Phillies at Twins - July 22nd to July 24th

1984 Topps Traded #22T

2019 Topps 1984 Topps Baseball 35th Anniversary Rookies #84R-JC

Monday and Tuesday 7:40, Wednesday 1:10
Target Field - Minneapolis, MN

At the Ballpark:  Tonight is St. Paul Saints night at the ballpark, with holders of a special theme ticket receiving a co-branded Saints/Twins jersey.  On Tuesday, on your way out of the ballpark, all fans will receive a Twins LED nightlight.

Philadelphia Phillies 63-36
1st Place in the N.L. East, 8 1/2 games ahead of the Braves

Phillies Probables
Ranger Suarez (10-4, 2.76)
Zack Wheeler (10-4, 2.70)
Aaron Nola (11-4, 3.54)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Bryce Harper - .297
Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 66
Home Runs:  Bryce Harper - 22
RBIs:  Alec Bohm - 71
Stolen Bases:  Bryson Stott - 22

Wins:  Aaron Nola - 11
ERA:  Zack Wheeler - 2.70
Strikeouts:  Zack Wheeler - 126
Saves:  Jose Alvarado - 13

Minnesota Twins 54-44
Tied for 2nd Place in the A.L. Central, 5 games behind the Guardians

Twins Probables
Bailey Ober (8-5, 4.14)
Simeon Woods Richardson (3-1, 3.51)
TBD

Twins Leaders
Average:  Carlos Correa - .308
Runs:  Willi Castro - 56
Home Runs:  Ryan Jeffers and Carlos Santana - 14
RBIs:  Carlos Correa and Ryan Jeffers - 47
Stolen Bases:  Willi Castro - 10

Wins:  Pablo Lopez and Bailey Ober - 8
ERA:  Joe Ryan - 3.65

Strikeouts:  Joe Ryan - 130
Saves:  Jhoan Duran - 15

2024 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2024 Season Summary Index / 2024 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 52 - Phils Fall Flat in Denver

2024 Topps Heritage #91

Rockies 3, Phillies 2 (11 Innings)
Game 52 - Friday Night, May 24th in Denver
Record - 37-15, 1st Place, 6 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  A lack of timely hits and a rare blown save from Jose Alvarado led to this 3-2 extra-inning loss against the Rockies.

What It Means:  Baseball is unpredictable, and it's fitting the Phillies' historic run and seven-game winning streak would come to an end against the worst team in the National League.

What Happened:  Bryce Harper was ejected in the first inning for "discussing" balls and strikes, and the game seemed to lose some steam from that point forward.  Cristopher Sanchez pitched into the sixth inning, allowing a run on seven hits.  The Phillies' only runs came on solo home runs in the fifth inning from Nick Castellanos and Edmundo Sosa.

Holding a 2-1 lead, Alvarado got the first two outs of the ninth before pinch-hitter Jacob Stallings homered to left-center to tie the game.  Gregory Soto walked the bases loaded (one intentional, one unintentional) in the 11th.  Ezequiel Tover singled to left to score the winning run and giving the Rockies' their walk-off win.

Featured Card:  Jake Cave came to the plate with two runners on and a chance to win the game in the 11th, but Soto struck him out.  This is probably his final Phillies baseball card, from this year's Topps Heritage set.

2024 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2024 Season Summary Index / 2024 Chachi Set Checklist

Spring Training Game 30 - Introducing the 2024 Chachi Set

2024 Chachi Almost #1

Phillies 2, Blue Jays 0
Spring Training Game 30 - Sunday Afternoon, March 24th in Clearwater
Record - 9-14-7

One Sentence Summary:  Aaron Nola looked ready for the regular season in his final spring tune-up, as the Phillies held on to defeat the Blue Jays, 2-0.

What It Means:  There's one more exhibition game on Monday and then the Phillies will head north to prepare for the 2024 season opener on Thursday afternoon against the Braves.

What Happened:  Nola threw 79 pitches, going 5 2/3 innings and allowing a pair of hits while striking out four.  Matt Strahm, signed to a contract extension before the game, finished the sixth and pitched a scoreless seventh inning.  The Phillies scored their runs on an RBI single from Trea Turner followed by an RBI double from Alec Bohm in the first inning.

Featured Card:  I didn't plan for the 2024 Chachi set to debut this way, as I usually dedicate a post to each year's selection process, but this seems like an opportune time to announce which vintage Topps flagship set I'll be spending the year mimicking.  I've put off using the 1984 Topps design for my Chachi custom cards as it's never been a favorite of mine, and Topps seems to have run the design into the ground in its recent releases.  (Not as bad as 1987 or 1989 Topps, but it still feels like we've seen the 1984 Topps design way more than we should.)

In any event, there are only a few remaining designs from the 1970s and 1980s to not yet be used for a Chachi set, and given it's the 40th anniversary of the 1984 Topps set, I felt its time had come.  I typically start working on these cards over the summer the year before, but these cards are relatively fresh, having been created just last month.  Admittedly, once I started the process, the design grew on me, and I do have fond memories of collecting this set when it was first released.

Camp Head Count:  31

Before the game, the Phillies traded Jake Cave (of) to the Rockies for cash considerations, and Cave becomes the first card in the 2024 Chachi Almost insert set.  Cave played in 65 games last season for the Phillies, batting .212 with five home runs and 21 RBIs.  He was painfully the final out of the Phillies season, flying out to end NLCS Game 7 against the Diamondbacks.

Andrew Bellatti (rhp) and Jose Ruiz (rhp) were reassigned to minor league camp, meaning no non-roster invitees made the opening day roster this year.  Following the game, Kody Clemens (inf) was optioned to Lehigh Valley, seemingly setting the opening day roster.  To get down to 26 players from the current 31, it's expected the remaining five players - Rafael Marchan (c), Michael Rucker (rhp), Orion Kerkering (rhp), Dylan Covey (rhp) and Taijuan Walker (rhp) - will start the year on the injured list.

Spring Training Game 12 - Phils Fall Quietly to Orioles

2023 Topps Heritage #588

Orioles 3, Phillies 2
Spring Training Game 12 - Tuesday Afternoon, March 5th in Clearwater
Record - 4-5-3

One Sentence Summary:  A quiet Phillies offense continued to work on some stuff, as Zack Wheeler made his first start since signing his big three-year contract extension.

What It Means:  The Phillies dipped below the .500 mark for the first time this spring, but I don't think any of us are too concerned at this point.

What Happened:  Wheeler went two innings, striking out four and allowing a run on two hits.  Max Castillo entered next and looked great, striking out four and allowing three hits in his three innings.  Jake Cave singled home a run for the Phillies in the fourth after J.T. Realmuto led off with a double.  The Phillies tacked on a run in the ninth when Nick Podkul scored on an infield single from Pedro Martinez.

Featured Card:  Cave, the last out of the Phillies disappointing 2023 playoff run, and now battling for a bench spot, is batting .364 this spring.  He received his first solo mainstream Phillies card in the 2023 Topps Heritage set.

Camp Head Count:  62

I would expect the first spring cuts to start happening any day now.  Only four players haven't yet seen any spring action - Rafael Marchan (c) with a back injury, Brandon Marsh (of) who is recovering from left knee surgery, Taijuan Walker (rhp) with a knee ailment and Ricardo Pinto (rhp) who has had visa issues.

NLCS Game 7 - Phils Collapse, Missing World Series

Diamondbacks 4, Phillies 2
NLCS Game 7 - Tuesday Night, October 24th in Philadelphia
Diamondbacks win series, 4-3

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies couldn't string together meaningful hits as the Diamondbacks ended their World Series hopes in this 4-2 defeat.

What It Means:  What a colossal disappointment.  Up 2-0 and looking unbeatable a week ago, the Phillies went to Phoenix and completely lost their ability to produce clutch hits.  Craig Kimbrel will certainly, and justifiably, get a lot of the blame for this series loss, but the bats of of Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos were a combined 1 for 28 over the final two games.  While I'm ranting a little, I don't understand why manager Rob Thomson wouldn't at least tinker with the line-up, given its inability for clutch hits over the final five games of the NLCS.  This is going to take a little bit to get over.

2022 was a pleasant surprise and the culmination of many years' worth of a frustrating rebuild.  2023 was always going to be a disappointment unless the Phillies made it to, and won, the World Series.  The team's core will return in 2024, with the exception of possibly Rhys Hoskins and Aaron Nola, both free agents.  The good vibes are gone for now. 

What Happened:  Arizona scored a first inning run and the Phillies answered back with a run in the bottom of the second when Alec Bohm hit his first home run of the postseason.  The Phillies would briefly take the lead in the fourth when Bohm walked and Bryson Stott doubled him home.  The 2-1 lead was short-lived as the Diamondbacks scored twice in the top of the fifth, chasing starter Ranger Suarez from the game.  It was all downhill from there and the Phillies could not manage any kind of a rally against the Diamondbacks' bullpen.

With their season on the line, pinch-hitter Cristian Pache and Schwarber walked to put runners at first and second with one out in the bottom of the seventh.  Both Turner and Harper flew out to center field, ending any hope of a dramatic late-inning comeback.  Bohm, Stott and J.T. Realmuto all went down swinging in the eighth.  In the ninth, Castellanos, Brandon Marsh and Jake Cave all flew and the NLCS was over.

Featured Card:  Down to their final out, Cave pinch-hit for Pache and flew out to right field on the sixth pitch of his at-bat.  It's somewhat fitting, and very depressing, the 2023 Phillies season ended with Cave flying out.

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

2023 Chachi #72 NLCS Game 6 / 2023 Chachi #74 Zack Wheeler HL

Game 102 - Cave, Sosa Star in Big Win Over O's

2019 Topps 1984 Topps
Baseball Rookies #84R-JC

Phillies 6, Orioles 4
Game 102 - Wednesday Night, July 26th in Philadelphia
Record - 55-47, 2nd Place, 10 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Jake Cave made a game-saving catch in left field and Edmundo Sosa hit a game-winning home run in the seventh, as the Phillies defeated the Orioles, 6-4.

What It Means:  The Phillies took two out of three from the first place Orioles.  They'll open up a weekend series in Pittsburgh on Friday night, following Thursday's off day.

What Happened:  Adeley Rutschman hit a three-run home run off Phillies' starter Ranger Suarez in the third inning to give the Orioles a 3-0 lead.  The Phillies would battle back.  Cave doubled home Brandon Marsh and Nick Castellanos singled home Cave in the bottom of the third.  The Phillies took a brief 4-3 lead in the fourth when J.T. Realmuto doubled home both Alec Bohm and Bryson Stott.  In the top of the sixth, with the tying run on second, Cave made his leaping catch, crashing into the left field wall to retire Ramon Urias and end the inning.  Seranthony Dominguez entered in the seventh, and couldn't keep the Orioles off the board.  Austin Hays singled home James McCann to tie the game up, 4-4.  Sosa's home run came with two outs in the seventh, and a few batters later Bryce Harper would add an RBI single to give the Phillies a 6-4 lead.

Craig Kimbrel pitched a perfect eighth and Gregory Soto pitched a perfect ninth to cement the win.  Soto recorded his second save of the season.

Featured Card:  Cave, who had an incredible run with the Triple-A IronPigs, went 2 for 4 in this game with his RBI double and highlight reel catch.  He missed being included in the IronPigs team set, so I currently have no cards of his in my Phillies baseball card collection.  Here's one of his earlier cards, an insert from the 2019 Topps set, and a potential preview of what I think the 2024 Chachi set could look like.

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

2023 Chachi #8 Jake Cave

#44

Andrew Jacob Cave
Outfield

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  200
Opening Day Age:  30

Born:  December 4, 1992, Hampton, VA
Acquired:  Selected off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles, December 2, 2022

Contract Status:  Arbitration eligible 2024
Major League Teams:  Minnesota Twins 2018-2022; Philadelphia Phillies 2023

The 2023 opening day left fielder for the Phillies, Jake Cave earned a spot on the roster on the strength of his solid spring training.  He had played in parts of five seasons with the Twins before coming to Philadelphia, spending time as a back-up at all three outfield spots and at designated hitter.  Cave's best season to date was his first, when he batted .265 with 13 home runs and 45 RBIs for the Twins in 2018.  The Phillies were the second team to claim Cave off waivers during the offseason, with the Orioles picking him up on October 11th and the Phillies adding him a month and a half later on December 2nd.

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  2015 Bowman Chrome Prospects #BCP204
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (3):  2019-2021
Newest Card Added to My Phillies Collection:  N/A
Total Cards in My Phillies Collection:  0 as of 4/19/23.

Complete Chachi Checklist

2023 Chachi #8

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

2023 Chachi #7 Alec Bohm / 2023 Chachi #9 Brandon Marsh

Spring Training Game 11 - Three Homers Not Enough Against O's

2022 Topps Heritage #461

Orioles 10, Phillies 7
Spring Training Game 11 - Monday Afternoon, March 6th in Sarasota
Record - 5-5-1

One Sentence Summary:  A trio of Phillies hit three home runs in the sixth inning, but the bullpen couldn't fend off the Orioles in this 10-7 loss.

What It Means:  I definitely look forward to composing game summary posts during the regular season.  It's enjoyable for me and gives me a way to keep up with the exploits of the team.  But every year during spring training, I get to the point where I ask myself, "Why am I summarizing these exhibition games?"  Let the record show that point came in 2023 following this 11th game of the spring.  I'm a believer in finishing what I start, so onward we go.

What Happened:  Alec Bohm, Darick Hall and Jake Cave all connected for sixth inning home runs.  It was the third home run for Bohm and the second for both Hall and Cave.  Scott Kingery continues to have a strong spring and with another hit today his average is up to .385 (5 for 13) with a .500 on-base percentage.  Michael Plassmeyer got the start for the Phillies and threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings.  Bullpen casualties today included Louis Head (allowed a 3-run home run in the fourth), Billy Sullivan (four runs in 2/3 of an inning) and Andrew Baker (three runs without retiring a batter in the ninth).

Featured Card:  Cave is seemingly playing his way into a bench role on the club, as he's hitting .412 (7 for 17) with a double, triple and two home runs and he's tied for the team lead (with Bohm) with six RBIs.  He's also played solid defense in the outfield from what I've seen.  Cave has appeared on more baseball cards than I realized, including this card from last year's Heritage set.

Camp Head Count:  65

The roster head count is holding steady, and I would expect reductions to come later this year given a number of players will be departing soon for the World Baseball Classic.