Phillies Missing Links of the 2000s - #32 Rodrigo Lopez

#31
Rodrigo Lopez
Starting Pitcher

When rookie starting pitcher Antonio Bastardo landed on the disabled list on June 30, 2009 with a left shoulder injury, the Phillies needed to reach down to the minor leagues to fill Bastardo's rotation spot.  Both Carlos Carrasco and Kyle Kendrick were in the mix for the job, but the Phillies ended up selecting the contract of veteran Rodrigo Lopez from the IronPigs.  At the time, Lopez had appeared in parts of seven seasons with the Padres, Orioles and Rockies and he had won at least 14 games three different years.  He made five starts for the Phillies in July, with the team going 4-1 in those games and Lopez turning in a respectable month.

However, the Phillies acquired Cliff Lee from the Indians on July 29th and Lopez was moved to the bullpen for a few weeks to make room for the newly acquired ace.  He was optioned back to the IronPigs on August 10th when Chad Durbin was activated from the disabled list and he wouldn't return to the club again.

2013 Chachi Almost #1

In total, Lopez compiled a lifetime record of 81-89 with a 4.82 ERA over 257 games.  He best season came in 2004 when he went 14-9 for the Orioles.  As a postscript, the Phillies signed Lopez to a minor league deal in January 2013 with an invitation to spring training.  He didn't make the team and was released in late March, ending his big league career.

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  185
Born:  December 14, 1975, Tlalnepantla, Mexico
Acquired:  Purchased by the San Diego Padres from Veracruz (Mexico), March 17, 1995.
Major League Teams:  San Diego Padres 2000; Baltimore Orioles 2002-2006; Colorado Rockies 2007; Phillies 2009; Arizona Diamondbacks 2010; Chicago Cubs 2011-2012

Phillies Career

7 games (5 starts), 3-1, 5.70 ERA over 30 innings, 11 walks, 19 strikeouts
Acquired:  March 5, 2009 - Signed as a minor league free agent formerly with the Atlanta Braves organization.
Debut:  July 3, 2009 - Started and won against the Mets, pitching 6 1/3 innings and allowing two runs on six hits while striking out four.
Final Game:  August 9, 2009 - In his worst outing with the Phillies, allowed six runs on three hits and three walks against the Diamondbacks in 2/3 of an inning.  He entered the game in the seventh, relieving Tyler Walker.
Departed:  September 8, 2009 - Released and signed as a free agent by the Arizona Diamondbacks, December 16, 2009.

1 Lopez Baseball Card in My Collection
2009 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #14

Complete Chachi Checklist
2009 Chachi #43
2013 Chachi Almost #1

2000 Fleer Tradition Update #U90

2003 Topps #445

2006 Topps Heritage #352

2007 Topps #348

2009 Chachi #43

Other Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  2000 Fleer Tradition Update #U90
First Topps Base Card:  2003 Topps #445
Last Mainstream Card:  2007 Topps #348
Other Notable Cards:  1996 Idaho Falls Braves #14, 2002 Topps 206 #369, 2004 Topps #81, 2005 Topps #73, 2006 Topps #232

Sources:  Baseball Reference and The Trading Card Database

Phillies Missing Links of the 2000s
Gallery - Cards 1 to 34

This is a continuing series looking at those players who spent time with the Phillies but possess no baseball card proof of their time in Philadelphia.  In some cases, the First and Last Mainstream cards listed above have been subjectively chosen if multiple cards were released in that year.

Happy Birthday Doug!

It's hard to believe Harry, but today is my oldest son's seventh birthday.  I can't believe he's old enough to actually be upset at the news that Roy Halladay has retired.  This is the first year Doug started to genuinely take an interest in baseball and the Phillies, and I'm looking forward to many, many years of father-son baseball games.

I'm so incredibly proud of everything he does and he constantly amazes me with his intelligence, his curiosity and his ability to just be an overall cool kid.

Although . . . I'm still coping with the fact that he made me root for the Braves (his tee ball team) throughout the summer.  That was tough on the old man.

Happy birthday Doug!

2013 Chachi Special Edition #RS Rick Schu

To:  The 2013 Philadelphia Phillies

From:  The Phillies Room

Uncle.

Phillies at Braves: September 26th to September 29th

Thursday 7:10, Friday 7:30, Saturday 7:10 and Sunday 1:35
Turner Field - Atlanta, GA

Phillies 72-86, 4th Place in the N.L. East, 21 games behind the Braves
Braves 93-65, 1st Place in the N.L. East, 9 1/2 games ahead of the Nationals

Phillies Probables:  Tyler Cloyd (2-6, 5.40), Cliff Lee (14-7, 2.93), Ethan Martin (2-4, 6.25), Zach Miner (0-1, 3.08)
Braves Probables:  David Hale (0-0, 0.00), Kris Medlen (14-12, 3.24), Mike Minor (13-8, 3.22), Julio Teheran (13-8, 3.09)

At the Ballpark:  Fan Appreciation Weekend kicks off tonight at Turner Field.  The highlights of the weekend series are fireworks on Friday night and a 2014 Souvenir Schedule Cup give-away on Saturday night.

Phillies Leaders

Average:  Chase Utley - .282

Runs:  Chase Utley - 72

Home Runs:  Domonic Brown - 27

RBIs:  Domonic Brown - 82

Stolen Bases:  Ben Revere and Jimmy Rollins - 22

Wins:  Cliff Lee - 14

ERA:  Cliff Lee - 2.93

Strikeouts:  Cliff Lee - 209

Saves:  Jonathan Papelbon - 29

2013 Chachi Preview #5

1973 Topps Appreciation:  The only Phillies-related card from the 1973 Topps set not to appear in these series preview posts is the Mike Schmidt rookie card.  I did a whole post on that iconic card a few years back, so please go check out that post.  I also took a stab a creating a 1973 Topps solo card for Schmidt, which I posted here.

The card featured here has been sitting in my draft folder since Spring Training when Schmidt served as a guest hitting instructor with the Phils for a few weeks in February.  It's fitting that this card wraps up my season long look back at the 1973 Topps set.

And in case you missed it, I've already chosen the Topps set to use as the basis for my 2014 Chachi set.  Look for Chachi Transactions cards throughout the offseason and the official set will make its debut on opening day.

2013 Chachi Transactions #18 Jose Contreras

Similar to a post I ran this time last year, I wanted to record for posterity's sake the 2012-2013 offseason transactions made by the Phillies.  I last updated this list on February 4th and I starred the players below who weren't featured on that list almost eight months ago.

Jose Contreras ended up appearing in seven games with the Pirates in May, but he was released following seven appearances in which he allowed five runs in five innings.  The Red Sox organization picked him up on July 19th, but he was released a month later without ever having appeared with the big club.

And wouldn't it have been nice to have Nate Schierholtz around this year?  Acquired last summer in the Hunter Pence deal, Schierholtz was essentially released by the Phillies in November in order to preserve a roster spot for Laynce Nix.  Nix was released by the Phils in mid-August after posting a .180 average in 81 games.  Schierholtz signed with the Cubs and has had a career year.

Moving On

Jason Pridie (10/6/12) - Filed for free agency (Signed a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles, 11/6/12).

Tyson Brummett (10/18/12) - Claimed off waivers by the Toronto Blue Jays.

David Herndon (10/23/12) - Claimed off waivers by the Toronto Blue Jays (Signed a split contract with the New York Yankees, 11/20/12).

Juan Pierre (10/29/12) - Filed for free agency (Signed with the Miami Marlins, 11/17/12).

Brian Schneider (10/29/12) - Filed for free agency (Retired, 1/29/13).

Jose Contreras (10/29/12) - Team option declined (Signed a minor league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates, 2/23/13).

Placido Polanco (10/29/12) - Team option declined (Signed with the Miami Marlins, 12/20/12).

Ty Wigginton (10/29/12) - Team option declined (Signed with the St. Louis Cardinals, 12/14/12).

Nate Schierholtz (11/30/12) - Non-tendered (Signed with the Chicago Cubs, 12/21/12).

Vance Worley (12/6/12) - Traded to the Minnesota Twins with Trevor May for Ben Revere.

Josh Lindblom (12/8/12) - Traded to the Texas Rangers with Lisalverto Bonilla for Michael Young and cash.

*Michael Schwimer (2/23/13) - Traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for Art Charles.

New Additions

*Zach Miner (12/1/12) - Signed as a minor league free agent formerly with the Detroit Tigers organization.
*Cesar Jimenez (12/5/12) - Signed as a minor league free agent formerly with the Seattle Mariners organization.
Ender Inciarte (12/6/12) - Selected in the Rule 5 draft from the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Ben Revere (12/6/12) - Acquired from the Minnesota Twins for Vance Worley and Trevor May.

Michael Young (12/8/12) - Acquired from the Texas Rangers with cash for Josh Lindblom and Lisalverto Bonilla.

Mauricio Robles (12/14/12) - Claimed off waivers from the Seattle Mariners.

John Lannan (12/18/12) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the Washington Nationals.

Mike Adams (12/20/12) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the Texas Rangers.

Delmon Young (1/22/13) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the Detroit Tigers.

Chad Durbin (1/29/13) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the Atlanta Braves.
*Luis Garcia (3/25/13) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the Newark Bears of the independent Canadian-American Association.

Memory Lane
2011-2012 Offseason Moves

2013 Chachi #57b Casper Wells

Diamondbacks 12, Phillies 7 (18 Innings)
Game 129 - Saturday Night, August 24th in Philadelphia
Record - 58-71, 4th Place, 19 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies managed to tie up this game in the eighth, only to eventually lose ten innings later in the 18th after reliever Casper Wells couldn't stop the Diamondbacks.

What It Means:  It means I'm tired.  I decided to stay up and watch this entire game, finally turning off the TV around 2:30 Sunday morning.

2013 Phillies Team Issue 2 #50

What Went Wrong:  This is one of those historical wacky games that merits a bullet-pointed list in lieu of the standard sentence and paragraph format:

• Starting pitcher Ethan Martin threw just 44 pitches in his outing, retiring only two batters before getting the hook in the first.  He allowed three runs on three hits while walking three.  Relievers Luis Garcia and Zach Miner gave up a pair of runs each to put the game pretty much out of reach for the Phils.  Or so it seemed . . .

• Down 6-0 heading to the bottom of the fifth, the Phillies crept back into the ballgame and eventually tied it at seven on Darin Ruf's two-run home run in the eighth.

• From the seventh through the 17th innings, the Phillies bullpen held the Diamondbacks scoreless.  The scheduled starter for Sunday's game, Tyler Cloyd, entered in the 12th and pitched five scoreless innings.  He also ripped a double to lead off the 16th, but the the Phils weren't able to get him home.

• With the bullpen used up and only starting pitchers left in the stable, interim manager Ryne Sandberg opted to use outfielder Wells to pitch the 18th.  Wells retired the first two batters he faced, but then allowed a series of walks and hits to give the Diamondbacks the lead.  Fellow position player John McDonald relieved Wells and recorded the final out of the inning, but only after the Diamondbacks had scored five runs.

• Wells had one of the worst single game performances in recent history.  He went 0 for 7 at the plate with four strikeouts and allowed five runs in relief.  That's a rough day at the ballyard.

• The time of game of 7:06 made this the longest game in franchise history.

2012 Choice Lehigh Valley
IronPigs Update #9

Featured Cards:  The Wells card featured here is an extremely rare, super short-printed Chachi card available only as inserts in random box tops of the 2013 Chachi set.  Wells' more readily available Chachi card was published early this morning as the game was drawing to a close.

Former Phillie farmhand Tuffy Gosewisch spent 7 1/2 years toiling in the team's minor league system before being sold "for no compensation" to the Toronto Blue Jays last July.  He finally made it to the big leagues with the Diamondbacks earlier this month.  Gosewisch made two outs in the 18th inning, off non-pitchers Wells and McDonald.  He's got to be the first person in history to accomplish that feat.

Memory Lane - Other Recent Lengthy/Wacky Phillies Games
August 24, 2010 - Astros 4, Phillies 2 (16 Innings) - Roy Oswalt plays left field.
May 25, 2011 - Phillies 5, Reds 4 (19 Innings) - Wilson Valdez earns the win in relief.

2013 Chachi Almost #4 Carlos Zambrano

We interrupt this week of Rick Schu cards to bring you a non-official Chachi card, featuring Carlos Zambrano.  The wacky and unpredictable Big Z was released by the Phillies yesterday, and General Manager Ruben Amaro, Jr. confessed that the pitcher's recent shoulder strain would be too much to overcome this season.  For his efforts, and because I'm thankful he didn't actually pitch for the Phils this year, the right hander now graces a Chachi Almost card.

Surprisingly, Zambrano had a decent showing for the team's minor league affiliates, going a combined 3-0 in seven starts with a 2.04 ERA.  He left his last start in late June with the shoulder pain and he hasn't pitched since.

And this just in with regards to the 2013 Phillies:  It's not going well.

Happy 3rd Birthday Ben!

It's hard to believe that my youngest son Ben turns three today!

Ben still has the travel sized Pooh, as seen in his special edition card from last year, but this is him with "Big Pooh" who was a Christmas present from his big brother Doug.

Happy birthday Ben!  Your Dad loves you and I can't wait to celebrate your big day today!

2013 Chachi Cloth Patches

Since 2009, I've published posts before every Phillies series to spotlight the upcoming games and feature something about the Phils' opponent.  In 2009 and 2010, I created a series of team logos in circles for each series preview post.  In 2011, I got a little clever and created a series of updated custom "stickers" based on the awesome Fleer hat stickers from my youth.  I brought back the same hat sticker concept for each 2012 series preview post.

This year, I wanted to mix it up a little.  Since I'm celebrating the 1973 Topps set with this year's Chachi cards, I thought it would be appropriate to feature "stickers" based on the 1973 Fleer Baseball Cloth Patches.  I used a few posts from the fantastic The Fleer Sticker Project as references for these custom stickers, and if you're not familiar with that blog - please go check it out now.  (I also need to to give thanks to the amazing Sportslogos website.)

I liked the results so much that I decided to just share them all in this post.  Presented below are all 30 team stickers, by division, most of which will be featured within the upcoming series preview posts to run before every Phillies series.  Play ball!