 2020.  Other former Phillies on the 2015 Pirates team include Sean Rodriguez, Pedro Florimon, A.J. Burnett, Charlie Morton, J.A. Happ, Jared Hughes, Antonio Bastardo, Vance Worley and Joe Blanton.

Player (position) - 2019 Organization - Last Major Baseball Card Appearance

1.  Phil Gosselin (inf) - Phillies - 2017 Topps Heritage #135 (Diamondbacks)

2.  Josh Harrison (inf) - Tigers - 2019 Topps Heritage #552 (Tigers)

3.  Mikie Mahtook (of) - Tigers - 2019 Topps #477 (Tigers)

4.  Matt Szczur (of) - Diamondbacks - 2018 Topps Heritage #528 (Padres)
5.  Christian Bethancourt (c) - NC Dinos (Korea) - 2017 Topps #697 (Padres)
6.  Ronald Torreyes (inf) - Twins - 2019 Topps #537 (Twins)
7.  Francisco Liriano (lhp) - Pirates - 2019 Topps Update #US61 (Pirates)
8.  Bud Norris (rhp) - Blue Jays - 2018 Topps #686 (Cardinals)
9.  Drew Storen (rhp) - Royals - 2017 Topps Heritage #573 (Reds)
10.  Neil Walker (inf) - Marlins - 2019 Topps Update #US132 (Marlins)

Player (position) - 2019 Organization - Last Card Added to Collection

11.  Alec Bohm (inf) - Phillies - 2019 Choice Reading Fightin Phils #1

12.  Connor Brogdon (rhp) - Phillies - 2019 Grandstand Clearwater Threshers #44

13.  Kyle Dohy (lhp) - Phillies - 2019 R-Phils Phillies Top 25 Prospects #5

14.  Tyler Gilbert (lhp) - Phillies - 2019 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #10
15.  Darick Hall (1b) - Phillies - 2019 Choice Reading Fightin Phils #7
16.  Spencer Howard (rhp) - Phillies - 2019 Topps Heritage Minor League #27
17.  Damon Jones (lhp) - Phillies - 2018 Choice Lakewood BlueClaws #13
18.  Henri Lartigue (c) - Phillies - 2019 Choice Reading Fightin Phils #12
19.  Austin Listi (1b-of) - Phillies - 2019 Choice Reading Fightin Phils #13
20.  Nick Maton (ss) - Phillies - 2019 Grandstand Clearwater Threshers #6
21.  Mickey Moniak (of) - Phillies - 2019 Choice Reading Fightin Phils #15
22.  Ramon Rosso (rhp) - Phillies - 2019 Choice Reading Fightin Phils #19
23.  Addison Russ (rhp) - Phillies - 2019 Choice Reading Fightin Phils #20
24.  Zach Warren (lhp) - Phillies - 2019 Grandstand Clearwater Threshers #33
25.  Luke Williams (inf-of) - Phillies - 2019 Choice Reading Fightin Phils #23