Bourjos Added to the Outfield Mix

2016 Chachi New Additions #5

The Phillies claimed outfielder Peter Bourjos off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals yesterday, adding a key fourth outfielder to the mix for their 2016 roster.  Bourjos has only played center field during his big league career, so it will be interesting to see how they work him into the mix with Odubel Herrera slated to start in center.  A mix of Cody Asche, Aaron Altherr and Darnell Sweeney are expected to man the corner outfield positions.

Bourjos spent the first four years of his career with the Angels and the last two seasons with the Cardinals.  A career .241 hitter, Bourjos is known more for his glove than for his bat and the Phillies actually referenced his above average outfield range in their press release announcing the move.  His addition likely means Jeff Francoeur will be playing elsewhere in 2016.

Bourjos has been appearing in baseball card releases since 2007.  In 2015, he appeared in the Topps flagship set, Topps Opening Day, and the Gypsy Queen Glove Stories insert set.

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2016 Chachi Departures #3

2016 Chachi Departures #4

When the Phillies announced the Bourjos move, they also announced that pitcher Nefi Ogando had been claimed off waivers by the Miami Marlins.  Ogando appeared in 4 games with the Phillies last season and he'll join the Missing Links ranks as yet another recent Phillies player with no official Phillies baseball cards.

Finally, reliever Justin De Fratus has latched on with the Mariners, signing a one-year deal worth $750,000.

Moving On - 2015-2016 Offseason

• Chase d'Arnaud - inf (10/9/15) - Outrighted off 40-man roster, elected free agency and signed as a minor league free agent the Atlanta Braves, 11/24/15.
• Justin De Fratus - rhp (10/9/15) - Outrighted off 40-man roster, elected free agency and signed with the Seattle Mariners, 12/2/15.
• 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.
• Nefi Ogando - rhp (12/2/15) - Claimed off waivers by the Miami Marlins.

New Additions - 2015-2016 Offseason

• Dan Otero - rhp (11/3/15) - Claimed off waivers from the Oakland Athletics.
• Jeremy Hellickson - rhp (11/14/15) - Acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks for Sam McWilliams.
• A.J. Achter - rhp (11/20/15) - Claimed off waivers from the Minnesota Twins.
• Michael Mariot - rhp (11/30/15) - Claimed off waivers from the Kansas City Royals.
• Peter Bourjos - of (12/2/15) - Claimed off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals.

2015 Chachi #61 Nefi Ogando

#56

Nefi Ismael Ogando

Relief Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  218

Born:  June 3, 1989, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Home:  Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Signed:  Signed by the Boston Red Sox as an amateur free agent, June 14, 2010

Teams:  2015

Acquired:  Acquired from the Boston Red Sox for John McDonald, August 31, 2013

2014 Grandstand Reading
Fightin Phils #25

3 Ogando Baseball Cards in My Collection per Zistle
First Card:  2014 Grandstand Reading Fightin Phils #25
First Phillies Card:  N/A
First Phillies Topps Base Card:  N/A
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  N/A
Latest Card:  2015 Grandstand Reading Fightin Phils Stroehmann SGA #25

First Chachi Base Card:  2015 Chachi #61

Ogando Games I've Attended per Hardball Passport

N/A

Cards and game statistics through 8/28/15.

Biddle, Morgan and Ogando Added to 40-Man Roster

2014 Topps Heritage Minor League #193

2014 Bowman Chrome Prospect Autographs #BCAP-AM

2014 Grandstand Reading Fightin Phils #25

I'm taking a break from the Phillies Team Issue posts to look at three recent prospects added to the team's 40-man roster.  The addition of these three to the roster keeps them safe from next month's Rule 5 draft.  As of this writing, there are 38 players on the Phillies roster.

I'm not an expert on future Phillies, so please see the fine Phuture Phillies blog for more on these players or follow along at Phillies Minor Thoughts.

Jesse Biddle (lhp) - Biddle had a lost season in 2014, appearing in just 19 games and missing significant time due to concussion-related symptoms incurred during a violent hail storm.  In total, the 2010 first round pick went 5-10 with a 4.58 ERA playing mostly between High A Clearwater and Double-A Reading.  Biddle has appeared on quite a few Phillies baseball cards since 2010, and his most recent baseball card can be found within the 2014 Topps Heritage Minor League set.

Adam Morgan (lhp) - Morgan was the team's third round pick in the 2011 draft.  After finishing the 2013 season with Lehigh Valley, Morgan missed the entire 2014 season due to shoulder surgery.  He was omitted from any of the team's minor league sets in 2014, but he can be found in the 2014 Bowman Chrome Prospect Autographs set.

Nefi Ogando (rhp) - Ogando emerged as one of the system's top pitching prospects after an impressive 2014 campaign with Double-A Reading.  I say impressive in the sense that he apparently has a big upside, not in the sense that his numbers at Reading were impressive.  Ogando, acquired from the Red Sox last season for veteran infielder John McDonald, went 5-1 with a 6.27 ERA this past season.  He struck out 57 while walking 28 in 56 innings of work.  If he can gain any semblance of control, he might just emerge as a 2015 bullpen candidate.  His sole Phillies card to date can be found in the Reading team set.

Memory Lane
2009 Additions - Quintin Berry, Yohan Flande and Jesus Sanchez
2010 Additions - Cesar Hernandez, Matt Rizzotti, Harold Garcia, Freddy Galvis and Justin De Fratus*
2011 Additions - Phillippe Aumont, Jake Diekman, Tyson Gillies and Sebastian Valle
2012 Additions - Zach Collier, Ethan Martin, Trevor May and Jonathan Pettibone
2013 Additions - Aaron Altherr, Kelly Dugan, Tommy Joseph and Rob Rasmussen

*Somehow I skipped 2010 and didn't do a post.