2019 Chachi #27 Phillies Coaches - John Mallee

#8
John Donald Mallee
Hitting Coach

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  170
Opening Day Age:  49
Born:  May 5, 1969, Chicago, IL
Teams - As Coach:  Miami Marlins 2010-2011; Houston Astros 2013-2014; Chicago Cubs 2015-2017; Phillies 2018-

1991 Classic Best Martinsville Phillies #8

2018 Chachi #27

First Phillies Minor League Card:  1991 Classic Best Martinsville Phillies #8
First Phillies Card:  2018 Phillies Team Issue #8
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  2018 Phillies Team Issue #8
Newest Card Added:  2019 Phillies Team Issue #8
First Topps Flagship Base Card:  N/A

2018 Phillies Team Issue #8

5 - Mallee baseball cards in my collection per The Phillies Room Checklist as of 5/1/19.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2018 Chachi #27 (with Rob Thomson, Rick Kranitz and Jose David Flores)
2019 Chachi #27 (with Rob Thomson and Chris Young)

2019 Chachi Set Checklist
Virtual Phillies Wall - Featuring Current Active Roster

2019 Chachi #27 Phillies Coaches - Rob Thomson

#59
Robert Lewis Thomson
Bench Coach

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  200
Opening Day Age:  55
Born:  August 16, 1963, Stratford, Ontario, Canada
Teams - As Coach:  New York Yankees 2008-2017; Phillies 2018-

2018 Chachi #27

First Phillies Card:  2018 Phillies Team Issue #59
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  2018 Phillies Team Issue #59
Newest Card Added:  2019 Phillies Team Issue #59
First Topps Flagship Base Card:  N/A

2018 Phillies Team Issue #59

3 - Thomson baseball cards in my collection per The Phillies Room Checklist as of 5/1/19.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2018 Chachi #27 (with John Mallee, Rick Kranitz and Jose David Flores)
2019 Chachi #27 (with John Mallee and Steve Young)

2019 Chachi Set Checklist
Virtual Phillies Wall - Featuring Current Active Roster

2019 Chachi #7 Cesar Hernandez

#16
Cesar Augusto Hernandez
Second Base

Bats:  Switch  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'10"  Weight:  167
Opening Day Age:  28
Born:  May 23, 1990, Valencia, Carabobo, VZ
Signed:  Signed by the Phillies as an amateur free agent, July 2, 2006
Teams:  Phillies 2013-
Acquired:  Via free agency
Contract Status:  Arbitration eligible in 2020, free agency eligible in 2021

2010 Choice Williamsport Crosscutters #21

2011 Bowman Chrome Prospects #BCP122

2013 Chachi #42

2016 Topps #421

2018 Chachi  Phillies Phestival #1

First Phillies Minor League Card:  2010 Williamsport Crosscutters #21
First Phillies Card:  2011 Bowman Chrome Prospects #BCP122
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  2013 Phillies Team Issue 2 #16
First Topps Flagship Base Card:  2016 Topps #421
Newest Card Added:  2019 Topps Phillies #PP-10

2013 Phillies Team Issue 2 #16

40 - Hernandez baseball cards in my collection per The Phillies Room Checklist as of 4/13/19.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2013 Chachi #42
2014 Chachi #15
2015 Chachi #12
2016 Chachi #1
2016 Chachi Archives #6
2016 Chachi Photo Day #10
2016 Chachi #65 Batting Leaders (with Odubel Herrera and Maikel Franco)
2017 Chachi #1
2017 Chachi Phillies Phestival #13
2017 Chachi #64 Team Leaders (with Aaron Nola)
2018 Chachi #1
2018 Chachi Phillies Phestival #1 (with Jose David Flores)
2019 Chachi #7

2019 Chachi Set Checklist
Virtual Phillies Wall - Featuring Current Active Roster

Highlights from the 2018 Phillies Phestival (Part 1) #StrikeOutALS

2018 Chachi Phillies Phestival #1

2018 Chachi Phillies Phestival #2

2018 Chachi Phillies Phestival #3

I still can't believe we had never attended this event until last year.  On Thursday afternoon, Jenna and our two sons attended the annual Phillies Phestival benefiting the ALS Association.  For those of you not familiar with this event, it's the Phillies' signature charity event featuring an afternoon of player autograph stations, a silent auction, mystery grab bags for sale featuring signed memorabilia and everything else Citizens Bank Park has to offer.  The Phillies raised over $725,000 during the afternoon, passing the $18 million mark in terms of money raised for the charity since 1984.

We have a close family friend currently battling ALS, and I've recently become more involved with the Association.  My employer was a table sponsor at the event, giving us the opportunity to arrive early and have our pictures taken with Cesar Hernandez and coach Jose David Flores.  As I did last year, I've made a set of special edition cards to commemorate our day, and I'll break the set into two separate posts.

Here are my best memories from the event:

• We hustled.  We learned from last year that you go as quickly as you can to each autograph station, saving the other fun stuff for last after the players stop signing.  There were 20 total autograph stations and we hit 14, breaking into groups of two about 45 minutes into the event.  Had we broken up earlier, we probably could have hit more but it was fun to stick together for the beginning.  For the record, we missed the tables of Nick Williams/Andrew Knapp, Scott Kingery/Dylan Cozens, Rhys Hoskins, Charlie Manuel, Gabe Kapler/coach Rob Thomson and Tommy Hunter/coach Rick Kranitz.  No offense to the last table mentioned, but my autograph-seeking son flat out opted to pass on their table.

•  As was the case last year, everyone was exceedingly pleasant.  I stood in line by myself for the 1993 Alumni table, adding autographs of Kevin Stocker, Tommy Greene, Larry Andersen, John Kruk, Larry Bowa and Mickey Morandini.  Somewhat predictably, that bunch spent the time I was in line cracking jokes and discussing their plans for the evening.

• Thanks to fellow collectors Steve F. and Rick for the texts with table updates and leads on potential new photo cards.  The only new photo cards seemingly available from the event is a new card of J.P. Crawford in the style of the 2017 team-issued update set and a new Phillies Alumni photo card for former manager Charlie Manuel.  I've updated the 2017 Phillies Team Issue Update post here, and I'll have a comprehensive post on the Alumni Cards out soon.

2018 Chachi Phillies Phestival #4

2018 Chachi Phillies Phestival #5

2018 Chachi Phillies Phestival #6

2018 Chachi Phillies Phestival #7

2018 Chachi Phillies Phestival #8

• Relatively new additions Austin Davis, Mitch Walding and Dylan Cozens had nothing available to sign.  My hope was that the Phillies would produce special photo cards for the trio but they were sitting at their stations with nothing but Sharpies in front of them.

• Our oldest son Doug was on a mission to get as many autographs as possible in the two-hour signing period and by his count, he came away with 35 different autographed cards!  Credit needs to go to our youngest son Ben who helped his older brother with his mission, at one point telling Victor Arano that his name was Doug so that Arano would personalize the autograph for his brother.  Ben does not show the same zeal for autograph collecting as his brother, but I was beyond proud of him for being helpful.

• Doug and I were the last two people in line to get Jake Arrieta's autograph.  He was actually unbuttoning his jersey as we walked in, getting ready to leave the room.  He saw Doug round the corner, put his jersey back on and posed for a picture with Doug.  Great memory.

• Our luck with the mystery grab bags wasn't great, but I'm fine with that as everything went towards a great cause.  We came away with autographed baseballs from Luis Garcia (x 2) and Adam Morgan and an autographed hat from Hector Neris, as well as 3 Mike Schmidt bobble heads and a mini Harry Kalas statue.

Phillies Phestival Memory Lane

2017 Part 1 and Part 2

2018 Part 1 and Part 2

2018 Chachi #27 Phillies Coaches - Jose David Flores

#3
Jose David Flores
First Base Coach

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  185
Opening Day Age:  47
Born:  January 1, 1971, Rio Piedras, PR
Teams - As Coach:  Phillies 2018

2018 Phillies Team Issue #3

2 Flores Baseball Cards in My Collection per The Phillies Room Checklist

First Topps Flagship Base Card:  N/A
First Phillies Card:  2018 Phillies Team Issue #3
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  2018 Phillies Team Issue #3
Newest Card:  2018 Phillies Team Issue 2 #3

First Mention on The Phillies Room:  December 15, 2017 - Phillies Winter Meetings Recap . . . Finally, Gabe Kapler's coaching staff was completed with the addition of Jose Flores as the first base, infield and baserunning coach.  Flores had been the Cubs' minor league infield coordinator for the past five seasons.  I'm now fairly sure this is not the same Jose Flores who played in the Phillies system between 1994 and 1999.  That Jose Flores was Jose Carlos Flores and he was traded to the Mariners in 1999 for Domingo Cedeno.  The new Phillies coach is Jose David Flores.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2018 Chachi #27 (with Rob Thomson, John Mallee and Rick Kranitz)

Card statistics through 6/2/18.

2018 Chachi #27 Phillies Coaches - Rick Kranitz

#39
Richard Alan Kranitz
Pitching Coach

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  175
Opening Day Age:  59
Born:  September 15, 1958, San Rafael, CA
Teams - As Coach:  Chicago Cubs 1996-1998, 2000-2002; Florida Marlins 2006-2007; Baltimore Orioles 2008-2010; Milwaukee Brewers 2011-2015; Phillies 2016-

2016 Chachi #32

5 Kranitz Baseball Cards in My Collection per The Phillies Room Checklist

First Topps Flagship Base Card:  N/A
First Phillies Card:  2016 Phillies Team Issue #33
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  2016 Phillies Team Issue #33
Newest Card:  2018 Phillies Team Issue 2 #39

2016 Phillies Team Issue #33

First Mention on The Phillies Room:  October 23, 2015 - Rick Kranitz was named the team's new bullpen coach, taking over for the departed Rod Nichols.  Kranitz was the Brewers pitching coach for the past five seasons (2011-2015) and he also served in that role with the Orioles (2008-2010) and Marlins (2006-2007).  Kranitz has been appearing on minor league and team issued baseball cards since 1980, but he's never been featured on a mainstream release.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2016 Chachi #32
2017 Chachi #32
2018 Chachi #27 (with Rob Thomson, John Mallee and Jose David Flores)

Card statistics through 6/2/18.

2018 Chachi #27 Phillies Coaches - John Mallee

#8
John Donald Mallee
Hitting Coach

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  170
Opening Day Age:  48
Born:  May 5, 1969, Chicago, IL
Teams - As Coach:  Miami Marlins 2010-2011; Houston Astros 2013-2014; Chicago Cubs 2015-2017; Phillies 2018

1991 Classic Best
Martinsville Phillies #8

4 Mallee Baseball Cards in My Collection per The Phillies Room Checklist

First Topps Flagship Base Card:  N/A
First Phillies Minor League Card:  1991 Classic Best Martinsville Phillies #8
First Phillies Card:  2018 Phillies Team Issue #8
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  2018 Phillies Team Issue #8
Newest Card:  2018 Phillies Team Issue 2 #8

2018 Phillies Team Issue #8

First Mention on The Phillies Room:  November 12, 2017 - New manager Gabe Kapler officially added three coaches to his staff on Friday . . .

John Mallee returns to the Phillies organization after a 25-year absence.  Mallee was originally drafted by the Phillies in the 12th round of the June 1991 amateur player draft.  He played in parts of two seasons with the Martinsville (rookie) and Spartanburg (Low A) Phillies teams, appearing in 115 games and hitting .208.  More recently, Mallee served as the hitting coach for the Marlins (2010-2011), Astros (2013-2014) and Cubs (2015-2017).  Mallee was let go by the Cubs following their loss to the Dodgers in the playoffs.  He replaces Matt Stairs, who left the Phillies to fill the hitting coach position with the Padres.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2018 Chachi #27 (with Rob Thomson, Rick Kranitz and Jose David Flores)

Card statistics through 6/2/18.

2018 Chachi #27 Phillies Coaches - Rob Thomson

#59
Robert Lewis Thomson
Bench Coach

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  200
Opening Day Age:  54
Born:  August 16, 1963, Stratford, Ontario, Canada
Teams - As Coach:  New York Yankees 2008-2017; Phillies 2018

2018 Phillies Team Issue #59

2 Thomson Baseball Cards in My Collection per The Phillies Room Checklist

First Topps Flagship Base Card:  N/A
First Phillies Card:  2018 Phillies Team Issue #59
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  2018 Phillies Team Issue #59
Newest Card:  2018 Phillies Team Issue 2 #59

First Mention on The Phillies Room:  December 6, 2017 - The Phillies' 2018 coaching staff continues to take shape with the addition of Rob Thomson as the bench coach, Chris Young as the assistant pitching coach and Rick Kranitz officially getting the title of pitching coach.  At this point, only a first base coach is needed to round out Gabe Kapler's staff.

Thomson had served as the Yankees bench coach for four seasons (2008, 2015-2017) and their third base coach for six seasons (2009-2014).  He was one of the finalists for the Yankees' managerial vacancy, and that position was recently filled by Aaron Boone.  Thomson played four seasons in the Tigers' minor league system between 1985 and 1988.  His baseball cards can be found in a bunch of Tigers and Yankees minor league team sets and he received his sole mainstream card within 2009 Topps Heritage on a Yankees' coaches floating head card.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2018 Chachi #27 (with John Mallee, Rick Kranitz and Jose David Flores)

Card statistics through 6/2/18.