Nationals at Phillies: June 30th to July 2nd

2014 Topps Heritage #402

2014 Topps Heritage #280

Friday 6:05, Saturday 4:05 and Sunday 1:35
Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA

At the Ballpark:  It's a busy weekend at the ballpark.  Following Friday night's game, the Phillies present their first of two fireworks shows, which have been traditionally legendary.  Following Saturday afternoon's game, Diesel will perform a postgame concert/DJ set.  Diesel is the stage name of Shaquille O'Neal and I'm OK that we're missing this one.  On Sunday, all kids will receive an Alec Bohm cooling headband.

All staff and paid personnel from The Phillies Room will be taking some much-needed vacation time and live posting will resume upon our return at the All-Star Break.

2023 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2023 Season Summary Index / 2023 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 79 - Casty Stays Hot as Phils Down Cubs

2023 Topps Living Set #601

Phillies 8, Cubs 5
Game 79 - Wednesday Night, June 28th in Chicago
Record - 42-37, 3rd Place, 10 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Nick Castellanos drove in half of his team's total runs, as the Phillies survived a shaky Aaron Nola outing, winning 8-5.

What It Means:  The Phillies will go for a series sweep tonight in Chicago, and then head to Washington for a three-game series against the last place Nationals.

What Happened:  Nola won his seventh game, but it wasn't easy.  He departed after five innings, having allowed four runs on seven hits and three walks.  The bullpen held down the fort, with Matt Strahm pitching two scoreless innings while striking out four.  Edmundo Sosa hit a two-run home run in the second to start the scoring for the Phillies.  Castellanos followed that with a three-run home run, his 10th of the season.  Castellanos doubled home Kyle Schwarber in the fourth for his fourth RBI of the night.  

Featured Card:  Castellanos will hopefully accompany manager Rob Thomson on his trip to Seattle for the 2023 All-Star Game.  His .314 average is currently fourth in the National League, and his 49 RBIs is 10th best.  This is his 1953 Topps inspired Living Set card, issued earlier this year.

A quick note as we head into the holiday weekend:  All staff and paid personnel from The Phillies Room will be taking some much-needed vacation time and live posting will resume upon our return at the All-Star Break.

2023 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2023 Season Summary Index / 2023 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 78 - Ranger Cruises to Win Over Cubs

2023 Philadelphia Phillies Photo Cards

Phillies 5, Cubs 1
Game 78 - Tuesday Night, June 27th in Chicago
Record - 41-37, 3rd Place, 10 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Ranger Suarez pitched another gem with Brandon Marsh hitting a pair of home runs in this 5-1 win over the Cubs.

What It Means:  The Phillies continue to click and thankfully put the Braves series behind them, winning three of their last four.

What Happened:  Ranger Suarez pitched 7 1/3 innings, departing with the Phillies holding a 5-0 lead.  He allowed four hits while striking out eight, finishing the month of June with a 1.08 ERA over five starts in which hie pitched at least six innings.  Marsh led the offense with a solo home run in the second and a two-run home run in the fifth.

Featured Card:  I have only three Suarez cards in my 2023 Phillies binder so far - his card from the Topps retail team set, his Topps Heritage card, and this card from the not widely released team-issued photo cards set.

2023 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2023 Season Summary Index / 2023 Chachi Set Checklist

Phillies at Cubs: June 27th to June 29th

2023 Chachi 1965 Topps Missing Links #8

1965 Topps #420

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 8:05
Wrigley Field - Chicago, IL

At the Ballpark:  The Cubs return to London to face the Phillies back in Chicago.  Thursday night is Nascar Night at Wrigley Field, with themed ticket holders receiving a Clark (the Cubs mascot) Nascar bobblehead.

Phillies 40-37
3rd Place in the N.L. East, 10 games behind the Braves

Phillies Probables
Ranger Suarez (1-2, 3.50)
Aaron Nola (6-5, 4.38)
Taijuan Walker (8-3, 4.10)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Nick Castellanos - .313
Runs:  Nick Castellanos - 45
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 20
RBIs:  Alec Bohm - 47
Stolen Bases:  Trea Turner - 15

Wins:  Taijuan Walker - 8
ERA:  Zack Wheeler - 3.76

Strikeouts:  Zack Wheeler - 106
Saves:  Craig Kimbrel - 11

Cubs 37-39
3rd Place in the N.L. Central, 3 games behind the Reds

Cubs Probables
Taillon
Smyly
Hendricks

Cubs Leaders
Average:  Nico Hoerner - .282
Runs:  Nico Hoerner - 44
Home Runs:  Patrick Wisdom - 14
RBIs:  Nico Hoerner - 39
Stolen Bases:  Nico Hoerner - 17

Wins:  Marcus Stroman - 9
ERA:  Marcus Stroman - 2.47

Strikeouts:  Marcus Stroman - 85
Saves:  Adbert Alzolay - 4

2023 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2023 Season Summary Index / 2023 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 77 - Mets Mets It Up, Phils Win

2023 Bowman #10

Phillies 7, Mets 6
Game 77 - Sunday Afternoon, June 25th in Philadelphia
Record - 40-37, 3rd Place, 10 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Mets imploded in the eighth inning of this game, leading to a 7-6 Phillies victory.

What It Means:  The Phillies somehow took this series from the floundering Mets, and they'll open a three-game set in Chicago against the Cubs on Tuesday night.

What Happened:  Heading to the bottom of the eighth, the Phillies were seemingly out of this game as the Mets led, 6-3.  Trea Turner was in the middle of the first three Phillies runs, hitting a solo home run in the first, singling home Edmundo Sosa in the third and coming home in the fifth on a throwing error from the catcher after he had successfully stolen both second and third base.  Phillies' starting pitcher Zack Wheeler lasted 5 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on nine hits.

In the bottom of the eighth, with Mets' reliever Josh Walker on the mound, Bryce Harper walked to lead off the inning.  J.T. Realmuto singled and Bryson Stott walked to load the bases.  Jeff Brigham replaced Walker.  Alec Bohm safely reached on an error by third baseman Bret Baty, with Harper scoring.  Bases still loaded, Brandon Marsh walked, and Kyle Schwarber was hit by a pitch to tie the game.  Brigham then hit Turner and the Phillies had the lead.  Four runs, one hit, one error, three walks, two hit batters, one nightmare inning for the Mets.

Featured Card:  Turner is seemingly turning his season around, and he was 2 for 3 with two runs scored, two stolen bases and three RBIs in this game.  This is his recently released Bowman card, which arrived in our mailbox Monday afternoon.

2023 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2023 Season Summary Index / 2023 Chachi Set Checklist

2023 Chachi #30 David Lundquist / Jason Camilli / Brian Kaplan CO

#94
David Bruce Lundquist, Jr.
Bullpen Coach

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  240
Opening Day Age:  49
Born:  June 4, 1973, Beverly, MA
Major League Teams:  Chicago White Sox 1999; San Diego Padres 2001-2002

Major League Teams (as coach):  Philadelphia Phillies 2019-2023

#91
Jason Darren Camilli
Assistant Hitting Coach

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  190
Opening Day Age:  47
Born:  October 18, 1975, Phoenix, AZ

Major League Teams (as a coach):   Philadelphia Phillies 2022-2023

#93
Brian Kaplan
Assistant Pitching Coach

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  180
Opening Day Age:  41

Born:  March 8, 1982, Poughkeepsie, NY

Major League Teams (as a coach):  Philadelphia Phillies 2022-2023

Dave Lundquist, the team's current bullpen coach, joined the Phillies coaching ranks in 2019 as their assistant pitching coach.  He moved to the bullpen full-time in 2022, taking over for the departed Jim Gott.  Along with Dusty Wathan and Caleb Cotham, Lundquist is one of only three coaches on the team's staff with major league experience as a player.  

It would seem as if the added coaching positions that have sprouted up over the past decade or so are here to stay.  Jason Camilli and Brian Kaplan are the team's assistant hitting and pitching coaches, respectively, and both are in the second years in those positions.  I debated and then ultimately decided against adding the team's two bullpen catcher/assistant catching coaches, Brad Flanders and Hector Rabago, to this year's set.  But given the Phillies (and MLB) consider these two positions as full-fledged coaches now, I may need to rethink that when designing the 2024 Chachi checklist.

2019 Chachi #29

2021 Chachi #30

2022 Chachi #32

Other Notable Baseball Cards - Lundquist
First Mainstream Card:  1994 Fleer ProCards #2173
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (0):  N/A
Newest Card Added to My Phillies Collection:  2023 Philadelphia Phillies Photo Cards #94
Total Cards in My Phillies Collection:  16 as of 6/24/23.

Complete Chachi Checklist - Lundquist
2019 Chachi #29
2020 Chachi #34
2021 Chachi #30
2022 Chachi #32

2023 Chachi #30

Other Notable Baseball Cards - Camilli
First Mainstream Card:  1994 Stadium Club Draft Picks
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (1):  1995
Newest Card Added to My Phillies Collection:  2023 Philadelphia Phillies Photo Cards #91
Total Cards in My Phillies Collection:  2 as of 6/24/23.

Complete Chachi Checklist - Camilli
2022 Chachi #32

2023 Chachi #30

Other Notable Baseball Cards - Kaplan
First Mainstream Card:  N/A
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (0):  N/A
Newest Card Added to My Phillies Collection:  2023 Philadelphia Phillies Photo Cards #93
Total Cards in My Phillies Collection:  2 as of 6/24/23.

Complete Chachi Checklist - Kaplan

2022 Chachi #32

2023 Chachi #30

2023 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2023 Season Summary Index / 2023 Chachi Set Checklist

2023 Chachi #29 Phillies Coaches / 2023 Chachi #31 Cristian Pache

Game 76 - Phils Bat Sputter in Loss to Mets

2022 Chachi #64

Mets 4, Phillies 2
Game 76 - Saturday Afternoon, June 24th in Philadelphia
Record - 39-37, 3rd Place, 10 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies offense continues to sputter as the Mets took the lead in the 6th and hung on to win, 4-2.

What It Means:  The Phillies will attempt the series win on Sunday afternoon with Zack Wheeler on the mound.

What Happened:  From the Phillies' perspective, not a whole lot.  Nick Castellanos stayed hot, going 3 for 3 with a solo home run in the fourth.  Trea Turner produced a big two-out single in the fifth to score Brandon Marsh, who had doubled to lead off the inning.  Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto and Alec Bohm were a combined 0 for 14 with seven strikeouts.  Cristopher Sanchez took the loss, allowing three runs on five hits in his five innings of work.  Yunior Marte allowed a runner inherited from Sanchez to score and then gave up a run of his own, increasing his ERA to 6.62.

Featured Card:  David Robertson recorded the final five outs of this game for the Mets, recording his 11th save.  Prior to the game, he took part in an on-field ceremony to receive his 2022 National League Champions ring.  It made me wonder why Vinny Nittoli wasn't invited to the ceremony too.  Nittoli, recalled by the Mets on Friday, appeared in two games for the Phillies last season, pitching two scoreless innings in early September.  His time with the club was very short, and the only Phillies baseball card he likely has to his name is the Chachi card shown here from last year's set.  Maybe since the majority of Phillies fans don't know who Nittoli is, they decided to exclude him from the on-field ceremony?

2023 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2023 Season Summary Index / 2023 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 75 - Taijuan, Timely Hits Hold Off Mets

2023 Philadelphia Phillies Photo Cards #99

Phillies 5, Mets 1
Game 75 - Friday Night, June 23rd in Philadelphia
Record - 39-36, 3rd Place, 9 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Taijuan Walker and a few timely hits from the Phillies offense led to this 5-1 win over the Mets.

What It Means:  After figuring out Apple TV, I actually found this game to be enjoyable.  The coolest feature of Apple TV is the ability to switch audio feeds.  We moved over to the Scott Franzke/Larry Andersen radio call of the game in the first inning and never looked back.

What Happened:  Walker pitched six innings, giving up three hits and a solo home run on his way to his eighth win.  Per a Tweet from the Phillies Notes account, the Phillies are 14-4 since June 3rd with the starting staff in that span having a 1.61 ERA.  That's the lowest ERA by Phillies starting pitchers over an 18-game span since May to June 1964.  The hits weren't big from the offense, but they were timely.  Bryce Harper had an RBI single in the first, followed by a Bryson Stott sacrifice fly.  Brandon Marsh brought home another run when his pop up dropped between Mets fielders Tommy Pham and Francisco Lindor.  Trea Turner capped the night with a two-run single following the Mets miscue on Marsh's ball.

Featured Card:  With the posting of this card, I've exhausted my supply of Walker Phillies cards.  Hopefully more are on the way.  This is Walker's team-issued photo card which could be hard to track down this year as it was created solely for use in grab bags and on the off chance Walker needs something for an autograph signing.

2023 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2023 Season Summary Index / 2023 Chachi Set Checklist

2023 Chachi #29 Bobby Dickerson / Paco Figueroa / Dusty Wathan CO

#9

Bobby Dale Dickerson
Infield Coach

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  180
Opening Day Age:  57

Born:  September 4, 1965, Laurel, MS

Major League Teams (as coach):  Baltimore Orioles 2013-2018; Philadelphia Phillies 2019; San Diego Padres 2020-2021; Philadelphia Phillies 2022-2023

#38

Francisco Figueroa
First Base Coach

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right Height:  5'11"  Weight:  180
Opening Day Age:  40

Born:  February 19, 1983, Miami, FL

Major League Teams (as a coach):   Philadelphia Phillies 2019-2023

#62

Dustin James Wathan
Third Base Coach

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'4"  Weight:  210
Opening Day Age:  49

Born:  August 22, 1973, Jacksonville, FL

Major League Teams:  Kansas City Royals 2002

Major League Teams (as a coach):  Philadelphia Phillies 2018-2023

Bobby Dickerson spent one season as the Phillies' infield coach in 2019 before departing to serve as a coach for the Padres for two seasons.  Returning in 2022, Dickerson has worked constantly to help improve the team's infield defense.  Paco Figueroa was named as the team's outfield/baserunning coach prior to the 2019 season, and he also took over as the first base coach.  Dusty Wathan is the veteran of the coaching staff, having joined the big league club in 2018.  He managed in the Phillies system for 10 seasons, at all levels, guiding his teams to a cumulative record of 711-633.

2018 Chachi #28

2019 Chachi #28

2019 Chachi Photo Night #14

2022 Chachi #31

Other Notable Baseball Cards - Dickerson
First Mainstream Card:  1992 Fleer ProCards #1944
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (0):  N/A
Newest Card Added to My Phillies Collection:  2023 Philadelphia Phillies Photo Cards #95
Total Cards in My Phillies Collection:  4 as of 6/23/23.

Complete Chachi Checklist - Dickerson
2019 Chachi #29
2022 Chachi #31

2023 Chachi #29

Other Notable Baseball Cards - Figueroa
First Mainstream Card:  N/A
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (0):  N/A
Newest Card Added to My Phillies Collection:  2023 Philadelphia Phillies Photo Cards #38
Total Cards in My Phillies Collection:  4 as of 6/23/23.

Complete Chachi Checklist - Figueroa
2019 Chachi #28
2019 Chachi Photo Night #10
2020 Chachi #33
2021 Chachi #29
2022 Chachi #31

2023 Chachi #29

Other Notable Baseball Cards - Wathan
First Mainstream Card:  2003 Fleer Platinum #236
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (0):  N/A
Newest Card Added to My Phillies Collection:  2023 Philadelphia Phillies Photo Cards #62
Total Cards in My Phillies Collection:  25 as of 6/23/23.

Complete Chachi Checklist - Wathan

2018 Chachi #28
2019 Chachi #28
2019 Chachi Photo Night #14
2020 Chachi #33
2021 Chachi #29
2022 Chachi #31

2023 Chachi #29

2023 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2023 Season Summary Index / 2023 Chachi Set Checklist

2023 Chachi #28 Phillies Coaches / 2023 Chachi #30 Phillies Coaches

Mets at Phillies: June 23rd to June 25th

1965 Topps #364

1965 Topps #123

Friday 7:05, Saturday 4:05, Sunday 1:35
Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA

At the Ballpark:  It's Pride Night at the ballpark tonight, with themed ticket holders receiving a Phillies Pride Night bucket hat.  On Sunday, the Phillies host an extremely rare afternoon weekend game with absolutely nothing being given away. 

Mets 34-40
4th Place in the N.L. East, 14 games behind the Braves

Mets Probables
Kodai Senga (6-4, 3.53)
Carlos Carrasco (2-3, 6.34)
Max Scherzer (6-2, 4.04)

Mets Leaders
Average:  Brandon Nimmo - .279
Runs:  Francisco Lindor - 44
Home Runs:  Pete Alonso - 23
RBIs:  Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor - 51
Stolen Bases:  Starling Marte - 20

Wins:  Three tied with - 6
ERA:  N/A

Strikeouts:  Kodai Senga - 87
Saves:  David Robertson - 10

Phillies 38-36
3rd Place in the N.L. East, 10 games behind the Braves

Phillies Probables
Taijuan Walker (7-3, 4.31)
Cristopher Sanchez (0-0, 3.24)
Zack Wheeler (6-4, 3.48)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Nick Castellanos - .311
Runs:  Nick Castellanos - 44
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 20
RBIs:  Alec Bohm - 46
Stolen Bases:  Trea Turner - 13

Wins:  Taijuan Walker - 7
ERA:  Zack Wheeler - 3.48

Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler - 98
Saves:  Craig Kimbrel - 10

2023 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2023 Season Summary Index / 2023 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 74 - Phils Lose Ugly in Extra Innings

2023 Topps Heritage #305

Braves 5, Phillies 1 (10 Innings)
Game 74 - Thursday Night, June 22nd in Philadelphia
Record - 38-36, 3rd Place, 10 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  After nine scoreless innings, the Phillies lost ugly in 10 innings to the Braves, 5-1.

What It Means:  The Braves clearly came out on top in this quick two-game series, with the Phillies dropping both games and losing two games in the standings.  The Mets come to town on Friday night to kick off a weekend series.

What Happened:  Aaron Nola threw six scoreless innings, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out five.  Gregory Soto, Jose Alvarado and Craig Kimbrel handled the next three innings relatively easily.  Yunior Marte got the 10th and Michael Harris II quickly singled home ghost runner Sam Hilliard to give the Braves a 1-0 lead.  With runners on second and third and two outs, Austin Riley lofted a pop fly to left fielder Kyle Schwarber that Schwarber dropped as two more runs scored.  Marcell Ozuna then blasted a two-run home run to give the Braves a 5-0 lead.  As a result of the ghost runner and the booted fly ball by Schwarber, all five runs were unearned.  The Phillies offense had four hits all day, as Braves' starter Bryce Elder threw seven scoreless innings.

Featured Card/Transaction:  Following the game it was announced Dalton Guthrie (of) who had been designated for assignment, had been dealt to the Giants for cash considerations.  In 37 games with the Phillies between this and last season, Guthrie batted .244 with a home run and five RBIs.  He just recently appeared on his first mainstream Phillies baseball card in the 2023 Topps Heritage set and Topps oddly opted to list Guthrie as a third baseman on this card.  In 14 games last season, he played third once, second base once and right field 12 times.

2023 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2023 Season Summary Index / 2023 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 73 - Braves Take Series Opener with Timely Hits

Braves 4, Phillies 2
Game 73 - Tuesday Night, June 20th in Philadelphia
Record - 38-35, 3rd Place, 9 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies went 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position, losing 4-2 to the Braves in this crucial series opener.

What It Means:  If the rain stays away, the Phillies will try to even the series on Wednesday night.

What Happened:  Ranger Suarez pitched well, with his only blemish being a sixth inning solo home run surrendered to Austin Riley.  The Phillies had held a brief 1-0 lead on Nick Castellanos' RBI single in the bottom of the fifth.  It was downhill from there though, as Suarez yielded to reliever Jeff Hoffman in the seventh and Hoffman gave up two more Braves runs.  Kyle Schwarber came to the plate as the potential tying run in the ninth, but he struck out swinging to end the ballgame.

Featured Cards:  On Monday night, Doug and I drove to the Live! Casino Event Center across the street from the ballpark for The Philly Show's pop-up autograph event.  It's the first of its kind as far as I know, and Doug needed autographs of Alec Bohm and Castellanos for his growing collection.  The place was jam-packed, and the promoters seemed to have sold way too many tickets.  After several hours of waiting, our number was called for Bohm and then after another hour, we entered the long line for Castellanos.  Both were the final autograph signers of the night, with earlier guests Bryson Stott and Taijuan Walker having left the building hours earlier.  We got our Castellanos autograph around 10:15, and it was nice to see Castellanos talking to everyone and posing for photos if asked.  It was an OK event, and I'm glad Doug got his autographs, but I'd prefer having autograph guests at baseball card shows.  We were in a casino hallway for almost three hours when we could have been browsing (and buying) baseball cards.

Transactions:  On Monday, the Phillies activated Darick Hall (1b) from the 60-day IL and optioned him to Lehigh Valley.  To make room for Hall on the 40-man roster, Dalton Guthrie (of) was surprisingly designated for assignment.  The hope is that Guthrie passes through waivers.  On Tuesday, the same roster move was needed for Rafael Marchan (c) as he came off the 60-day IL and was optioned down.  Michael Plassmeyer (lhp), who had pitched in a pair of games last season for the Phillies, was released.

2023 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2023 Season Summary Index / 2023 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 72 - Schwarber, Wheeler Lead Phils to Sweep of A's

2023 Topps Big League #41

Phillies 3, Athletics 2
Game 72 - Sunday Afternoon, June 18th in Philadelphia
Record - 38-34, 3rd Place, 8 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Kyle Schwarber had a pair or RBIs, including another lead-off home run, and Zack Wheeler pitched six shutout innings in this 3-2 win over the A's.

What It Means:  The Phillies are playing good baseball, and a big test is coming up with a homestand against the Braves and Mets.

What Happened:  Schwarber slugged his 20th home run of the year to start the game and would bloop an RBI single into left in the fifth.  Trea Turner added an RBI single in the eighth.  Cristian Pache had a single and a double and scored on Schwarber's and Turner's RBI hits.  Wheeler won his sixth ballgame, allowing six hits and a pair of walks while striking out four.  Yunior Marte got the ninth, striking out the side and recording his first career save.

Featured Card:  Schwarber's average is still south of the Mendoza Line, but his home run total has him currently sitting in fourth place in the league behind division rivals Pete Alonso (22), Matt Olson (21) and Jorge Soler (21).  This is his card from this year's Topps Big League offering.

2023 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2023 Season Summary Index / 2023 Chachi Set Checklist

Braves at Phillies: June 20th to June 22nd

1965 Topps #327

2023 Chachi 1965 Topps Missing Links #4

Tuesday and Wednesday 6:40, Thursday 1:05
Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA

At the Ballpark:  There are a few theme nights scheduled for this series, but otherwise the focus is on two top teams in the division facing off.

Braves 46-26
1st Place in the N.L. East, 4 1/2 games ahead of the Marlins

Braves Probables
Spencer Strider (7-2, 4.12)
AJ Smith-Shawver (1-0, 2.03)
Bryce Elder (5-1, 2.60)

Braves Leaders
Average:  Ronald Acuna - .325
Runs:  Ronald Acuna - 63
Home Runs:  Matt Olson - 20
RBIs:  Ozzie Albies - 52
Stolen Bases:  Ronald Acuna - 30

Wins:  Spencer Strider - 7
ERA:  Bryce Elder - 2.60

Strikeouts:  Spencer Strider - 127
Saves:  A.J. Minter - 10

Phillies 38-34
3rd Place in the N.L. East, 8 games behind the Braves

Phillies Probables
Ranger Suarez (1-2, 3.82)
Aaron Nola (6-5, 4.66)
Taijuan Walker (7-3, 4.31)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Nick Castellanos - .315
Runs:  Nick Castellanos - 44
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 20
RBIs:  Alec Bohm - 45
Stolen Bases:  Trea Turner - 12

Wins:  Taijuan Walker - 7
ERA:  Zack Wheeler - 3.48

Strikeouts:  Zack Wheeler - 98
Saves:  Craig Kimbrel - 10

2023 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2023 Season Summary Index / 2023 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 71 - Phils Outlast A's in 12 Innings

2023 Topps Heritage #264

Phillies 3, Athletics 2 (12 Innings)
Game 71 - Saturday Afternoon, June 17th in Oakland
Record - 37-34, 3rd Place, 8 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Christopher Sanchez and seven relievers held the A's down as the Phillies eventually prevailed on a 12th inning RBI single from Kyle Schwarber.

What It Means:  The Phillies have won five in a row, but so have the Braves, so no ground has been gained in the division.  A series sweep is possible with a win this afternoon.

What Happened:  Sanchez, making his second start of the season, went four shutout innings, striking out five.  He likely would have stayed in longer if not for a ball that hit off his hand to start the fourth.  The A's scored the first run of the game in the fifth when Carlos Perez homered off Matt Strahm, but the Phillies quickly came back with a run of their own in the top of the sixth when Bryson Stott singled home Trea Turner.  The score stayed tied until Stott hit a sacrifice fly in the 11th to score Alec Bohm.  Perez again came through for the A's in the bottom of the 11th with a double to tie it up again, 2-2.  In the top of the 12th, Cristian Pache scored on Schwarber's single and Jeff Hoffman pitched a perfect bottom of the 12th to notch his first save and secure the win.

Featured Card:  This card felt appropriate given Pache scored the winning run for the Phillies against his former team.  I'd hope to see some Pache Phillies cards in late season update sets.

Transactions:  Sanchez (lhp) and Yunior Marte (rhp) were recalled from the IronPigs.  Luis Ortiz (rhp) was optioned back down and Seranthony Dominguez (rhp) was placed on the Injured List with a left oblique strain.

2023 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2023 Season Summary Index / 2023 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 70 - Walker, Homers Down A's in Oakland

2023 Topps Phillies #PHI-11

Phillies 6, Athletics 1
Game 70 - Late Friday Night, June 16th in Oakland
Record - 36-34, 3rd Place, 8 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Taijuan Walker was solid through eight innings, while Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto and Alec Bohm all homered in this 6-1 win over the A's.

What It Means:  This series feels a little like the late September series in 2004 when the Phillies visited the Expos in Montreal.  The Expos moved to Washington following the season, and those games had a weird end of an era vibe.  The Phillies have played the Athletics a lot less over the years than they did the Expos, but the next time these two face off, the Athletics, or whatever they'll be called, will likely call Las Vegas their home.

What Happened:  Schwarber launched the very first pitch of the game for a home run, his 19th of the season.  Realmuto added a solo shot in the second and Alec Bohm hit a two-run home run in the fourth.  A few more runs scored in the ninth, highlighted by an RBI single from Bohm.  Walker was in control on the mound, allowing seven hits while striking out eight.  Andrew Vasquez pitched a perfect ninth to wrap up the win.

Featured Card:  This is Walker's first official Phillies baseball card, from the Topps team retail set.  He's since also appeared with the Phillies in the Topps Heritage set, which uses the exact same Photoshopped picture.

Transaction:  Cristian Pache (of) was activated from the Injured List and Dalton Guthrie (of) was optioned down the IronPigs.  Pache made a nice diving catch in this game.

2023 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2023 Season Summary Index / 2023 Chachi Set Checklist

1989 Tastykake Phillies Photo Cards

Number of Cards:  46

Number of Cards (SGA Version):  32
Card Size:  4 1/8" x 6"

Description:  The Phillies came up with this card design . . . and then took the next six years off.  The 1989 to 1995 team issued sets are all identical in design, containing the player's, coach's or manager's name in a red band with white text.  The card backs feature biographical information along with complete career statistics.  This set is notable as it's the last set (to date) to be sponsored by Tastykake.

How Distributed:  A 32-card set was given away to all fans on May 13, 1989 at Veterans Stadium and a 37-card set was available for sale at the ballpark throughout the season.  Both sets contain identical photos, but the 32-card giveaway set cards feature a darker tint and are not as vibrant as their 37-card counterparts.  The 32-card sets can be found in uncut sheets and thanks to fellow collector Rick, I added these cards to my collection via an eBay auction.  As (I believe) the 37-card set is more prevalent, I've listed the stadium giveaway 32-card set (and its variations) under the Variations/Rarities section below.

Given the ton of roster moves made by the club in the first half of the season, a nine-card update set was issued and available for purchase at souvenir stands throughout the Vet.  This was the second year in a row that a nine-card update set was released.  Of the nine players in the set, Jim Adduci made his debut the latest, on July 3rd, so this set would have been first available for sale in mid to late July.

Complete Standard Checklist (Unnumbered, presented here alphabetically with uniform number and position from the back of cards): 

1. Header / Sponsor Card 2. Steve Bedrosian (#40 - RHP) 3. Larry Bowa (#2 - CO) 4. Don Carman (#42 - LHP) 5. Darren Daulton (#10 - C) 6. Bob Dernier (#22 - OF) 7. Curt Ford (#24 - OF) 8. Todd Frohwirth (#52 - RHP) 9. Greg Harris (#33 - RHP) 10. Von Hayes (#9 - OF-1B) 11. Tom Herr (#28 - 2B) 12. Ken Howell (#43 - RHP) 13. Chris James (#26 - OF-3B)

14. Steve Jeltz (#30 - SS) 15. Ron Jones (#26 - OF) 16. Ricky Jordan (#17 - 1B) 17. Darold Knowles (#3 - CO) 18. Steve Lake (#25 - C) 19. Nick Leyva (#16 - MG) 20. Mike Maddux (#44 - RHP) 21. Alex Madrid (#34 - RHP) 22. Larry McWilliams (#46 - LHP) 23. Denis Menke (#4 - CO) 24. Dwayne Murphy (#6 - OF) 25. Tom Nieto (#19 - C)

26. Randy O'Neal (#27 - RHP) 27. Steve Ontiveros (#41 - RHP) 28. Jeff Parrett (#49 - RHP) 29. Bruce Ruffin (#47 - LHP) 30. Mark Ryal (#31 - OF) 31. Mike Ryan (#5 - CO) 32. Juan Samuel (#8 - OF) 33. Mike Schmidt (#20 - 3B) 34. Tony Taylor (#12 - CO) 35. Dickie Thon (#21 - SS) 36. John Vukovich (#7 - CO) 37. Floyd Youmans (#15 - RHP)

Complete Update Checklist (Unnumbered, presented here alphabetically with uniform number and position from the front of cards):

1. Jim Adduci (#18 - INF) 2. Eric Bullock (#35 - OF)      3. Dennis Cook (#39 - LHP)

4. Lenny Dykstra (#4 - OF) 5. Charlie Hayes (#8 - 3B) 6. John Kruk (#11 - OF-1B)

7. Roger McDowell (#13 - RHP) 8. Terry Mulholland (#45 - LHP) 9. Randy Ready (#23 - 3B)

One and Only Phillies Baseball Card (5):  Adduci, Bullock, Nieto, O'Neal, Ryal

First Appearance in Phillies Team Issued Set (18):  Cook, Dykstra, Ford, C. Hayes, Herr, Howell, Kruk, Lake, Madrid, McDowell, McWilliams, Mulholland, Murphy, Ontiveros, Parrett, Ready, Thon, Youmans
Returning Players in Phillies Team Issued Set (15):  Bedrosian, Carman, Daulton, Dernier, Frohwirth, Harris, V. Hayes, James, Jeltz, Jones, Jordan, Maddux, Ruffin, Samuel, Schmidt

This is the only set featuring Phillies baseball cards of the five players listed in the One and Only One category.  The First Appearance designation is for players who have never before appeared on a Phillies team issued set.  These players may have already appeared on other Phillies baseball cards.

Manager (1):  Leyva
Coaches (6):  Bowa, Knowles, Menke, Ryan, Taylor, Vukovich

Other Cards (1):  Header / sponsor card

Surprises:  The 37-card set includes the entire 25-man opening day roster, the manager and all six coaches, Juan Samuel and Tom Nieto, who both began the season on the disabled list, and three players who started the year in the minors but who would eventually spend time with the Phillies - Todd Frohwirth, Alex Madrid and Randy O'Neal.  There aren't really any surprises here, and it's a fairly inclusive checklists.

The Chris James card is an uncorrected error.  James wore #18 in 1989, but the back of the card lists his uniform as #26.  James had switched from #26 mid-way through the 1988 season and Ron Jones wore #26 in 1989.

Omissions:  47 players appeared with the Phillies in 1989.  Only 10 of them didn't have cards in the original 37-card set or the 9-card update set.  Bob Sebra, Gordon Dillard and Marvin Freeman all briefly appeared on the roster and weren't considered for either set.  Neither were any of the seven September call-ups - Tom Barrett, Pat Combs, Chuck McElroy, Keith Miller, Steve Stanicek, Al Pardo and Jason Grimsley.

Variations/Rarities:  The 32-card stadium giveaway set omitted the following five cards - the Header/sponsor card and the cards for four players - Nieto, Jones, O'Neal and Madrid.  Both O'Neal and Madrid were on the 24-man roster on the giveaway day, as was Dillard who was around for all of two weeks.  It's a shame, but completely understandable, that Dillard didn't somehow make it into the SGA set.  

In addition to these omissions, this set contains the following name placement variations, as well as being darker in tone as mentioned above.

• Don Carman, name is bottom center (instead of bottom left)
• Todd Frohwirth, name is more to the right (instead of centered)
• Ken Howell, name is bottom center (instead of bottom left)
• Steve Ontiveros, name is top center (instead of top right)
• Bruce Ruffin, name is top center (instead of bottom left)
• Mike Ryan CO, name is top center (instead of top left)
• Floyd Youmans, name is bottom right (instead of bottom left)

Unless you're a Phillies team issued set or Bruce Ruffin super collector (and why wouldn't you be?) there's really no need to add these cards to your collection.

Also See:  1989 Phillies - The Missing Links, 1989 Topps Phillies

Resources:  14,000 Phillies; Beckett.com; Phillies collector Rick (@rickphils)

This set was originally featured in a post back in October 2014, and I'm going through these older team-issued set posts to update them with new information learned (if any) over the past nine years.

1988 Tastykake Phillies Photo Cards / 1990 Phillies Photo Cards

1980-1999 Phillies Team-Issued Photo Cards Want List / Phillies Team Issued Sets Index Page