Game 127 - Harper Ties It, Kimbrel Blows It

2022 Topps Now
Road to Opening Day #OD-285

Giants 8, Phillies 6 (10 Innings)
Game 127 - Wednesday Afternoon, August 23rd in Philadelphia
Record - 69-58, 2nd Place, 13 1/2 games behind the Braves

Second Summer Sabbatical Game Recap Catch-Up Post 4 of 10

One Sentence Summary:  Following a dramatic three-run, game-tying home in the bottom of the ninth from Bryce Harper, Craig Kimbrel allowed the Giants to score three times in the top of the 10th, sending the Phillies to a disappointing loss.

What It Means:  As has been the case a little too often recently, the back end of the bullpen couldn't get the job done.

What Happened:  Before the eventful 9th and 10th innings, the Giants held a 5-2 lead.  Michael Lorenzen started for the Phillies, allowing four runs on eight hits, including a pair of home runs.  The Phillies didn't get on the board until the sixth, when Kyle Schwarber hit a solo home run, his 34th of the season.  Trea Turner made it back-to-back home runs, with his 15th home run following Schwarber's blast.  In the bottom of the ninth, the Phillies again got to Giants' closer Camilo Doval.  Doval walked both Schwarber and Turner to start the inning before Harper's game tying home run to right.

In the top of the 10th, Kimbrel walked the first batter and hit the second.  Paul DeJong brought two runs home with a single to center, and another run would later score on a sacrifice fly.  The Phillies scored one last run in the bottom of the 10th when Edmundo Sosa doubled home ghost runner J.T. Realmuto, but it wasn't enough.

Featured Card:  Prior to Tuesday's game, current Giants' infielder Johan Camargo received his 2022 National League Champions ring.  Camargo, a holdover from the Joe Girardi days, played in 52 games last season for the Phillies, batting .237.  I have two of his cards in my Phillies collection, last year's team-issued photo card and this surprising inclusion in last year's Topps Now Road to Opening Day set.

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

Game 53 - Thomson-Led Phillies Continue to Mash

2022 Phillies Photo Cards #7

Phillies 7, Angels 2
Game 53 - Saturday Night, June 4th in Philadelphia
Record - 24-29, 3rd Place, 11 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies used a five-run first inning to catapult to a 7-2 win over the Angels.

What It Means:  They'll go for the series sweep this afternoon, and it appears as if interim manager Rob Thomson is a genius.

What Happened:  The Phillies had Angels' starter Michael Lorenzen on the ropes early, with J.T. Realmuto lashing a two-run double to left, Johan Camargo adding a two-run single to right and Mickey Moniak adding an RBI ground out before most of the 36,000 plus fans had settled into their seats.  Camargo drove in two more with another big single in the eighth.  Zack Wheeler went six strong innings, allowing a pair of runs on six hits while striking out nine.

Featured Card:  Here's a closer look at what I hope will be a full set of team-issued photo cards.  Single cards were included in grab bags on Friday night as part of the ALS fundraiser to serve as identifiers for signed baseballs or hats, and this is one of two Camargo cards we added.  I've faithfully asked ballpark vendors since the start of the season when they thought photo card sets would be available for sale, and the answers have varied.  I've gotten, "Probably in May," and "soon," along with an explanation that supply chains have delayed the shipment of the sets.  Now that we know the cards actually exist, hopefully we see them for sale in set form soon.  It's also possible that sale of the sets has been delayed while some unfortunate Phillies intern goes through each set and removes the card for recently fired manager Joe Girardi.

Field Report:  With Ben spending quality time with his cousins, aunt and grandmother, Jenna, Doug and I went to this Phillies game in order to see a little more live Mike Trout action.  The outcome of the game didn't disappoint, but Trout is now mired in an 0 for 23 slump, the longest skid of his career.

2022 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2022 Season Summary Index / 2022 Chachi Set Checklist

2022 Chachi #13 Johan Camargo

#7
Johan Valentin Camargo
Infield

Bats:  Both  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  195
Opening Day Age:  28
Born:  December 13, 1993, Panama, Panama
How Obtained:  Signed as a free agent formerly with the Atlanta Braves, December 1, 2021
Contract Status:  Signed through 2022
Major League Teams:  Atlanta Braves 2017-2021; Philadelphia Phillies 2022

First Phillies Card:  N/A
Newest Card Added:  N/A
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (4):  2017-2020

0 - Camargo baseball cards in my collection per The Phillies Room Checklist as of 4/20/22.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2022 Chachi New Additions #9
2022 Chachi #13

2017 Topps Update #US45

2018 Topps #525

2019 Topps #587

2020 Topps #443

2022 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2022 Season Summary Index / 2022 Chachi Set Checklist

2022 Chachi #12 Alec Bohm / 2022 Chachi #14 Simon Muzziotti

Game 13 - Four Dingers Fuel Denver Win

2017 Topps Updated #US45

Phillies 9, Rockies 6
Game 13 - Wednesday Afternoon, April 20th in Denver
Record - 5-8, Tied for 4th Place, 4 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies secured a much-needed win thanks largely to four home runs, as they escaped from Denver following a 9-6 victory.

What It Means:  After an off day on Thursday, the Phillies will open a seven-game homestead against the Brewers and Rockies, beginning Friday night.  They were a disappointing 2-5 on the road trip to Miami and Denver.

What Happened:  In yet another version of the batting order, the six, seven and eight batters - Kyle Schwarber, Alec Bohm and Joan Camargo - combined to go 7 for 12 with five runs scored and eight RBIs.  The Phillies took a brief 3-2 lead in the fourth following home runs from Nick Castellanos and Bohm.  The Rockies took the lead in the fifth, but Schwarber tied the game again in the sixth with an absolute moonshot of a home run that reached the first row of the Coors Field third deck.  The offense put the game out of reach in the seventh.  Schwarber was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, Bohm hit a sacrifice fly and Camargo launched a three-run home run to left.

Zach Eflin started and earned a no decision with 5 2/3 innings of work, allowing four runs on nine hits.  Jose Alvarado and Corey Knebel supplied the final two scoreless innings of relief, with Knebel notching his second save.

Featured Card:  Camargo, the team's back-up utility infielder, went 4 for 5 in this game, raising his season average to .382.  We'll most likely need to wait for the Topps Update or Topps Heritage High Numbers releases for a mainstream Phillies baseball card for Camargo, and for now here's his first Topps flagship appearance from the 2017 Topps Update set.

2022 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2022 Season Summary Index / 2022 Chachi Set Checklist

Phils Add Knebel, Camargo Before Owner Lock-Out Begins

2022 Chachi New Additions #8

2022 Chachi New Additions #9

2019 Chachi Friendly Encounters #15

This is most likely my last offseason transaction update for what could be quite some time, as the owners went into lock-out mode late Wednesday night.  All major league transactions will freeze until the player's union and the owners can agree on terms for a new collective bargaining agreement.

In more pleasant news, the Phillies may have signed their closer on Wednesday when they inked Corey Knebel to a one-year contract.  Knebel missed all of the 2019 season following Tommy John surgery and he appeared in 27 games last year with the Dodgers.  He went 4-0 with a 2.45 ERA over 27 games and 25 2/3 innings, recording three saves.  An All-Star in 2017 with the Brewers, Knebel appeared in a league-leading 76 games while recording 39 saves.  His sole mainstream baseball card from last season can be found in the Topps Update set.

Right before the start of the owners' lockout, the Phillies also signed infielder Johan Camargo, formerly of the Atlanta Braves.  Camargo appeared in only 15 games last season for the Braves, going 0 for 16 in the regular season and 0 for 4 in the NLCS . . . so he's due!  He's played every position except pitcher, catcher and center fielder during his five seasons in the big leagues.  Camargo had cards in the 2020 Topps flagship and 2020 Topps Heritage sets.  To make room for Camargo on the 40-man roster, pitcher Adonis Medina was designated for assignment.

Finally, long-time back-up catcher Andrew Knapp signed a minor league deal with the Reds.  While Knapp was apparently a favorite among the Phillies pitching staff, he struggled mightily at the plate, and he departs Philadelphia with a career .214 average over 309 games.

	2021-2022 Offseason Departures	Date	Transaction
	Jorge Bonifacio (of)	10/8/21	Released.
	Cam Bedrosian (rhp)	11/3/21	Elected free agency.
	Archie Bradley (rhp)	11/3/21	Elected free agency.
	Freddy Galvis (inf)	11/3/21	Elected free agency.
	Ian Kennedy (rhp)	11/3/21	Elected free agency.
	Brad Miller (inf)	11/3/21	Elected free agency.
	Matt Moore (lhp)	11/3/21	Elected free agency.
	Hector Neris (rhp)	11/3/21	Elected free agency, signed with the Houston Astros, 11/30/21.
	Andrew McCutchen (of)	11/3/21	Club option declined, elected free agency.
	JD Hammer (rhp)	11/5/21	Outrighted, elected free agency.
	Odubel Herrera (of)	11/5/21	Outrighted, elected free agency.
	Travis Jankowski (of)	11/5/21	Outrighted, elected free agency.
	Andrew Knapp (c)	11/5/21	Outrighted, elected free agency, signed with the Cincinnati Reds, 12/1/21.
	Ramon Rosso (rhp)	11/5/21	Outrighted, elected free agency.
	Ronald Torreyes (inf)	11/5/21	Outrighted, elected free agency.
	Mauricio Llovera (rhp)	11/7/21	Elected free agency.
	David Paulino (rhp)	11/7/21	Elected free agency.
	Roman Quinn (of)	11/30/21	Non-tendered, elected free agency.
	2021-2022 Offseason Additions
	Ryan Sherriff (lhp)	11/5/21	Claimed off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays.
	Kent Emanuel (lhp)	11/19/21	Claimed off waivers from the Houston Astros.
	Nick Nelson (rhp)	11/19/21	Acquired from the New York Yankees for Joel Valdez (lhp) and T.J. Rumfield (1b)
	Donny Sands (c)	11/19/21	--
	Garrett Stubbs (c)	11/19/21	Acquired from the Houston Astros for Logan Cerny (of)
	Scott Moss (lhp)	11/24/21	Claimed off waivers from the Cleveland Guardians.
	Yoan Lopez (rhp)	11/29/21	Claimed off waivers from the Atlanta Braves.
	Corey Knebel (rhp)	12/1/21	Signed as a free agent formerly with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
	Johan Camargo (inf)	12/1/21	Signed as a free agent formerly with the Atlanta Braves.