2011 Chachi Almost #4 Josh Barfield

While we wait for the official word that Jim Thome has re-joined the Phillies on a one-year contract, I'll pass along a few other transactions from the past week.  (Thome's signing is pending a physical, which could be happening as you're reading this.)

Infielder Pete Orr will be back in the fold in 2012.  Orr was briefly a free agent before the Phillies re-signed him to a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training.

Baseball America posted a lengthy list of minor league free agents yesterday, including 31 players who spent time within the Phillies system in 2011.  The only player on the list who spent time with the big club last year was left-handed pitcher Juan Perez.  Perez' big moment came back on July 8th when he struck out a side of Braves batters on just nine pitches.  Perez appeared in eight games with the Phils, pitching five innings and allowing two runs while striking out eight.

Also included on the list of 31 were Spring Training stand-outs Josh Barfield and Delwyn Young.  Both seemed to be locks to head north with the club when camp broke in late March, but neither made the club.  Barfield does however have the honor of receiving a Chachi card in the "Almost" insert set.

Moving On

Dane Sardinha (10-11) 10/10/11 - Filed for free agency

Brandon Moss (11) 10/17/11 - Outrighted to Lehigh Valley and filed for free agency

Pete Orr (11) 10/17/11 - Outrighted to Lehigh Valley and filed for free agency; 11/3/11 - Resigned by the Phillies as a minor league free agent with an invitation to Spring Training

Brad Lidge (08-11) 10/24/11 - Team option declined

Roy Oswalt (10-11) 10/24/11 - Team option declined

Ross Gload (10-11) 10/30/11 - Filed for free agency

Raul Ibanez (09-11) 10/30/11 - Filed for free agency

Ryan Madson (03-11) 10/30/11 - Filed for free agency

Jimmy Rollins (00-11) 10/30/11 - Filed for free agency

Brian Schneider (10-11) 10/30/11 - Filed for free agency

Juan Perez (11) 11/2/11 - Became a minor league free agent

2011 Chachi Almost #4 Freddy Galvis

Could Freddy Galvis possibly be the Phillies starting shortstop on Opening Day 2012?  With Jimmy Rollins hitting free agency following the World Series and expected to seek a five-year deal, it's possible the Phillies could have an opening in the middle infield for the first time since the early 2000's.

Galvis, 21, started 2011 with Double-A Reading but made the jump to Triple-A Lehigh Valley in August.  He was named the Phillies Minor League Player of the Month in August and he was recently awarded the 2011 Paul Owens Award as the best position player in the Phillies minor league system.  Between both levels in the minors, he hit .278 with 28 doubles, 5 triples and 8 home runs.  He stole 23 bases and scored 78 runs in 137 total games.

Signed as an amateur free agent in July 2006, Galvis is originally from Venezuela.  Phuture Phillies, the source for all things related to the Phillies minor league system, ranked Galvis as the team's 14th best prospect following the 2010 season.  I'd expect to see Galvis climb up the rankings in 2011's list, and he'll undoubtedly get a lengthy look in March in Clearwater.

2011 Chachi Lineage #3 Jimmy Rollins

I start thinking about which Topps baseball card design to use for the next year's Chachi set at some point over the summer.  I'll weigh the pros and cons of each unused design usually while I'm mowing the lawn or walking from my parking garage to my office or just staring into space.  A few months ago, I had settled on using one of four designs:

1.  1971 Topps - One of my favorite sets from the '70s and a fairly easy design to reproduce.
2.  1984 Topps - This seemed to be the natural next step after using the 1983 Topps design this year.  It's hard for me to think of the '83 Topps set without my mind instantly going to its inferior sequel, the '84 Topps set.
3.  1985 Topps - I keep coming back to this design.  It's simple and I think I'd tweak the team banner color from maroon to today's more modern red.
4.  1988 Topps - I keep coming back to this one too.  If I ever get over the fact there are no player positions on the fronts of the cards, I'll definitely use this design one year.

And then, a few weeks ago, it hit me.  The 1979 Topps design was the perfect set to use for the 2012 Chachi set.  I've been feeling rather nostalgic lately, and flipping through my binder of the 1979 Topps set while preparing the 1979 Topps Phillies post brought back a flood of memories and emotions. 

1979 reminds me of my Dad.  He took me to my first Phillies game in 1979.  1979 reminds me of riding my Big Wheel and sitting on my red shag carpet back on 12th Street.  It reminds me of camping with my Dad, playing catch in our backyard and riding around in his red Pontiac Thunderbird.  It reminds me of sideburns and John Denver on the radio and back when our old house was still blue, before the gray siding was added.  It reminds me of Legos and Star Wars men.

The 1979 Topps set is very simple and very basic.  It reminds me of the good old days and it makes me happy to think I'll get to revisit a simpler time whenever I create a 2012 Chachi card.

2011 Chachi Lineage #2 Cole Hamels

Phillies 3, Padres 1
Game 98 - Friday Night, July 22nd in Philadelphia

One Sentence Summary:  The game-time temperature was 98 degrees, but Cole Hamels managed to cool off the Padre bats as the Phils won, 3-1.

What It Means:  The team is now 62-36 and with the Braves winning too, they maintain a four game lead in the East.

What Went Right:  The Phils were gifted their first two runs by the Padres.  In the second, Shane Victorino reached on shortstop Jason Bartlett's error.  He came around to score when Carlos Ruiz doubled on a ball that clanked off the glove of center fielder Cameron Maybin.  In the fourth, Padres pitcher Cory Luebke balked home a run.  John Mayberry, Jr. doubled home the Phillies third run following the balk.

Hamels (12-5) pitched great in the heat, rebounding nicely from his disastrous last start against the Mets.  He lasted eight innings, allowing just three hits and one run while striking out 10 and he's now tied with the Braves' Jair Jurrjens for most wins in the N.L.  Ryan Madson pitched a perfect ninth to record his 16th save and his first since returning from the disabled list.

Featured Card:  The Phillies and Padres wore uniforms from 1984 to celebrate 1980's Retro Night at the ballpark.  The 1985 Topps design hasn't been featured in a prior year Chachi set, but I thought it fitting to use the design here to show off the awesome '80s Phillies uniforms.  (I would have used the 1984 Topps design, but I couldn't find a decent "portrait" photo of Hamels in his retro cap to use for the smaller photo on the '84 card.)

Transaction:  Former closer Brad Lidge was activated from the disabled list this afternoon and he hopes to make his 2011 debut soon.  Lidge is not expected to close, given the success in the role by Madson and Antonio Bastardo.  Reliever Danys Baez was designated for assignment to open a roster spot for Lidge.  Baez just didn't pitch that great during his year and a half in Philly, although he'll always be remembered for his five shutout innings of relief in the 19-inning game back on May 25th.

2011 Chachi Super Veteran #2 Bob Dernier

Robert Eugene Dernier
Cubs First Base Coach

Bats: Right  Throws: Right  Height: 6'0"  Weight: 160
Born: January 5, 1957, Kansas City, MO
Signed: By the Phillies as an amateur free agent, August 5, 1977
Teams:  Phillies 1980-1983, Chicago Cubs 1984-1987, Phillies 1988-1989

Complete Topps Base Set Checklist:
1982 Topps #231 - Phillies - Future Stars (with Mark Davis and Ozzie Virgil)
1982 Topps Traded #28T - Phillies
1983 Topps #43 - Phillies
1984 Topps #358 - Phillies
1984 Topps Traded #31T - Cubs
1985 Topps #589 - Cubs
1986 Topps #188 - Cubs
1987 Topps #715 - Cubs
1988 Topps #642 - Cubs
1989 Topps #418 - Phillies
1990 Topps #204 - Phillies

2011 Chachi Almost #2 Jamie Moyer

Jamie Moyer
Pitcher

Bats: Left  Throws: Left  Height: 6'0"  Weight: 185

Born: November 18, 1962, Sellersville, PA

Home: Bradenton, FL

Drafted: Selected by Chicago Cubs in 6th round of June 1984 draft

Teams: Chicago Cubs 1986-1988, Texas Rangers 1989-1990, St. Louis Cardinals 1991, Baltimore Orioles 1993-1995, Boston Red Sox 1996, Seattle Mariners 1996-2006, Phillies 2006-2010

Contract Status: Free agent

Complete Topps Base Set Checklist:

1987 Topps #227 - Cubs

1988 Topps #36 - Cubs

1989 Topps #549 - Cubs - Team Leaders

1989 Topps #717 - Cubs

1989 Topps Traded #85T - Rangers

1990 Topps #412 - Rangers

1991 Topps #138 - Rangers

1994 Topps #526 - Orioles

1995 Topps #318 - Orioles

1997 Topps #283 - Mariners

1998 Topps #217 - Mariners

1999 Topps #343 - Mariners

2000 Topps #379 - Mariners

2001 Topps #450 - Mariners

2002 Topps #449 - Mariners

2003 Topps #122 - Mariners

2004 Topps #524 - Mariners

2005 Topps #554 - Mariners

2006 Topps #358 - Mariners

2007 Topps #562 - Phillies

2008 Topps #173 - Phillies

2009 Topps #428 - Phillies

2010 Topps Update #US95 - Phillies

2011 Topps #232 - Phillies

2011 Chachi Lineage #1 Roy Halladay

Braves 3, Phillies 2
Game 39 - Sunday Afternoon, May 15th in Atlanta

One Sentence Summary:  Wearing retro-style baby blue road uniforms, the Phillies fell to Dan Uggla and the Braves in the annual Civil Rights Game, 3-2.

What It Means:  The Braves won their second consecutive series against the Phillies, dropping the Phils to 25-14.  The Phils maintained a two game lead over the Marlins and the Braves have now crept to within 3 1/2 games of the top spot.

What Went Wrong:  Roy Halladay lost his second consecutive complete game.  John Mayberry, Jr.'s two-run home run in the sixth gave him a 2-1 lead to work with, but the Braves scored in the sixth and eighth innings to tie the game and then eventually take the lead.  Phillie-Killer Dan Uggla scored all three Braves runs, and it was his solo home run in the eighth that sealed the win for the Braves.

Tim Hudson and two Braves relievers held the Phillies to just four hits all afternoon.  They are 4-5 in the last nine games (all against the Braves and Marlins) and the offense is hitting at an .212 average during that span.

Featured Card:  Now normally there wouldn't be such a dynamic photo appearing in the 1975 Topps set, but I couldn't resist pairing up a photo of Halladay in his vintage uni with the awesomeness of the 1975 Topps set.  I just wish I was posting this card in honor of another Halladay win.  (And I wish the vintage P on the Phillies cap didn't appear as if was just a little bit too big.  And while I'm at it, I wish the Phillies had worn retro maroon helmets instead of clashing with their current red helmets.  But most of all, I wish Halladay had won the ballgame.)

The Chachi Lineage cards are from yet another insert set to be found within packs of 2011 Chachi, and the inserts are so scarce it's impossible to compile a complete checklist at this point.  The Lineage inserts are seeded randomly into rack packs available only at Wawa's in the Northeast on Tuesdays.

2011 Chachi Super Veteran #1 Jamie Moyer

The output has been fast and furious at the Chachi factory, and I'm pleased to report the first 26 cards in the 2011 Chachi set have been completed.  I'll wait for the appropriate occasions throughout the season to post each player's card.  I'm happy with the cards so far, and I was pleasantly surprised to easily find pictures of who I thought would be the hardest subjects - Michael Martinez and Pete Orr.

Strangely enough, the guy that gave me the most trouble was Ben Francisco.  There just aren't that many good pictures out there of the team's new regular right fielder.  I actually ended up scanning in a picture from last year's NLCS Program to use for Francisco's card.

Featured here is the first of hopefully many 2011 Chachi Super Veteran cards, featuring the ageless wonder himself, Jamie Moyer.  I used the picture from Moyer's 1987 Topps rookie card for the "then" side of the card.  Moyer was recently hired to work the night shift of ESPN's Baseball Tonight while he recovers from Tommy John surgery.  He makes no bones about the fact he fully intends to make a comeback in the spring of 2012, at the age of 49.  Super veteran, indeed.

2011 Chachi Almost #1 Luis Castillo

Pirates 4, Phillies 1
Spring Training Game 35 - Wednesday Afternoon, March 30th in Philadelphia

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies wrapped up their exhibition season with a lazy afternoon loss against the Pirates at Citizens Bank Park.

What It Means:  It means the games start counting now!  The Phillies finished the spring with an impressive 21-14 record, which means absolutely nothing.  As of right now, everyone is 0-0 and tied for first place.

Top Hitters:  The Phillies managed only two hits - a Jimmy Rollins single in the first and a Pete Orr triple in the ninth.

Top Pitchers:  Starters Cole Hamels and Joe Blanton each pitched three innings, with Blanton faring better than Hamels.  Hamels was tagged for two runs on four hits, while Blanton allowed just a run on four hits.  Both pitchers struck out three.

Featured Card:  In what could be the only card in this particular 2011 Chachi insert set, I'm featuring short-timer Luis Castillo, who was released this afternoon.  (I was going to call the set the 2011 Chachi Close But . . . but I like the Chachi Almost moniker better.)  Castillo made it into seven games with the Phillies this spring, hitting .273 (6 for 22) with four walks, two strikeouts and a stolen base.  I echo the sentiment expressed by one of my favorite Phillies' blogs, Beerleaguer, who perfectly sums up the fans' feelings towards Castillo.  Thankfully, this experiment is over.

Other Stuff:  Jamie Moyer will be an analyst on ESPN's Baseball Tonight.  To be honest, I haven't watched much Baseball Tonight since the MLB Network came on the scene.  Maybe I'll have to switch over some nights now, especially those nights when Harold Reynolds is getting to me.

Transactions:  The first transaction of the day was the release of Castillo.  Then, Rule 5 draft pick Michael Martinez was informed he had made the team and he wouldn't be offered back to the Nationals.  Finally, Orr also made the team, meaning Delwyn Young will start the season at AAA Lehigh Valley.  Orr has been added to the team's 40-man roster.