Braves at Phillies: July 5th to July 7th

Friday 7:05, Saturday 7:15 and Sunday 1:35
Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA

Braves 49-36, 1st Place in the N.L. East, 6 games ahead of the Nationals
Phillies 41-45, 3rd Place in the N.L. East, 8 1/2 games behind the Braves

Braves Probables:  Tim Hudson (4-7, 4.22), Paul Maholm (9-6, 3.69), Kris Medlen (6-7, 3.11)
Phillies Probables:  Cliff Lee (9-2, 2.59), Kyle Kendrick (7-5, 3.59), Jonathan Pettibone (4-3, 3.99)

At the Ballpark:  Tomorrow night is the Mama Lucia Meatballs Ladies Night at the ballpark with all ladies 15 and older receiving a special Phillies print.

Phillies Leaders

Average:  Ben Revere - .290

Runs:  Domonic Brown - 46

Home Runs:  Domonic Brown - 22

RBIs:  Domonic Brown - 60

Stolen Bases:  Ben Revere - 20

Wins:  Cliff Lee - 9

ERA:  Cliff Lee - 2.59

Strikeouts:  Cliff Lee - 115

Saves:  Jonathan Papelbon - 17

1973 Topps #653 and #509

1973 Topps Flashback:  In just three short years after this card was issued, pitcher Joe Hoerner would go on to have one of the best baseball cards in the entire 1976 SSPC set.  (Please see the recent gallery post, second card on the top row for proof of this.  The card in question is also memorialized in this blog's banner.)

Hoerner's first stint in Philly lasted from 1970 until June 1972 when he was traded with Andre Thornton to the Braves for pitchers Jim Nash and Gary Neibauer.  He returned to the Phillies for the 1975 season as a free agent.  In total, Hoerner compiled a 13-12 record and an impressive 2.28 ERA with the Phillies in 133 games.

Nash appeared in only 9 games for the 1972 Phillies, going 0-8 with a 6.27 ERA.  With his short time with the club and his less than stellar numbers, it's puzzling that Topps would include him as a Phillie within its 1973 set.  Nash was released in March 1973, which means that by the time kids were opening packs of 1973 Topps cards, Nash's Phillies career was already over.