Game 95 - Costly Error, No Offense Leads to Loss

2018 Philadelphia Phillies Photo Cards -
2nd Edition

Brewers 5, Phillies 3
Game 95 - Wednesday Night, July 19th in Philadelphia
Record - 52-43, 2nd Place, 9 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  A costly error and a lack of timely hitting combined to cost the Phillies this game, as they fell to the Brewers, 5-3.

What It Means:  A series win was still possible with a victory on Thursday afternoon.  But (spoiler alert) the Phillies couldn't muster any offense in that game either.

What Happened:  Two unearned runs scored off Cristopher Sanchez in the second inning after Edmundo Sosa booted a ground ball.  Down 3-0, the Phillies would get a run back in the bottom of the fourth when Nick Castellanos connected for his 14th home run of the season.  In the fifth, Kyle Schwarber tied the game with a two-run single to center, scoring Alec Bohm with Brandon Marsh close on Bohm's heels.  But the bullpen couldn't stop the Brewers, and the Phillies were done scoring for the day.  Matt Strahm allowed a run in the seventh and Andrew Bellatti gave up another costly run in the ninth.

Featured Card:  In the sixth inning, Bryce Harper had a bizarre at-bat against former Phillies reliever Hoby Milner.  Harper seemingly stood still while he was called out on strikes for the first out of the inning.  Manager Rob Thomson would address the at-bat the next day, basically saying Harper was just trying to get a good read on Milner and ran out of time.  The Phillies released two team-issued photo card sets back in 2018 (the good old days?), and this is Milner's card from the second set.

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

All-Star Break Odds & Ends - Hoskins, Truby, Milner & Machado

2018 Chachi #44

Along with the rest of baseball, The Phillies Room is enjoying a short break before the official start of the second half of the season on Friday night.  Here are some odds and ends from the break that I thought merited a quick post.

Hoskins Home Run Derby Heroics
Rhys Hoskins was impressive in Monday night's Home Run Derby, defeating Brewers slugger Jesus Aguilar in the first round 17-12, and nearly defeating Kyle Schwarber in the second round.  Hoskins slugged 20 home runs while Schwarber bested him by one with 21.  Bryce Harper would defeat Schwarber in the final round to be crowned the champion.  Pitching to Hoskins was his former manager with the Lakewood BlueClaws, Chris Truby.

Truby appeared in 263 big league games with the Astros (2000-2001), Expos (2002), Tigers (2002) and Devil Rays (2003).  He managed in the Phillies farm system from 2009 to 2013 before being named the team's minor league infield coordinator in 2014.

2011 Multi-Ad Lakewood BlueClaws #31

2018 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #19

2003 Leaf Good Rookies #9

Milner Moves On
I'm hoping to have to update this comings and goings list over the next few weeks, but for now there's only one new addition with the recent departure of Hoby Milner.  The lefty reliever was sold to the Rays on July 15th.  In 47 games with the club, Milner owned an impressive 2.70 ERA and it's hard for me to understand how there just wasn't a place for him in the team's bullpen.  He owns three different team-issued photo cards, but no mainstream Phillies baseball cards.

Departed During the 2018 Season
Drew Hutchison (6/5/18) - Designated for assignment and elected free agency.
Hoby Milner (7/15/18) - Sold to the Tampa Bay Rays.

Milner Complete Chachi Checklist
2017 Chachi #44
2018 Chachi #21

Machado Phillies Baseball Cards
And finally, it stings a little that Manny Machado will be playing out the remainder of the 2018 season with the Dodgers and not the Phillies.  In the end, the price was way too high for a 2 1/2 month rental player and the Phillies will undoubtedly pursue Machado once he's a free agent following the season.

It's a small consolation to me that I have 22 different cards of Anderson Machado in my Phillies collection.  Not really.  Sorry Anderson.

2018 Chachi #21 Hoby Milner

#55
Hoby Trey Milner
Relief Pitcher

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'3"  Weight:  177
Opening Day Age:  27
Born:  January 13, 1991, Ft. Worth, TX
Drafted:  Selected by the Phillies in the 7th round of the June 2012 draft
Teams:  Phillies 2017-
Acquired:  Via draft

2012 Choice Williamsport Crosscutters #15

2017 Chachi #44

14 Milner Baseball Cards in My Collection per The Phillies Room Checklist
First Phillies Minor League Card:  2012 Choice Williamsport Crosscutters #15
First Phillies Card:  2017 Phillies Team Issue Update #55
First Topps Flagship Base Card:  N/A
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  2017 Phillies Team Issue Update #55
Newest Card:  2018 Phillies Team Issue 2 #55

2017 Phillies Team Issue Update #55

First Mention on The Phillies Room:  March 16, 2016 - . . . I'm not sure what I find this so intriguing, but the Phillies have updated their online roster page with the names and numbers of those minor leaguers who get invited to accompany the big team on any given day.  Here's the updated list, which includes some additions from last week's list:

#86 Nick Fanti - lhp
#87 Jose Mayorga - c (new)
#88 Andrew Amaro - inf
#88 Greg Brodzinski - c (new)
#88 Andrew Pullin - of
#89 Hoby Milner - lhp (new) . . .

Second Mention on The Phillies Room:  December 9, 2016 - Four Players Depart the Phillies Organization:  Finally, the Phillies lost minor league pitcher Hoby Milner to the Indians in the Rule 5 draft on Thursday morning. Milner has been with the organization since 2012 and he split last season between Double-A and Triple-A.  His likely final Phillies-related baseball card was released a few weeks ago in the Reading Fightin Phils Holiday set.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2017 Chachi #44
2018 Chachi #21

Card statistics through 5/31/18.

Game 3 - 2017 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #16 Hoby Milner

Braves 15, Phillies 2
Game 3 - Saturday Night, March 31st in Atlanta
Record - 1-2, Tied for 4th place, 1 1/2 games behind the Mets and Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies were completely embarrassed by the Braves in this 15-2 series finale loss.

What It Means:  Is it too early to have a low point of the season?  The Phillies will regroup on Easter Sunday with an off day before opening a three-game series in New York with the Mets.  As best as Larry Shenk can determine (via Twitter) this is the first regular season Sunday off-day for the team since the Pennsylvania Blue Laws required they not play on August 27, 1933.

What Happened:  Let's cut to the chase here.  The pitching was awful, the bullpen already looks exhausted and Gabe Kapler was (rightfully) repeatedly questioned by the media following the game as to whether or not he knows what he's doing.  Starter Vince Velasquez was chased in the third inning and reliever Hoby Milner was summoned from the bullpen by Kapler before he had thrown a warm-up pitch.  Jake Thompson got hit hard in two innings of relief and super utility player Pedro Florimon had to be summoned to pitch the eighth inning.  It's the third game of the season.

Ryan Flaherty, released by the Phillies at the end of spring training and signed by the Braves, went 7 for 13 (.538) scoring five runs.

Featured Card:  Milner was at the center of a lot of head scratching caused by his manager.  He's still waiting for his first mainstream Phillies baseball card release, having only previously appeared in minor league team sets and the team's late season photo card update set last year.

Happy Easter to you and your family!

2017 Phillies Team Issue Update

Number of Cards:  14
Card Size:  4" x 6"
Description:  Given the heavy roster turnover experienced by the 2017 Phillies, the team wisely decided to issue a late season update set featuring players and prospects who had recently joined the club.  The set has a completely different design than the main team issued photo card set, featuring gray borders with the player's name, number and position at the bottom.  The horizontal card backs feature biographical information and complete career statistics.

How Distributed:  The set first went on sale on September 12th, with just 16 home games remaining in the season.  Sets can be purchased for $5, and they're bundled with a complete set of the (seemingly over produced and under sold) regular team issued set.  Red hot prospect Rhys Hoskins is featured at the front of the 14-card set.

Complete Standard Checklist:  The cards are unnumbered, but I've presented them below ordered by uniform number.

5 - Nick Williams 15 - Ty Kelly 17 - Rhys Hoskins 30 - Cameron Perkins 31 - Hyun Soo Kim 38 - Jorge Alfaro 43 - Nick Pivetta

44 - Jake Thompson 46 - Jesen Therrien 49 - Ben Lively 51 - Ricardo Pinto 55 - Hoby Milner 56 - Zach Eflin 59 - Mark Leiter, Jr.

One and Done (2):  Kim, Therrien
First Appearances (9):  Alfaro, Hoskins, Kelly, Kim, Lively, Milner, Perkins, Pinto, Thompson, Williams
Returning Players (3):  Eflin, Leiter, Pivetta

As of now, there's no one in the One and Done category as everyone in the set is still currently with the Phillies but this could change as soon as the season ends.  This marks the first Phillies baseball card appearance for Kim, Milner, Pinto and Therrien.  (Kelly was featured on a Topps Now card earlier in the season.)

(Update, 4/14/18 - This set features the only Phillies baseball cards issued for Kim and Therrien.)

My one small quibble with the checklist is the omission of Pedro Florimon, who was lost for the season with an ankle injury on September 2nd.  J.P. Crawford, Yacksel Rios and Kevin Siegrist all must have missed the cut-off date for inclusion in the set as well.  While Rios and Siegrist would have been long-shots for the set, including Crawford would have made sense.  Victor Arano, Zac Curtis and Henderson Alvarez all joined the club after the release of the set.

The First Appearance designation is for players who have never before appeared within a Phillies team issued set. These players may have already appeared on other Phillies baseball cards.  Eflin, Leiter and Pivetta had cards issued in the style of the main 2017 team issued photo card set for the Phillies Phestival held in May.

Update, 6/21/18:  At the 2018 ALS Phillies Phestival, J.P. Crawford was signing a photo card in the style of this set.  Thanks to fellow collector Steve F. for letting me know about this new card.  I would have easily walked right past it if not for his head's up.

• 2 - J.P. Crawford

2017 Chachi #44 Hoby Milner

#55
Hoby Trey Milner
Relief Pitcher

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  165
Born:  January 13, 1991, Dallas, TX
Drafted:  Selected by the Phillies in the 7th round of the June 2012 draft
Teams:  Phillies 2017
Acquired:  Via draft

2012 Choice Williamsport
Crosscutters #15

10 Milner Baseball Cards in My Collection per The Phillies Room Checklist
First Card:  2012 Choice Williamsport Crosscutters #15
First Phillies Card:  N/A
First Topps Flagship Base Card:  N/A
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  N/A
Latest Card:  2016 Choice Reading Fightin Phils Holiday Set #20

Click to enlarge

Complete Chachi Checklist
2017 Chachi #44

Card statistics through 6/24/17.

2016 Choice Reading Fightin Phils Playoff #5 Hoby Milner

Yankees 3, Phillies 2
Spring Training Game 28 - Friday Afternoon, March 24th in Tampa
Record - 10-15-3

One Sentence Summary:  The Phils fell to the Yankees, 3-2, but Jeremy Hellickson looked solid in one of his final spring tune-ups.

What It Means:  Hellickson, who will be the team's opening day starter for the second year in a row, allowed a run on five hits over 6 1/3 innings.

What Happened:  Michael Mariot allowed two runs in the ninth, blowing a save opportunity. Tommy Joseph had a pair of hits and Freddy Galvis knocked in two runs with a second inning single.

Featured Card/Camp Head Count:  44 - 5 + 1 = 40.  Prior to the game, outfielder Tyler Goeddel and starting pitcher Jake Thompson were optioned to the minors.  Goeddel, a Rule 5 pick last season, is expected to see regular playing time at Double-A Reading.

Reliever Dalier Hinojosa, infielder Hector Gomez and catcher Logan Moore were all reassigned to minor league camp.

It was also announced that left-handed pitcher Hoby Milner, selected by the Indians in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft, was returned to the Phillies.  He'll report to camp as a non-roster invitee, bringing the final tally (perhaps?) of non-roster invitees to 24.

Player (position) - 2016 Organization - Last Major Baseball Card Appearance
1.  Sean Burnett (lhp) - Nationals/Dodgers/Braves/Twins/Nationals - 2014 Topps #68 (Angels)
2.  Pedro Florimon (inf) - Pirates - 2014 Topps #568 (Twins)
3.  Hector Gomez (inf) - Korea - 2015 Topps Update #US229 (Brewers)
4.  Daniel Nava (of) - Angels/Royals - 2016 Topps Now #293 (Angels)
5.  Bryan Holaday (c) - Tigers/Rangers/Red Sox - 2014 Topps Update #US117 (Tigers)
6.  Cesar Ramos (lhp) - Rangers/Tigers - 2015 Topps Update #US293 (Angels)
7.  Victor Arano (rhp) - Phillies - 2015 Bowman Chrome Prospect Autographs #BCAP-VA (Phillies)
8.  Pedro Beato (rhp) - Orioles - 2011 Topps Chrome #199 (Mets)
9.  J.P. Crawford (inf) - Phillies - 2016 Bowman's Best Top Prospects #TP12 (Phillies)
10.  Taylor Featherston (inf) - Angels/Phillies - 2015 Topps Update #US148 (Angels)
11.  Dalier Hinojosa (rhp) - Phillies - 2015 Immaculate Collection #151 (Red Sox)
12.  Rhys Hoskins (1b) - Phillies - 2016 Bowman Draft #BD186 (Phillies)
13.  Scott Kingery (inf) - Phillies - 2016 Bowman Draft #BD128 (Phillies)
14.  Michael Mariot (rhp) - Phillies - N/A
15.  Logan Moore (c) - Phillies - 2011 Bowman Draft Chrome Prospects #BDPP44 (Phillies)
16.  Colton Murray (rhp) - Phillies - 2016 Topps #488 (Phillies)
17.  Chace Numata (c) - Phillies - N/A
18.  Cam Perkins (of) - Phillies - 2014 Bowman Chrome Prospects #BCP86 (Phillies)
19.  Andrew Pullin (of) - Phillies - 2012 Bowman Chrome Draft Picks #BDPP59 (Phillies)
20.  Brock Stassi (1b) - Phillies - N/A
21.  Ryan Hanigan (c) - Red Sox - 2016 Topps Heritage #694 (Red Sox)
22.  Chris Coghlan (of) - Cubs/Athletics/Cubs - 2016 Topps Update #US274 (Cubs)
23.  Pat Venditte (r/lhp) - Blue Jays/Mariners - 2016 Topps Now #408 (Mariners)
24.  Hoby Milner (lhp) - Phillies - N/A

Four Players Depart the Phillies Organization

2017 Chachi Almost #1

2017 Chachi Almost #2

2017 Chachi Departures #7

2016 Choice Reading Fightin Phils Holiday #20

A few recent Phillies-related moves give me an excuse to feature a few new baseball cards.

Both Matt Harrison and Jimmy Cordero recently departed the organization without ever having played a game for the Phillies.  Harrison (who came over in a salary maneuvering move in the Cole Hamels deal with the Rangers) was released from the 40-man roster last month to free up some much-needed room.  Harrison will earn $15 million in 2017 in the final year of his contract and the Phils will recoup some of this via insurance relief.

Cordero was also the victim of the roster squeeze, getting dealt to the Nationals for a player to be named later.  He was originally acquired as part of the Ben Revere trade with the Blue Jays in 2015.

Catcher A.J. Ellis signed a one-year deal with the Marlins, meaning Andrew Knapp will most likely enter the 2017 season as the back-up catcher for the Phillies.  Ellis came over from the Dodgers in August for Carlos Ruiz.

A.J. Ellis Chachi Checklist
2016 Chachi #59
2017 Chachi Departures #7

Finally, the Phillies lost minor league pitcher Hoby Milner to the Indians in the Rule 5 draft on Thursday morning. Milner has been with the organization since 2012 and he split last season between Double-A and Triple-A.  His likely final Phillies-related baseball card was released a few weeks ago in the Reading Fightin Phils Holiday set.  For the second year in a row, the minor league team has released a holiday-themed set complete with some players in their Christmas in July uniforms and "snow" falling on the fronts of the cards.