Series Preview - Mariners at Phillies: May 9th to May 10th

Tuesday 7:05 and Wednesday 1:05
Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA

Mariners 15-17, Tied for 2nd Place in the A.L. West, 6 games behind the Astros
Phillies 13-17, 3rd Place in the N.L. East, 7 games behind the Nationals

Mariners Probables:  Ariel Miranda (3-2, 3.55), Yovani Gallardo (1-3, 4.46)
Phillies Probables:  Jerad Eickhoff (0-3, 4.00), Zach Eflin (0-0, 2.42)

At the Ballpark:  It's another dollar dog night tonight and all Phillies fans hope that the current Mariners back-up catcher, Carlos Ruiz, makes an appearance at some point during this quick, two-game series.

Mariners Leaders
Average:  Nelson Cruz - .319
Runs:  Mitch Haniger - 20
Home Runs:  Nelson Cruz - 7
RBIs:  Nelson Cruz - 28
Stolen Bases:  Jarod Dyson - 9

Wins:  Ariel Miranda and James Paxton - 3
ERA:  James Paxton - 1.43
Strikeouts:  James Paxton - 45
Saves:  Edwin Diaz - 6

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Cesar Hernandez - .333
Runs:  Cesar Hernandez - 26
Home Runs:  Maikel Franco - 5
RBIs:  Maikel Franco - 25
Stolen Bases:  Cesar Hernandez - 4

Wins:  Jeremy Hellickson - 4
ERA:  Jeremy Hellickson - 3.49
Strikeouts:  Vince Velasquez - 34
Saves:  Hector Neris - 3

1982 Topps #197

1982 Topps #416

1982 Topps Appreciation:  The Phillies are taking an interleague spin through the A.L. West this season, which allows for a rare look at those teams seldom seen in these parts.  The 1982 version of me would have been giddy at the prospect of a Phillies-Mariners series as this would have (a) been super cool and (b) meant the Phillies and Mariners had somehow advanced to the World Series.

Shane Rawley spent the first four seasons of his big league career with the Mariners before being traded in April 1982 to the Yankees in a four-player deal.  On June 30, 1984, the Phillies acquired him from the Yankees for Marty Bystrom and Keith Hughes.  He'd have his best seasons with the Phillies, making the All-Star in 1986 and winning 17 games in 1987.

Bystrom's career was cut short by injuries and he'd appear in only 15 games for the Yankees in 1984 and 1985.  He stuck around in the Yankees system for two more seasons but never made it back to the majors.