Catching Up - Disney & Pneumonia Edition

2016 Chachi New Additions #1

2016 Chachi Departures #1

The Phillies Room has been on auto-pilot for a few weeks as I've run several posts that had been lingering in my draft folder.  The reasons for the hiatus are both good (we went to Disney World!) and bad (I've been dealing with pneumonia).  Honestly, the last few weeks have been a blur and one of my last cognizant memories was meeting both Pete Rose and Steve Carlton.  Perhaps Rose gave me pneumonia?  Is that even possible?

Here's a look at the early offseason Phillies moves that I've missed the last few weeks:

2014 Choice Lehigh Valley
IronPigs #28

New Coach
The Phillies filled their final 2016 coaching position with the hiring of Mickey Morandini to be their new first base coach.  Morandini has coached and managed at various levels throughout the Phillies minor league system for the past five seasons.

New Reliever
General Manager Matt Klentak made the first move of his Phillies tenure, claiming right-handed reliever Dan Otero off waivers from the Athletics.  Otero went 2-4 with a 6.75 for the A's in 2015. He's the first card in the 2016 Chachi New Additions set and his latest Topps card can be found in the 2015 Topps A's retail team set.  Prior to that, Otero had a card in the 2011 Topps Heritage Minor League set.

Free Agents
In a surprise to no one, the Phillies declined Cliff Lee's 2016 option, making him a free agent.  Lee pitched in just one spring training game before being shut down for good in early March.

Lee, who is expected to announce his retirement, joins a long list of former Phillies now on the free agent market.  The other big names below are Domonic Brown, a former top prospect and 2013 All-Star, and both Aaron Harang and Jerome Williams, who bolstered a shaky rotation last season.  Jeff Francoeur could potentially return to the Phillies in 2016 to fill a bench spot.

Adam Loewen, who appeared in 20 games in 2015, becomes the first card in the 2016 Chachi Departures insert set following his minor league deal with the Diamondbacks.  Given the lengthy list below, the Departures set could be a large one this year.

2015 Topps Allen & Ginter #61

2015 Topps Archives #295

2015 Topps Update #US146

2015 Topps Heritage High Numbers #588

Moving On - 2015-2016 Offseason

• Chase d'Arnaud - inf (10/9/15) - Outrighted off 40-man roster and elected free agency.
• Justin De Fratus - rhp (10/9/15) - Outrighted off 40-man roster and elected free agency.
• Erik Kratz - c (10/9/15) - Outrighted off 40-man roster and elected free agency.
• Sean O'Sullivan - rhp (10/9/15) - Elected free agency.
• Kevin Correia - rhp (10/10/15) - Elected free agency.
• Adam Loewen - lhp (10/10/15) - Outrighted off 40-man roster, elected free agency and signed as a minor league free agent with the Arizona Diamondbacks, 11/7/15.
• Dustin McGowan - rhp (10/10/15) - Elected free agency.
• Seth Rosin - rhp (10/10/15) - Elected free agency.
• Brian Bogusevic (10/26/15) - Outrighted off 40-man roster and elected free agency.
• Domonic Brown (10/26/15) - Outrighted off 40-man roster and elected free agency.
• Chad Billingsley - rhp (11/2/15) - Elected free agency.
• Jeff Francoeur - of (11/2/15) - Elected free agency.
• Aaron Harang - rhp (11/2/15) - Elected free agency.
• Jerome Williams - rhp (11/2/15) - Elected free agency.
• Cliff Lee - lhp (11/2/15) - Team option declined and elected free agency.
• Jordan Danks - of (11/6/15) - Outrighted off 40-man roster and elected free agency.
• Ethan Martin - rhp (11/6/15) - Elected free agency.
• Jonathan Pettibone - rhp (11/6/15) - Elected free agency.

New Additions - 2015-2016 Offseason

• Dan Otero - rhp (11/3/15) - Claimed off waivers from the Oakland Athletics.

The First Moves of the 2015-2016 Offseason

2015 Phillies Team Issue 2 #30

While the rest of the baseball world was preparing for the Cubs-Pirates Wild Card game, the Phillies were busy making their first roster moves of the off-season.

Catcher Erik Kratz, infielder Chase d'Arnaud, outfielder Jordan Danks and relievers Justin De Fratus, Adam Loewen and Ken Roberts were all outrighted off the 40-man roster.  Jonathan Pettibone, who was on the 60-day disabled list all season, was activated and also outrighted.  The moves leave the Phillies with 34 players on their 40-man roster and six players still on the 60-day DL.

2015 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs Update #8

2015 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs Update #9

2012 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs Update #13

2007 Topps #78

Given their years of service, d'Arnaud, De Fratus, Loewen and Kratz can all immediately elect to become free agents or they can wait until after the World Series when they'll automatically become minor league free agents.  Danks and Pettibone can become free agents following the World Series and Roberts will be reassigned to a Phillies minor league team.

Of the seven players outrighted, De Fratus had been in the Phillies system the longest, having made his debut with the club in 2011.  He leaves behind a Phillies baseball card legacy that began with the 2011 Bowman set and ended with the 2015 team issued photo card sets.

d'Arnaud, Danks and Loewen could join the ranks of those unfortunate (or fortunate depending on your point of view) Phillies players who never appeared on a Phillies baseball card.  Roberts appears to still have a chance if he's in the mix next season.

* * *

2015 Phillies Team Issue 2 #12

2015 Phillies Team Issue 2 #54

2014 Phillies Team Issue #44

Also of note is the dismissal of two Phillies coaches following the final game of the season.  Third base coach John Mizerock and bullpen coach Rod Nichols were let go and the other four coaches - bench coach Larry Bowa, first base coach Juan Samuel, hitting coach Steve Henderson and pitching coach Bob McClure were all invited back for 2016.  There's been no official word yet if those four will actually decide to return for 2016 and Bowa recently interviewed for the manager's job in Miami.

2008 Topps #151 Adam Loewen

Padres 9, Phillies 4
Game 131 - Sunday Afternoon, August 30th in Philadelphia
Record - 52-79, Tied for 4th Place, 20 1/2 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Alec Asher made his Major League debut, but the Phillies couldn't solve James Shields and lost the ballgame, 9-4.

What It Means:  Asher is the fifth starting pitcher to make his Major League debut for the Phillies, which sets an all-time franchise record.

What Happened:  Asher allowed four runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings pitched.  The bullpen took over in the sixth and allowed the Padres to plate five more runs.  Odubel Herrera had his first career four-hit game and Cameron Rupp hit his 8th home run of the season.

Featured Card:  At the end of the radio broadcast for this game, Scott Franzke mentioned that the Phillies bullen has pitched 27 1/3 innings during this home stand and they've allowed 24 runs for a 7.90 ERA.  Adam Loewen has been one of the main contributors to this.  Loewen allowed three runs on four hits in this game without retiring a batter and his ERA is up to an even 9.00.

It will be interesting to see the Phillies checklist for the upcoming Topps Update set.  As much as I'd enjoy adding a Loewen Phillies card to my collection, I would bet some of the other recent Phillies additions earn a place on the checklist over him.  Loewen's last base Topps card can be found in the 2008 Topps set.

2015 Chachi #57 Adam Loewen

#21

Adam A. Loewen

Relief Pitcher

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'6"  Weight:  245

Born:  April 9, 1984, Vancouver, BC

Home:  Scottsdale, AZ

Drafted:  Selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 1st round of the June 2002 draft

Teams:  Baltimore Orioles 2006-2008, Toronto Blue Jays 2011, Phillies 2015

Acquired:  Signed as a minor league free agent formerly with the Toronto Blue Jays organization, April 16, 2014

2004 Topps #691

2014 Grandstand Reading Fightin Phils #17

2 Loewen Baseball Cards in My Collection per Zistle
First Card:  2014 Grandstand Reading Fightin Phils #17
First Phillies Card:  N/A
First Phillies Topps Base Card:  N/A
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  N/A
Latest Card:  2015 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #16

First Topps Base Card:  2004 Topps #691 (with Nick Markakis)
First Chachi Base Card:  2015 Chachi #57

Loewen Games I've Attended per Hardball Passport

N/A

Cards and game statistics through 8/11/15.

2015 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #16 Adam Loewen

Diamondbacks 13, Phillies 3
Game 113 - Late Monday Night, August 10th in Phoenix
Record - 45-68, 4th Place, 15 1/2 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  The Diamondbacks easily won against Aaron Harang and the Phillies in a 13-3 thumping.

What It Means:  It means any trade value Harang potentially had continues to diminish.

What Happened:  Maikel Franco provided most of the offense for the Phils in this game, crushing a monster home run that was estimated to be the longest for a Phillies player since a Jim Thome blast in 2012.  Overall, the offense went 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position.

Harang left in the sixth and when the dust had settled, he had allowed eight runs on 12 hits.

Featured Card:  For the first time since 2008, former Orioles first round draft pick Adam Loewen pitched in a Major League ballgame.  He allowed a hit and two runs in a third of an inning pitched.

Loewen will eventually be card #57 in the 2015 Chachi set but for now, this is his lone non-virtual 2015 baseball card from the IronPigs team set.