Series Preview - Phillies at Blue Jays: August 20th

2020 Chachi 1991 Missing Links #3

1991 Topps #101

Double Header Thursday 1:07
Sahlen Field - Buffalo, NY

At the Ballpark:  These games are being played to make up games cancelled on July 31st and August 1st when the Phillies had to postpone a week's worth of games following the COVID-19 outbreak on the Marlins.  The final missed game, originally scheduled for August 2nd, will be played as part of a double header on September 18th.

Buffalo's Sahlen Field is the Triple-A home of the Blue Jays' top farm team, the Buffalo Bisons.  With restrictions in place in Canada resulting from the pandemic, the Blue Jays are playing their 2020 home games at the ballpark, which opened in 1988.

Phillies 9-10
3rd Place in the N.L. East, 2 games behind the Braves

Phillies Probables
Spencer Howard (0-1, 7.88)
Vince Velasquez (0-0, 7.88)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Bryce Harper - .349
Runs:  Bryce Harper - 19
Home Runs:  J.T. Realmuto - 8
RBIs:  J.T. Realmuto - 20
Stolen Bases:  Bryce Harper - 4

Wins:  Zack Wheeler - 3
ERA:  Aaron Nola - 2.05

Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 37
Saves:  Hector Neris - 2

Blue Jays 10-11
4th Place in the A.L. East, 4 1/2 games behind the Yankees

Blue Jays Probables
Chase Anderson (0-0, 3.00)
Trent Thornton (0-0, 2.25)

Blue Jays Leaders
Average:  Randal Grichuk - .344
Runs:  Cavan Biggio - 17
Home Runs:  Teoscar Hernandez - 7
RBIs:  Randal Grichuk - 15
Stolen Bases:  Bo Bichette - 4

Wins:  Tanner Roark and Hyun Jin Ryu - 2
ERA:  Hyun Jin Ryu - 3.46

Strikeouts:  Hyun Jin Ryu - 27
Saves:  Anthony Bass - 3

Game 19 - 2019 Grandstand Clearwater Threshers #44 Connor Brogdon

Red Sox 6, Phillies 3
Game 19 - Wednesday Afternoon, August 19th in Boston
Record - 9-10, 3rd Place, 2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies offense quieted down and Jake Arrieta had an erratic start in this 6-3 loss.

What It Means:  For the Red Sox, the win broke a nine-game losing streak.  For the Phillies, they'll try to get back on track with a double header in Buffalo against the Blue Jays on Thursday.

What Happened:  The Phillies quickly scored two runs in the first on a Phil Gosselin single and a Didi Gregorius sacrifice fly.  They then went hitless until Neil Walker doubled to start the seventh.  The offense had only three hits in the game.

Arrieta was wild, lasting 4 1/3 innings and giving up 4 runs on 5 hits and 4 walks.

Featured Card:  Not a whole lot of bright spots in this game for the Phillies, but reliever Connor Brogdon impressed with his one inning of scoreless relief in the eighth.  Brogdon relieved Ramon Rosso who had loaded the bases to start the inning and managed to retire the Red Sox without an inherited runner scoring.  That's pretty good for a pitcher who had a card in last year's Single-A Clearwater Threshers team set.

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

2020 Chachi #34 Pedro Guerrero / David Lundquist / Juan Castro CO

#95
Pedro Manuel Guerrero
Assistant Hitting Coach

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  177
Opening Day Age:  31
Born:  December 3, 1988, San Pedro de Macoris, DR
Major League Teams:  N/A
As a Coach:  Philadelphia Phillies 2018-

First Phillies Card:  2018 Phillies Team Issue #58
First Phillies Minor League Card:  N/A
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  2018 Phillies Team Issue #58

Newest Card Added:  2019 Phillies Team Issue 2 #60

Topps Flagship Set Appearances (0):  N/A

4 - Guerrero baseball cards in my collection per The Phillies Room Checklist as of 8/11/20.

Complete Chachi Checklist - Guerrero
2018 Chachi #28 - with Dusty Wathan, Chris Young and Jim Gott
2018 Chachi Phillies Phestival #11 - with Jesmuel Valentin and Jerad Eickhoff
2019 Chachi #29 - with Dave Lundquist and Bobby Dickerson
2019 Chachi Photo Night #16
2020 Chachi #34 - with David Lundquist and Juan Castro

The Joe Girardi Regime ushered in a new hitting coach (Joe Dillon) and pitching coach (Bryan Price) but the assistance positions for both hitting and pitching disciplines remained the same.  Pedro Guerrero is back for his third season while David Lundquist is back for his second season.  Guerrero is becoming a Phillies Room favorite as he good-naturedly interacted with our kids the last few seasons at the Phillies Phestival and during photo night.  Non-roster invitees took both coaches' numbers this spring, with Guerrero swapping #60 for #95 and Lundquist going from #57 to #94.

Juan Castro is the franchise's fourth dedicated, full-time infield coach, joining the ranks of Bobby Wine (1972), Tony Taylor (1977-1978) and Bobby Dickerson (2019).  Castro rejoins the Chachi set after a 10 year absence, and his biggest Phillies moment came when he started the final out of Roy Halladay's perfect game on May 29, 2010.  Castro started at third base for that game, giving the regular third baseman at the time, Placido Polanco, a day off.

#94
David Bruce Lundquist, Jr.
Assistant Pitching Coach

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  240
Opening Day Age:  47
Born:  June 4, 1973, Beverly, MA
Major League Teams:  Chicago White Sox 1999; San Diego Padres 2001-2002
As a Coach:  Philadelphia Phillies 2019-

First Phillies Card:  2019 Phillies Team Issue #57
First Phillies Minor League Card:  2008 Multi-Ad Lakewood BlueClaws #30
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  2019 Phillies Team Issue #57

Newest Card Added:  2019 Phillies Team Issue 2 #57

Topps Flagship Set Appearances (0):  N/A

14 - Lundquist baseball cards in my collection per The Phillies Room Checklist as of 8/11/20.

Complete Chachi Checklist - Lundquist
2019 Chachi #29 - with Pedro Guerrero and Bobby Dickerson
2020 Chachi #34 - with Pedro Guerrero and Juan Castro

* * *

#91
Juan G. Castro
Infield Coach

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  190
Opening Day Age:  48
Born:  June 20, 1972, Los Mochis, Sinaloa, MX
Major League Teams:  Los Angeles Dodgers 1995-1999; Cincinnati Reds 2000-2004; Minnesota Twins 2005-2006; Cincinnati Reds 2006-2008; Baltimore Orioles 2008; Los Angeles Dodgers 2009; Philadelphia Phillies 2010; Los Angeles Dodgers 2010-2011
As a Coach:  Los Angeles Dodgers 2016-2017; Philadelphia Phillies 2020

First Phillies Card:  2010 Phillies Team Issue #7
First Phillies Minor League Card:  N/A
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  2010 Phillies Team Issue 2 #7

Newest Card Added:  2010 Phillies Team Issue 2 #7

Topps Flagship Set Appearances (3):  2004, 2006, 2009

2 - Castro baseball cards in my collection per The Phillies Room Checklist as of 8/11/20.

Complete Chachi Checklist - Castro
2010 Chachi #12
2020 Chachi #34 - with Pedro Guerrero and David Lundquist

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

Game 18 - 2020 Topps Throwback Thursday #98 Bryce Harper

Phillies 13, Red Sox 6
Game 18 - Tuesday Night, August 18th in Boston
Record - 9-9, 3rd Place, 1 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The offense pounded out 16 hits in this 13-6 rout of the Red Sox.

What It Means:  The Phillies now have the best offense in the National League through 18 games and it looks as if their line-up is finally getting going.  Bryce Harper leads the majors with a .486 on-base percentage and he's second with an 1.186 OPS.

What Happened:  The entire starting line-up, save Scott Kingery, had hits in this game.  The Red Sox held a 3-0 lead after three innings, and the Phillies started chipping away with a Jay Bruce RBI single in the fourth and a Rhys Hoskins solo home run, his first of the season, in the fifth.  They piled on seven runs in the sixth with an RBI double from pinch-hitter Phil Gosselin starting the scoring and a three-run home run from Harper putting an exclamation point on the inning.  Gosselin would homer in the seventh and Bruce made it a laugher with a three-run home run in the eighth.

Zach Eflin lasted only four innings, but the bullpen was actually effective for the Phillies.  Blake Parker got the win with two scoreless innings of relief.

Featured Card:  I almost went with Bruce here, but I have a glut of cool Harper cards in my slim 2020 Phillies binder, so he gets the nod.  This card uses the design of the 1978-79 Topps Hockey cards and was available online from Topps as part of their ongoing Throwback Thursday series.

Transaction:  Edgar Garcia (rhp) was traded to the Rays for a player to be named later, ending the young pitcher's six-plus years within the Phillies organization.  His 40-man roster spot was needed last week with the addition of Alec Bohm to the active roster.  Feeling better and cleared to play, Roman Quinn (of) was activated from the injured list and JoJo Romero (lhp) was optioned back to Lehigh Valley.  Romero was active for three games, but didn't see any game action.

Finally, and for the record, Andrew Knapp has assumed uniform #5 after wearing #7 for four games.  He originally swapped from #15 on August 13th when the club announced it would be retiring Dick Allen's number, and then he swapped again when #5 became available with the recent departure of Nick Williams.

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

2020 Chachi Almost #11 Edgar Garcia

#41
Edgar Ernesto Garcia
Relief Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  205
Opening Day Age:  23
Born:  October 4, 1996, Palenque, DR
How Obtained:  Signed as an amateur free agent, May 29, 2014
Departed:  Traded to the Tampa Bay Rays for a player to be named later, August 18, 2020
Major League Teams:  Philadelphia Phillies 2019

First Phillies Card:  N/A
First Phillies Minor League Card:  2016 Choice Lakewood BlueClaws #7
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  N/A

Newest Card Added:  2019 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #9

Topps Flagship Set Appearances (0):  N/A

6 - Garcia baseball cards in my collection per The Phillies Room Checklist as of 8/18/20.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2016 Chachi BlueClaws Signing Autographs #2
2019 Chachi #40
2019 Chachi Photo Cards #41
2019 Chachi Friendly Encounters #20
2020 Chachi Almost #11

On Tuesday, the Phillies sent young relief pitcher Edgar Garcia to the Rays for a player to be named later.  Garcia had been designated for assignment on August 13th, when his 40-man roster spot was needed for Alec Bohm.

Despite appearing in 37 games last season for the Phillies, all in relief, Garcia has not yet appeared on a Phillies baseball card and with his departure it's now doubtful he ever will.

I'll remember him for signing autographs for us four years ago at a BlueClaws game, and for having to switch his number when Charlie Manuel rejoined the team in 2019 as an interim hitting coach.  Garcia surrendered his #41 to Manuel, switching to #66 for the rest of the season.  He had switched back to #41 for this year's spring training/Summer Camp.

Departed During the 2020 Season 

• Nick Williams (of) - 8/15/20, Selected off waivers by the Cincinnati Reds. 
• Edgar Garcia (rhp) - 8/18/20, Traded to the Tampa Bay Rays for a player to be named later.

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

Series Preview - Phillies at Red Sox: August 18th to August 19th

2020 Chachi Fan Favorites #2

1991 Topps #761

Tuesday 7:30 and Wednesday 1:35
Fenway Park - Boston, MA

At the Ballpark:  This short series marks the first time the Phillies have played outside Citizens Bank Park since August 3rd, and they've gone 7-6 at home since then.  The Red Sox are in the middle of an 8-game losing streak and their 17 losses ties them for the most in baseball with the Mariners.

Phillies 8-9
3rd Place in the N.L. East, 2 1/2 games behind the Braves

Phillies Probables
Zach Eflin (0-1, 3.60)
Jake Arrieta (1-2, 4.02)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Bryce Harper - .364
Runs:  Bryce Harper - 17
Home Runs:  J.T. Realmuto - 8
RBIs:  J.T. Realmuto - 20
Stolen Bases:  Bryce Harper - 3

Wins:  Zack Wheeler - 3
ERA:  Aaron Nola - 2.05

Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 37
Saves:  Hector Neris - 2

Red Sox 6-17
5th Place in the A.L. East, 10 1/2 games behind the Yankees

Red Sox Probables
Zack Godley (0-2, 8.16)
Kyle Hart (0-1, 22.50)

Red Sox Leaders
Average:  Kevin Pillar - .296
Runs:  Xander Bogaerts - 12
Home Runs:  Mitch Moreland - 6
RBIs:  Mitch Moreland and Christian Vazquez - 12
Stolen Bases:  Xander Bogaerts - 2

Wins:  Heath Hembree and Martin Perez - 2
ERA:  Martin Perez - 4.07

Strikeouts:  Nathan Eovaldi - 27
Saves:  Brandon Workman - 3

2020 Chachi #24 Cole Irvin

#47
Cole Rj Irvin
Relief Pitcher

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'4"  Weight:  217
Opening Day Age:  26
Born:  January 31, 1994, Anaheim, CA
How Obtained:  Selected by the Phillies in the 5th round of the June 2016 amateur player draft
Contract Status:  Arbitration eligible in 2023, free agency eligible in 2026
Major League Teams:  Philadelphia Phillies 2019-

First Phillies Card:  2016 Bowman Draft #BD-4
First Phillies Minor League Card:  2016 Choice Williamsport Crosscutters #18
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  N/A

Newest Card Added:  2019 Topps Update #US108

Topps Flagship Set Appearances (1):  2019

12 - Irvin baseball cards in my collection per The Phillies Room Checklist as of 8/11/20.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2019 Chachi #42
2019 Chachi Photo Cards #47
2020 Chachi #24

Cole Irvin impressed in his big league debut last May, allowing only a run over seven strong innings against the Royals.  He struggled somewhat after that and was shifted to the bullpen in September where he found some success as a long reliever.

Irvin made the Phillies opening day roster this season, and he appeared in two games before his roster spot was needed by Spencer Howard on August 9th.  He's currently with the team's taxi squad training in Lehigh Valley.

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

2020 Chachi #23 Tommy Hunter

#96
Raymond Thomas Hunter
Relief Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'3"  Weight:  250
Opening Day Age:  34
Born:  July 3, 1986, Indianapolis, IN
How Obtained:  Signed by the Phillies as a free agent, December 15, 2017
Contract Status:  Signed through 2020.
Major League Teams:  Texas Rangers 2008-2011; Baltimore Orioles 2011-2015; Chicago Cubs 2015; Cleveland Indians 2016; Baltimore Orioles 2016; Tampa Bay Rays 2017; Philadelphia Phillies 2018-

First Phillies Card:  2018 Phillies Team Issue #40
First Phillies Minor League Card:  N/A
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  2018 Phillies Team Issue #40

Newest Card Added:  2019 Topps #619

Topps Flagship Set Appearances (6):  2010, 2012-2015, 2019

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

Complete Chachi Checklist
2018 Chachi New Additions #3
2018 Chachi #31
2019 Chachi #51
2020 Chachi #23

Tommy Hunter appeared in a career high 68 games for the 2013 Orioles, and came within three games of matching that mark with 65 appearances for the 2018 Phillies.  And then everything fell apart.  Hunter was limited to only five games last season due to a right forearm strain, and he's hoping to rebound this year.

He's jumped around a bit with his Topps flagship set appearances, first appearing within the 2010 Topps set.  His card in last year's series two release marked his return to Topps sets for the first time since 2015.

Other than that 2019 Topps card, and a card in the 2019 Topps Heritage set, the rest of Hunter's Phillies baseball cards can all be found in the team-issued photo card sets from 2018 and 2019.

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

2020 Chachi #25 Trevor Kelley

#67
Trevor Michael Kelley
Relief Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  200
Opening Day Age:  26
Born:  October 20, 1993, Providence, RI
How Obtained:  Claimed off waivers from the Boston Red Sox, December 2, 2019
Contract Status:  Arbitration eligible in 2023, free agency eligible in 2026
Major League Teams:  Boston Red Sox 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 (0):  N/A

0 - Kelley baseball cards in my collection per The Phillies Room Checklist as of 8/11/20.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2020 Chachi New Additions #6
2020 Chachi #25

Kelley was added to the 40-man roster in early December as a waiver claim from the Red Sox.  He was subsequently designated for assignment on January 31st when his roster spot was needed for fellow waiver claim Reggie McClain.  Less than a week later, Kelley was officially back in the mix as a non-roster invitee.

Kelley is a rarity in today's day and age as his only baseball cards to date are from Red Sox minor league team sets.  There's nary a Bowman-related card to his name.

He joins Mauricio Robles (2013) and Jose Pirela (2019) as the third player in team history to wear #67.  Designated for assignment on August 11th, Kelley cleared waivers and was outrighted to Lehigh Valley.

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

Game 17 - 2020 Topps Big League #195 Andrew McCutchen

Phillies 6, Mets 2
Game 17 - Sunday Afternoon, August 16th in Philadelphia
Record - 8-9, 3rd Place, 2 games behind the Braves and Marlins

One Sentence Summary:  Zack Wheeler turned in another solid performance and Andrew McCutchen's first home run of the year gave the Phillies the lead for good in this 6-2 win.

What It Means:  The win completed the series sweep against the Mets, and it was nice to bounce back after getting swept by the Orioles.  The Phillies now head out on the road for the first time since August 3rd, with games against the Red Sox, Blue Jays (in Buffalo) and Braves beginning on Tuesday night.

What Happened:  Wheeler improved his record to 3-0, allowing 2 runs on 6 hits over 7 innings.  The bullpen duo of Adam Morgan and Hector Neris recorded the final six outs of the game, lowering the team's bullpen ERA in the process.  A first inning RBI single from Rhys Hoskins and an RBI double from Alec Bohm in the sixth tied the score at 2-2.  With Bohm on board, McCutchen hit an absolute bomb to left to un-tie the score.  J.T. Realmuto and Didi Gregorius added a few insurance runs with RBI hits in the seventh.

Featured Card:  McCutchen had emerged as one of my favorite Phillies players early last season, and he's picked up where he's left off following his recovery from his brutal knee injury.  This was the first home run for McCutchen since May 31, 2019.

Transaction:  Roman Quinn (of) was placed on the injured list prior to the game as Quinn wasn't feeling well Sunday morning.  In an abundance of caution, he'll be staying away from the rest of the team and he'll go through all the required COVID-19 protocols before he's cleared to return.  Kyle Garlick (of) was recalled from Lehigh Valley.

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

2020 Chachi #20 Jose Alvarez

#52
Jose Ricardo Alvarez
Relief Pitcher

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  195
Opening Day Age:  31
Born:  May 6, 1989, Barcelona, VZ
How Obtained:  Acquired from the Los Angeles Angels for Luis Garcia, December 6, 2018
Contract Status:  Signed through 2020
Major League Teams:  Detroit Tigers 2013; Los Angeles Angels 2014-2018; Philadelphia Phillies 2019-

First Phillies Card:  2019 Phillies Team Issue #52
First Phillies Minor League Card:  N/A
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  2019 Phillies Team Issue #52
Labels
Newest Card Added:  2019 Topps Total #183

Topps Flagship Set Appearances (2):  2013, 2015

3 - Alvarez baseball cards in my collection per The Phillies Room Checklist as of 8/11/20.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2019 Chachi New Additions #4
2019 Chachi #18
2019 Chachi Phillies Phestival #9
2020 Chachi #20

Jose Alvarez has quietly performed as one of the Phillies best and most reliable relievers over the past two seasons.  His 67 appearances last season fell one short of the team lead as Hector Neris appeared in 68 games.

Despite pitching in parts of eight big league seasons so far, Alvarez's baseball card appearances are sparse which is the fate of most non-closing relievers.  He appeared in the 2013 and 2015 Topps Update sets and received his first, and only to date, mainstream Phillies card in last year's Topps Total set.  He also appeared in both the first and second team-issued photo card sets last season.

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

Game 16 - 2020 Topps Heritage #490 Rhys Hoskins

Phillies 6, Mets 2
Game 16 - Saturday Night, August 15th in Philadelphia
Record - 7-9, 3rd Place, 3 games behind the Marlins

One Sentence Summary:  Aaron Nola pitched seven solid shutout innings and Rhys Hoskins delivered a bases-clearing, three-run double in the fifth as the Phillies downed the Mets again, 6-2.

What It Means:  Our son Ben's Pooh Bear made his Phillies TV debut in this game, appearing in the stands with a group of other Phillies fans at one point during the broadcast.  The bear, affectionately named Mr. Liltly by Ben for reasons unknown, looks to have scored a pretty good seat.

What Happened:  Nola became the first Phillies pitcher since at least 1893 to allow three or fewer hits and strike out eight or more batter in three straight starts, which seems almost hard to believe.  (Source - Matt Breen Tweet.)  He had a comfortable 6-0 lead when he departed after seven innings largely because of Hoskins' big hit.  Jean Segura homered in the first and Bryce Harper drove home Hoskins in the fifth with a double of his own.  Ramon Rosso pitched the final two innings for the Phillies, giving up a two-run home run to Dominic Smith in the ninth.

Featured Card:  I'm thrilled to present a Hoskins card, as it's been way too long since his last featured card in a game summary post - Game 149 of last season, September 17th.

Transaction:  Nick Williams (of) the final remaining hold-over from the 2015 Cole Hamels trade with the Rangers, was claimed off waivers by the Reds.  Williams will report to the Reds' alternate training site in Mason, OH.

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

Game 15 - 2020 Topps Total #1 Bryce Harper

Phillies 6, Mets 5
Game 15 - Friday Night, August 14th in Philadelphia
Record - 6-9, Tied for 3rd Place, 4 games behind the Marlins

One Sentence Summary:  A clutch hit from Bryce Harper and an elusive slide from Roman Quinn led to this 6-5 walk-off win against the Mets.

What It Means:  The heroics wouldn't have been needed if Hector Neris had been able to preserve a 5-4 lead in the ninth.  The Phillies closer blew his second straight save.

What Happened:  The Phillies had taken a 5-4 lead in the fifth on J.T. Realmuto's three-run home run off emergency Mets starter Walker Lockett.  Realmuto's 8th home run is the second most Phillies home runs in the team's first 15 games since Mike Schmidt hit 12 in 1976.  (Source - Sarah Langs Tweet.)  Just as impressive, his 8 home runs ties Realmuto with Hall of Famer Gabby Hartnett for the most home runs by a catcher to start a season.  Hartnett did it in 1925.  (Source - ESPN Stats & Info Tweet.)

Spencer Howard didn't fare well in his second start, leaving early with a blister and giving up 4 runs (3 earned) on 7 hits through 3 1/3 innings.  The bullpen did its job and kept the Braves scoreless until Neris blew it in the ninth.

Featured Card:  Quinn singled to start the ninth, went to second on Andrew McCutchen's hit and came around to score the winning run on Harper's hit to right.  Quinn perfectly executed a slide to elude the tag of catcher Wilson Ramos, with the help of Realmuto who was on-deck and provided guidance to Quinn as to where to slide.  Both Harper and Realmuto were granted Topps Now cards to mark their big games.

Transaction:  In the latest round of bullpen roulette, Austin Davis (lhp) was optioned to Lehigh Valley with JoJo Romero (lhp) taking his place.  Along with Ramon Rosso (rhp), Spencer Howard (rhp), Connor Brogdon (rhp) and Alec Bohm (3b), Romero will become the fifth Phillies player to make his big league debut in 2020 once he gets into a game.  It was also announced that Enyel De Los Santos (rhp) and Trevor Kelley (rhp) had cleared waivers and were outrighted to Lehigh Valley.

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

2020 Chachi #22 Deolis Guerra

#57
Deolis Alexander Guerra
Relief Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'5"  Weight:  245
Opening Day Age:  31
Born:  April 17, 1989, San Felix, VZ
How Obtained:  Claimed off waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers, February 5, 2020
Contract Status:  Arbitration eligible in 2021, free agency eligible in 2025
Major League Teams:  Pittsburgh 2015; Los Angeles Angels 2016-2017; Milwaukee Brewers 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 (1):  2015

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

Complete Chachi Checklist
2020 Chachi New Additions #11
2020 Chachi #22

Deolis Guerra was claimed off waivers in February, taking the spot of reliever JD Hammer on the 40-man roster.  He appeared in a career high 44 games in 2016 with the Angels, going 3-0 with a 3.21 ERA, all in relief.

I don't have it in hand yet, but I've ordered what could be Guerra's first and only Phillies baseball card this year, included within Wave 7 of this year's Topps Total set.

His mainstream baseball cards are sparse.  He first appeared in the 2007 Bowman Draft Picks & Prospects set as a young Mets prospect.  He next appeared in the 2009 Bowman Prospects Autographs set, and then several years later on a multi-player Rookie Combos card in the 2015 Topps Update set.

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

2020 Chachi Almost #10 Nick Williams

#5
Billy Nicholas Williams
Outfield

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'3"  Weight:  208
Opening Day Age:  26
Born:  September 8, 1993, Galveston, TX
How Obtained:  Acquired with Jerad Eickhoff, Matt Harrison, Jorge Alfaro, Jake Thompson and Alec Asher from the Texas Rangers for Cole Hamels, Jake Diekman and cash considerations, July 31, 2015
Departed:  Claimed off waivers by the Cincinnati Reds, August 15, 2020
Major League Teams:  Philadelphia Phillies 2017-2019

First Phillies Card:  2016 Bowman Prospects #BP105
First Phillies Minor League Card:  2015 Reading Fightin Phils Holiday Set #28
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  2017 Phillies Team Issue Special Edition #5

Newest Card Added:  2020 Topps Gypsy Queen #154

Topps Flagship Set Appearances (2):  2018-2019

73 - Williams baseball cards in my collection per The Phillies Room Checklist as of 8/15/20.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2016 Chachi Almost #25
2016 Chachi IronPigs Signing Autographs #4
2017 Chachi #46
2017 Chachi Archives #9
2017 Chachi Archives #18
2017 Chachi Photo Night #32
2017 Chachi In Action #9
2018 Chachi #5
2018 Chachi Friendly Encounters #7
2019 Chachi #13
2019 Chachi Phillies Phestival #14 - with Sean Rodriguez
2020 Chachi Almost #10

Nick Williams departed the organization on Saturday, claimed off waivers by the Reds.  Williams was the sixth and final player remaining in the organization from the Cole Hamels trade with the Rangers that recently had its five-year anniversary.

In three seasons with the Phillies, Williams appeared in 290 games and hit .254 with 31 home runs and 110 RBIs.  He was the team's opening day right fielder in 2018, but a lack of production and the arrival of Andrew McCutchen and Bryce Harper in 2019 left Williams without a position.  He was always quick with an autograph and a smile, and The Phillies Room wishes him all the best with the Reds.

Departed During the 2020 Season 

• Nick Williams (of) - 8/15/20, Selected off waivers by the Cincinnati Reds. 

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

2020 Chachi #21 Austin Davis

#54
Austin Richard Davis
Relief Pitcher

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'4"  Weight:  225
Opening Day Age:  27
Born:  February 3, 1993, Scottsdale, AZ
How Obtained:  Selected by Phillies in the 12th round of the June 2014 amateur player draft
Contract Status:  Arbitration eligible in 2022, free agency eligible in 2026
Major League Teams:  Philadelphia Phillies 2018-

First Phillies Card:  2018 Phillies Team Issue 2 Update #54
First Phillies Minor League Card:  2015 Choice Lakewood BlueClaws #5
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  2018 Phillies Team Issue 2 Update #54

Newest Card Added:  2019 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #7

Topps Flagship Set Appearances (0):  N/A

8 - Davis baseball cards in my collection per The Phillies Room Checklist as of 8/11/20.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2018 Chachi #40
2018 Chachi Phillies Phestival #4 - with Luis Garcia and Victor Arano
2019 Chachi #35
2019 Chachi Photo Cards #54
2020 Chachi #21

Austin Davis struggled mightily over the first few weeks of this strange season, and his ERA was 21.00 after four appearances.  He was optioned to the Lehigh Valley alternate training site following the Orioles series sweep.

Davis' only Phillies baseball card to date can be found in the the second series 2018 team-issued photo card update set.

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

Game 14 - 2020 Bowman Next #T6 Alec Bohm

Orioles 11, Phillies 4
Game 14 - Thursday Night, August 13th in Philadelphia
Record - 5-9, 5th Place, 4 games behind the Marlins

One Sentence Summary:  Alec Bohm made his highly anticipated debut, but the Phillies bullpen let another game get away in this 11-4 loss.

What It Means:  The Orioles easily swept the three-game series and the Mets come into town next for a three-game weekend series.

What Happened:  Former Phillies top pitching prospect Thomas Eshelman held the Phillies offense to two runs on four hits over five innings.  J.T. Realmuto hit two more home runs and Bryce Harper had two more hits as those two continue to carry the entire Phillies line-up.  Bohm doubled off Eshelman in his first big league at-bat.

1992 Phillies Team Issue - ALS Phestival

Connor Brogdon also made his big league debut, and was greeted with a three-run home from Pedro Severino on the first pitch he threw.  He gave up a second home run to Rio Ruiz in the ninth and infielder Neil Walker was called on to record the final two outs of the inning.  The Phillies bullpen owns a horrific 10.14 ERA through the first 14 games of the season.

Featured Card:  Bohm's arrival was big news, but the even bigger Phillies news was the announcement that Dick Allen's #15 would be retired by the club on September 3rd, the 53rd anniversary of his debut.  Allen will hopefully be inducted into the Hall of Fame this December, but the announcement reverses course on the Phillies prior policy of only retiring the numbers of Hall of Famers.  This is seen as opening up the possibility we could see retirements for #6 (Ryan Howard), #11 (Jimmy Rollins) and #26 (Chase Utley) all of which have been iced by the team and not assigned to anyone since those three legends left the club.

Transaction:  If nothing else, the Phillies have attempted to stay active with their transactions.  Bohm (3b) was recalled and Adam Haseley (of) was placed on the injured list with a wrist injury.  Edgar Garcia (rhp) became the latest to be designated for assignment as his 40-man roster spot was needed for Bohm.  Also, JD Hammer (rhp) was added to the 60-man Player Pool and reported to Lehigh Valley.  By my very unofficial tally, the Phillies have used 54 spots of their available 60 spots, and I'm not counting David Robertson (rhp) and Seranthony Dominguez (rhp) who are both on the 60-day injured list.

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

Series Preview - Mets at Phillies: August 14th to August 16th

2020 Chachi Fan Favorites #16

2020 Chachi 1991 Topps Missing Links #4

Friday 7:05, Saturday 6:05 and Sunday 1:05
Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA

At the Ballpark:  Our family's cutouts are concerned about getting wet this weekend.  When they've showed close-ups of the cutouts on the TV broadcasts, it's clear they've been zip tied to the back of the seats, so at least they won't blow away.  If the Phillies continue to play poorly, I wonder if we could request our cutouts be moved to Bull's BBQ so we could at least enjoy a good virtual meal.

Mets 9-11
3rd Place in the N.L. East, 3 games behind the Marlins

Mets Probables
Jacob deGrom (2-0, 2.45)
Steven Matz (0-3, 8.20)
Rick Porcello (1-2, 5.68)

Mets Leaders
Average:  Michael Conforto - .333
Runs:  Brandon Nimmo - 14
Home Runs:  Dominic Smith - 4
RBIs:  Dominic Smith - 12
Stolen Bases:  Andres Gimenez - 5

Wins:  David Peterson - 3
ERA:  Jacob deGrom - 2.45
Strikeouts:  Jacob deGrom - 28
Saves:  Seth Lugo - 3

Phillies 5-9
5th Place in the N.L. East, 4 games behind the Marlins

Phillies Probables
Spencer Howard (0-1, 7.71)
Aaron Nola (1-1, 2.79)
Zack Wheeler (2-0, 2.89)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Bryce Harper - .356
Runs:  Bryce Harper - 15
Home Runs:  J.T. Realmuto - 7
RBIs:  J.T. Realmuto - 17
Stolen Bases:  Bryce Harper - 2

Wins:  Zack Wheeler - 2
ERA:  Aaron Nola - 2.79

Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 29
Saves:  Hector Neris - 2

2020 Chachi #40 Alec Bohm

#28
Alec Daniel Bohm
Third Base

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'5"  Weight:  218
Opening Day Age:  23
Born:  August 3, 1996, Omaha, NE
How Obtained:  Selected by the Phillies in the 1st round of June 2018 amateur player draft
Major League Teams:  Philadelphia Phillies 2020

First Phillies Card:  2019 Bowman Prospects #BP-2
First Phillies Minor League Card:  2018 Choice Williamsport Crosscutters #5
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  N/A

Newest Card Added:  2020 Bowman 1990 Bowman #90B-AB

Topps Flagship Set Appearances (0):  N/A

23 - Bohm baseball cards in my collection per The Phillies Room Checklist as of 8/13/20.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2018 Chachi Almost #6
2020 Chachi #40

For his Major League debut on Thursday afternoon, Alec Bohm switched from the #80 he had worn during spring training/Summer Camp to the more respectable #28.  Bohm promptly doubled in his first at-bat off Orioles' starting pitcher and former Phillies prospect Thomas Eshelman.

Bohm has been all over the Bowman and Topps minor league releases the past two years and despite only joining the organization in mid-2018, he's managed to make it into seven Phillies minor league team sets.  I would predict a Topps Now card will be made available on Friday to mark Bohm's call-up.

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

Game 13 - 2020 Topps #662 Andrew Knapp

Orioles 5, Phillies 4
Game 13 - Wednesday Night, August 12th in Philadelphia
Record - 5-8, Tied for 4th Place, 3 1/2 games behind the Marlins

One Sentence Summary:  Zach Eflin pitched admirably but the offense couldn't get enough clutch hits in this 5-4 loss to the Orioles.

What It Means:  Behind Jake Arrieta, the Phillies will try to avoid a three-game sweep from the Orioles this afternoon.

What Happened:  Eflin went six innings, striking out a career high 10 batters, but allowing four runs on seven hits.  The biggest hits were solo home runs from Anthony Santander in the first and Rio Ruiz in the fifth.  Chance Sisco drove in a pair with a bloop single to left in the fourth.

The Phillies offense had its chances, ultimately going 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position.  Rhys Hoskins ground into three 5-4-3 double plays, personally stranding four runners and dropping his average to .190.

Featured Card:  One of the bright spots from the Phillies offense has been back-up catcher Andrew Knapp?  Knapp enjoyed his first career three-hit performance in this game, raising his average to .625 (5 for 8) in the process.  If Hoskins does indeed get a day off (or two) due to his offensive struggles, manager Joe Girardi could keep Knapp in the line-up and give J.T. Realmuto a breather by having Realmuto DH or play first.

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