Series Preview - Phillies at Cardinals: May 2nd to May 5th

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 8:15, Thursday 1:45
Busch Stadium - St. Louis, MO

Phillies 15-10, 3rd place in the N.L. East, 2 1/2 games behind the Nationals
Cardinals 12-13, 3rd place in the N.L. Central, 6 games behind the Cubs

Phillies Probables:  Jeremy Hellickson (2-1, 3.81), Aaron Nola (1-2, 3.55), Adam Morgan (0-0, 5.40), Jared Eickhoff (1-3, 4.15)
Cardinals Probables:  Adam Wainwright (1-3, 7.16), Michael Wacha (2-1, 3.07), Mike Leake (0-3, 5.83), Jaime Garcia (1-2, 3.73)

At the Ballpark:  On Wednesday, the first 30,000 fans will receive a Cardinals tote bag, presented by MLB.com.

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Odubel Herrera - .301
Runs:  Odubel Herrera - 15
Home Runs:  Maikel Franco and Ryan Howard - 5
RBIs:  Maikel Franco - 14
Stolen Bases:  Odubel Herrera - 4

Wins:  Vince Velasquez - 4
ERA:  Vince Velasquez - 1.44
Strikeouts:  Vince Velasquez - 39
Saves:  Jeanmar Gomez - 8

Cardinals Leaders
Average:  Aledmys Diaz - .405
Runs:  Aledmys Diaz - 18
Home Runs:  Brandon Moss - 6
RBIs:  Matt Carpenter - 17
Stolen Bases:  Three tied with - 2

Wins:  Carlos Martinez - 4
ERA:  Carlos Martinez - 2.60
Strikeouts:  Jaime Garcia - 35
Saves:  Trevor Rosenthal - 5

1970 Topps #40

1970 Topps #162

1970 Topps #569

1970 Topps #360

1970 Topps #388

1970 Topps #511

1970 Topps #90

1970 Topps Appreciation:  The Phillies first meeting with the Cardinals this season gives me the opportunity to feature all of the players involved in the infamous Phillies-Cardinals trade from October 7, 1969.  On that date, the Phillies traded Dick Allen, Jerry Johnson and Cookie Rojas to the Cardinals for Curt Flood, Byron Browne, Joe Hoerner and Tim McCarver.  Browne, Hoerner and McCarver all reported to the Phillies but Flood refused, challenging the reserve clause which bound a player to whichever team held his contract.  For much more on Flood, please see his SABR biography.

In order to show each of the players involved in this trade on their new teams, Topps didn't have to do that much work.  Hatless photos were available for all but Allen and Flood.  If you didn't look too closely at Allen's profile photo, you may have been convinced he was wearing a Cardinals hat and uniform.  Flood's photo used the then standard brim up pose, which was employed by Topps photographers in case of team changes.

Of course, Flood would never play a game for the Phillies and minor leaguers Willie Montanez and Jim Browning were sent by the Cardinals to the club instead.  Flood sat out the 1970 season and was traded by the Phillies to the Senators that November.