2011 Chachi #11 Ross Gload

#7

Ross Peter Gload

1st Base - Outfield

Bats: Left  Throws: Left  Height: 6'1"  Weight: 190

Born: April 5, 1976, Brooklyn, NY

Home: East Hampton, NY

Drafted: Selected by Florida Marlins in 13th round of June 1997 draft

Teams: Chicago Cubs 2000, Colorado Rockies 2002, Chicago White Sox 2004-2006, Kansas City Royals 2007-2008, Florida Marlins 2009, Phillies 2010-

Acquired: Signed as a free agent formerly with the Florida Marlins, December 16, 2009

Contract Status: Signed through the 2011 season

Complete Topps Base Set Checklist:

2005 Topps #468 - White Sox

2008 Topps #196 - Royals

2009 Topps #163 - Royals

2009 Topps Update #UH291 - Marlins

2011 Chachi #10 Brian Schneider

#23

Brian Duncan Schneider

Catcher

Bats: Left  Throws: Right  Height: 6'1"  Weight: 210

Born: November 26, 1976, Jacksonville, FL

Home: Palm Beach Gardens, FL

Drafted: Selected by Montreal Expos in 5th round of June 1995 draft

Teams: Montreal Expos 2000-2004, Washington Nationals 2005-2007, New York Mets 2008-2009, Phillies 2010-

Acquired: Signed as a free agent formerly with the New York Mets, December 1, 2009

Contract Status: Signed through the 2011 season

Complete Topps Base Set Checklist:

1995 Topps Traded #122T - Expos - Prospects (with Mark Sweeney, George Arias and Richie Sexson)

2001 Topps Traded #T142 - Expos - Prospects (with Mark Sweeney, George Arias and Richie Sexson)

2005 Topps #449 - Nationals

2006 Topps #393 - Nationals

2007 Topps #214 - Nationals

2008 Topps #471 - Mets

2009 Topps #654 - Mets

2011 Chachi #9 Roy Halladay

#34

Harry Leroy Halladay III

Starting Pitcher

Bats: Right  Throws: Right  Height: 6'6"  Weight: 230

Born: May 14, 1977, Denver, CO

Home: Odessa, FL

Drafted: Selected by Toronto Blue Jays in 1st round of June 1995 draft

Teams: Toronto Blue Jays 1998-2009, Phillies 2010-

Acquired: Acquired from Toronto Blue Jays for Kyle Drabek, Michael Taylor and Travis d'Arnaud, December 16, 2009

Contract Status: Signed through the 2013 season, with a vesting option for 2014

Complete Topps Base Set Checklist:

1998 Topps #264 - Blue Jays - Prospects (with Matt Clement and Brian Fuentes)

1999 Topps #331 - Blue Jays

2000 Topps #186 - Blue Jays

2001 Topps #185 - Blue Jays

2003 Topps #103 - Blue Jays

2004 Topps #209 - Blue Jays

2004 Topps #342 - Blue Jays - Strikeout Leaders (with Esteban Loaiza and Pedro Martinez)

2004 Topps #364 - Blue Jays - All-Star

2004 Topps #714 - Blue Jays - American League Cy Young

2005 Topps #19 - Blue Jays

2006 Topps #401 - Blue Jays

2006 Topps Update #207 - Blue Jays - ERA Leaders (with Johan Santana and C.C. Sabathia)

2006 Topps Update #261 - Blue Jays - All-Star

2006 Topps Update #309 - Blue Jays - Team Leaders (with Vernon Wells)

2007 Topps #180 - Blue Jays

2008 Topps #230 - Blue Jays

2008 Topps Update #UH56 - Blue Jays - All-Star

2009 Topps #155 - Blue Jays

2009 Topps #221 - Blue Jays - ERA Leaders (with Cliff Lee and Daisuke Matsuzaka)

2009 Topps #307 - Blue Jays - Strikeout Leaders (with A.J. Burnett and Ervin Santana)

2009 Topps Update #UH198 - Blue Jays - All-Star

2010 Topps #200 - Blue Jays

2010 Topps #203 - Blue Jays - ERA Leaders (with Zack Greinke and Felix Hernandez)

2010 Topps Update #US30 - Phillies - All-Star

2010 Topps Update #US100 - Phillies

2011 Topps #11 - Phillies - Victory Leaders (with Adam Wainwright and Ubaldo Jimenez)

2011 Topps #82 - Phillies - ERA Leaders (with Josh Johnson and Adam Wainwright)

2011 Topps #146 - Phillies - National League Cy Young

2011 Topps #300 - Phillies

Brewers at Phillies: April 18th through April 20th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
Monday and Tuesday 7:05, Wednesday 1:05

Records: Brewers 7-8, Tied for 3rd Place in N.L. Central, 2 games behind the Reds; Phillies 10-4, 1st Place in N.L. East, 2 games ahead of the Marlins

First Game: The Brewers' final year in the American League was in 1997, which was also the first year of Interleague Play. The Phillies and Brewers didn't meet up in 1997, but the Brew Crew switched over to the National League for the 1998 campaign. The teams met for the first time on July 3, 1998 at Veterans Stadium, with the Phils winning, 2-0. Curt Schilling, Wayne Gomes, Yorkis Perez and closer Mark Leiter (!) combined for the six-hit shutout against the Brewers. Both Phillies runs came in the second when Doug Glanville's two-run single brought home Bobby Abreu and Mark Lewis.

The Brew Crew: Manager - Former Phillie Ron Roenicke is in his first season as manager
Starters - Wil Nieves (c), Prince Fielder (1b), Rickie Weeks (2b), Casey McGehee (3b), Yuniesky Betancourt (ss), Ryan Braun (lf), Carlos Gomez (cf), Mark Kotsay (rf)
Rotation - Yovani Gallardo (rhp), Shaun Marcum (rhp), Randy Wolf (lhp), Chris Narveson (lhp), Marco Estrada (rhp)
Bench - George Kottaras (c), Johnathan Lucroy (c), Erick Almonte (inf), Craig Counsell (inf), Nyjer Morgan (of)
Closer - John Axford (rhp)
Bullpen - Zach Braddock (lhp), Sean Green (rhp), Brandon Kintzler (rhp), Kameron Loe (rhp), Sergio Mitre (rhp), Mitch Stetter (lhp)
Disabled List - Zack Greinke (rhp), Corey Hart (of), LaTroy Hawkins (rhp), Manny Parra (lhp), Takashi Saito (rhp)

At the Ballpark:  Tonight is the first Hatfield Phillies Franks Dollar Dog Night of the year.

Bonus Flashback Sticker:  Since the debut of my custom Fleer stickers in my series preview posts, I've been exchanging e-mails with Jon (aka Fleer Fan), of the fabulous The Fleer Sticker Project.  In one of his e-mails, amongst the mutual appreciation for our extensive Beatles bootlegs collections, Jon asked if I took requests for custom Fleer hat stickers.  Presented here is one of his requests - the 1969 Seattle Pilots' hat from their one and only year as a Major League team.  Following the 1969 season, Bud Selig bought the team and moved the franchise to Milwaukee.

Brewers Probables: Shaun Marcum, Randy Wolf, Chris Narveson
Phillies Probables: Joe Blanton, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee

2011 Topps #267 Jose Contreras

Phillies 3, Marlins 2
Game 14 - Sunday Afternoon, April 17th in Philadelphia

One Sentence Summary:  Ryan Howard scored the go-ahead run on a Carlos Ruiz sacrifice fly in the eighth before Jose Contreras wriggled out of trouble in the ninth, closing out the game for the Phils.

What It Means:  Following last night's rain-out, the Phillies split the abbreviated series with the Fish.  They're now 10-4, with a two game lead in the N.L. East.  The 7-8 Brewers come into town tomorrow night for a three-game set.

What Went Right:  Cole Hamels pitched seven strong innings, but he left the game with the score tied, putting him out of contention for the win.  He allowed seven hits while striking out seven.

The Phils got on the board first with a first inning solo home run from Placido Polanco.  Polanco had three hits on the day, raising his average to .327.  Later in the first, Raul Ibanez drove home Jimmy Rollins with an RBI-single.

In the eighth, Howard reached on an error by left fielder Logan Morrison.  He'd eventually come around to score the winning run on Chooch's sac fly.  Despite walking two men in the ninth, Contreras held the Marlins scoreless and secured his third save of the season.

Featured Card:  He threw almost as many balls as strikes, but Contreras managed to escape his own self-created jam to seal the victory.  This is Big Truck's first Topps base card since 2009, when he was with the White Sox.

Other Stuff:  This is my last "live" game summary post for a few nights due to my work schedule.  The Phillies Room will be on auto-pilot for a little bit, as I've scheduled series preview posts in advance.  I've also scheduled the posting of 2011 Chachi cards #9 through #15 throughout the week.  Go Phils!

1964 Topps Phillies

1964 Topps #135, #265, #208 and #157

The Phillies were supposed to go to the World Series in 1964.  Tickets and programs had been printed.  But with 12 games to play and a 6 1/2 game lead in the National League - they blew it.  I've been told grown men broke down in tears the day the Phils were officially eliminated from postseason play.  Growing up, I remember hearing the "grown ups" talk about the '64 season in hushed voices, always melancholy.  Although I've suffered through years of futility, I won't pretend to understand the heartache and massive disappointment that must have been felt by the Phillies and their fans in 1964.

The Set

1964 Topps #265 (Back)

Number of cards in the set:  There are 587 cards in a complete set.

My very brief thoughts on the set:  There are a few notable Phillies cards in the set, but overall, it's probably one of my least favorite Topps sets of the decade.  This could be because of the drab design, or it could be just because I associate the year 1964 with bad things happening for the Phillies.

Notable competition:  With their suit against Fleer in 1963, Topps effectively stopped all competitors for the foreseeable future.  A few Phillies can be found in the Wheaties Stamps set.  Topps released a number of specialty sets in 1964 including Topps Coins, Topps Giants (postcard-size cards), Topps Tattoos and Topps Stand-Ups.

1964 Phillies

Record and finish:  92-70, one agonizing game behind the Cardinals in the National League, and tied for second place with the Reds.

Key players:  Right fielder Johnny Callison (.274, 31 home runs and 104 RBIs), newly anointed third baseman Richie Allen (.318, 29 home runs and 91 RBIs) and left fielder Wes Covington (.280, 13 home runs and 58 RBIs) paced the offense.  Jim Bunning, acquired in an off-season trade with the Tigers, was the ace of the pitching staff, going 19-8 with a 2.63 ERA and 13 complete games.  Chris Short was right behind him with a 17-9 record, a 2.20 ERA and 12 complete games.  Jack Baldschun saved 21 games for the club.

1964 Topps #191, #43, #83 and #347

Key events:  The Phillies traded third baseman Don Demeter and pitcher Jack Hamilton to the Tigers in December 1963 for Bunning and catcher Gus Triandos, necessitating the move to third by Allen.  Although Allen led the league with 41 errors, his 29 home runs set the Phillies rookie home run record.  On Father's Day 1964, Bunning threw the seventh perfect game in Major League history against the New York Mets.  The Phils acquired Frank Thomas in August from the Mets, and the slugger had 26 RBIs in 34 games before breaking his thumb.  The Phils then acquired Vic Power from the Angels to replace Thomas, but Power struggled at the plate against his first taste of National League pitching.

1964 Phillies in 1964 Topps

Cards needed for a complete team set:  There are 27 Phillies baseball cards in a 1964 Topps team set.  We're up to 148 Phillies Topps cards from the '60s and 321 Phillies Topps cards overall.

Who’s in:  21 of the 27 cards feature players who suited up with the Phillies in 1964.  Three of the five remaining cards are multi-player "Rookie Stars" cards.  The last three cards are a manager card for Gene Mauch, a card for minor leaguer Paul Brown and a team card.

1964 Topps #243

Who’s out: It's the same annual story for Short, as he'd need to wait three more years for his first Topps card.  Back-up left fielder Alex Johnson got left out too, despite appearing in 43 games and hitting .303 with four home runs.

Phillies on other teams:  Thomas (#345 with the Mets) and Power (#355 with the Twins) are featured with their former teams.  Reliever Ed Roebuck (#187 with Senators) appeared in 60 games with the '64 Phillies after being purchased from Washington.  And long-time Philadelphia Athletic Bobby Shantz (#278 with Cardinals) wrapped up his 16-year career with 14 games with the Phillies after being purchased from the Cubs in August.

What’s he doing here:  Brown appears on card #319, despite spending the entire season in AAA Arkansas.  Don't be fooled by Demeter's card (#58).  It's a Tigers card, even though he's clearly sporting a Phillies uniform.

Cards that never were candidates:  Short and Johnson.  And it would be cool to give Shantz and Power their first and only Phillies cards.  (Both appeared in the Philadelphia Bulletin set, included as 8" x 10" inserts in the newspaper.)

2001 Topps Archives #44

Favorite Phillies card:  The season ended on a sour note, but the future looked bright, especially with Allen in the fold.  His rookie card is #243 in the set, and he shares it with John Hernnstein.  Hernnstein, you may recall, also made a cameo on Willie Stargell's rookie card in the 1963 Topps set.  Sadly, Hernnstein is nowhere to be found on Allen's 2001 Topps Archives card.

Other Stuff

Recycled:  There haven't been many Topps cards in recent years to re-use the 1964 Topps design.  But just wait until 2013, when the design should appear in that year's Topps Heritage set.

Blogs/Websites:  I spent close to an hour going through past posts on The 1964 Topps Blog.  The proprietor of the blog is 255 cards away from having a complete 587-card set.

Did You Know?:  I'm amazed this is the first time I've ever featured a Jim Bunning baseball card on the blog.

2010 Chachi #51 Nate Robertson

With tonight's game against the Marlins postponed due to rain, I thought it was a perfect time to post Nate Robertson's long lost 2010 Chachi card.  If you're keeping score at home, I've almost posted all the cards from this set after taking a computer-issue mandated hiatus.

First, a little history from a September 2010 post on Robertson's season before landing with the Phillies as a free agent on August 24th:

The Phils also recalled pitcher Mike Zagurski from Lehigh Valley today and selected the contract of pitcher Nate Robertson - both leftys. The Phillies are Robertson's 4th organization this year. Late in Spring Training, the Tigers (with whom he pitched for 7 seasons) traded him to the Marlins. He started 18 games for the Marlins going 6-8 with a 5.47 ERA and earning his release on July 27th. (Interestingly enough, his best start of the season came against the Phillies on April 18th, when he pitched 6.1 innings of shutout ball for the win.) The Cardinals signed him to a minor league deal, but it included an opt-out clause if Robertson wasn't with the big club by August 23rd. He wasn't, the Cardinals released him and he signed with the Phillies. He's expected to pitch middle relief for the Phils down the stretch and he'll be card #51 in this year's Chachi set.

I wrote that on the morning of September 6, 2010, and here's what transpired over the next three days:

September 6 - In Game 1 of a double header against the Marlins, Robertson entered with two outs in the ninth inning with the Marlins holding a 6-1 lead and runners on first and third.  He allowed an infield single (plating the Marlins' seventh run) and then got catcher Brad Davis to fly out to deep center.

September 8 - Again facing the Marlins, Robertson allowed six runs on four hits (including a home run and a double) and two walks.  He recorded just two outs before Charlie Manuel mercifully took the ball from him.

September 9 - Robertson was designated for assignment and his 2010 season was over.

In January, he signed with the Seattle Mariners.  He underwent surgery in March to remove loose bodies from his pitching elbow and the Mariners expect him to be ready to go by June.

Without going too far out on a limb, I'd wager this could be Robertson's one and only baseball card with the Phillies, albeit a virtual one.

2011 Chachi #8 Wilson Valdez

#21

Wilson Antonio Valdez

Second Base

Bats: Right  Throws: Right  Height: 5'11"  Weight: 170

Born: May 20, 1978, Bani, DR

Home: Bani, DR

Signed: Signed by the Montreal Expos as an amateur free agent, February 3, 1997

Teams: Chicago White Sox 2004, Seattle Mariners 2005, San Diego Padres 2005, Los Angeles Dodgers 2007, New York Mets 2009, Phillies 2010-

Acquired: Signed as a minor league free agent, formerly with the New York Mets

Contract Status: Pre-arbitration eligible

Complete Topps Base Set Checklist:

2009 Topps Update #UH158 - Mets

1982 Fleer Stickers - Phillies Hat

The Phillies Room recently made a few cameos across the blogoverse.

First, Section 36 featured a few pictures I took during a recent Phillies game.  If you happen to have a Section 36 in your home team's ballpark, please take a few pictures from the section and send them along.  Citizens Bank Park has no Section 36, so I did the best I could.  Also, if you happen to find the Red Sox' offense, please drop Section 36 a note as well.  It's been missing for a few weeks.

The Fleer Sticker Project ran a post yesterday highlighting some of the custom Fleer hat stickers I've created for my series preview posts.  Also featured was a selection of Chachi cards from yesteryear.  I must have obtained the Phillies hat sticker featured here recently, because I know the first time I owned this sticker, I stuck it on my third grade trapper keeper.

Please check out both of these excellent blogs, and tell them Jim sent you.

2008 Chachi #46 Greg Dobbs RB

Marlins 4, Phillies 3
Game 13 - Friday Night, April 15th in Philadelphia

One Sentence Summary:  Greg Dobbs punished his former team with a two-run pinch-single in the seventh, after Roy Oswalt's strained lower back forced his departure from the game and forced the entrance of a rusty bullpen.

What It Means:  If you want to beat the Phillies, sign one of their former players.  The Phillies fell to 9-4 and two of their four losses have featured key hits from former players - Dobbs tonight and Jayson Werth on Tuesday night.  The Phils maintain a one game lead over the Marlins in the N.L. East and they'll send Cole Hamels to the mound tomorrow night.

What Went Wrong:  Never mind the loss, Oswalt's back injury could be the biggest blow of the night.  He appeared to have injured himself running out a bunt fielder's choice in the bottom of the sixth.  He's suffered from back problems before, and he's been on the twice with the same ailment - once in 2006 and again in 2009.  Both occurrences landed him on the 15-day DL.

After Oswalt was forced from the game, the bullpen couldn't get the job done.  J.C. Romero and Danys Baez combined to record one out while allowing three hits, a walk and two runs.

Featured Card:  On August 10, 2008, Dobbs' 21st pinch-hit of the 2008 season set the Phillies single season pinch-hit record, breaking the 95-year-old record set by Roy Miller in 1913.  This was back when I liked it when Dobbs got pinch-hits.

Field Report:  My record fell to 2-1 in games I've attended this year.  Jenna and I went with the chicken tenders and fries at the ballpark, mixing it up a little from the usual fare.  We also checked out the life-size Jackie Robinson statue on display in Ashburn Alley, carved completely out of wood (click to enlarge).  Both teams wore Robinson's #42 in honor of the baseball (and American) pioneer.

Marlins at Phillies: April 15th through April 17th

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

Records: Marlins 7-5, 2nd Place in N.L. East (2 games behind the Phillies); Phillies 9-3, 1st Place in N.L. East (2 games ahead of the Marlins)

First Game: The Phillies got their first look at the expansion Florida Marlins on May 17, 1993 at Joe Robbie Stadium. The Phillies defeated the teal wonders by a score of 10-3 behind the offense of John Kruk, who went 5 for 6 with three runs scored and two RBIs. The Phillies roughed up Marlins' starter Charlie Hough in the victory and Ben Rivera took the win for the Phils.

Meet the Marlins: Manager - Edwin Rodriguez, named manager on June 23, 2010
Starters - John Buck (c), Gaby Sanchez (1b), Omar Infante (2b), Donnie Murphy (3b), Hanley Ramirez (ss), Logan Morrison (lf), Chris Coghlan (cf), Mike Stanton (rf)
Rotation - Josh Johnson (rhp), Ricky Nolasco (rhp), Javier Vazquez (rhp), Anibal Sanchez (rhp), Chris Volstad (rhp)
Bench - Brett Hayes (c), Greg Dobbs (inf), Wes Helms (inf), Emilio Bonifacio (of), Scott Cousins (of)
Closer - Leo Nunez (rhp)
Bullpen - Randy Choate (lhp), Michael Dunn (lhp), Clay Hensley (rhp), Edward Mujica (rhp), Brian Sanches (rhp), Ryan Webb (rhp)
Disabled List - John Baker (c)

At the Ballpark:  Tonight is the annual Jackie Robinson Salute and similar to prior years, all Phillies will take the field wearing Robinson's #42.  Sunday is the Phanatic's Birthday party with Phanatic t-shirts for all children 14 years and younger.

Marlins Probables: Javier Vazquez, Anibal Sanchez, Chris Volstad
Phillies Probables: Roy Oswalt, Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton

2011 Topps Heritage #227 Cliff Lee

Phillies 4, Nationals 0
Game 12 - Thursday Night, April 14th in Washington

One Sentence Summary:  Holy crap, Cliff Lee is good.

What It Means:  The Phillies have played four series this season, and they've won them all.  They'll take a 9-3 record back home to face the second place Marlins in a weekend series.

What Went Right:  I love listening to the Phillies on the radio when the team is going good.  Larry Andersen just spends half the game in a state of perpetual giggling.  It's contagious, and I found myself, especially after one of Lee's dominating 12 strikeouts, giggling along with him.  Lee bounced back from his shaky Friday night start against the Braves to put on a pitching clinic against the Nationals.  He allowed three hits while walking just one in the complete game shutout.

Nationals starter Jordan Zimmermann was perfect through the first five innings before Carlos Ruiz led off the top of the sixth with a home run to left.  The Phils tacked on three more runs, but really, Lee just needed the one.  Jimmy Rollins hit an RBI-single in the eighth for his first RBI of 2011.

Featured Card:  If not for the too perfect Photoshop'd "P" on Lee's hat, this card could easily pass as one of the originals from 1962.  In the spirit of the original set, Topps didn't try to cover up Lee's Rangers jersey and the slightly askew angle of the portrait is also reminiscent of some of the originals.

Other Stuff:  Chase Utley began a running program today, marking a significant milestone in his knee rehab progress . . . Jayson Werth made the last out of the game, grounding out to Rollins.  He finished the series 3 for 11 against his former team, with a home run and four strikeouts . . . The last time two Phillies pitchers won back-to-back complete games was in May 1999 when Paul Byrd and Curt Schilling did it against the Cardinals.  Chad Ogea ruined the streak by getting knocked out by the Mets in the fifth inning in the game after Schilling's CG.

2011 Chachi #7 Carlos Ruiz

#51

Carlos Joaquin Ruiz

Catcher

Bats: Right  Throws: Right  Height: 5'10"  Weight: 206

Born: January 22, 1979, David Chiriqui, Panama

Home: David Chiriqui, Panama

Signed: Signed as an amateur free agent, December 4, 1998

Teams: Phillies 2006-

Acquired: Via free agency

Contract Status: Signed through the 2012 season

Complete Topps Base Set Checklist:

2007 Topps Update #99 - Phillies

2008 Topps #281 - Phillies

2009 Topps #397 - Phillies

2010 Topps #122 - Phillies

2011 Topps #219 - Phillies

2011 Topps Opening Day #120 Roy Halladay

Phillies 3, Nationals 2
Game 11 - Wednesday Night, April 13th in Washington

One Sentence Summary:  Roy Halladay gutted out the complete game victory over the Nationals, striking out the side to escape ninth inning trouble.

What It Means:  Halladay won his second game of the year, even though his ERA increased to 1.23.  It was his 59th career complete game.  The Phillies are now 8-3, and they'll go for the series win tomorrow night behind Cliff Lee.

What Went Right:  Halladay was outstanding.  He allowed six hits over all, but four of those hits came in the ninth inning.  Prior to that, the only hits from the Nationals were two singles from Adam LaRoche.  He struck out nine during his 123-pitch performance.

The Phils scratched out their first run in the fourth after Jimmy Rollins reached on an error and then went first to third on a Ryan Howard ground-out.  He came in to score when Ben Francisco grounded out.  They plated two more in the fifth on a Placido Polanco RBI-single and a bases-loaded hit by pitch with Howard as the recipient.

Featured Card:  It's Opening Weekend for the Nationals, so it's still technically within reason to use Halladay's Topps Opening Day card.  Poor Topps Opening Day.  It's been out less than two months, and I'm kind of already bored with it.

Other Stuff:  We still miss you, Harry.

2011 Chachi #6 Ben Francisco

#10

Louis Ben Francisco

Right Field

Bats: Right  Throws: Right  Height: 6'1"  Weight: 192

Born: October 23, 1981, Santa Ana, CA

Home: Anaheim, CA

Drafted: Selected by Cleveland Indians in 5th round of June 2002 draft

Teams: Cleveland Indians 2007-2009, Phillies 2009-

Acquired: Acquired from the Cleveland Indians with Cliff Lee for Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald, Jason Knapp and Lou Marson, July 29, 2009

Contract Status: Signed through the 2011 season, arbitration eligible for 2012

Complete Topps Base Set Checklist:

2003 Topps Traded #T202 - Indians

2008 Topps Update #UH305 - Indians

2009 Topps #624 - Indians

2009 Topps Update #UH203 - Phillies

2010 Topps #630 - Phillies

2011 Topps Heritage Clubhouse Collection #CCR-JW Jayson Werth

Nationals 7, Phillies 4
Game 10 - Tuesday Night, April 12th in Washington

One Sentence Summary:  Joe Blanton continued his '11 struggles as old friend Jayson Werth helped the Nationals defeat the Phillies, 7-4.

What It Means:  The Phillies are now 7-3 with a two game division lead over both the Marlins and the Nationals.  They're now 2-2 on the road.  Roy Halladay will try to turn things around today, as long as the rain stays away.

What Went Wrong:  Werth hurt his old team.  He doubled and homered off Blanton, and he scored twice.  Blanton allowed five runs on seven hits in his six innings of work, and he's the owner of a 10.45 ERA after two starts this year.

I don't think it mattered in the final outcome, but the umpires blew a call in the fourth when Jimmy Rollins was "tagged" with Ian Desmond's glove following a sharp grounder to Desmond from Ryan Howard.  Problem was, the ball was actually in Desmond's hand.  The ump ruled Rollins out and a rally was thwarted.

Nationals starter Livan Hernandez kept the offense off-balance and it was nice to see him exit in the seventh inning.  The Phils tried to start rallies in the seventh and eighth innings, but both fizzled and the bases were left loaded at the end of both innings.

What Went Right:  Howard hit his third home run of the year in the second.

Featured Card:  This is perhaps Werth's last baseball card as a Phillie, released in February with the Topps Heritage set.  Topps Photoshop'd Werth into a Nationals uniform for his Heritage base set card, but he remained with the Phillies for this card, featuring a piece of game-used bat.

Other Stuff:  Most of the talk during and after the game was Charlie Manuel's use of right-handed John Mayberry, Jr. to pinch-hit in the seventh inning, even though left-handed Ross Gload was available to face the righty Hernandez.  Gload  had faced Hernandez previously and had two hits off him.  With the bases loaded, Mayberry struck out and armchair managers across the region (myself included) remain puzzled at Manuel's choice.

Phillies at Nationals: April 12th through April 14th

Nationals Park - Washington, DC
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 7:05

Records: Phillies 7-2, 1st Place in N.L. East (2 games ahead of the Marlins); Nationals 4-5, 3rd Place in N.L. East (3 games behind the Phillies)

First Game: On April 17, 1969, Montreal Expos pitcher Bill Stoneman pitched a no-hitter against the Phillies at Connie Mack Stadium. Stoneman walked five and struck out eight during his gem. Jerry Johnson took the loss for the Phillies as both Rusty Staub and Coco Laboy had four hits apiece for the Expos. There were just 6,496 paying fans in attendance that day to watch Bob Skinner’s Phillies team get embarrassed by Gene Mauch’s expansion team.

Know Your Nationals: Manager - Jim Riggleman took over the team on July 14, 2009
Starters - Ivan Rodriguez (c), Adam LaRoche (1b), Danny Espinosa (2b), Alex Cora (3b), Ian Desmond (ss), Mike Morse (lf), Rick Ankiel (cf), Jayson Werth (rf)
Rotation - Livan Hernandez (rhp), John Lannan (lhp), Jordan Zimmermann (rhp), Jason Marquis (rhp), Tom Gorzelanny (lhp)
Bench - Jesus Flores (c), Wilson Ramos (c), Jerry Hairston (inf), Laynce Nix (of), Matt Stairs (of)
Closer - Drew Storen (rhp)
Bullpen - Brian Broderick (rhp), Sean Burnett (lhp), Tyler Clippard (rhp), Todd Coffey (rhp), Chad Gaudin (rhp), Doug Slaten (lhp)
Disabled List - Elvin Ramirez (rhp), Henry Rodriguez (rhp), Stephen Strasburg (rhp), Chien-Ming Wang (rhp), Ryan Zimmerman (3b)

At the Ballpark:  It's the Nationals' 2011 home opener today.  Other than that, I'm a little shocked the team has absolutely no promotions scheduled during the Phillies three-game visit.  Werth's contract must have absorbed a lot of the stadium give-away and fan promotion budget.

Phillies Probables: Joe Blanton, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee
Nationals Probables: Livan Hernandez, John Lannan, Jordan Zimmermann

2011 Topps Heritage '62 Mint #62M-JM Jamie Moyer

Got it!

There are very few premium/hit/mojo baseball cards that come out these days that make me pause upon first glance and say, "I have to have that card."  However, that's what I said when I first saw a picture of this Jamie Moyer insert card from the 2011 Topps Heritage set.  The '62 Mint inserts are considered case "hits" with odds of finding one at 1 per 273 packs.

Thanks to the wonders of the interweb and online auctions, I recently added this card to my collection.  The card is as thick as eight normal baseball cards, as there's an honest-to-goodness 1962 copper penny embedded within the cardboard, held in place with clear plastic.

I had actually avoided a few of the other online auctions selling this card as the penny was upside down in the sellers' scans of the card.  However, and just between you and me, the penny moves around a little.  When I first pulled the card from its bubblelope, Honest Abe was laying on his back, looking skyward.  A little coaxing got him back to a more dignified position.

Glad to see Topps getting creative with this card, and I'm happy to add it to my collection.

2011 Chachi #5 Raul Ibanez

#29
Raul Javier Ibanez
Left Field

Bats: Left  Throws: Right  Height: 6'2"  Weight: 215
Born: June 2, 1972, New York, NY
Home: Miami, FL
Drafted: Selected by Seattle Mariners in 36th round of June 1992 draft
Teams: Seattle Mariners 1996-2000, Kansas City Royals 2001-2003, Seattle Mariners 2004-2008, Phillies 2009-
Acquired: Signed as a free agent formerly with the Seattle Mariners, December 16, 2008
Contract Status: Signed through the 2011 season

Complete Topps Base Set Checklist:
1996 Topps #432 - Mariners - Prospects (with Mike Figga, Paul Konerko and Julio Mosquera)
1997 Topps #201 - Mariners - Prospects (with Mike Cameron and Geoff Jenkins)
2001 Topps #219 - Mariners
2002 Topps #458 - Royals
2003 Topps #479 - Royals
2004 Topps #238 - Royals
2004 Topps Traded #T42 - Mariners
2005 Topps #123 - Mariners
2006 Topps #377 - Mariners
2006 Topps Update #204 - Mariners - RBI League Leaders (with David Ortiz and Jusin Morneau)
2007 Topps #466 - Mariners
2008 Topps #524 - Mariners
2009 Topps #6 - Mariners
2009 Topps Update #UH136 - Phillies - All-Star
2009 Topps Update #UH150 - Phillies
2010 Topps #486 - Phillies

2011 Chachi #4 Ryan Howard

#6

Ryan James Howard

First Base

Bats: Left  Throws: Left  Height: 6'4"  Weight: 242

Born: November 19, 1979, St. Louis, MO

Home: Wildwood, MO

Drafted: Selected by Phillies in 5th round of June 2001 draft

Teams: Phillies 2004-

Acquired: Via draft

Contract Status: Signed through the 2016 season, with a club option for 2017

Complete Topps Base Set Checklist:

2005 Topps #689 - Phillies - Prospects (with Cole Hamels)

2006 Topps #265 - Phillies - Rookie of the Year

2006 Topps #398 - Phillies

2006 Topps Update #210 - Phillies - Home Run Leaders (with Albert Pujols and Alfonso Soriano)

2006 Topps Update #212 - Phillies - RBI Leaders (with Albert Pujols and Lance Berkman)

2006 Topps Update #273 - Phillies - All-Star

2006 Topps Update #283 - Phillies - Home Run Derby

2006 Topps Update #292 - Phillies - Team Leaders (with Tom Gordon)

2007 Topps #322 - Phillies - National League MVP

2007 Topps #330 - Phillies

2007 Topps Update #290 - Phillies - Home Run Derby

2008 Topps #58 - Phillies - RBI Leaders (with Matt Holliday and Miguel Cabrera)

2008 Topps #98 - Phillies - Classic Combos (with Chase Utley)

2008 Topps #100 - Phillies

2008 Topps #298 - Phillies - Home Run Leaders (with Prince Fielder and Adam Dunn)

2009 Topps #81 - Phillies - Home Run Leaders (with Adam Dunn and Carlos Delgado)

2009 Topps #147 - Phillies - RBI Leaders (with David Wright and Adrian Gonzalez)

2009 Topps #500 - Phillies

2009 Topps #601 - Phillies - Classic Combos (with Jimmy Rollins)

2009 Topps Update #UH26 - Phillies - Home Run Derby

2009 Topps Update #UH260 - Phillies - All-Star

2010 Topps #42 - Phillies - RBI Leaders (with Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols)

2010 Topps #134 - Phillies - Team Card (with Shane Victorino, Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley)

2010 Topps #206 - Phillies - Home Run Leaders (with Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder)

2010 Topps #372 - Phillies - Franchise History (with Cole Hamels)

2010 Topps #590 - Phillies

2010 Topps Update #US265 - Phillies - All-Star

2010 Chachi #59 Strikeout Leaders - Roy Halladay & Cole Hamels

Phillies 3, Braves 0
Game 9 - Sunday Afternoon, April 10th in Atlanta

One Sentence Summary:  Cole Hamels got his groove back in Atlanta, pitching seven shutout innings, and Shane Victorino's bat keyed the 3-0 Phillies victory.

What It Means:  The Phillies have played three series so far this season, and they have won all three.  With a 7-2 record, the Phillies have a two game lead against the Florida Marlins in the National League East.  They have a day off tomorrow before opening a three-game series in Washington on Tuesday night.

What Went Right:  His first game of 2011 (against the Mets) seemingly a distant memory, Hamels dazzled against the Braves, striking out eight and allowing just four hits.  He shut down the first ten batters he faced until Nate McLouth doubled in the fourth.

Victorino was involved with all three runs scored by the Phillies.  He singled in the first and came home to score on a double play ball.  He singled and scored in the fourth and he finished the afternoon with a solo home run in the sixth.  In the three games against the Braves, Victorino went 9 for 13 with three RBIs and two stolen bases.

Carlos Ruiz added two more hits, upping his average to .346.  Jose Contreras recorded his second save of the season.

Featured Card:  I almost went with a Victorino card, but Hamels gets the nod for his pitching performance this afternoon.  As of right now, Hamels' 11 strikeouts this season are third on the team behind Cliff Lee (14) and Roy Halladay (13).

Last year, Halladay and Hamels finished one-two in team strikeouts, with Joe Blanton (134), Kyle Kendrick (84) and Roy Oswalt (73) in the distance rounding out the top five.