Tuesday, December 9, 2014

2008 Phillies Team Issue


Number of Cards:  39
Card Size:  4" x 6"
Description:  Full color action photos are featured overtop a gold tinted background.  The Citizens Bank Park logo makes an appearance on the card fronts for the second year in a row and Jimmy Rollins' card contains a golden logo marking his 2007 N.L. MVP win.

The set features a blank-backed header card with a photo of Chase Utley fist bumping a young fan and the declaration that a portion of the proceeds received from the sale of the set would benefit The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.  (This was a nice gesture, and it's odd that this is the first and last year - at least publicly - that the Phillies have done this.)  The horizontal card backs feature biographical information and complete career statistics.

How Distributed:  The original 37-card set was available at Citizens Bank Park throughout the first half of season.  Following the acquisition of Joe Blanton on August 3rd, cards of Blanton and J.A. Happ were inserted into the set.  The only way to add the two update cards was to purchase the complete set at the ballpark, which included all 37 cards found in the originally released set.

Complete Standard Checklist (37):  The cards are unnumbered, but I've presented them below ordered by uniform number.
  • Header Card with Chase Utley
  • 2 - Steve Smith CO
  • 4 - Eric Bruntlett
  • 5 - Pat Burrell
  • 6 - Ryan Howard
  • 7 - Pedro Feliz
  • 8 - Shane Victorino
  • 9 - Chris Snelling
  • 10 - Geoff Jenkins
  • 11 - Jimmy Rollins
  • 15 - Davey Lopes CO
  • 16 - J.C. Romero
  • 17 - Mick Billmeyer CO
  • 19 - Greg Dobbs
  • 21 - Adam Eaton
  • 22 - Jimy Williams CO
  • 25 - Milt Thompson CO
  • 26 - Chase Utley
  • 27 - Chris Coste
  • 28 - Jayson Werth
  • 30 - Rich Dubee CO
  • 31 - Ramon Henderson CO
  • 35 - Cole Hamels
  • 37 - Chad Durbin
  • 38 - Kyle Kendrick
  • 39 - Brett Myers
  • 41 - Charlie Manuel MG
  • 45 - Tom Gordon
  • 50 - Jamie Moyer
  • 51 - Carlos Ruiz
  • 54 - Brad Lidge
  • 55 - Clay Condrey
  • 57 - Rudy Seanez
  • 63 - Ryan Madson
  • 99 - So Taguchi
  • Phillie Phanatic
  • Phillies Broadcasters
Complete Update Checklist (2):
  • 43 - J.A. Happ
  • 56 - Joe Blanton
One and Done (1):  Seanez
First Appearances (10):  Blanton, Bruntlett, Condrey, Durbin, Feliz, Jenkins, Happ, Kendrick, Lidge, Snelling, Taguchi
Returning Players (17):  Burrell, Coste, Dobbs, Eaton, Gordon, Hamels, Howard, Kendrick, Madson, Moyer, Myers, Rollins, Romero, Ruiz, Utley, Victorino, Werth

Seanez appeared pitched in 42 games for the eventual World Champions, and his only Phillies baseball card can be found within this set.

The First Appearance designation is for players who have never before appeared within a Phillies team issued set.  These players may have already appeared on other Phillies baseball cards.  I'm not counting the semi-rare cards of Jenkins and Lidge, available in the style of the 2007 Phillies Team Issue set, as their official first appearances.

Manager (1):  Manuel
Coaches (7):  Billmeyer, Dubee, Henderson, Lopes, Smith, Thompson, Williams
Phillie Phanatic (1)
Broadcasters (1):  Tom McCarthy returned to the Phillies in 2008, and he's joined on this card by Gary Matthews, Chris Wheeler, Scott Franzke, Larry Andersen and Harry Kalas.
Commemorative Cards (0)
Other Cards (1):  Header Card with Utley

Variations/Rarities:  As pointed out in a comment from Steve F. in an earlier post, late season addition Matt Stairs received a card in the style of this set.  Stairs was acquired from the Blue Jays on August 30th.

And per Rick's comment, cards were created for a special meet and greet with minor league player and pitcher of the year - Lou Marson and J.A. Happ, respectively.  The cards are blank backed and feature the players in their minor league uniforms.
  • 3 - Lou Marson (Reading Phillies)
  • 12 - Matt Stairs
  • 43 - J.A. Happ (Lehigh Valley IronPigs)
Also See:  Beginning in 2008, the Phillies began the practice of issuing a small set of postcards to fans attending the game on Fan Appreciation Day.  These sets feature highlights and popular players from the past season.  A seven card set was issued in 2008, and I'd like to take a look at these postcard sets once I wrap up my overall series of posts on the main team issued sets.
Trivia:  To date, the only World Series game I've ever attended was Game 3 of the 2008 World Series.  Photographic proof can be found within this post.
Resources:  The Trading Card Database; Phillies collectors Steve and Rick (@rickphils)

4 comments:

Steve F. said...

That matches my list.

Here's how I found out about that Matt Stairs card:

http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/phi/photogallery/year_2009/month_02/day_21/cf3860452.html

It takes a minute to load, but when it does, go to about the 9th photo--Stairs has a big pile of them to sign. Oh what I would give for just one! :->

Jim said...

Excellent detective work!

Unknown said...

There was a Meet and Greet in the HOF for the Phillies Minor League pitcher of the year (JA Happ in a Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs uniform) and a Minor League Player of the Year (Lou Marson). Both had postcards with the design of the 2008 set and were blank backed. The Stairs was also a blank back card.

Jim said...

Thanks Rick. I've added the Happ & Marson cards to the post.