Game 106 - Sox Stymie Sanchez, Phils

Philadelphia Phillies	2
Chicago White Sox	6

1981 TCMA
Oklahoma City 89ers #17

Monday Night, July 28th

Rate Field - Chicago, IL
60-46, 2nd Place, 1 1/2 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Cristopher Sanchez stumbled through a rare bad outing and the Phillies offense couldn't figure out White Sox pitching in this 6-2 defeat.

What It Means:  The Mets fell to the Padres, so the deficit in the pennant race remained at 1 1/2 games.

What Happened:  Sanchez battled through 6 2/3 innings, but allowed four runs on seven hits.  The two big blows were a two-run home run from Colson Montgomery in the second to tie the score and a two-run home run from Luis Robert Jr. in the fourth to give the Sox the lead for good.  Seth Johnson surrendered two more runs in the eighth, putting the game out of reach.  Bryce Harper accounted for both Phillies runs with a two-run double in the top of the third.

Featured Card:  I was saddened to learn during the game Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg had passed away after a battle with cancer.  Sandberg played in 13 games for the Phillies in 1981, batting .167 (1 for 6) before an ill-advised deal sent him to the Cubs with Larry Bowa, as a throw-in no less, for Ivan DeJesus.  He'd return to the Phillies organization in 2011 as manager of the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs, and in 2013 was promoted to the role of bench coach under Charlie Manuel.  Manuel was let go in August 2013 and replaced by Sandberg, who managed the team for 278 games between August 2013 and June 2015.  He was 119-159 while leading the Phillies during their early rebuilding years.

I didn't have the chance to appreciate Sandberg as a Phillies player and his tenure as Phillies manager was hampered by bad teams on the field, but I can appreciate what he meant to baseball and especially Cubs fans.

For a few years in the early 1980s, this was by far the most "valuable" card in my collection.  We had purchased a 1981 TCMA Oklahoma City 89ers team set from the Card Doctor in Millville, New Jersey, as my favorite player, Bob Dernier, was in the set.  Unbeknownst to us at the time, Sandberg was also in the set and he'd go on to have a Hall of Fame career with the Cubs.

2025 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2025 Season Summary Index / 2025 Chachi Set Checklist

Chicago Cubs at Philadelphia Phillies - Phils Limp Home

2005 Topps Retired Signature #25

2005 Topps #64

Monday, June 9th - 6:45
Tuesday, June 10th - 6:45
Wednesday, June 11th - 1:05

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
Tonight is ALS Awareness Night, recognizing patients, families and caregivers battling this disease.  Following Wednesday afternoon's game, fans 55 and over are invited onto the field to stroll the bases.

Chicago Cubs 40-25
1st Place in the N.L. Central, 4 games ahead of the Cardinals

Cubs Probables
Matthew Boyd (5-3, 3.01)
Colin Rea (4-2, 3.59)
Ben Brown (3-4, 5.37)

Cubs Leaders
Average:  Nico Hoerner - .286
Runs:  Pete Crow-Armstrong - 50
Home Runs:  Pete Crow-Armstrong - 17
RBIs:  Seiya Suzuki - 55
Stolen Bases:  Pete Crow-Armstrong - 21

Wins:  Jameson Taillon - 6
ERA:  Matthew Boyd - 3.01

Strikeouts:  Ben Brown - 78
Saves:  Daniel Palencia - 5

Philadelphia Phillies 37-28
2nd Place in the N.L. East, 4 1/2 games behind the Mets

Phillies Probables
Zack Wheeler (6-2, 2.96)
Mick Abel (1-0, 0.79)
Jesus Luzardo (5-2, 4.46)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Trea Turner - .300
Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 45
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 20
RBIs:  Kyle Schwarber - 46
Stolen Bases:  Trea Turner - 17

Wins:  Zack Wheeler - 6
ERA:  Zack Wheeler - 2.96
Strikeouts:  Zack Wheeler - 94
Saves:  Jordan Romano - 8

2025 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2025 Season Summary Index / 2025 Chachi Set Checklist

Mets at Phillies: September 21st to September 24th

1965 Topps #187

2014 Topps Heritage #57

Thursday 7:15, Friday 7:05, Saturday 4:05, Sunday 1:05
Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA

At the Ballpark:  Unbelievably, this is the final regular season homestead of the Phillies' 2023 season.  Tomorrow night, Scott Rolen will be officially inducted onto the Phillies Wall of Fame and there will be a pregame ceremony honoring Rolen.  Sunday is fan appreciation day, and all fans will receive a 2024 schedule magnet.

Mets 71-81
4th Place in the N.L. East, 26 games behind the Braves

Mets Probables
David Peterson (3-8, 5.22)
Tylor Megill (8-8, 4.94)
Jose Quintana (3-5, 3.02)
Jose Butto (1-2, 3.09)

Mets Leaders
Average:  Brandon Nimmo - .272
Runs:  Francisco Lindor - 99
Home Runs:  Pete Alonso - 45
RBIs:  Pete Alonso - 114
Stolen Bases:  Francisco Lindor - 28

Wins:  Kodai Senga - 12
ERA:  Kodai  Senga - 2.96

Strikeouts:  Kodai Senga - 194
Saves:  Adam Ottavino - 11

Phillies 83-69
2nd Place in the N.L. East, 14 games behind the Braves

Phillies Probables
Ranger Suarez (3-6, 3.80)
Taijuan Walker (15-5, 4.40)
Zack Wheeler (12-6, 3.63)
Cristopher Sanchez (2-5, 3.55)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Bryce Harper - .287
Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 103
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 45
RBIs:  Nick Castellanos and Kyle Schwarber - 99
Stolen Bases:  Bryson Stott - 29

Wins:  Taijuan Walker - 15
ERA:  Zack Wheeler - 3.63

Strikeouts:  Zack Wheeler - 201
Saves:  Craig Kimbrel - 23

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

Game 13 - Phils Off to Worst Start Since 2015

2015 Topps Heritage #411

Reds 6, Phillies 2
Game 13 - Thursday Night, April 13th in Cincinnati
Record - 4-9, Tied for 4th Place, 5 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies once again couldn't solve Reds' starting pitcher Nick Lodolo, dropping this series opener by a score of 6-2.

What It Means:  After sitting through our son Doug's high school baseball game, which went nearly three and a half hours, I wasn't in the mood to watch the Phillies lose another game to the Reds.  This game came and went in the background as we recuperating from another long day.

What Happened:  The Phillies got to Lodolo for two runs when Nick Castellanos singled in the first and Kyle Schwarber hit a solo home run in the fifth.  The offense was just 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position.  Bailey Falter was tagged for five Reds runs in his 4+ innings of work, giving up eight hits.

Featured Card:  The 2015 Phillies also had a 4-9 record after 13 games, and manager Ryne Sandberg would decide he'd had enough in late June, quitting his post.  The team, led by interim manager Pete Mackanin for the rest of the season, would finish with a 63-99 record, the most losses since the club also lost 99 games in 1969.  The 2023 Phillies, at least on paper, are a lot better than the 2015 Phillies, and I optimistically believe this will not be a 99 loss season.

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

1985 Game 75 - 2010 Topps National Chicle #253 Ryne Sandberg

Cubs 4, Phillies 3
Game 75 - Wednesday Night, July 3rd in Philadelphia
Record - 33-42, 5th Place, 11 1/2 games behind the Cardinals

One Sentence Summary:  Phillies closer Kent Tekulve disappointed a huge fireworks crowd, letting a game against the Cubs get away in a 4-3 loss.

What It Means:  Over 56,000 fans were on hand to see this late inning loss, but hopefully an amazing postgame fireworks show made up for their disappointment.

What Happened:  The Phillies held a 2-1 lead heading to the eighth, with both their runs coming in the fourth.  Von Hayes led off that inning with a solo home run off Cubs' starter Dennis Eckersley and Derrel Thomas later singled home Mike Schmidt.  The usually reliable Kent Tekulve faltered for the Phils, allowing the Cubs to tie the game in the eighth.  Ryne Sandberg walked and went to third on a Davey Lopes single.  Sandberg came home on a Keith Moreland sacrifice fly.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Phillies retook the lead when Ozzie Virgil singled home Hayes.  But Tekulve couldn't get the final three outs in the ninth, allowing singles to Thad Bosley and Billy Hatcher before Sandberg's double scored the tying and eventual winning runs.

Charles Hudson's efforts were for naught, as he had pitched seven innings allowing a run on eight hits.  This was Tekulve's fifth blown save of the season.

Featured Card:  Sandberg was coming off his 1984 N.L. MVP campaign, and he continued to haunt his former team.

1985 Virtual Phillies Wall / 1985 Season Summary Index

1985 Game 73 - 1985 Fleer #630 Mike Schmidt & Ryne Sandberg

Cubs 3, Phillies 1
Game 73 - Monday Night, July 1st in Philadelphia
Record - 32-41, 5th Place, 11 games behind the Cardinals

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies offense went quiet against Cubs pitchers Ray Fontenot and Lee Smith as the Cubs prevailed, 3-1.

What It Means:  This was the game Mike Schmidt took the field pre-game wearing his disguise of a long wig and sunglasses.  Schmidt had made very unflattering comments about the Phillies' fanbase during the team's trip to Montreal.

What Happened:  The Phillies line-up had eight singles and went 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position.  Only Schmidt had multiple hits and the lone run came in the second on a Steve Jeltz ground-out back to the pitcher.  Ozzie Virgil broke for home as Fontenot threw to second for the force, and the Phillies' scoring was over for the day.

John Denny pitched well for the Phillies, lasting seven innings and giving up two runs (one earned) on five hits.  The Cubs line-up was once again littered with former Phillies, with Ryne Sandberg (2b), Gary Matthews (lf), Richie Hebner (3b) and Larry Bowa (ss).  Bob Dernier was on the disabled list and missed this series.

Featured Card:  Schmidt would pick it up in the second half, after he had attempted to clear the air with the Phillies' fans.  The first half MVPs for the club were Virgil, Glenn Wilson and Juan Samuel on the offensive side with Von Hayes also having a steady, but not great, year.  The Phillies received surprisingly consistent starting pitching in the first half from Kevin Gross, Denny, Steve Carlton and Jerry Koosman.  Don Carman and Kent Tekulve were the club's top relievers through June.

June 1985 Leaders
Games:  Juan Samuel, Mike Schmidt and Glenn Wilson - 27
Average:  Greg Gross - .324
Runs:  Juan Samuel - 19
Home Runs:  Ozzie Virgil - 4
RBIs:  Glenn Wilson - 24
Stolen Bases:  Juan Samuel - 9

Games:  Larry Andersen and Don Carman - 13
Wins:  John Denny and Kevin Gross - 3
Innings Pitched:  Kevin Gross 39 1/3
ERA:  Jerry Koosman - 1.48
Strikeouts:  John Denny - 29
Saves:  Kent Tekulve - 4

Cumulative Season Leaders - 1st Half
Games:  Juan Samuel and Glenn Wilson - 86
Average:  Ozzie Virgil - .285
Runs:  Juan Samuel - 55
Home Runs:  Mike Schmidt and Ozzie Virgil - 11
RBIs:  Glenn Wilson - 61
Stolen Bases:  Juan Samuel - 30

Games:  Don Carman - 42
Wins:  Kevin Gross - 8
Innings Pitched:  John Denny - 129 2/3
ERA:  Steve Carlton - 2.43
Strikeouts:  Kevin Gross - 83
Saves:  Kent Tekulve - 8

1985 Virtual Phillies Wall / 1985 Season Summary Index

Bagwell, Pudge & Raines - Phillies Cards

1993 Upper Deck Fun Pack All-Star Scratch-Off #AS2

2001 Fleer Triple Crown Glamour Boys #3

1985 Topps Rub-Downs #9

There will be five inductees to the Hall of Fame this summer in Cooperstown.  Unlike the last time I watched election results come in, the recent announcement that Jeff Bagwell, Tim Raines and Ivan Rodriguez received enough votes to make them Hall of Famers brought a smile to my face.  I'm not thrilled with, nor do I fully understand, the inclusion of former Commissioner Bud Selig in this year's class.  Rounding out the five inductees this year is former Braves General Manager John Schuerholz.

Each year when the new class is announced, I like to check my Phillies baseball card collection to see if any of the new Hall of Famers are represented.  I have no cards of Selig or Schuerholz in my collection, but I do have cards of the three players elected.

Jeff Bagwell
I only have one card of the Astros great in my collection and it's from the strangely titled Glamour Boys insert set from 2001 Fleer Triple Crown.

2001 Fleer Triple Crown Glamour Boys #3 - with Scott Rolen and Bernie Williams

Tim Raines
Raines appears on two different Topps Rub Downs in 1984 and 1985 that also happen to have Mike Schmidt on them.  He's also on a Doubles & Triples Superstar Special card with Juan Samuel in the 1987 Fleer set.

1984 Topps Rub Downs #23 - with Toby Harrah, Pat Putnam and Mike Schmidt
1985 Topps Rub Downs #9 - with Bill Buckner, Mike Schmidt and Ryne Sandberg
1987 Fleer #642 - with Juan Samuel

Ivan Rodriguez
The Pudge cards in my Phillies collection come courtesy of Darren Daulton's big year in 1992.  I have four insert cards from 1993 featuring this catching tandem, and another card from the 1995 Donruss Dominators insert set.

1993 Leaf Gold All-Stars #1 - with Darren Daulton
1993 Pinnacle Team Pinnacle #3 - with Darren Daulton
1993 Upper Deck Fun Pack All-Star Scratch-Off #AS2 - with Darren Daulton
1993 Leaf Gold All-Stars #U2 - with Darren Daulton
1995 Donruss Dominators #2 - with Darren Daulton and Mike Piazza

Memory Lane
2012 Inductees - Larkin and Santo
2013 Inductees - O'Day, Ruppert and White
2014 Inductees - Cox, Glavine, LaRussa, Maddux, Thomas and Torre
2015 Inductees - Biggio, Johnson, Martinez and Smoltz
2016 Inductees - Griffey and Piazza
2017 Inductees - Bagwell, Raines, Rodriguez, Selig and Schuerholz

Phillies at Cubs: July 24th to July 26th

Friday and Saturday 4:05, Sunday 2:20
Wrigley Field - Chicago, IL

Phillies 34-63, 5th Place in the N.L. East
Cubs 51-43, 3rd Place in the N.L. Central

Phillies Probables:  Jerome Williams (3-7, 6.43), Cole Hamels (5-7, 3.91), Aaron Nola (0-1, 1.50)
Cubs Probables:  Jon Lester (5-8, 3.37), Jake Arrieta (11-5, 2.52), Jason Hammel (5-4, 2.82)

At the Ballpark:  It looks as if it will be a great weekend to be at Wrigley!  The first 10,000 fans this afternoon will receive a Billy Williams replica statue.  On Saturday, the Cubs are giving away a Jorge Soler bobble head and on Sunday the first 5,000 kids will receive a Cubs batting helmet.

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Ben Revere - .300
Runs:  Ben Revere - 48
Home Runs:  Ryan Howard - 16
RBIs:  Ryan Howard - 48
Stolen Bases:  Ben Revere - 22

Wins:  Cole Hamels - 5
ERA:  Cole Hamels - 3.91
Strikeouts:  Cole Hamels - 124
Saves:  Jonathan Papelbon - 16

Cubs Leaders
Average:  Anthony Rizzo - .287
Runs:  Dexter Fowler - 58
Home Runs:  Anthony Rizzo - 16
RBIs:  Kris Bryant - 54
Stolen Bases:  Dexter Fowler - 15

Wins:  Jake Arrieta - 11
ERA:  Jake Arrieta - 2.52
Strikeouts:  Jake Arrieta - 133
Saves:  Hector Rondon - 12

1985 Topps #538

1985 Topps #484

1985 Topps #460

1985 Topps #189

1985 Topps #563

1985 Topps #124

1985 Topps #589

1985 Topps #210

1985 Topps Appreciation:  I've got a whole bunch of 1985 Topps cards featured today, as I thought I'd take a look at some the ex-Phillies who played for the Cubs in 1984.  When Dallas Green took over as the Cubs general manager in 1981, he began the process of bringing over as many former Phillies coaches and players as possible.

Along with the selected Phillies-related transactions detailed below, Green was responsible for bringing Lee Elia and John Vukovich over to the Cubs to serve as coaches.

12/8/81 - Acquired Dan Larson, Keith Moreland and Dickie Noles from the Phillies for Mike Krukow and cash.

1/27/82 - Acquired Larry Bowa and Ryne Sandberg from the Phillies for Ivan DeJesus.

6/1/82 - Signed Jay Johnstone as a free agent.

1/25/83 - Acquired Warren Brusstar and Steve Trout from the White Sox for Scott Fletcher, Randy Martz, Pat Tabler and Dick Tidrow.

5/22/83 - Acquired Dick Ruthven and Bill Johnson from the Phillies for Willie Hernandez.

1/5/84 - Signed Richie Hebner as a free agent.

3/26/84 - Acquired Bob Dernier, Gary Matthews and Porfi Altamirano from the Phillies for Bill Campbell and Mike Diaz.

Marlins at Phillies: July 17th to July 19th

Friday and Saturday 7:05, Sunday 1:35
Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA

Marlins 38-51, 4th Place in the N.L. East, 11 games behind the Nationals
Phillies 29-62, 5th Place in the N.L. East, 21 games behind the Nationals

Marlins Probables:  Jose Fernandez (2-0, 2.08), Tom Koehler (7-5, 3.40), Dan Haren (7-5, 3.24)
Phillies Probables:  Adam Morgan (1-2, 4.32), Chad Billingsley (1-3, 6.75), Cole Hamels (5-7, 3.63)

At the Ballpark:  Saturday night is Photo Night with all fans being invited down on the field prior to the game to take pictures of their favorite Phillies players.  I believe this is the first time this particular promotion has taken place prior to a night game.  All fans also receive a magnetic photo frame on Saturday night.  On Sunday, fans 15 and over will receive a Phillies travel mug.

Marlins Leaders
Average:  Dee Gordon - .338
Runs:  Giancarlo Stanton - 47
Home Runs:  Giancarlo Stanton - 27
RBIs:  Giancarlo Stanton - 67
Stolen Bases:  Dee Gordon - 33

Wins:  Dan Haren and Tom Koehler - 7
ERA:  Dan Haren - 3.24
Strikeouts:  Dan Haren - 79
Saves:  A.J. Ramos - 14

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Ben Revere - .297
Runs:  Ben Revere - 45
Home Runs:  Ryan Howard - 15
RBIs:  Ryan Howard - 45
Stolen Bases:  Ben Revere - 21

Wins:  Cole Hamels - 5
ERA:  Cole Hamels - 3.63
Strikeouts:  Cole Hamels - 123
Saves:  Jonathan Papelbon - 14

1985 Topps #713

1985 Topps #714

1985 Topps Appreciation:  I thought this would be a good time to feature two of the Phillies-related All Star cards from the original 1985 Topps set.  Mike Schmidt and Ryne Sandberg started in the same infield for the N.L. All-Stars in 1984, 1986 and 1987.  Both were also recently named to the Franchise Four teams for the Phillies and Cubs respectively.

Skipper Sandberg Resigns

2015 Phillies Team Issue 2 #23

Nationals 5, Phillies 2
Game 75 - Friday Night, June 26th in Philadelphia
Record - 26-49, 5th Place, 15 1/2 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  Max Scherzer took a no-hitter into the sixth inning as the Nationals easily defeated the Phillies, 5-2.

What It Means:  Interim manager Pete Mackanin is 0-1.

What Happened:  Scherzer, who no-hit the Pirates in his last start, lost a perfect game when Freddy Galvis doubled to right with one out in the sixth.  Aaron Harang lost his seventh straight game.  Ben Revere hit his first career pinch-hit home run in the eighth.  Domonic Brown had an awful game in the field (dropped a fly ball leading to an unearned run) and on the basepaths (caught in a run down between third and home - to end the game - after ignoring a stop sign).

2015 Chachi #46

Featured Cards:  At 3:30 in the afternoon, 3 1/2 hours before game time, the Phillies hastily called a press conference so that Ryne Sandberg could announce he's quitting as the team's manager.  Sandberg's reasons for resigning were (1) he hates losing and (2) he knew a shake-up was coming soon and he didn't want to be in the way of the new regime.

Sandberg joins Eddie Sawyer and Bob Skinner as Phillies managers to have resigned and he leaves with a 119-159 (.428) record as manager.  That's actually the worst winning percentage for a Phillies manager since Skinner's .423 in 1968 and 1969.  Mackanin steps in as the interim manager (for now) with assistant hitting coach John Mizerock taking over as the third base coach.

This was a shocking development, as most of us assumed the 3:30 press conference was to announce the arrival of Andy MacPhail to the front office to attempt to right the sinking Phillies ship.  I certainly understand Sandberg's motivations and the whole ordeal is just one more strike against this already awful season.

The card at the top is Sandberg's likely last card featuring him as a manager of the Phillies, and Mackanin earns an interim manager card in this year's Chachi set.

2015 Chachi #26 Ryne Sandberg MG

#23

Ryne Dee Sandberg

Manager

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  190

Born:  September 18, 1959, Spokane, WA

Home:  Phoenix, AZ

Teams - As Player:  Phillies 1981, Chicago Cubs 1982-1994, 1996-1997

Teams - As Coach:  Phillies 2013

Teams - As Manager:  Phillies 2013-

1981 TCMA Oklahoma City '89ers #17

1983 Topps #83

1993 Upper Deck Then and Now #TN6

2013 Chachi #29

31 Sandberg Baseball Cards in My Collection per Zistle
First Card:  1981 TCMA Oklahoma City '89ers #17
First Phillies Card:  1993 Upper Deck Then and Now #TN6
First Phillies Topps Base Card:  1994 Topps Traded #130T
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  2013 Phillies Team Issue #23
Latest Card:  2015 Phillies Team Issue #23

First Topps Base Card:  1983 Topps #83
First Chachi Base Card:  2013 Chachi #29

Sandberg Games I've Attended per Hardball Passport

Cards and game statistics through 5/915.

2015 Topps Heritage vs. 1966 Topps Phillies

1966 Topps #170

2015 Topps Heritage #170

It looks as if I skipped going through this exercise last year, but I've always enjoyed seeing how Topps matches up cards in its Heritage releases to the cards to be found in their original sets.  I've put together a table below that compares the Phillies related cards to be found in the 2015 Topps Heritage set with their 1966 Topps counterparts and vice versa.  I've listed below links to my posts looking at the 2012 and 2013 Topps Heritage sets.

The number of "hits" decreased again in 2015, with only 7 Phillies cards from the 2015 Topps Heritage set having clear and logical counterparts in the original 1966 Topps set.  I assigned a "Hit" to card #52 in each set as both sets feature two power hitters in a "Power Plus" multi-player card.  Unfortunately, there just wasn't a logical or meaningful choice of Phillies players to use for this card given the team's declining offense in 2014.

1966 Topps #411

2015 Topps Heritage #411

It would be impossible to match up every card in a Heritage set, due to modern expansion and the smaller size of the modern Heritage sets, but I'd love to see Topps return to the days of at least trying to match up more cards.  In the earlier days of the Hertiage sets, Topps would have used a close cropped head shot of Chase Utley to better approximate Cookie Rojas' card in the original set.  They also would have come up with more similar poses to the older set than the crossed arm pose that is ubiquitous in the new Heritage set.

The average collector will never notice stuff like this, but if I worked for Topps you know I would have made sure the "M" in manager was capitalized on Ryne Sandberg's card in order to more closely approximate the original version.  It also bums me out that the Phillies didn't receive a team card in the 2015 Topps Hertiage set.

If and when time permits, I'd like to go back through all the Topps Heritage sets to see which sets have the highest number of matches.

Memory Lane
2012 Topps Heritage vs. 1963 Topps Phillies - 25 Hits
2013 Topps Heritage vs. 1964 Topps Phillies - 11 Hits

Cubs at Phillies: June 13th to June 15th

Friday 7:05, Saturday 3:05 and Sunday 1:35
Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA

At the Ballpark:  Tonight is 1960s Retro Night with both teams wearing uniforms from the '60s.  Former Phillies Tony Taylor, Cookie Rojas and John Herrnstein will throw out the ceremonial first pitches.

1988 Topps Appreciation:  Like I recently did for the Reds, I need to cram in a few more Phillies-related Cubs cards here since this is the last meeting between these two teams in 2014.  (As an aside, I think it's been at least a year or so since I mentioned that I really despise interleague play and the fact that we only get to see National League Central or West teams only once a year.)

Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg is having a difficult rookie season at the helm of the Phillies.  It's not his fault of course, and it's very unlikely that Sandberg won't be back for at least another season in 2015.  Jamie Moyer has the unenviable task of witnessing the 2014 Phillies from the announcer's booth, as the one-time Cub and Phillie joined the Phillies broadcasting team this season.  He's done a nice job so far, although I still prefer to listen to the radio guys, Scott Franzke and Larry Andersen.

1988 Topps #10, #36, #564 and #717

Frank Lucchesi finished up the 1987 season as the Cubs manager after then GM Dallas Green had fired Gene Michael.  Lucchesi managed the Cubs to an 8-17 record over the final 25 games of the season, and those 25 games would be the last he'd manage in the big leagues.  27 years earlier, Lucchesi got his start as a manager with the 1970 Phillies.  He'd compile a record of 166-233 before being dismissed part way through the awful 1972 season.

Finally, Jay Baller and his magnificent chest hair spent the bulk of his six-year career with the Cubs, but  he started and finished his career with the Phillies.  Baller appeared in four games for the 1982 Phillies before being one of the five players shipped to Cleveland in the Von Hayes deal.  He returned to the Phillies for eight games during the 1992 season, and he quickly departed after running up an 8.18 ERA over 11 innings of work.

Programming Note:  I'm returning from a brief out of town trip tonight and game summary posts will be updated shortly.  In case you were worried.

2014 Chachi #26 Ryne Sandberg MG

#23

Ryne Dee Sandberg

Manager

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  190

Born:  September 18, 1959, Spokane, WA

Home:  Phoenix, AZ

Teams - As Player:  Phillies 1981, Chicago Cubs 1982-1994, 1996-1997

Teams - As Coach:  Phillies 2013

Teams - As Manager:  Phillies 2013-

Phillies Cards in My Collection:

#1 - 1993 Upper Deck Then and Now #TN6

#9 - 2014 Phillies Team Issue #23

I have 20 total Sandberg cards in my "Phillies" collection.  I consider nine to be true Phillies cards, seven are minor league cards both from his time in the Phillies minor league system and from his time as the IronPigs' manager and four cards feature him on the Cubs, but have some sort of Phillies connection.

First Chachi Card:  2013 Chachi #29

2014 Topps Heritage #57 Ryne Sandberg MG

The Phillies were rained out yesterday, so I'll use this opportunity to post on a few completely unrelated items.

The First Phillie, Heritage Edition:  I still don't know if our local Target has any Topps Heritage in stock, but fortunately my impulse purchase from Blowout Cards arrived yesterday.  Doug, Jenna and I dug into a box and Doug* was the recipient of the First Phillie card seen here - new Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg.  I'll have a more in-depth look at the Phillies cards in Topps Heritage in a future post, and I'll also be posting a want list soon as this is the first year since 2008 that we'll be trying to complete a full set.

*Truth be told, Jenna found the First Phillie, but she deftly returned the cards with Sandberg included to their wrapper and let Doug have the honors.

Green Uniforms:  The Phillies were set to wear their green uniform tops again this St. Patrick's Day, but  they were thwarted by the rain.  I hope the Phils decide to wear them anyway, even if it's a few days late.  Here's a look back at a few St. Patrick's Days from the past:

Memory Lane

2010 - Mike Schmidt and the entire 1986 team go green.

2011 - Chase Utley models the green jerseys worn during Spring Training 2006.

2012 - A smiling card of Tugger and Roy Halladay models a green jersey.

2013 - Irish Mike Ryan's 1972 Topps card and Freddy Galvis in green.

Camp Head Count:  Still at 44.  The Phillies acquired catcher Koyie Hill yesterday from the Nationals for cash or a player to be named later.  I originally thought Hill would join the ranks of non-roster invitees, but he's headed straight for minor league camp.  Hill's last major baseball card appearance came in the 2011 Topps Update set as a member of the Cubs.

For what it's worth, this time last year the Phillies were already down to just 36 players in camp.  I would expect another round of roster cuts soon.

Attention Pitchers and Catchers: REPORT

2013 Phillies Team Issue #23

2009 Topps Update #UH71 Ryne Sandberg

When I put together my recent post on the 2009 Topps Phillies cards, I failed to mention that three of the 61 variation/gimmick/short printed cards available in packs of series 1, series 2 and update were Phillies cards.  For the uninitiated, each year since 2009 Topps has included short-printed cards bearing the same number as a card in the regular sets.  The short-printed cards have most typically featured retired Hall of Famers or fan favorites, or photo variations all containing a similar theme.

For example, card #UH71 in the 2009 Topps Update set is Chase Utley's All-Star card.  However, Topps included a second #UH71 as a short-print in packs of 2009 Topps Update featuring current manager Ryne Sandberg in a photo taken before one of his 13 games with the Phillies in 1981.

I don't consider these short-printed variation cards to be part of the proper Topps base set, and I'm not going to include them in the Phillies team set tallies.  However, as a handy guide to those of us trying to track down these cards, here's a full list of Topps Phillies short-printed cards since 2009:

2009 Topps - #475 Mike Schmidt, #650 Steve Carlton and #UH71 Ryne Sandberg
2010 Topps - #409 Richie Ashburn, #US45 Steve Carlton and #US100 Robin Roberts
2011 Topps - #50 Mike Schmidt and #460 Robin Roberts
2012 Topps - #280 Ryan Howard (standing on deck)
2013 Topps - #6 Ryan Howard (signing autographs), #26 Chase Utley (signing autographs) and #US188 John Kruk

I'm still searching for the cards in red.

2013 Chachi #64 Ryne Sandberg HL

Mets 4, Phillies 3
Game 155 - Sunday Afternoon, September 22nd in Philadelphia
Record - 71-84, Tied for 3rd Place, 21 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  On the day Ryne Sandberg signed a three-year contract to manage the Phillies, his team lost 4-3, getting swept by the Mets in their final home series of 2013.

What It Means:  The game was secondary to the big news that Sandberg would officially be at the helm through the 2016 season with a team option for 2017.  His next task will be assembling a coaching staff for 2014, as it appears as if he'll go with his own guys instead of sticking with the staff cobbled together by former manager Charlie Manuel.

I'd love to see Larry Bowa back in a Phillies uniform, and I read yesterday that my all-time favorite player, Bob Dernier, could be a fit as a coach as well:

Ex-Phillie Bob Dernier along with former big leaguer, Doug Dascenzo, could be a candidate for a coaching position, too. Dernier, another former teammate of Sandberg in the Phillies’ minor-league system and with the Cubs, was Chicago’s first base coach in 2011.

What Went Wrong:  In the game itself, the Mets took the lead when Domonic Brown overran a ball in left field in the seventh inning.  Cliff Lee pitched well again, allowing three runs (two earned) in his seven innings of work, but the offense could only come up with three runs to support his effort.

Featured Card:  This will be Sandberg's third card in the 2013 Chachi set.  He first appeared as a coach on an early season card, then as an interim manager, and I thought his official appointment merited a season highlight card as well.

2013 Chachi #59 Ryne Sandberg MG

Phillies 6, Cubs 5
Game 135 - Friday Afternoon, August 30th in Chicago
Record - 62-73, Tied for 3rd Place, 20 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Interim manager Ryne Sandberg made his triumphant return to Wrigley Field yesterday afternoon and his team was kind enough to deliver a come-from-behind, 6-5 victory.

What It Means:  I heard this cool fact on the post-game show while driving home from work today.  The Phillies have won seven of their last ten, and they had to come from behind for all seven of those wins.  Glass half full - that's encouraging.  Glass half empty - the Phillies sure have been losing in a lot of ballgames lately.

What Went Right:  In the top of the ninth, Michael Young knocked in the winning run with a line drive single to right, his fourth hit of the game.  Kevin Frandsen had tied the game at 5-5 with a solo home run in the seventh.

The Phillies had to battle back from a 5-0 deficit as a result of a very shaky outing from Roy Halladay.  Halladay left after five innings having surrendered five runs on seven hits.  He also hit two batters and uncorked a wild pitch.

Featured Card:  This is the first time since I started the Chachi series of cards (back in 2005) that I've had to create two manager cards in the same year.  I could have gone with the same standard 1973 Topps manager card, featuring four of the coaches, but I already did that with Charlie Manuel's card.  So Sandberg gets a solo card, and l specifically had to make it a horizontal pose since "Interim Manager" looked really smooshed on a vertically oriented card.