Game 106 - 2018 Topps National Baseball Card Day SGA #PH-5 Aaron Nola

Red Sox 2, Phillies 1 (13)
Game 106 - Monday Night, July 30th in Boston
Record - 58-48, 1st place, 1/2 game ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Bad baserunning and defensive mistakes from Odubel Herrera cost the Phillies this game and wasted an amazing outing from Aaron Nola.

What It Means:  The Phillies have lost four in a row and the Braves are now just a half game behind them for the lead in the division.

What Happened:  Nola dominated the potent Red Sox offense through eight innings, allowing a run on four hits while striking out six.  In the 13th, Austin Davis allowed a lead-off single to Eduardo Nunez and Luis Garcia relieved him on the mound.  Garcia struck out Brock Holt before Blake Swihart's ground-rule double to right-center ended the game.

Herrera got himself tagged out at third base in the 3rd inning during a completely botched run-down play.  He then badly misplayed a ball off the bat of Nunez in the 5th that sailed over his head allowing the Red Sox to score their first run.

The Phillies managed a lone run from a RBI-single from Maikel Franco in the 2nd as the offense left 12 men on base and went 2 for 9 with runners in scoring position.

Featured Card:  On July 24th, the Phillies handed out packs of Topps baseball cards to fans attending that night's game as part of the annual National Baseball Card Day promotion.  There are 10 cards needed to complete the Phillies team set, including this card for Nola.

Series Preview - Phillies at Red Sox: July 30th to July 31st

1978 Topps #540

1978 Topps #572

Monday and Tuesday 7:10
Fenway Park - Boston, MA

Phillies 58-47, 1st place in the N.L. East, 1 1/2 games ahead of the Braves
Red Sox 74-33, 1st place in the A.L. East, 5 1/2 games ahead of the Yankees

Phillies Probables:  Aaron Nola (12-3, 2.42), Jake Arrieta (8-6, 3.45)
Red Sox Probables:  David Price (11-6, 4.17), Drew Pomeranz (1-4, 6.91)

At the Ballpark:  On Tuesday night, the first 10,000 fans will receive a Xander Bogaerts "Splash" bobble head.  (I'll have to rely on the good folks from Section 36 to let me know what that means.)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Odubel Herrera - .275
Runs:  Cesar Hernandez - 66
Home Runs:  Rhys Hoskins - 21
RBIs:  Rhys Hoskins - 70
Stolen Bases:  Cesar Hernandez - 14

Wins:  Aaron Nola - 12
ERA:  Aaron Nola - 2.42
Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 136
Saves:  Seranthony Dominguez and Hector Neris - 10

Red Sox Leaders
Average:  Mookie Betts - .344
Runs:  Mookie Betts - 84
Home Runs:  J.D. Martinez - 32
RBIs:  J.D. Martinez - 89
Stolen Bases:  Mookie Betts - 20

Wins:  Rick Porcello - 13
ERA:  Chris Sale - 2.04
Strikeouts:  Chris Sale - 207
Saves:  Craig Kimbrel - 33

2018 Chachi #48 Asdrubal Cabrera

#13
Asdrubal Jose Cabrera
Infield

Bats:  Switch  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  205
Opening Day Age:  32
Born:  November 13, 1985, Puerto La Cruz, VZ
Signed:  Signed the Seattle Mariners as an amateur free agent, August 26, 2002
Teams:  Cleveland Indians 2007-2014; Washington Nationals 2014; Tampa Bay Rays 2015; New York Mets 2016-2018; Phillies 2018
Acquired:  Acquired from the New York Mets for Franklyn Kilome, July 27, 2018.

2008 Topps #617

0 Cabrera Baseball Cards in My Collection per The Phillies Room Checklist
First Topps Flagship Base Card:  2008 Topps #617
First Phillies Card:  N/A
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  N/A
Newest Card:  N/A

First Mention on The Phillies Room:  July 13, 2011 - 2011 All-Star Game . . . The Phillies sent five players to the All-Star Game, but only three were eligible to play in the game.  Placido Polanco was voted by fans to be the starting third baseman for the National League but he had to sit out due to lingering back problems.  Ironically enough, the man traded away by the Phils to originally acquire Polanco started at third in his place - Scott Rolen.  Shane Victorino won the fans' Final Man vote, but he landed on the disabled list right before the break.

Cole Hamels was named to the squad but he was not allowed to pitch as a result of a new rule which made any of Sunday's starting pitchers ineligible to pitch in the All-Star game.

So injuries and a silly rule meant only two of the Phillies five representatives saw action in Phoenix. National League starting pitcher Roy Halladay threw two perfect innings, inducing three ground-outs, two fly outs and a strike out of the Indians' Asdrubal Cabrera.  He needed just 19 pitches (14 for strikes) in his quick outing.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2018 Chachi #48

Card statistics through 7/29/18.

Game 105 - 2012 Topps Allen & Ginter #226 Jim Thome

Reds 4, Phillies 0
Game 105 - Sunday Afternoon, July 29th in Cincinnati
Record - 58-47, 1st place, 1 1/2 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The offense continued their disappearing act as the Reds downed the Phillies, 4-0.

What It Means:  To summarize this series with the last place Reds, the Phillies offense hit seven home runs on Thursday night and then shut down for the next three games.  This was a missed opportunity for the club as they could have put some breathing room between them and the second place Braves this weekend.  They next head to Boston for a quick, two-game set against the best team in baseball.

What Happened:  The line-up went 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position, managing just 8 hits in this game.  Zach Eflin struggled, allowing four runs on seven hits in his 5 1/3 innings of work.

Featured Card:  Congratulations to Jim Thome, who was inducted into Baseball's Hall of Fame on Sunday afternoon!  Thome joined five other players in Cooperstown as the Class of 2018 - Vladimir Guerrero, Trevor Hoffman, Chipper Jones, Jack Morris and Alan Trammell.  Thome thanked his long-time mentor and former Phillies manager Charlie Manuel as part of his acceptance speech.

Game 104 - 2018 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #29 Mitch Walding

Reds 6, Phillies 2
Game 104 - Saturday Night, July 28th in Cincinnati
Record - 58-46, 1st place,  2 1/2 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Matt Harvey and the Reds bullpen held the Phillies to just four hits in this 6-2 loss.

What It Means:  Fortunately, the Braves keep losing too.

What Happened:  Rhys Hoskins provided the only offense with a two-run home run (21) in the 4th.  Asdrubal Cabrera made his Phillies debut, playing shortstop and batting 5th, and went 0 for 4 at the plate.

Featured Card:  Let's take a minute to appreciate Mitch Walding.  The third baseman has been on the Phillies active roster for 15 games this season and so far he's gone 0 for 14 with 10 strikeouts.  But then on Saturday night, during an IronPigs double header, Walding exploded for three, three-run home runs and finished the night having gone 5 for 7 with 10 total RBIs.  The timing of his explosion is a bit of cruel irony given the big club's current lethargy at the plate.

Transaction:  With Cabrera added to the active roster, infielder Jesmuel Valentin was optioned to Lehigh Valley.  Of interest to a few of us, assistant hitting coach Pedro Guerrero, Jr. gave his #13 to Cabrera and switched to #88.

2018 Chachi #47 Roman Quinn

#24
Roman Tredarian Quinn
Outfield

Bats:  Switch  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'10"  Weight:  170
Opening Day Age:  24
Born:  May 14, 1993, Port St. Joe, FL
Drafted:  Selected by the Phillies in the 2nd round of the June 2011 draft
Teams:  Phillies 2016, 2018
Acquired:  Via draft

2012 Choice Williamsport Crosscutters #24

2013 Bowman Prospects #BP95

2016 Chachi #63

2017 Topps #498

58 Quinn Baseball Cards in My Collection per The Phillies Room Checklist
First Phillies Minor League Card:  2012 Choice Williamsport Crosscutters #24
First Phillies Card:  2013 Bowman Prospects #BP95
First Topps Flagship Base Card:  2017 Topps #498
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  2017 Phillies Team Issue #24
Newest Card:  2018 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #24

2017 Phillies Team Issue #24

First Mention on The Phillies Room:  November 21, 2015 - Three Prospects Added to 40-Man Roster . . .

Roman Quinn (of) - Quinn, one of the organization's top prospects, was sidelined most of last season with a hip injury.  Before the injury, he hit .306 with 15 RBIs and 29 stolen bases for Reading.  Quinn has been a mainstay in various Bowman and Topps minor league sets since 2013.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2016 Chachi #63
2016 Chachi Fan Appreciation Day #1
2017 Chachi Almost #23
2018 Chachi #47

Card statistics through 7/27/18.

Game 103 - Pivetta Struggles, Phils Acquire Cabrera from Mets

2017 Topps Heritage #116

2018 Bowman Prospects #BP84

Reds 6, Phillies 4
Game 103 - Friday Night, July 27th in Cincinnati
Record - 58-45, 1st place, 2 1/2 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Nick Pivetta continued his hot and cold season with a 12-strikeout performance, but he allowed five runs to score in this 6-4 loss to the Reds.

What It Means:  The Braves lost to the Dodgers so the Phillies hold steady with a 2 1/2 game lead in the division.

What Happened:  The big blow was a 3-run home run allowed to Mason Williams in the 4th inning.  Odubel Herrera hit a 2-run home run (19) in the 3rd, while Rhys Hoskins and Cesar Hernandez contributed RBI singles.  Former Phillie David Hernandez collected the win with 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.

Featured Cards/Transactions:  There were a few roster moves made before the game.  As expected, Ranger Suarez was optioned back to Lehigh Valley and outfielder Roman Quinn was recalled to take his place.  Quinn, hopefully now healthy, will provide a much-needed boost to the bench from both an offensive and defensive standpoint.  Adam Morgan was placed on the paternity list and Yacksel Rios was recalled to take his place in the bullpen.

And at long last, the Phillies pulled off a trade.  Pitching prospect Franklyn Kilome was sent to the New York Mets for infielder Asdrubal Cabrera.  No one is quite sure where Cabrera will play (probably shortstop) but his 18 home runs and 58 RBIs will be a welcome addition to the line-up.  Cabrera was a two-time All-Star with the Indians in 2011 and 2012 and he played for 8 seasons in Cleveland (2007-2014).  Since then, he's played with the Nationals (2014), Rays (2015) and Mets (2016-2018).  It looks as if his one 2018 mainstream baseball card can be found within Topps Series Two.

Kilome is a high price to play for a rental player.  Although his stock has fallen somewhat in recent years, he was still regarded as one of the franchise's top pitching prospects.  In 19 starts for Double-A Reading this year, he was 4-6 with a 4.24 ERA.  I've accumulated 24 baseball cards of this now ex-Phillie since 2015, and his latest (final?) Phillies card can be found in this year's Bowman release.

Arrived During the 2018 Season
Trevor Plouffe (4/23/18) - Signed as a minor league free agent, formerly with the Texas Rangers organization.
Asdrubal Cabrera (7/27/18) - Acquired from the New York Mets for Franklyn Kilome.

Departed During the 2018 Season
Drew Hutchison (6/5/18) - Designated for assignment and elected free agency.
Hoby Milner (7/15/18) - Sold to the Tampa Bay Rays.

2018 Chachi #46 Ranger Suarez

#55
Ranger Jose Suarez
Starting Pitcher

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  210
Opening Day Age:  22
Born:  August 26, 1995, Pie de Cuesta, VZ
Signed:  Signed by the Phillies as an amateur free agent, April 1, 2012.
Teams:  Phillies 2018
Acquired:  Via free agency

2016 Choice Williamsport
Crosscutters #31

4 Suarez Baseball Cards in My Collection per The Phillies Room Checklist
First Phillies Minor League Card:  2016 Choice Williamsport Crosscutters #31
First Phillies Card:  N/A
First Topps Flagship Base Card:  N/A
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  N/A
Newest Card:  2018 Grandstand Reading Fightin Phils #33

First Mention on The Phillies Room:  November 21, 2017 - 40-Man Roster Additions/Subtractions . . .

Added to 40-Man Roster

• Ranger Suarez (lhp) - Appears in the 2016 Crosscutters and the 2017 BlueClaws minor league team sets.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2018 Chachi #46

Card statistics through 7/27/18.

Game 102 - Hoskins, Franco, Williams Each Homer Twice

2018 Topps Allen & Ginter #211

2018 Topps Allen & Ginter #136

2018 Topps Allen & Ginter #313

Phillies 9, Reds 4
Game 102 - Thursday Night, July 26th in Cincinnati
Record - 58-44, 1st place, 2 1/2 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The offense launched a franchise-record 7 home runs, backing the big league debut of Ranger Suarez, in this 9-4 win in Cincinnati.

What It Means:  The Braves lost and the Phillies now (unbelievably) have a 2 1/2 game lead in the division.

What Happened:  Rhys Hoskins, Maikel Franco and Nick Williams all homered twice with Carlos Santana homering once.  The Phillies produced 18 total hits, with Williams going 4 for 5, Hoskins going 3 for 5 and Jorge Alfaro going 3 for 4.  Suarez pitched 5 innings, allowing 4 runs on 6 hits.

Featured Cards:  The only other time in franchise history that the Phillies hit 7 home runs in a game was back on September 8, 1998.  In that game, Rico Brogna, Kevin Sefcik and Bobby Estalella all homered twice and Marlon Anderson homered once.  That team was 23 1/2 games out of first place at the time.

Transaction:  Suarez took the spot of Drew Anderson on the roster as Anderson was sent back to the IronPigs.

Series Preview - Phillies at Reds: July 26th to July 29th

1978 Topps #631

1978 Topps #401

Thursday and Friday 7:10, Saturday 6:40, Sunday 1:10
Great American Ball Park - Cincinnati, OH

Phillies 57-44, 1st place in the N.L. East, 1 1/2 games ahead of the Braves
Reds 45-57, 5th place in the N.L. Central, 14 1/2 games behind the Cubs

Phillies Probables:  Ranger Suarez (0-0, 0.00), Nick Pivetta (6-8, 4.69), Vince Velasquez (7-8, 4.05), Zach Eflin (7-2, 3.41)
Reds Probables:  Tyler Mahle (7-8, 4.32), Anthony DeSclafani (4-3, 5.40), Matt Harvey (5-4, 4.50), Luis Castillo (5-8, 5.30)

At the Ballpark:  There are fireworks after Friday night's game and fans can purchase a special ELVIS ticket package, which includes an exclusive Elvis bobble head.  The first 20,000 fans on Saturday night will receive a Joey Votto Funko Pop! collectible and it looks as the Reds are giving out a team-issued baseball card set to kids on Sunday.

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Odubel Herrera - .280
Runs:  Cesar Hernandez - 65
Home Runs:  Odubel Herrera - 17
RBIs:  Rhys Hoskins - 61
Stolen Bases:  Cesar Hernandez - 14

Wins:  Aaron Nola - 12
ERA:  Aaron Nola - 2.30
Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 131
Saves:  Hector Neris - 10

Reds Leaders
Average:  Scooter Gennett - .318
Runs:  Scooter Gennett - 60
Home Runs:  Eugenio Suarez - 22
RBIs:  Eugenio Suarez - 76
Stolen Bases:  Billy Hamilton - 22

Wins:  Tyler Mahle - 7
ERA:  Tyler Mahle - 4.32
Strikeouts:  Luis Castillo and Tyler Mahle - 101
Saves:  Raisel Iglesias - 19

Game 101 - 2018 Topps Allen & Ginter #312 Carlos Santana

Phillies 7, Dodgers 3
Game 101 - Wednesday Afternoon, July 25th in Philadelphia
Record - 57-44, 1st place, 1 1/2 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies rode a 5-run 5th inning to a 7-3 win over the Dodgers, winning the series and making it seem as if maybe a playoff run isn't such a far-fetched idea at this point.

What It Means:  Following this win, the Phillies find themselves with the second best win percentage (.564) in the N.L., right behind the Cubs (.584).

What Happened:  In that eventful 5th inning, Scott Kingery started it off with a solo home run (5) and then Andrew Knapp doubled home Jesmuel Valentin who had singled.  After walks to Rhys Hoskins and Odubel Herrera, Carlos Santana cleared the bases with a triple.  Hoskins had earlier hit his 18th home run in the 1st inning.

Jake Arrieta picked up the win, allowing 3 runs (2 earned) on 5 hits in his 6 innings of work.

Featured Card:  Historically a second half hitter, Santana is 7 for 23 (.304) with 8 RBIs since the break.

Transactions:  In need of some bullpen help after the marathon, 16-inning game on Tuesday night, the Phillies sent Mitch Walding back to the IronPigs and recalled Jake Thompson.

Field Report:  Jenna took the boys to this matinee for the sole purpose of cheering for Chase Utley one last time.  Doug scored more autographs from Pedro Florimon, Gabe Kapler and coach Pedro Guerrero, Jr., while Aaron Nola was a surprise signer.

Game 100 - 2018 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #22 Trevor Plouffe

Phillies 7, Dodgers 4 (16)
Game 100 - Tuesday Night, July 24th in Philadelphia
Record - 56-44, 1st place, 1 game ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Trevor Plouffe ended a marathon 16-inning game with a 3-run home run off position player Kike Hernandez as the Phillies prevailed, 7-4.

What It Means:  The Braves lost, so the late night/early morning win gave the Phillies sole possession of first place once again.

What Happened:  The Dodgers were leading 4-1 in the 7th when Jorge Alfaro absolutely crushed a 3-run home run that landed in the Dodgers' bullpen.  The Phillies and Dodgers bullpens combined for 8 scoreless innings after that until Plouffe's big hit.

Other stand-out performances in this game include the two scoreless innings each thrown by Victor Arano, Luis Garcia and Austin Davis.  Vince Velasquez pitched a scoreless 16th and was the recipient of the win.

Featured Card:  Plouffe received a Topps Now card for his heroics, but for now this is the sole card of his in my Phillies collection.  Neat statistic from @BoopStats - Plouffe's home run ties the second latest (by inning) walk-off home run in franchise history.  The others:

Transactions:  The door continued to revolve to the Phillies bullpen as Yacksel Rios was sent down and Drew Anderson took his place on the roster.

Game 99 - 2007 Topps Heritage #230 Chase Utley

Dodgers 7, Phillies 6
Game 99 - Monday Night, July 23rd in Philadelphia
Record - 55-44, Tied for 1st place, 6 games ahead of the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  The Chase Utley farewell tour came through Philadelphia one last time as the Dodgers capitalized on miscues by the Phillies to win late, 7-6.

What It Means:  The Phillies let this one get away, and they let small mistakes turn into big problems in this game.

What Happened:  With the score tied at five in the top of the 9th, Seranthony Dominguez loaded the bases and then uncorked a wild pitch to allow the go-ahead run to score.  The ball most likely should have been handled by catcher Jorge Alfaro.

The Dodgers hit four solo home runs and the Phillies countered with four home runs of their own from Maikel Franco (14), Rhys Hoskins (17) - a 3-run shot in the 5th, Odubel Herrera (18) and Franco again (15).  Todd Zolecki Tweeted that Franco is hitting .354 (29 for 82) in 25 games since June 23rd.

Zach Eflin suffered through a rare, ineffective start, getting pulled after 2 2/3 innings.

Featured Card:  Utley received several standing ovations throughout the game, with his familiar Kashmir playing before he was introduced prior to his first at-bat in the 2nd inning.

Transactions:  In a somewhat surprising move, fourth outfielder Aaron Altherr was optioned to Lehigh Valley and in a less surprising move, reliever Mark Leiter, Jr. was sent with him.  Eflin was activated from the disabled list, and Yacksel Rios, Sunday's double header's 26th man, was added to the 25-man roster.

Game 98 - 2018 Topps Big League #227 Vince Velasquez

Phillies 5, Padres 0 (Game 2)
Game 98 - Sunday Night, July 22nd in Philadelphia
Record - 55-43, 1st place, 1 game ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Vince Velasquez took a no-hitter into the sixth inning as the Phillies blanked the Padres, 5-0.

What It Means:  The teams played a split-admission double header necessitated by Saturday's rain-out.

What Happened:  Velasquez went seven strong inning, allowing 2 hits and striking out 7.  Odubel Herrera hit his team-leading 17th home run in the 4th and Rhys Hoskins padded the lead with a 3-run home run (16) in the 7th. 

Featured Card:  I thought this was pretty cool from Meghan Montemurro's Tweet - Velasquez became the first Phillies pitcher to have three or more instances of a no-hitter through 5 innings in one season since Steve Carlton did it in 1979.  I happen to like the Topps Big League design way better than the Topps flagship design this year.  This is the inaugural edition of the new, young collector-geared Topps Big League set.

Transaction:  Between games, the Phillies activated Luis Garcia from the disabled list and placed Edubray Ramos on the DL with a right patella tendon strain.  Yacksel Rios was also added to the roster as the 26th man.

Field Report:  This game was the make-up of the game originally scheduled for Saturday night.  The Saturday night game was washed out along with one of our favorite events of the year - Photo Night.  Rather than re-schedule Photo Night, the Phillies announced the event would be completely canceled this season.  I'm bummed.  We've really enjoyed Photo Night the past few seasons, especially now that our sons are old enough to recognize and interact with the players.  Doug also immediately realized that the Photo Night cancellation meant there would be no limited edition Photo Night Chachi insert set this year.

Perhaps this frees up the checklist for a limited Postseason edition of Chachi cards instead . . .

Game 97 - 2017 Topps Now MLB Players Weekend #PW-102 Freddy Galvis

Padres 10, Phillies 2 (Game 1)
Game 97 - Sunday Afternoon, July 22nd in Philadelphia
Record - 54-43, 1st place, 1 game ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Nick Pivetta struggled again as the Padres blew out the Phillies, 10-2.

What It Means:  Other than a solo home run from Rhys Hoskins (15) in the 1st, there weren't many highlights in this game for the Phillies.

What Happened:  Pivetta went 5 1/3, giving up 6 runs (4 earned) on 8 hits.  He did recover somewhat after a 3-run 1st inning, ultimately striking out 9.  Mark Leiter, Jr. got knocked around in the 9th inning, allowing the final 3 Padres runs.

Featured Card:  Freddy Galvis went 3 for 5 with a pair of RBIs in this game, and overall in the series he went 6 for 11 (.545) with a double and 4 RBIs.

Series Preview - Dodgers at Phillies: July 23rd to July 25th

1978 Topps #508

1978 Topps #136

Monday and Tuesday 7:05, Wednesday 12:35
Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA

Dodgers 55-44, 1st place in the N.L. West, 1 1/2 games ahead of the Diamondbacks
Phillies 55-43, 1st place in the N.L. East, 1 game ahead of the Braves

Dodgers Probables:  Ross Stripling (8-2, 2.08), Kenta Maeda (7-5, 3.12), Rich Hill (3-4, 4.26)
Phillies Probables:  Zach Eflin (7-2, 3.15), Aaron Nola (12-3, 2.30), Jake Arrieta (7-6, 3.47)

At the Ballpark:  As a result of Chase Utley's recent announcement that he'd be retiring at the end of this season, the Phillies have announced they'll pay tribute to Utley throughout this series.  Kids can run the bases following the Wednesday afternoon game.

Dodgers Leaders
Average:  Matt Kemp - .316
Runs:  Cody Bellinger and Chris Taylor - 58
Home Runs:  Max Muncy - 22
RBIs:  Matt Kemp - 62
Stolen Bases:  Yasiel Puig - 7

Wins:  Ross Stripling - 8
ERA:  Alex Wood - 3.87
Strikeouts:  Kenta Maeda and Ross Stripling - 108
Saves:  Kenley Jansen - 28

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Odubel Herrera - .280
Runs:  Cesar Hernandez - 65
Home Runs:  Odubel Herrera - 17
RBIs:  Rhys Hoskins - 61
Stolen Bases:  Cesar Hernandez - 14

Wins:  Aaron Nola - 12
ERA:  Aaron Nola - 2.30
Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 131
Saves:  Hector Neris - 10

2018 Chachi #43 Trevor Plouffe

#10
Trevor Patrick Plouffe
Infield-Outfield

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  215
Opening Day Age:  31
Born:  June 15, 1986, West Hills, CA
Drafted:  Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 1st round of the 2004 amateur draft, June 7, 2004.
Teams:  Minnesota Twins 2010-2016; Oakland Athletics 2017; Tampa Bay Rays 2017; Phillies 2018
Acquired:  Signed as a minor league free agent, formerly with the Texas Rangers organization, April 23, 2018.

2005 Topps Update #UH95

2018 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #22

1 Plouffe Baseball Card in My Collection per The Phillies Room Checklist
First Topps Flagship Base Card:  2005 Topps Update #UH95
First Phillies Minor League Card:  2018 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #22
First Phillies Card:  N/A
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  N/A
Newest Card:  2018 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #22

First Mention on The Phillies Room:  July 15, 2018 - There were a flurry of roster moves before this game.  De Los Santos and infielder Trevor Plouffe had their contracts purchased from Lehigh Valley.  Reliever Jake Thompson and outfielder Dylan Cozens were both optioned to Lehigh Valley while reliever Hoby Milner was designated for assignment.  To make additional room on the 40-man roster, Pedro Florimon was moved to the 60-day disabled list.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2018 Chachi #43

Card statistics through 7/21/18.

2018 Chachi #42 Enyel De Los Santos

#51
Enyel De Los Santos
Starting Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'3"  Weight:  170
Opening Day Age:  22
Born:  December 25, 1995, San Pedro de Macoris, DR
Signed:  Signed by the Seattle Mariners as an amateur free agent, July 17, 2014.
Teams:  Phillies 2018
Acquired:  Acquired from the San Diego Padres for Freddy Galvis, December 15, 2017.

2018 Choice Phillies Minor League
Top 30 Prospects #13

2 De Los Santos Baseball Cards in My Collection per The Phillies Room Checklist
First Phillies Minor League Card:  2018 Choice Phillies Minor League Top 30 Prospects #13
First Phillies Card:  N/A
First Topps Flagship Base Card:  N/A
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  N/A
Newest Card:  2018 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #9

First Mention on The Phillies Room:  December 15, 2017 - Galvis Traded to Padres . . . Early Friday afternoon, the Phillies traded shortstop Freddy Galvis to the Padres for Double-A starting pitcher Enyel De Los Santos.  Having made his debut on April 5, 2012, Galvis had been the team's longest tenured player, and that title now falls to Cesar Hernandez.  Moving the 28-year-old Galvis to the Padres opens up the shortstop position for J.P. Crawford.

Galvis had become a veteran leader in the Phillies clubhouse over the past few seasons, and he obtained his goal of playing in all 162 games in 2017.  The team's regular shortstop beginning in 2015, Galvis was the club's opening day second baseman in 2012 due to an injury to Chase Utley.  In six seasons with the Phils, Galvis hit .245 over 642 games while providing solid infield defense.  I'll miss seeing Galvis out at short, but with his free agency approaching at the end of the 2018 season, it was time for him to move on and give Crawford a shot.

I have 47 different Galvis baseball cards in my collection, beginning with his 2007 card in the Williamsport Crosscutters team set and ending with his 2017 Topps Now Players Weekend card.  He'll most likely find his way to a few more Phillies cards within early 2018 Topps releases.

De Los Santos spent the 2017 season with the San Antonio Missions.  Todd Zolecki Tweeted that he was the No. 13 prospect in the Padres system and he'll land at the No. 9 spot in the Phillies system.  That seems like a pretty good return for Galvis.  De Los Santos appeared in the 2016 Topps Heritage Minors set.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2018 Chachi #42

Card statistics through 7/21/18.

2018 Chachi #41 Drew Anderson

#63
Andrew James Anderson
Starting Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'3"  Weight:  200
Opening Day Age:  24
Born:  March 22, 1994, Reno, NV
Drafted:  Selected by the Phillies in the 21st round of the June 2012 draft
Teams:  Phillies 2017-
Acquired:  Via draft

2013 Choice Williamsport Crosscutters #1

2017 Chachi #51

8 Anderson Baseball Cards in My Collection per The Phillies Room Checklist
First Card:  2013 Choice Williamsport Crosscutters #1
First Phillies Card:  N/A
First Topps Flagship Base Card:  N/A
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  N/A
Latest Card:  2018 Choice Phillies Minor League Top 30 Prospects #23

First Mention on The Phillies Room:  November 20, 2016 - Phillies Overhaul 40-Man Roster . . . On Friday afternoon, in the biggest 40-man roster overhaul in recent memory, the Phillies dropped three players and added 11 in preparation for the upcoming Rule 5 draft.  Over the past seven offseasons, the most prospects added to the 40-man roster in November prior to this was five.  Here's a look at the 11 players added, their 2016 clubs, and a few brief notes.

• Drew Anderson (rhp) - Lakewood/Clearwater - Struck out 78 in 70 innings and pitched the first four innings of a combined Threshers no-hitter in July.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2017 Chachi #51
2018 Chachi #41

Card statistics through 7/21/18.

Game 96 - 2018 Stadium Club #24 Carlos Santana

Phillies 11, Padres 5
Game 96 - Friday Night, July 20th in Philadelphia
Record - 54-42, 1st place, 1/2 game ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The offense overcame a bad start from Jake Arrieta, as the Phillies went on to a rout of the Padres, 11-5.

What It Means:  The Braves also won and the Phillies maintained a half-game lead in the division.

What Happened:  Arrieta couldn't escape the fourth inning, and his final line wasn't pretty - 3 2/3 innings, 6 hits, 3 walks, 5 runs.  He was also charged with an error and uncorked a wild pitch.  The Phillies enjoyed a six-run 2nd inning capped by a three-run home run (15) from Carlos Santana.  They'd add four more runs in the 8th with the big hit being a two-run double from Cesar Hernandez.

Freddy Galvis returned to Philly for the first time, going 3 for 4 with a pair of RBIs.  Galvis received a warm reception throughout the game.

Featured Card:  This is the newest Santana card in my collection from Topps' Stadium Club release.

Transaction:  Enyel De Los Santos was optioned to the IronPigs and Mitch Walding was recalled, giving the Phillies another bat off the bench until a fifth starter is needed again.

Field Report:  Doug and I attended this game, marking the third Padres game we've witnessed in the past 3 weeks.  It was a beautiful night for baseball.  Before the game, Doug added three signatures to one of his baseballs from Jerad Eickhoff, Pedro Florimon and coach Pedro Guerrero, Jr.

Series Preview - Padres at Phillies: July 20th to July 22nd

1978 Topps #390

1978 Topps #210

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

Padres 40-59, 5th place in the N.L. West, 14 1/2 games behind the Dodgers
Phillies 53-42, 1st place in the N.L. East, 1/2 game ahead of the Braves

Padres Probables:  Clayton Richard (7-8, 4.43), Luis Perdomo (1-4, 7.55), Tyson Ross (5-8, 4.32)
Phillies Probables:  Jake Arrieta (7-6, 3.23), Vince Velasquez (5-8, 4.39), Nick Pivetta (6-7, 4.58)

At the Ballpark:  It's Photo Night on Saturday and as an added bonus all kids will receive a W.B. Mason collectible truck.  On Sunday, all fans receive a pair of Phillies socks.

Padres Leaders
Average:  Jose Pirela - .261
Runs:  Jose Pirela - 45
Home Runs:  Christian Villanueva - 19
RBIs:  Christian Villaneuva - 43
Stolen Bases:  Travis Jankowski - 14

Wins:  Clayton Richard - 7
ERA:  Tyson Ross - 4.32
Strikeouts:  Tyson Ross - 97
Saves:  Brad Hand - 24

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Odubel Herrera - .275
Runs:  Cesar Hernandez - 63
Home Runs:  Odubel Herrera - 16
RBIs:  Rhys Hoskins - 56
Stolen Bases:  Cesar Hernandez - 14

Wins:  Aaron Nola - 12
ERA:  Aaron Nola - 2.30
Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 131
Saves:  Hector Neris - 10

All-Star Game - 2018 Chachi #45 Aaron Nola AS #AllStarGame

American League 8, National League 6 (10)
All-Star Game - Tuesday Night, July 17th in Washington

One Sentence Summary:  Astros teammates Alex Bregman and George Springer hit back-to-back home runs off the Dodgers' Ross Stripling in the 10th inning to give the A.L. and 8-6 win, and their sixth win in a row.

What It Means:  I wrote this sentence in last year's All-Star Game summary post, and it applies again this year:  "Don't get me wrong, I still love the All-Star Game, but . . . Fox's ridiculous in-game stunts left me a little jaded . . . Players were mic'd up and interviewed in the field during live at-bats. I wanted to watch a baseball game."  I think I'm getting old.

My favorite thing about this year's All-Star Game is that it's the first Mid-Summer Classic that both my two sons watched with me.  They watched the pre-game introductions with Ben making it through 5 innings and Doug lasting a few innings longer.  I'm getting to that point in my fandom where Doug knows all the players better than I do and I'll admit there were a few American League players I had never heard of before this game.

What Happened:  The two teams set an All-Star Game record with 10 total home runs.  Joining Bregman and Springer with long balls were Aaron Judge, Mike Trout, Willson Contreras, Trevor Story, Jean Seguera, Christian Yelich, Scooter Gennett and Joey Votto.  Gennett's was responsible for sending the game into extra innings as his tied the game at five with one out in the bottom of the 9th.

We also learned during the game that slugger Manny Machado would be heading from the Orioles to the Dodgers and our entire household collectively booed.

Featured Card:  The Phillies were short-changed and sent only one All-Star to Washington.  Aaron Nola entered the game in the 5th inning, relieving Mike Foltynewicz.  He struck out Salvador Perez and Mookie Betts swinging before allowing a single to center from Jose Altuve.  Nola then induced a pop-out to first from his future teammate Trout to end the scoreless inning.

Memory Lane

From 1996 - Attending the All-Star Game at The Vet
From 2009 - All-Star Game memories
2010 All-Star Game - N.L. 3, A.L. 1 in Anaheim
2011 All-Star Game - N.L. 5, A.L. 1 in Phoenix
2012 All-Star Game - N.L. 8, A.L. 0 in Kansas City
2013 All-Star Game - A.L. 3, N.L. 0 in Flushing
2014 All-Star Game - A.L. 5, N.L. 3 in Minneapolis

2015 All-Star Game - A.L. 6, N.L. 3 in Cincinnati
2016 All-Star Game - A.L. 4, N.L. 2 in San Diego
2017 All-Star Game - A.L. 2, N.L. 1 in Miami

All-Star Break Odds & Ends - Hoskins, Truby, Milner & Machado

2018 Chachi #44

Along with the rest of baseball, The Phillies Room is enjoying a short break before the official start of the second half of the season on Friday night.  Here are some odds and ends from the break that I thought merited a quick post.

Hoskins Home Run Derby Heroics
Rhys Hoskins was impressive in Monday night's Home Run Derby, defeating Brewers slugger Jesus Aguilar in the first round 17-12, and nearly defeating Kyle Schwarber in the second round.  Hoskins slugged 20 home runs while Schwarber bested him by one with 21.  Bryce Harper would defeat Schwarber in the final round to be crowned the champion.  Pitching to Hoskins was his former manager with the Lakewood BlueClaws, Chris Truby.

Truby appeared in 263 big league games with the Astros (2000-2001), Expos (2002), Tigers (2002) and Devil Rays (2003).  He managed in the Phillies farm system from 2009 to 2013 before being named the team's minor league infield coordinator in 2014.

2011 Multi-Ad Lakewood BlueClaws #31

2018 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #19

2003 Leaf Good Rookies #9

Milner Moves On
I'm hoping to have to update this comings and goings list over the next few weeks, but for now there's only one new addition with the recent departure of Hoby Milner.  The lefty reliever was sold to the Rays on July 15th.  In 47 games with the club, Milner owned an impressive 2.70 ERA and it's hard for me to understand how there just wasn't a place for him in the team's bullpen.  He owns three different team-issued photo cards, but no mainstream Phillies baseball cards.

Departed During the 2018 Season
Drew Hutchison (6/5/18) - Designated for assignment and elected free agency.
Hoby Milner (7/15/18) - Sold to the Tampa Bay Rays.

Milner Complete Chachi Checklist
2017 Chachi #44
2018 Chachi #21

Machado Phillies Baseball Cards
And finally, it stings a little that Manny Machado will be playing out the remainder of the 2018 season with the Dodgers and not the Phillies.  In the end, the price was way too high for a 2 1/2 month rental player and the Phillies will undoubtedly pursue Machado once he's a free agent following the season.

It's a small consolation to me that I have 22 different cards of Anderson Machado in my Phillies collection.  Not really.  Sorry Anderson.

Game 95 - 2017 Topps Heritage Minor League #21 Adonis Medina

Marlins 10, Phillies 5
Game 95 - Sunday Afternoon, July 15th in Miami
Record - 53-42, 1st place, 1/2 game ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  An overall sloppy game from the Phillies, and an eight-run 5th inning, gave the Marlins a 10-5 win in this official end to the first half.

What It Means:  This game was bad, but if I had told you in March that the Phillies would be in first place at the All-Star break would you have believed me?

What Happened:  Enyel De Los Santos received his second starting nod of the season, lasting 4 1/3 innings and allowing five runs.  A questionable ball call on reliever Edubray Ramos and Carlos Santana forgetting the number of outs in the fifth helped lead to three more Marlins runs.

Featured Card:  With De Los Santos pitching in Miami for the Phillies, pitcher Adonis Medina was the franchise's sole representative at the annual Futures Game.  It didn't go well for the young pitcher.  Medina entered the game for the World Team in the seventh inning with the score tied at 6.  He allowed a double to Jo Adell, and Adell scored the eventual winning run on a wild pitch.  Peter Alonso then hit a 2-run home run off Medina and the pitcher was removed from the game, saddled with the loss.

Transaction:  De Los Santos took Zach Eflin's spot on the roster as Eflin landed on the disabled list with a blister.

Game 93 - Jake Arrieta & We Head Back to the @BlueClaws!

Phillies 2, Marlins 0
Game 93 - Friday Night, July 13th in Miami
Record - 53-40, 1st place, 1 1/2 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Jake Arrieta dominated the Marlins in this 2-0 win in Miami.

What It Means:  With the Braves losing, the Phillies hold a game and a half lead in the division.

What Happened:  Arrieta pitched seven strong innings, allowing just three hits.  Victor Arano and Pat Neshek pitched the final two frames, with Neshek securing his first save of the season.  Neshek became the 9th pitcher with a save this season tying a franchise record.  (Per this Matt Gelb Tweet.)

Aaron Altherr doubled home the first run in the 2nd and Maikel Franco added an insurance run with a solo home run (13) in the 9th.  In the 6th, a fine throw from Scott Kingery, following a good play and throw from Aaron Altherr in the outfield, nailed Cameron Maybin at the plate to keep the Marlins off the board.

Featured Card:  Apologies to Arrieta, but I need to go with a few BlueClaws-themed cards for this post as our July ballpark tour continued.

Field Report:  We're still trying to recover from our recent road trip, but we couldn't miss the opportunity to celebrate Harry Potter night with the BlueClaws on Friday night.  We've become big fans of the Harry Potter universe over the past few years, and the boys were excited for a night of baseball and magic.

Upon entering the ballpark, both boys were sorted into their houses with Ben landing in Gryffindor and Doug declared to be a Ravenclaw.  (For the record, they considered themselves to be a Hufflepuff and Gryffindor, respectively.)  Pitching prospects Spencer Howard and Damon Jones were signing autographs at a table outside the team store so we immediately added their signatures to a few hastily purchased team sets.

While Ben was busy selecting his wand from a make-shift Ollivander's Wand Shop, Doug was on the prowl for player autographs.  By his final tally, he secured 16 total signatures with Jhailyn Ortiz, Howard and Kyle Young signing everything he handed to them.  Prior to the start of the 9th inning, Doug caught the attention of first baseman Quincy Nieporte and Nieporte tossed him a baseball.  The game was great and the post-game Harry Potter-themed fireworks were fantastic.  For an encore, Doug ran the bases following the fireworks.

The BlueClaws secured a 7-0 win over the Asheville Tourists, thanks to a strong outing from Andrew Brown.  Brown pitched seven shutout innings, striking out seven.  Matt Vierling, a 2018 fifth round draft pick, hit his first home run for the BlueClaws and went 3 for 4.  Remember the name Matt Vierling . . . he was impressive and I predict we'll see him in red pinstripes sooner rather than later.

Memory Lane 
2013 BlueClaws Game
2014 BlueClaws Game
2015 BlueClaws Game
2016 BlueClaws Game
2017 BlueClaws Game
2018 BlueClaws Game 1 and Game 2