1996 Leaf Signature Autographs Bronze - Mike Mimbs

Diamondbacks 9, Phillies 5
Game 17 - Late Monday Night, April 23rd in Phoenix
Record - 7-10, 5th Place, 5 1/2 games behind the Nationals

First, a Word from our Sponsors:  Unbeknownst to the good people at Google who developed Blogger, I travel quite frequently throughout the spring and summer and I have to leave behind my trusty iMac and rely on my antiquated work laptop while out of town.  My work laptop runs a version of Internet Explorer which is at least six or seven versions behind the current version, and I'm expressly forbidden from updating my internet browser for fear that it would throw all of my work applications completely out of whack.  Therefore, when Blogger went to its new and improved (?) interface a few days ago, while I was out of town, I was left Blogger-less.  My work laptop's internet browser is unequipped to handle all the new bells and whistles.

What does all this mean?  Not much really, other than if more than a few days go by without posting current content, just realize that I'm either on vacation or traveling for work, all the while cursing my work laptop's inability to step into the year 2012.  And now back to the show!

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies were completely embarrassed by the Diamondbacks, 9-5.

What It Means:  I listened to the majority of this game from a hotel room in Mason, Ohio, and at the time I thought to myself, "This is the bottom.  It's got to turn around from here.  It will get better."  Fortunately, at least for the next two games, it did get better.

What Went Wrong:  The Phils were shut out for eight innings and then scored five times in the ninth to at least make the final score somewhat respectable.  Charlie Manuel would call the inning a "morale booster."  The big blow in the ninth was a three-run home run from Shane Victorino - the team's first home run of 2012 with runners in scoring position.  Carlos Ruiz followed with a solo home run.

Featured Card:  Kyle Kendrick made a spot start in place of the injured Cliff Lee and he allowed eleven hits and seven runs in his three-plus innings of work.  Todd Zolecki pointed out that he became "just the fourth Phillies starter since 1918 to allow 11 or more hits and seven or more earned runs in three or fewer innings."  The last pitcher to do it?  That would be Mike Mimbs, back on May 11, 1996, against the Braves.

Mimbs was featured on quite a few Phillies cards back in 1996, including this signed card from the ground-breaking Leaf Signature Autographs set.