Spring Training Game 30 - Spring Schedule Concludes with Win

Tampa Bay Rays	6
Philadelphia Phillies	8

2023 Topps Allen & Ginter
Mini Only In . . . #OI-21

Spring Training Game 30

Monday Afternoon, March 24th

BayCare Ballpark - Clearwater, FL

Record - 15-13-2

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies wrapped up their 2025 exhibition schedule with an 8-6 win over the Rays, before heading north for the season opener in Washington on Thursday afternoon.

What It Means:  I listened to the entirety of this game during a nine-hour drive down to Myrtle Beach on Monday.  Our oldest son's high school baseball team is playing its spring training games at the Cal Ripken Experience down here, and I had no qualms about re-arranging my work schedule to make sure I didn't miss a pitch.  The Phillies' broadcast was looser than usual, which was a lot of fun to listen to, and the vibe of the entire game was, "Let's get this over with and get the season going."

What Happened:  It was a little concerning the team's fifth starter to begin the season, Taijuan Walker, didn't look crisp.  He allowed four runs on six hits and three walks in his four-inning outing.  The Phillies' offense banged out eight doubles in the game, from Kyle Schwarber, Rafael Marchan, Johan Rojas, Edmundo Sosa, Kody Clemens and a few other prospects joining the club for the day.

Featured Card:  I recently added this card to my collection, as I hadn't been aware of its existence until recently.  I can't wait to get back to the ballpark.

Camp Head Count:  30 - 4 = 26

None of these moves will be official until Thursday, but Ranger Suarez (lhp) and Weston Wilson (inf) will start the season on the injured list.  Andrew Painter (rhp) will be reassigned to the minor leages.  And Buddy Kennedy (inf) will be traded or designated for assignment.  Clemens beat out Kennedy for the final open roster spot, and Kennedy is out of minor league options.

World Series Game 3 - Postponed due to Rain

Doug and I made the 19 mile drive to Citizens Bank Park on Monday afternoon, with the forecast ominous and little hope of seeing actual World Series baseball.  Before the postponement of the game, we purchased several World Series souvenirs, had our standard fare from Bull's BBQ and waited for an announcement under cover above Boardwalk Eats.  First seeing news of the postponement on Twitter, we quickly exited the ballpark and we were home well in advance of the scheduled 8:03 start time.  Doug was bummed to have completely missed Halloween AND a Phillies game, but we'll try it again on Tuesday night.

Game 59 - Wheeler, Stott, Avett Brothers All Rock

2022 Phillies Photo Cards #45

Phillies 4, Diamondbacks 0
Game 59 - Saturday Afternoon, June 11th in Philadelphia
Record - 30-29, 3rd Place, 8 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies continued their winning ways behind six shutout innings from Zack Wheeler and a two-run home run from Bryson Stott.

What It Means:  The Phillies have now won nine games in a row, matching their longest winning streak since July/August 2011.  Interim Manager Rob Thomson is the third MLB manager since 1900 to win their first eight games, joining Joe Morgan for the Red Sox in 1988 and the Phillies' Pat Moran in 1915.  (Notes from the PhilliesNotes Twitter account.)

What Happened:  Wheeler picked up his fifth win, allowing a pair of hits and striking out eight.  The bullpen did its job with Brad Hand and Cristopher Sanchez throwing scoreless innings to close it out.  Nick Castellanos had an RBI single in the first and a check-swing RBI double in the eighth.  Stott's fourth home run came in the second inning and brought home Matt Vierling.  Vierling made his professional debut at second base, handling all eight of his chances smoothly.

Featured Cards/Field Report:  Jenna and I attended this game as part of Jenna's Christmas present.  Having seen the Avett Brothers in concert the first time they visited Citizens Bank Park in 2017, she requested a return trip and I got us a pair of tickets in Section 116.  Walking around before the game, I was thrilled to finally find team-issued photo cards for sale around the ballpark, and after picking up two sets we made our way to Pass & Stow for a leisurely sit down dinner.  This Wheeler card is from the photo card set, and I'll have a full separate post on the set shortly.

We enjoyed the game from the fifth inning onwards from our seats and then settled in for the concert.  The band did not disappoint, and like I did in 2017, I've created a limited edition chase card to mark the occasion.

1.  Black Mountain Rag (traditional cover)

2.  Satan Pulls the Strings

3.  Live And Die

4.  Laundry Room

5.  Old Joe Clark (traditional cover)

6.  Go to Sleep

7.  Talk on Indolence

8.  I Wish I Was

9.  Operator (That's Not the Way It Feels) (Jim Croce cover)

10.  Locked Up

11.  Gimme Peace (Tom T. Hall cover)

12.  Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise

13.  Vanity

14.  Kick Drum Heart

15.  Ain't No Man

Encore

16.  No Hard Feelings

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

Game 90 - Fireworks Arrive Only After Phillies Loss

Marlins 7, Phillies 0 (Game 2 - 7 Innings)
Game 90 - Friday Night, July 16th in Philadelphia
Record - 45-45, 3rd Place, 3 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Zach Eflin struggled mightily and the offense managed only two hits in this forgettable 7-0 loss to the Marlins.

What It Means:  At least the nearly 29,000 fans in attendance were treated to a postgame fireworks show for the first time since the 2019 season.

What Happened:  Eflin's final line was ugly (3 2/3 innings, 6 hits, 6 runs) but Enyel De Los Santos didn't help any when he allowed a three-run home run to Jesus Aguilar as soon as he had relieved Eflin in the fourth.  Jordan Holloway pitched five scoreless innings of relief for the Marlins and earned the win.

Featured Card:  I don't have much to work with here, so I'm going with a card from the team's 2010 postcard set given away on Fan Appreciation Day and featuring the team's world class fireworks display.

2021 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2021 Season Summary Index / 2021 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 1 - Welcome Home! Fans Return to Citizens Bank Park

2021 Chachi #31

Phillies 3, Braves 2 (10 Innings)
Game 1 - Thursday Afternoon, April 1st in Philadelphia
Record - 1-0, 1st Place, 1/2 game ahead of the Mets and Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  For the first time in 550 days, fans were in attendance at a regular season Phillies game, and we were treated to a walk-off, extra inning win.

What It Means:  The longest offseason is over.  8,529 grateful fans braved the elements and took in the sights and smells of Phillies baseball.

What Happened:  Aaron Nola was brilliant through six innings, and then ran into trouble in the seventh when he allowed a double to Cristian Pache and a long home run to pinch-hitter Pablo Sandoval.  That tied the game at 2-2.  The Phillies had scored their first two runs earlier on an Alec Bohm sacrifice fly and a J.T. Realmuto infield single.

The bullpen quartet of Archie Bradley, Jose Alvarado, Hector Neris and Connor Brogdon kept the Braves from scoring over the final four innings, and the defense was solid with excellent plays from Bohm and Didi Gregorius.  In the 10th, with Bryce Harper starting the inning at second base, Jean Segura chopped a single down the third base line to plate the winning run.

2021 Topps Opening Day #128

2021 Topps #109

Featured Card / Field Report:  My oldest son Doug and I attended this game, and I was admittedly a little emotional as we made our way to our seats in the Hall of Fame Club.  It was a much more subdued opening day out of necessity, but the ceremonies fit the mood as anything too over the top would have been too much to take.  Just being there was enough.

We did two full laps around the ballpark to see what was and wasn't open, and to make sure there definitely weren't any Phillies team-issued photo cards available for sale*.  My sole souvenir purchase was a Phillies Media Guide and given the cold, windy weather we had to strategize a little on our food purchases.  We waited until after the fifth inning to venture over to Bull's BBQ and the limited menu (for now) was a welcome sight.  After Bull's, we enjoyed a dessert of Shake Shack fries.

It was great to run into fellow Phillies fans we knew and who we hadn't seen in over a year and a half.  While the interactions were brief, those still marked another milestone as we get closer to normalcy.  After 550 days, it was wonderful to walk back into the ballpark and cheer, boo, eat, smile and hope.

*We were told photo cards may go on sale later in the season if there's enough interest and if the ballpark returns to full capacity.  Scorecards were also a casualty of the reduction in available souvenirs.

Transaction:  Ronald Torreyes (inf) was officially selected to the roster with Kyle Dohy (lhp) passing through waivers and outrighted to Lehigh Valley.

2021 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2021 Season Summary Index / 2021 Chachi Set Checklist

2019 Phillies Want List

2019 Topps Opening Day Team Traditions & Celebrations #TTC-LB

Bowman
Autographs - CPA-AB Bohm, CPA-MV Vierling

Stadium Club
Image Variations - 102 McCutchen, 155 Hoskins, 206 Halladay, 291 Harper
Autographs - SCA-CH Hernandez
Beam Team - BT-6 Harper
Instavision - IV-7 Harper
Power Zone - PZ-3 Harper, PZ-17 Hoskins

Topps Allen & Ginter
Baseball Star Signs - BSS-40 Hoskins
N43 Boxloaders - N43-4 Hoskins

Topps Series 1
Stars of the Game - SSB-28 Hoskins, SSB-51 Nola

Topps Series 2
Historic Through Lines - HTL-16 Harper

Topps Archives
Base Variations - 200 Harper

Topps Gallery
Impressionists - IM-22 Hoskins, IM-28 Harper
Masterpiece - MP-19 Hoskins

Topps Heritage and Topps Heritage High Number
1970 Topps Player Story Booklet - 9 Hoskins
1970 Topps Poster Box Loader - 19 Hoskins, 49 Harper
Clubhouse Collection Relics - CCR-RH Hoskins
Real One Autographs - ROA-RH Hoskins

Topps Now
Offseason - OS-36 Realmuto (with Garver)

Topps Opening Day
Dugout Peeks - DP-16 Arrieta, DP-17 Herrera
Rally Time - RT-RH Hoskins
Sock it to Me! - SM-7 Hoskins

Topps Throwback Thursday
Base Set - 68 Harper, 74 Harper, 78 Nola, 142 Harper, 221 Harper

2018 Phillies Want List / 2020 Phillies Want List

The First Phillie of 2019 #ToppsBaseball #FirstPhillie

My wife Jenna finally found packs of 2019 Topps at the third Target she visited on Thursday afternoon.  I open way less packs of baseball cards these days, given that it's easiest for me to head to eBay to buy the Phillies team sets or inserts I want.  Still, I don't think I'll ever abandon the tradition of finding and opening those first packs of Topps' flagship set every year.

The first Phillie was found within the first pack I opened, a few cards from the top.  Ranger Suarez gets the honors this year, although I was slightly surprised to see him appear given he only pitched in 4 games last season for the Phillies.

My immediate impression of 2019 Topps is that I like the design a lot more than I have in recent years.  The one-sided and team colored borders are reminiscent of the 1982 Topps design, and the modern gradient found on the right side of the cards isn't too intrusive.  I would have preferred the player's first name to be on top of the last name, but that quirky feature is slowly growing on me.  The backs are clean and easy to read with the standard Topps write-up and some statistics.  It's odd that Suarez's card contains his minor league totals from 2018, and not his Major League totals.

Ballpark cards are included within Topps flagship this year, and I liked that the Phillies card features their new primary logo for 2019 (quietly announced a few months back) and their logo from 1992 to 2018 on the scoreboard in the top left corner.  Quality control issues continue to persist at Topps however, as the team's starting catcher on the back of this card is listed as "Jesus" Alfaro.


Past First Phillies

2010 Topps #300 Chase Utley

2011 Topps #242 Brad Lidge

2012 Topps #98 Domonic Brown

2013 Topps #6 Ryan Howard
2014 Topps #90 Ethan Martin
2015 Topps #309 Maikel Franco
2016 Topps #15 Ryan Howard
2017 Topps #247 Hector Neris
2018 Topps #26 Cesar Hernandez
2019 Topps #303 Ranger Suarez

2014 Topps Phillies #PHI-17 Citizens Bank Park

Rays 10, Phillies 1
Spring Training Game 31 - Thursday Afternoon, April 2nd in Clearwater
Record - 12-17-2

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies limped out of Florida with a final disheartening loss, dropping this game against the Rays by a score of 10-1.

What It Means:  And just like that, the Grapefuit season is over.  The Phillies will play two final exhibition games (against the Pirates) tonight and Saturday afternoon before opening the regular season on Monday afternoon against the Red Sox.

What Happened:  Jerome Williams struggled again, allowing six runs on nine hits in 5 2/3 innings pitched.  He finished the spring with a record of 0-4 and a 7.40 ERA.  Jonathan Papelbon (wearing a Carlos Ruiz jersey) got rocked, allowing four runs on four hits (including a long home run) in a third of an inning.

Featured Card:  Ready or not, here they come!  Anyone heading to the On Deck Series this weekend?

Merry Christmas!

2010 Phillies Fan Appreciation Day Postcards #8

All the best from The Phillies Room to you and yours.  Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Pitchers and catchers report to Clearwater in 49 days.

2013 Phillies Survival Guide

2013 Topps Phillies #PHI-17

I'm not going to lie to you here, folks.  It's not looking good for the Fightin' Phils right about now and before it's all over, it could get a lot worse.  The 2013 version of the Phillies has tried our patience, given us indigestion and perhaps made us cuss at our television sets.  I'm here to tell you that you're not alone in your frustration and that you don't need to suffer alone.  We'll get through this and we'll be better fans because of it.  Heck, if we can get through most of the seasons of the 1990s and early 2000s, we can get through just about anything.

As a public service, I've put together 7 handy tips to get us through the rest of this season.  Presented below, in no particular order, are my suggestions to any Phillies fan looking to make the best of what has been a truly lost season.

1.  Enjoy Scott and L.A.

2013 Phillies Team Issue -
Franzke and L.A. are in the back middle

I'm not going to use this space to bash the team's current televsion broadcasters, but I'm not alone in my opinion that they're not very good.  My wife and I automatically mute the TV at gametime and tune in to the radio broadcast so that we can enjoy the game with Scott Franzke and Larry Andersen.  They have an excellent rapport with each other and they can turn the most miserable of games into an enjoyable experience.  Without sounding sacrilegious, the best comparison to this duo is Harry Kalas and Richie Ashburn, and I know I'm not alone in that assessment either.

2.  Be nostalgic.
Most of us own or have access to highlights or complete broadcasts of the 2008 World Series games.  There's nothing wrong with re-watching any of these games in lieu of watching Delmon Young or Ryan Howard hack haphazardly at the plate.  From late 2007 through roughly Game 3 of the 2011 N.L.D.S., the Phillies were one of the best, if not the best, teams in baseball.  Those are now the "good old days" and there's nothing wrong with listening to Harry call Brad Lidge's strike out of Eric Hinske over and over again.

2009 Topps #278

3.  Don't listen to sports talk radio.
Honestly, I've tuned in to very little sports talk radio over the past decade and I consider myself wiser because of it.  Sports talk radio does not exist to inform its listeners or provide meaningful insight into the nuances of the game.  It exists to sell advertising space.  For a frustrated Phillies fan, nothing good has ever come to listening to sports talk radio.  Turn it off.

4.  Enjoy the ballpark(s).
Citizens Bank Park is a fantastic place to watch a game.  Sure, it's probably too expensive, but most ballparks in major cities are.  The food is good, there's not a bad seat in the house and the organization has done a great job giving its fans an enjoyable experience with every visit.

Also keep in mind that the team's Triple-A (Lehigh Valley), Double-A (Reading) and Low-A (Lakewood) affiliates are within driving distance.  If you need a break from the big squad, jump in the car and head to a minor league game to scout the 2014 or 2015 Phillies.

2008 Topps Allen & Ginter N43 #N43-CU

5.  Cheer for Chase Utley and Carlos Ruiz while you still can.
I remember when the 1980 Phillies started breaking up and it was difficult for me to understand why Greg Luzinski, Larry Bowa and Bob Boone were playing on other teams.  The last remnants of the 2008 Phillies team are barely holding on and there's a very real possibility that Chooch and Utley are playing elsewhere in 2014.  Utley may not even last the full season in red pinstripes.

6.  Collect the cards.
The Phillies were not a very good team during my formidable years as a kid growing up in South Jersey but that didn't stop me from wanting to track down different Ricky Jordan, Don Carman or Pat Combs cards.  If you're reading this, chances are you're a die-hard Phillies fan and a collector of their baseball cards.  Don't let the crappy product on the field taint your enjoyment of your hobby.

7.  Look to the future.
Pitchers and catchers report to Clearwater in roughly 230 days.  Without getting all A. Barlett Giamatti here, it's true that baseball is a funny game and team's fortunes can change drastically from season to season.  Remind yourself that it won't be long until a future Phillies team causes someone to say, "Wow, these guys play like the 2009 Phillies!"

So help me, Ricky Otero, we'll get there again.

I missed nine games during my vacation, and I'm going to post nine brief game summaries tomorrow in a colossal, post-vacation catch-up.  You may want to avoid the blog tomorrow if you don't want to relive the misery.

2012 Topps Phillies #PHI17 Citizens Bank Park

Braves 6, Phillies 1

Game 109 – Monday Night, August 6th in Philadelphia

Record – 49-60, Tied for 4th Place, 17 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  With their 60th defeat of the season, the Phillies matched their entire loss total from the magical, very distant 2011 season.

What It Means:  The loss was witnessed by the first non-sell out crowd at Citizens Bank Park since July 6, 2009.  The Phillies fell short of a complete sell-out for the first time in 257 games.  The fans have spoken, and we’re not happy.

What Went Wrong:  Vance Worley took the mound with some sort of stomach bug, and he was gone in the fourth inning after surrendering four runs on six hits.  Braves starter Ben Sheets and two relievers held the Phillies to just a run (a John Mayberry, Jr. home run) on seven hits.

Featured Card:  The ballpark is a little emptier and a little sadder these days, but 2013 is just around the corner.

Field Report:  I was traveling for work this week, but Jenna attended this game and she was kind enough to take a few pictures of the giant Topps cards in Ashburn Alley representing the starting line-up.  My guess is that the Phillies won’t bother to have cards made up for Nate Schierholtz and Kevin Frandsen, as evidenced by the gaping holes on the wall.

Jenna picked up another team-issued series two set (for the 14,000 Phillies collection), and the Phillies haven't made any further updates since my initial report.  My guess is that Schierholtz, Frandsen and Josh Lindblom will find themselves without Phillies cards this year, but I'll keep checking back with the vendors at the ballpark.

2011 Topps Phillies #PHI17 Citizens Bank Park

2012 Topps Series One releases in 18 days.

Pitchers and catchers report in 35 days.

Opening day is 82 days away.

We can do this.

2010 Upper Deck #561 Citizens Bank Park

January is my least favorite month.  My work schedule picks up and I find that days go by without me spending more than a few minutes outside.  I leave for work in the dark and I drive home in the dark.  This week, my daily commute has taken me on Interstate 95 past Citizens Bank Park twice a day.

As I drove home tonight, an optimistic thought crossed my mind as I passed by the ballpark onto the ramp taking me to the Walt Whitman Bridge:  It's almost spring.  In a few short months, the Phillies will be back and the ballpark will come alive with the sights and sounds of baseball.

I can't wait.

2009 O-Pee-Chee #528 Phillies Checklist/Citizens Bank Park

Marlins 4, Phillies 3

Not a great day for the Phillies, but we sure had fun at the ballpark.  It turned out to be a gorgeous day, and Doug brought along his Rally Towel, just in case they weren't handing out new ones at the gate.  (They weren't.)  We spent more time walking around than sitting in our actual seats, which is bound to happen when attending a game with an excited toddler.  Doug got within a few feet of the Phanatic and had the Phanatic wave to him, so the day was deemed a success.

On the field, the only highlights were home runs from Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth, and a perfect 9th inning from Brad Lidge.

Home Field:  The Cardinals' loss today guaranteed home field advantage for the Phillies in the NLDS.  If the Phillies face the Cardinals in the NLCS, they'll have home field advantage for that series.  If the Phillies face the Dodgers in the NLCS, the first two games will be played in Los Angeles.