Series Preview - Phillies at Pirates: May 19th to May 21st

Friday 7:05, Saturday 4:05 and Sunday 1:35
PNC Park - Pittsburgh, PA

Phillies 14-24, 4th Place in the N.L. East, 10 games behind the Nationals
Pirates 18-23, 5th Place in the N.L. Central, 5 1/2 games behind the Brewers

Phillies Probables:  Jeremy Hellickson (4-1, 3.71), Vince Velasquez (2-3, 5.63), Aaron Nola (2-0, 4.50)
Pirates Probables:  Trevor Williams (2-2, 6.41), Ivan Nova (3-3, 2.48), Chad Kuhl (1-4, 6.69)

At the Ballpark:  The Pirates are throwing out some fairly strong promotions for this weekend series.  There will be fireworks after the game tonight and on Sunday all kids will receive a Pirates baseball glove.

On Saturday afternoon, the first 20,000 fans will receive what's being called a "Bob Walk Chair-Tip Bobblechair."  My assumption is that this is the typical broadcasting positioning of former Phillies pitcher and current Pirates broadcaster Bob Walk.  Very cool item.

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Cesar Hernandez - .299
Runs:  Cesar Hernandez - 30
Home Runs:  Aaron Altherr - 8
RBIs:  Maikel Franco - 28
Stolen Bases:  Cesar Hernandez - 6

Wins:  Jeremy Hellickson - 4
ERA:  Jeremy Hellickson - 3.71
Strikeouts:  Jerad Eickhoff - 43
Saves:  Hector Neris - 4

Pirates Leaders
Average:  Josh Harrison - .286
Runs:  Andrew McCutchen - 19
Home Runs:  Josh Bell - 9
RBIs:  Andrew McCutchen - 19
Stolen Bases:  Gregory Polanco - 6

Wins:  Ivan Nova - 3
ERA:  Ivan Nova - 2.48
Strikeouts:  Gerrit Cole - 50
Saves:  Tony Watson - 8

1982 Topps #235

1982 Topps #332

1982 Topps #458

1982 Topps #485

1982 Topps Appreciation:  If you had told me in 1982 that Mike Easler, Don Robinson and Kent Tekulve, all major stars for the Pirates in my mind, would be playing for the Phillies in the coming decade I would have been ecstatic.  Tekulve had a successful run with the Phillies as one of their most reliable relief pitchers in the late 1980s.  Easler and Robinson had less successful, and much shorter, stints with the Phillies.

Willie Montanez, the Phillies' regular center fielder in 1971 and 1972 and their starting first baseman in 1974, came back to the organization on August 10, 1982, having been released by the Pirates. Montanez appeared in the final 18 games of his 14-year career with the Phillies, hitting just .063 (1 for 16) primarily as a late-inning defensive replacement for Pete Rose at first base.