Comeback Falls Short; Photo Night Highlights! (Part One)

2017 Chachi Photo Night #22

Brewers 9, Phillies 8
Game 95 - Saturday Night, July 21st in Philadelphia
Record - 33-62, 5th place, 24 1/2 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  Down 8-1 heading the bottom of the eighth, the Phillies mounted an improbable comeback but ultimately fell short in a 9-8 loss to the Brewers.

What It Means:  It was a fun few innings, but Hector Neris couldn't keep the Brewers off the board in the top of the ninth.

What Happened:  Cesar Hernandez (7) hit a three-run home run in the seventh, followed by a three-run home run from Cameron Rupp (7) in the eighth to tie it up.  Odubel Herrera went 4 for 4 with a solo home run (9) in the fifth, and an extremely impressive bat flip following a double in the second.

Jeremy Hellickson didn't improve his trade value with his shaky outing, allowing six runs on seven hits over five innings.

2017 Chachi Photo Night #3

2017 Chachi Photo Night #7

Featured Cards/Field Report:  This past December 4th, while walking around the Valley Forge baseball card show, I missed a call from Phillies broadcaster Larry Andersen.  Andersen left me a voice mail explaining I had won a prize in the early-bird season ticket holder sweepstakes (we have a partial plan), and I'd later find out that my prize was four Diamond Club tickets to a 2017 Phillies game.  My first choice for the game was the Pete Rose Wall of Fame night, but I was told no Diamond Club tickets remained for that entire weekend.  So I chose last night, Photo Night, as my second choice.

We had a blast on the field before the game getting pictures with the Phillies, and then we were lucky enough to be inside the Diamond Club when a brief tropical rainstorm passed over the area.  Similar to what I did last year (see below), I decided to make a Chachi insert set for the photos we took.  The Phillies were more than accommodating when posing for pictures and we only missed a few players.

Jenna and I felt that they were a little sped up this year due to the approaching bad weather and we missed pictures with Aaron Altherr, Ty Kelly, Cameron Perkins and Hoby Milner.  Those four players never made it to the area where we were standing.  Cesar Hernandez sped by too fast for a picture and Jeremy Hellickson understandably wasn't walking around as he was preparing for his start.

This is the first time I can remember the Phillies holding the event prior to a night game.  Both our boys have already asked if we can go back again for Photo Day/Night in 2018.

2017 Chachi Photo Night #1

2017 Chachi Photo Night #2

2017 Chachi Photo Night #4

2017 Chachi Photo Night #5

2017 Chachi Photo Night #6

2017 Chachi Photo Night #9

2017 Chachi Photo Night #10

2017 Chachi Photo Night #11

Memory Lane
1984 Phillies Photo Day
2006 Phillies Photo Day with Rick White
2007 Phillies Photo Day with Shane Victorino
2016 Phillies Photo Day - Parts One, Two and Three
2017 Phillies Photo Night

Phillies Missing Links of the 1990s - #17 Mike Robertson

#34
Michael Francis Robertson
Outfield-First Base

In an under-the-radar offseason trade, the Phillies sent the homegrown Gene Schall to the White Sox for Mike Robertson on January 31, 1997.  Schall was a year older than Robertson and the recent acquisition of Rico Brogna from the Mets meant that he'd be without a position with the big club in 1997.  Robertson was also primarily a first baseman, but he had seen some time in the outfield while moving up through the White Sox system.  In 1996, he attained career highs in home runs (21) and RBIs (74) while hitting .258 for the Nashville Sounds.

Robertson started the 1997 season with the Triple-A Red Barons, appearing in 121 games and tallying impressive numbers - .298, 12 home runs, 72 RBIs.  Terry Francona's team was mired in last place when Gregg Jefferies injured his hamstring in mid-August and Robertson got the call on August 24th.  He'd appear in 22 games through the end of the season, hitting .211 (8 for 38) with two doubles and four RBIs.  Following the season, despite his decent numbers in the minors, Robertson was let go and he'd eventually sign with the Diamondbacks.

In 1998, he appeared in 11 games with the Diamondbacks and then bounced from the Pirates to the Astros to the Braves organizations between 1999 and 2001 before retiring.

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  180
Born:  October 9, 1970, Norwich, CT
Drafted:  Drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 3rd round of the 1991 amateur player draft.
Major League Teams:  Chicago White Sox 1996; Phillies 1997; Arizona Diamondbacks 1998
Professional Affiliations:  Chicago White Sox 1991-1996; Phillies 1997; Arizona Diamondbacks 1998; Pittsburgh Pirates 1999; Houston Astros 2000; Atlanta Braves 2001

Phillies Career
22 games, .211 (8 for 38), 2 doubles, 4 RBIs
Acquired:  Acquired from the Chicago White Sox for Gene Schall, January 31, 1997.
Debut:  August 24, 1997 - Pinch-hit for Mark Parent in the eighth inning against the Dodgers, popping out to second.
Final Game:  September 28, 1997 - In the final game of the season, entered the game in the fourth inning playing first base, and went 0 for 2 with a strikeout.
Departed:  Granted free agency on October 10, 1997, and signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks, January 12, 1998.

1992 Bowman #687

1993 Upper Deck #448

1994 Bowman #43

1997 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons #18

1 Robertson Baseball Card in My Collection
1997 Best Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons #18

Other Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1992 Bowman #687
First Topps Base Card:  N/A
Last Mainstream Card:  1994 Bowman #43
Other Notable Cards:  1993 Bowman #315, 1993 Upper Deck #448, 1994 Fleer/ProCards #634

Sources:  Baseball Reference and The Trading Card Database

Phillies Missing Links of the 1990s
1 Louie Meadows
2 Dave LaPoint
3 Darrin Chapin
4 Mickey Weston
5 Bob Wells
6 Tom Edens
7 Omar Olivares

8 Kevin Elster

9 Jim Deshaies

10 Chuck Ricci
11 Dennis Springer
12 Manny Martinez
13 Rafael Quirico
14 Bronson Heflin
15 Glenn Dishman
16 Rob Butler
17 Mike Robertson
18 Matt Whiteside
19 Robert Dodd
20 Joel Bennett
21 Joe Grahe
22 Domingo Cedeno
23 Torey Lovullo

This is a continuing series looking at those players who spent time with the Phillies but possess no baseball card proof of their time in Philadelphia.  In some cases, the First and Last Mainstream cards listed above have been subjectively chosen if multiple cards were released in that year.

2017 Stadium Club Scoreless Streak #SS-AN Aaron Nola

Phillies 6, Brewers 1
Game 94 - Friday Night, July 21st in Philadelphia
Record - 33-61, 5th place, 23 1/2 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  On the second anniversary of his Major League debut, Aaron Nola easily handled the first place Brewers in this 6-1 win.

What It Means:  Nola has an ERA of 1.70 over his past six starts.  The Phillies have won three in a row.

What Happened:  Nola struck out nine and allowed a solo home run to Brett Phillips.  Pat Neshek pitched another scoreless inning, lowering his ERA to 1.14 and continuing to help his trade value. Freddy Galvis had three RBIs, including a first inning, two-run home run.  Tommy Joseph contributed a two-run double in the sixth.

Featured Card:  He's not in the midst of a scoreless streak, but this is the newest Nola baseball card in my collection.  The card pays tribute to the pitcher's 23-inning scoreless streak last season between April 22nd and May 3rd.

Transaction:  Before the game, Howie Kendrick was activated from the disabled list and Brock Stassi was optioned to Lehigh Valley.

Phillies Missing Links of the 1990s - #15 Glenn Dishman

#34
Glenelg Edward Dishman
Relief/Starting Pitcher

On September 12, 1996, with 15 games remaining in the season and the Phillies 28 games behind the Braves, the last place club selected pitcher Glenn Dishman off waivers from the Padres.  I knew very little about Dishman, but I assumed at the time the Phillies had future plans for the 25-year-old lefty. Why else would they add him to the organization with the team going nowhere and so close to the end of the season?  This reasoning probably explains why I added eight 1996 baseball cards of Dishman's to my Phillies collection following the season, having completely missed the news that he had already been claimed off waivers by the Tigers that October 3rd.

Dishman's Phillies career consisted of four games - one start and three relief appearances.  His lone start came in the final game of the 1996 season and he lasted four innings in a game the Phillies would come from behind to win against the Mets.  Dishman appeared in seven games for the 1997 Tigers and spent the next five years pitching in the Brewers' organization, for the independent Sonoma County Crushers, and in the Mexican League before retiring following the 2002 season.

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  195
Born:  November 5, 1970, Baltimore, MD
Signed:  Signed by the San Diego Padres as an amateur free agent, May 23, 1993.
Major League Teams:  San Diego Padres 1995-1996; Phillies 1996; Detroit Tigers 1997
Professional Affiliations:  San Diego Padres 1993-1996; Phillies 1996; Detroit Tigers 1997; Sonoma County Crushers (independent) 1999; Milwaukee Brewers 2000; Reynosa Broncos (Mexican League) 2001; Sonoma County Crushers (independent) 2002

Phillies Career
4 games, 0-0, 7.71 ERA, 7 innnings, 3 strikeouts
Acquired:  Selected off waivers from the San Diego Padres, September 12, 1996.
Debut:  September 17, 1996 - Pitched the ninth inning of an 11-5 loss to the Marlins, allowing a two-run home run to Edgar Renteria.
Final Game:  September 29, 1996 - Started last game of the season against the Mets, allowing four runs on seven hits over four innings.
Departed:  Selected off waivers by the Detroit Tigers, October 3, 1996.

1995 Topps Traded #107T

1996 Fleer Tiffany #564

1996 Topps #410

1998 Pacific Invincible Gems of the Diamond #46

9 Dishman Baseball Cards in My Collection
1995 Topps Traded #107T (with Rob Grable)
1996 Donruss #263
1996 Fleer #564
1996 Fleer Tiffany #564
1996 Fleer Ultra #283
1996 Stadium Club #401
1996 Topps #410
1996 Upper Deck #186
1996 Upper Deck Collector's Choice #27

Other Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1995 Upper Deck #473
First Topps Base Card:  1995 Topps Traded #107T (with Rob Grable)
Last Mainstream Card:  1998 Pacific Invincible Gems of the Diamond #46
Other Notable Cards:  1993 Classic Best Spokane Indians #1, 1995 Bowman #214

Sources:  Baseball Reference and The Trading Card Database

Phillies Missing Links of the 1990s
1 Louie Meadows
2 Dave LaPoint
3 Darrin Chapin
4 Mickey Weston
5 Bob Wells
6 Tom Edens
7 Omar Olivares

8 Kevin Elster

9 Jim Deshaies

10 Chuck Ricci
11 Dennis Springer
12 Manny Martinez
13 Rafael Quirico
14 Bronson Heflin
15 Glenn Dishman
16 Rob Butler
17 Mike Robertson
18 Matt Whiteside
19 Robert Dodd
20 Joel Bennett
21 Joe Grahe
22 Domingo Cedeno
23 Torey Lovullo

This is a continuing series looking at those players who spent time with the Phillies but possess no baseball card proof of their time in Philadelphia.  In some cases, the First and Last Mainstream cards listed above have been subjectively chosen if multiple cards were released in that year.

Series Preview - Brewers at Phillies: July 21st to July 23rd

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

Brewers 52-46, 1st Place in the N.L. Central, 1 game ahead of the Cubs
Phillies 32-61, 5th Place in the N.L. East, 24 1/2 games behind the Nationals

Brewers Probables:  Matt Garza (4-4, 3.84), Brent Suter (1-1, 3.09), Junior Guerra (1-3, 4.77)
Phillies Probables:  Aaron Nola (6-6, 3.54), Jeremy Hellickson (6-5, 4.44), Jerad Eickhoff (1-7, 4.83)

At the Ballpark:  Saturday is the annual Photo Night, with fans allowed down on the field to take pictures of the team as they leisurely stroll by.  On Sunday, all kids will receive an Odubel Herrera t-shirt.

Brewers Leaders
Average:  Travis Shaw - .295
Runs:  Eric Thames - 60
Home Runs:  Eric Thames - 23
RBIs:  Travis Shaw - 69
Stolen Bases:  Jonathan Villar - 18

Wins:  Zach Davies - 11
ERA:  Jimmy Nelson - 3.43
Strikeouts:  Jimmy Nelson - 132
Saves:  Corey Knebel - 16

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Aaron Altherr - .288
Runs:  Cesar Hernandez - 43
Home Runs:  Tommy Joseph - 15
RBIs:  Maikel Franco - 52
Stolen Bases:  Howie Kendrick - 8

Wins:  Jeremy Hellickson and Aaron Nola - 6
ERA:  Jeremy Hellickson - 4.44
Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 88
Saves:  Hector Neris - 9

1982 Topps #466

1982 Topps #487

1982 Topps Appreciation:  Here are two 1982 Topps cards of former Brewers players who also had/have Phillies connections.  Bob McClure is the team's current pitching coach, and he took place in the 1982 reunion festivities last week in Milwaukee.

Here's what I wrote about Randy Lerch's career in a series preview post from 2012:

Randy Lerch was drafted by the Phillies in 1973 and made his Major League debut at the end of the 1975 season.  Primarily a starter, Lerch's best season with the Phillies was 1978, when he hit career highs in wins (11) and strikeouts (96).  Lerch famously hit two home runs on September 30, 1978, in the division clinching game for the Phillies.  He had a decent season in 1979, going 10-13 with a 3.74 ERA in 214 innings pitched - a career high.  He was shipped to the Brewers after earning his World Series ring in 1980.  From 1981 to 1984, Lerch appeared pitched with the Brewers, Expos and Giants before making his way back to the Phillies system.  He appeared in 4 games with the 1986 Phillies before calling it a career.

Phillies Missing Links of the 1990s - #14 Bronson Heflin

#43
Bronson Wayne Heflin
Relief Pitcher

On August 1, 1996, the Phillies purchased the contracts of two players from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, adding them to the 40-man roster.  In need of a pitcher and a position player, the players purchased were prospects Scott Rolen and Bronson Heflin.  Rolen would win the Rookie of the Year Award in 1997 and go on to be a seven-time All-Star and an eight-time Gold Glove winner.  Heflin would appear in three games in relief for the Phillies, only to be optioned back to Scranton when the Phillies needed a starting pitcher and Matt Beech was recalled.  Those three games were to be the only three big league games of Heflin's professional career.

Heflin pitched in 1997 and part of 1998 in Scranton before moving on to the Cardinals and Pirates organizations along with a stint in independent ball between 1998 and 2000.  It's strange the Phillies didn't bring back Heflin for a return trip to the majors in 1997 when he appeared in 35 games for the Red Barons with an impressive 2.28 ERA.

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'3"  Weight:  195
Born:  August 29, 1971, Clarksville, TN
Drafted:  Drafted by the Phillies in the 37th round of the 1994 amateur player draft.
Major League Teams:  Phillies 1996
Professional Affiliations:  Phillies 1994-1998; St. Louis Cardinals 1998; Madison Black Wolf (independent) 1999-2000; Pittsburgh Pirates 2000

Phillies Career
3 games, 0-0, 6.75 ERA, 6 2/3 innings pitched, 4 strikeouts
Acquired:  Via draft
Debut:  August 1, 1996 (Game 2) - Pitched the eighth and ninth innings in a 7-1 loss to the Cardinals, surrendering a solo home run to Ron Gant.
Final Game:  August 7, 1996
Departed:  Left the Phillies organization at some point during the 1998 season and signed with the St. Louis Cardinals organization.

1994 Classic Batavia Clippers #6

1996 Best Reading Phillies #6

1997 Best Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons #10

1998 Q Cards Scranton/Wilkes- Barre Red Barons #15

5 Heflin Baseball Cards in My Collection
1994 Classic Batavia Clippers #6
1996 Best Reading Phillies #6
1996 Fleer Excel #203
1997 Best Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons #10
1998 Q Cards Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons #15

Other Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  N/A
First Topps Base Card:  N/A
Last Mainstream Card:  N/A
Other Notable Cards:  1995 Fleer/ProCards #212

Sources:  Baseball Reference and The Trading Card Database

Phillies Missing Links of the 1990s
1 Louie Meadows
2 Dave LaPoint
3 Darrin Chapin
4 Mickey Weston
5 Bob Wells
6 Tom Edens
7 Omar Olivares

8 Kevin Elster

9 Jim Deshaies

10 Chuck Ricci
11 Dennis Springer
12 Manny Martinez
13 Rafael Quirico
14 Bronson Heflin
15 Glenn Dishman
16 Rob Butler
17 Mike Robertson
18 Matt Whiteside
19 Robert Dodd
20 Joel Bennett
21 Joe Grahe
22 Domingo Cedeno
23 Torey Lovullo

This is a continuing series looking at those players who spent time with the Phillies but possess no baseball card proof of their time in Philadelphia.  In some cases, the First and Last Mainstream cards listed above have been subjectively chosen if multiple cards were released in that year.

2017 Stadium Club #254 Maikel Franco

Phillies 10, Marlins 3
Game 93 - Wednesday Afternoon, July 19th in Miami
Record - 32-61, 5th place

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies offense stunned the Marlins with a 20-hit performance in this 10-3 victory.

What It Means:  It's a series win!  Following a day off on Thursday, the Brewers come to town for a three-game weekend series.

What Happened:  This was a nice surprise.  Daniel Nava went 4 for 5, with Cesar Hernandez, Freddy Galvis and Tommy Joseph all having three-hit days.  Nick Williams hit a pair of triples, becoming the first Phillies rookie with two triples in a game since Jimmy Rollins did it on June 24, 2001.

Featured Card:  Maikel Franco had a pair of hits, including a two-run double off Marlins pitcher Vance Worley.  This is the newest Franco card in my collection from the just released Stadium Club.

2017 Topps Now Road to Opening Day #OD-284 Vince Velasquez

Phillies 5, Marlins 2
Game 92 - Tuesday Night, July 18th in Miami
Record - 31-61, 5th place, 25 1/2 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  Vince Velasquez returned to the pitching rotation and was aided by home runs from Maikel Franco and Nick Williams in this 5-2 win over the Marlins.

What It Means:  This was an enjoyable Phillies game, which is a true rarity these days.

What Happened:  Velasquez allowed two runs (one earned) in his six innings, recovering nicely from some early inning trouble.  Cameron Perkins tied the game twice with two separate RBI singles in the second and fourth.  Franco broke a 2-2 tie with his home run (14) in the eighth, while Williams added insurance with his two-run home run (3) in the ninth.

Featured Card:  I broke down and purchased a Topps Now Road to Opening Day set before the season started, and I've already blocked the price I paid for the set out of my mind.  Each team received a 15-card set with photos from spring training and featuring in some cases the first cards of players in their new uniforms.  As an incentive to purchasing the set, if any Phillies player throws a no-hitter or hits for the cycle this season, I'll receive a special bonus card.  The odds of this happening seem slimmer by the day.

Transaction:  Velasquez was activated off the disabled list and Mark Leiter, Jr. was optioned to Lehigh Valley.

2016 Topps Heritage Minor League 1967 Topps Stickers #7 Nick Williams

Marlins 6, Phillies 5 (10)
Game 91 - Monday Night, July 17th in Miami
Record - 30-61, 5th place, 25 1/2 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  The Phils battled back, but Dee Gordon walked it off with a game-winning single in the 10th off Mark Leiter, Jr.

What It Means:  No trades yet.  Dugout Hug Watch is in full effect.

What Happened:  Jerad Eickhoff had a few rough innings in his six-inning start, ultimately allowing five runs on six hits while striking out eight.  Nick Williams continued swinging a hot bat, collecting two more hits including a two-run double in the third.

Giancarlo Stanton (future Phillie?) had two home runs for the Marlins.

Featured Card:  Williams has been a bright spot for the Phillies the past few weeks, and here's a fun card of his from last year's Topps Heritage Minor League set.  It's not a sticker, but it pays tribute to the original 1967 Topps Stickers design.

Transaction:  Aaron Altherr's ailing hamstring was worse than originally thought and he was placed on the disable list.  Cesar Hernandez was activated, taking his place on the roster.  Hernandez returned to the lead-off spot, going 1 for 3 along with a sacrifice fly in the seventh to tie up the game.

Final 2017 Chachi Archives Cards - Hellickson & Williams

2017 Chachi Archives #17

2017 Chachi Archives #18

Phillies 5, Brewers 2
Game 90 - Sunday Afternoon, July 16th in Milwaukee
Record - 30-60, 5th place, 24 1/2 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  Nick Williams hit his first career grand slam and Jeremy Hellickson pitched well in what could one of his final starts with the Phillies (?) in this 5-2 win over the Brewers.

What It Means:  Once again, the win saved the Phils from being swept in the series and they headed to Miami following the game to open a three-game series with the Marlins.

What Happened:  Hellickson pitched five innings, allowing a two-run home run to Brett Phillips in the fifth.  Hector Neris allowed a pair of hits in the ninth but managed to record his eighth save.  The Phils scored first in the fifth when Odubel Herrera's ground rule double drove home Ty Kelly.

Featured Cards:  This should do it for the 2017 Chachi Archives insert set, unless the Phillies have another game later this year wearing throw-back uniforms.  For his efforts, Williams is the only player will two cards in the series.

Phillies Missing Links of the 1990s - #13 Rafael Quirico

#43
Rafael Octavio (Dottin) Quirico
Starting Pitcher

When starting pitcher Sid Fernandez was placed on the disabled list on June 24, 1996 with a left elbow injury and with a double header scheduled the following day, manager Jim Fregosi needed an emergency starting pitcher.  Rafael Quirico got the nod to start game one in Cincinnati, and it did not go well.  In the first inning, Quirico allowed four runs on three hits and a pair of walks.  He allowed three more runs in the second on a hit and three more walks before mercifully being pulled.  It was to be his first and last appearance in the majors.

Quirico spent nine seasons in the minors with the Yankees, Phillies and Angels organizations.

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'3"  Weight:  170
Born:  September 7, 1969, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Signed:  Signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent, May 15, 1987
Major League Teams:  Phillies 1996
Professional Affiliations:  New York Yankees 1987-1995; Phillies 1996; New York Yankees 1996; Anaheim Angels 1997

Phillies Career
1 game, 0-1, 37.80 ERA, 1 2/3 innings, 4 hits, 7 runs, 5 walks, 1 strikeout
Acquired:  Signed as a minor league free agent formerly with the New York Yankees, April 16, 1996
Debut:  June 25, 1996 - Started against the Reds, allowing a two-run home run to Bret Boone and a bases-clearing double to Eric Davis.
Final Game:  June 25, 1996
Departed:  Released, August 12, 1996 and signed back with the Yankees, August 15, 1996.

1991 ProCards #3057

1992 Upper Deck Minors #229

1994 Fleer/ProCards #2953

1996 Best Reading Phillies #11

1 Quirico Baseball Card in My Collection
First Card:  1996 Best Reading Phillies #11
Last Card:  1996 Best Reading Phillies #11

Other Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  N/A
First Topps Base Card:  N/A
Last Mainstream Card:  N/A
Other Notable Cards:  1990 ProCards #3371, 1991 ProCards #3057, 1992 Upper Deck Minors #229, 1994 Fleer/ProCards #2953, 1997 Best Midland Angels #22

Sources:  Baseball Reference and The Trading Card Database

Phillies Missing Links of the 1990s
1 Louie Meadows
2 Dave LaPoint
3 Darrin Chapin
4 Mickey Weston
5 Bob Wells
6 Tom Edens
7 Omar Olivares

8 Kevin Elster

9 Jim Deshaies

10 Chuck Ricci
11 Dennis Springer
12 Manny Martinez
13 Rafael Quirico
14 Bronson Heflin
15 Glenn Dishman
16 Rob Butler
17 Mike Robertson
18 Matt Whiteside
19 Robert Dodd
20 Joel Bennett
21 Joe Grahe
22 Domingo Cedeno
23 Torey Lovullo

This is a continuing series looking at those players who spent time with the Phillies but possess no baseball card proof of their time in Philadelphia.  In some cases, the First and Last Mainstream cards listed above have been subjectively chosen if multiple cards were released in that year.

Series Preview - Phillies at Marlins: July 17th to July 19th

Monday and Tuesday 7:10, Wednesday 12:10
Marlins Park - Miami, FL

Phillies 30-60, 5th Place in the N.L. East, 24 1/2 games behind the Nationals
Marlins 41-49, 4th Place in the N.L. East, 13 1/2 games behind the Nationals

Phillies Probables:  Jerad Eickhoff (1-7, 4.63), Vince Velasquez (2-5, 5.58), Nick Pivetta (2-5, 5.63)
Marlins Probables:  Tom Koehler (1-4, 8.00), Adam Conley (2-3, 7.53), Dan Straily (7-4, 3.32)

At the Ballpark:  It will presumably be a quiet three-game series in Miami as no giveaways are scheduled and as the Phillies try to make up some ground on the fourth place Marlins.

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Aaron Altherr - .288
Runs:  Aaron Altherr and Cesar Hernandez - 40
Home Runs:  Tommy Joseph - 15
RBIs:  Maikel Franco - 47
Stolen Bases:  Howie Kendrick - 8

Wins:  Jeremy Hellickson and Aaron Nola - 6
ERA:  Jeremy Hellickson - 4.44
Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 88
Saves:  Hector Neris - 8

Marlins Leaders
Average:  Marcell Ozuna - .317
Runs:  Giancarlo Stanton - 61
Home Runs:  Giancarlo Stanton - 26
RBIs:  Marcell Ozuna - 70
Stolen Bases:  Dee Gordon - 32

Wins:  Dan Straily and Jose Urena - 7
ERA:  Dan Straily - 3.32
Strikeouts:  Dan Straily - 98
Saves:  A.J. Ramos - 17

Gag Me with a Spoon! Phillies Continue to Lose, but Look Good Doing It

2017 Chachi Archives #15

2017 Chachi Archives #16

Brewers 3, Phillies 2
Game 89 - Saturday Night, July 15th in Milwaukee
Record - 29-60, 5th place, 24 1/2 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  Aaron Nola turned in another solid outing and Odubel Herrera stayed hot, but Joaquin Benoit surrendered a go-ahead home run to Travis Shaw in the eighth as the Brewers won, 3-2.

What It Means:  Something's got to give.  I'm actively rooting for the Phillies to complete a massive amount of trades in the coming weeks if for no other reason than it will give us some new players to watch.  The current crop does not play very good baseball.

What Happened:  Nola struck out seven in his six innings of work, allowing two runs on seven hits. Pat Neshek pitched another scoreless inning, dropping his ERA to 1.24.  Benoit dropped to 1-4.

Herrera had a pair of extra-base hits - a solo home run (8) in the seventh and a two-out double in the ninth.  He'd be stranded at second when Cameron Rupp struck out to end the ballgame.

Featured Cards:  The Phillies wore their awesome baby blue throw-back road uniforms again, allowing me to add a few more cards to the limited edition Chachi Archives set.  Phillies pitching coach Bob McClure posed pre-game with his former Brewers teammates, Rollie Fingers and Pete Vuckovich.

Totally Awesome! 2017 Chachi Archives Continues!

2017 Chachi Archives #12

2017 Chachi Archives #13

2017 Chachi Archives #14

Brewers 9, Phillies 6
Game 88 - Friday Night, July 14th in Milwaukee
Record - 29-59, 5th place, 23 1/2 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  Nick Pivetta suffered though an 8-run second inning as the Brewers demolished the Phillies, 9-6.

What It Means:  This game actually could have been a lot uglier as the first place Brewers are one of the better hitting teams in baseball.

What Happened:  The Phillies scored two quick runs in the first, and for a brief moment it seemed as if the second half of the season would be different.  And then the bottom of the second arrived. Pivetta ended up throwing five innings, allowing nine runs on seven hits, including two home runs in the second - a three-run home run to Orlando Arcia and a grand slam to Ryan Braun.

Odubel Herrera hit a two-run home run in the sixth.  Aaron Altherr, the team's best and hottest hitter, left the game in the fifth inning after injuring his hamstring running out a double.

Featured Cards:  The Brewers are celebrating their championship 1982 season all weekend and both teams are wearing throw-back uniforms.  This gives me a chance to expand the Chachi Archives set with three more cards and I'll add more throughout the weekend if good pictures are available.

I would be one happy fan if the Phillies went back to the baby blue road jerseys full time.

Series Preview - Phillies at Brewers: July 14th to July 16th

Friday 8:10, Saturday 7:10 and Sunday 2:10
Miller Park - Milwaukee, WI

Phillies 29-58, 5th Place in the N.L. East, 22 1/2 games behind the Nationals
Brewers 50-41, 1st Place in the N.L. Central, 5 1/2 games ahead of the Cardinals and Cubs

Phillies Probables:  Nick Pivetta (2-4, 4.73), Aaron Nola (6-6, 3.59), Jeremy Hellickson (5-5, 4.49)
Brewers Probables:  Zach Davies (10-4, 4.90), Jimmy Nelson (8-4, 3.30), Matt Garza (4-4, 3.98)

At the Ballpark:  The Phillies are lucky enough to be in town while the Brewers are celebrating their 1982 American League Championship year.  Both teams will wear throw-back jerseys tonight and the first 20,000 fans will receive a Paul Molitor replica jersey.  On Saturday, there will be a pregame ceremony honoring the 1982 Brewers team which will include former Phillies Don Money and Larry Hisle.

Finally on Sunday, all fans with receive a 1982 A.L. Championship replica ring.

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Aaron Altherr - .284
Runs:  Cesar Hernandez - 40
Home Runs:  Tommy Joseph - 15
RBIs:  Maikel Franco - 45
Stolen Bases:  Howie Kendrick - 8

Wins:  Aaron Nola - 6
ERA:  Jeremy Hellickson - 4.49
Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 81
Saves:  Hector Neris - 7

Brewers Leaders
Average:  Travis Shaw - .299
Runs:  Eric Thames - 58
Home Runs:  Eric Thames - 23
RBIs:  Travis Shaw - 65
Stolen Bases:  Keon Broxton - 17

Wins:  Zach Davies - 10
ERA:  Jimmy Nelson - 3.30
Strikeouts:  Jimmy Nelson - 118
Saves:  Corey Knebel - 14

1982 Topps #93

1982 Topps #709

1982 Topps Appreciation:  As mentioned above, two former Phillies will be on-hand this weekend to help the Brewers celebrate the 35th anniversary of their last trip to the World Series.  Both Hisle (1968-1971) and Money (1968-1972) started their careers with the Phillies and they'd both go on to find greater success in the American League.  Here's what I wrote about the duo in a Brewers series preview post from 2012:

Larry Hisle came up with the Phillies in 1968 and appeared in 314 games with the club between 1968 and 1971.  His production from a successful 1969 season (.266, 20 home runs, 56 RBIs) significantly tailed off the next two years and the Phils traded him away to the Dodgers following the 1971 season for Tommy Hutton.  Hisle spent 1972 with the Dodgers top farm club and then bounced from the Cardinals to the Twins prior to the 1973 campaign.  He found success in the American League, serving primarily as a DH for the Twins (1973-1977) and Brewers (1978-1982). 

Don Money was Hisle's teammate first in Philly and then with the Brewers.  Originally a shortstop, the Phils moved him to third base to make room for rookie Larry Bowa in 1970.  He was dealt to the Brewers following the 1972 season to make room for rookie Mike Schmidt.  With the Brewers between  1973 and 1983, Money was named to four All-Star teams and he earned the nickname "Brooks" for his fine defense.  Over his 16-year career, he tallied 176 home runs.