Phillies at Rockies: April 18th to April 20th

2022 Chachi 2000 Topps Missing Links #16

2000 Topps Traded #T118

Monday and Tuesday 8:40, Wednesday 3:10
Coors Field - Denver, CO

At the Ballpark:  On Wednesday, the first 10,000 fans will receive a $1 hot dog coupon.  Other than that, there are no promotions or giveaways scheduled for this three-game set at Coors Field.

Phillies 4-6
4th Place in the N.L. East, 3 games behind the Mets

Phillies Probables
Aaron Nola (1-1, 6.75)
Kyle Gibson (1-1, 3.09)
Zach Eflin (0-1, 4.50)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Nick Castellanos - .324
Runs:  Bryce Harper - 9
Home Runs:  Four tied with - 2
RBIs:  Bryce Harper - 9
Stolen Bases:  Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto - 1

Wins:  Four tied with - 1
ERA:  Kyle Gibson - 3.09
Strikeouts:  Kyle Gibson - 16
Saves:  Brad Hand and Corey Knebel - 1

Rockies 6-3
3rd Place in the N.L. West, 1 game behind the Dodgers and Giants

Rockies Probables
Chad Kuhl (0-0, 2.08)
Kyle Freeland (0-2, 10.00)
German Marquez (0-0, 3.97)

Rockies Leaders
Average:  Connor Joe - .361
Runs:  Kris Bryant and Connor Joe - 8
Home Runs:  C.J. Cron - 5
RBIs:  C.J. Cron - 10
Stolen Bases:  Three with with - 1

Wins:  Jhoulys Chacin - 2
ERA:  German Marquez - 3.97

Strikeouts:  German Marquez - 8
Saves:  Daniel Bard - 4

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

2000 Phillies - The Missing Links

2000 Pacific Omega #253, 2000 Q Cards Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons #11, #23 and
2000 Multi-Ad Reading Phillies #2

IN THE YEAR 2000 . . . the Phillies used 51 different players, just three players shy of the franchise record 54 from 1996.  Four of those unfortunate players never appeared on cardboard as Phillies*.

One quick caveat before we begin the journey of The Missing Links of the '00s:  This list may not be complete.  I have a good handle on the Phillies cards released between 2000 and 2009, but their are definitely holes in my collection, especially towards the middle part of the decade.  Please leave a comment with any corrections or revisions needed.

3 Cards or More
36 Players

2001 Victory #289, 2000 Fleer Tradition Update #U99, 2000 Pacific Omega #248 and 2001 Ultra #250

2 Cards
Chris Brock (63 games in 2000 and 24 games in 2001) - 2000 Phillies Team Issue #55 and 2001 Phillies Team Issue #45
Brian R. Hunter (85 games in 2000) - 2001 Topps #13 and 2001 Victory #489
Tom Prince (4 games in 1999 and 46 games in 2000) - 1999 Phillies Team Issue #12 and 2000 Phillies Team Issue #22

Jason Boyd (30 games in 2000) - 2000 Fleer Tradition Update #U99 and 2001 Ultra #245

David Newhan (10 games in 2000 and 7 games in 2001) - 2000 Pacific Omega #248 and 2001 Phillies Team Issue #9
Mark Brownson (2 games in 2000) - 2001 Ultra #250 and 2001 Upper Deck Vintage #367

1 Card
Steve Schrenk (32 games in 1999 and 20 games in 2000) - 2000 Phillies Team Issue #52

Scott Aldred (29 games in 1999 and 23 games in 2000) - 2000 Phillies Team Issue #30

Ed Vosberg (31 games in 2000 and 18 games in 2001) - 2001 Phillies Team Issue #50

Trever Miller (14 games in 2000) - 2000 Phillies Team Issue #46

Carlos Reyes (10 games in 2000) - 2000 Phillies Team Issue #44

Thomas Jacquez (9 games in 2000) - 2000 Pacific Omega #253

2000 Phillies Team Issue #55 and 2001 Phillies Team Issue #50

2000 Phillies Team Issue #46 and #44

If you look up "journeyman reliever" in the dictionary, chances are there's either a picture of Vosberg or Miller.  Both pitchers enjoyed lengthy careers, due mostly to their ability to throw a baseball left-handed. Vosberg played for 8 different teams during his 10-year career spanning, in fits and starts, from 1986 through 2002.  Miller also played for 8 different teams, managing to stick around from 1996 until last year for three games with the Red Sox.

0 Cards
Mark Holzemer (25 games in 2000)
Bryan Ward (20 games in 2000)
Kirk Bullinger (3 games in 2000)
Clemente Alvarez (2 games in 2000)

2001 Phillies Team
Issue #55

Holzemer and Ward were two more lefty relievers who spent a brief amount of time in the trial by error Phillies bullpen of 2000.  Strangely enough, I actually remember both Holzemer and Ward pitching for the Phillies, but for the life of me, and I mean no disrespect to him, I have no recollection of Bullinger as a Phillie.  Bullinger actually made the squad out of Spring Training in 2000, after pitching 11 scoreless innings.  He appeared in three games with the Phillies before landing on the disabled list with a lower back strain.  He was reinstated from the DL in June and promptly sent down to Triple-A Scranton, where he'd spend the rest of the year.

Catcher Alvarez was recalled in mid-September following Mike Lieberthal's elbow injury.  He appeared in just two games and was the team's starting catcher for the final day of the season.  The day after the season ended, he elected to become a free agent rather than accept his outright assignment to Reading.  Alvarez ended up back with the Phillies in 2001 as the team's bullpen catcher and he appears within the team's 2001 team issued set as such.

*So technically, he does kind of have a Phillies card, but I'm making up these rules as a go along, and coach's cards don't count.

2001 Topps Brian Hunter (Part 1 & 2)

2001 Topps #13 Brian R. Hunter

2001 Topps Traded #T50 Brian R. Hunter

I've moved on to my 2001 Phillies binder, in an effort to catalogue and count the Phillies cards from the '00s in my collection. I'll follow-up with tallies and other fascinating thoughts in a bit, but for now I'm stuck pondering the strange case of Brian Hunter.

Which Brian Hunter you may ask? Why, both of them of course.

In April 2000, the Phillies signed part-time first baseman/corner outfielder Brian R. Hunter. Brian R. had bounced around the Majors for the previous eight seasons, spending most of his time as a member of the Braves. He played in 85 games with the 2000 Phils, compiling a .210 batting average mostly as a right-handed bat off the bench, but occasionally spelling Pat Burrell at first. He came back to the team in the spring of 2001, only to be released towards the tail-end of Spring Training.

Had he made the team, he would have joined Brian L. Hunter on the Phillies' 2001 roster. Known mainly for his speed, Brian L. was signed in January 2001. He played in 83 games with the Phils, hitting .276 as a pinch-hitter and back-up outfielder. He was the team's primary pinch-runner, stealing 14 bases.

Brian R. Hunter was featured with the Phillies on card #13 in the 2001 Topps set, and Brian L. Hunter also appeared in the set on card #199 as a member of the Reds. When the 2001 Topps Traded set rolled around, I was confused to find a second card of Brian R. Hunter, still with the Phillies. Turning the card over, I realized Topps had made the mistake of using a photo of Brian R., instead of a photo of Brian L. The stats on the back of this Brian Hunter Topps Traded card are clearly those of Brian L., but the pictures, both front and back, feature a smiling Brian R.

On a related note, I always wondered what the Phillies would have done had both Brian Hunters made the 2001 squad. Would they have worn "B.R. Hunter" and "B.L. Hunter" on the backs of their jerseys? It boggles the mind.