Series Preview - Cubs at Phillies: June 6th to June 8th

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

Cubs 39-16, 1st place in the N.L. Central, 9 1/2 games ahead of the Pirates
Phillies 28-29, 4th place in the N.L. East, 6 games behind the Nationals

Cubs Probables:  Jon Lester (6-3, 2.29), Kyle Hendricks (4-4, 2.84), John Lackey (6-2, 2.88)
Phillies Probables:  Adam Morgan (1-4, 7.07), Jared Eickhoff (2-8, 3.93), Vince Velasquez (5-2, 3.67)

At the Ballpark:  After the groovy '70s weekend, there are no giveaways scheduled for the Cubs series although there are some theme nights requiring special tickets.

Cubs Leaders
Average:  Ben Zobrist - .326
Runs:  Kris Bryant - 40
Home Runs:  Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo - 13
RBIs:  Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo - 40
Stolen Bases:  Jason Heyward - 7

Wins:  Jake Arrieta - 9
ERA:  Jake Arrieta - 1.80
Strikeouts:  Jake Arrieta - 87
Saves:  Hector Rondon - 10

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Odubel Herrera - .317
Runs:  Odubel Herrera - 32
Home Runs:  Maikel Franco - 10
RBIs:  Maikel Franco - 31
Stolen Bases:  Odubel Herrera - 7

Wins:  Aaron Nola and Vince Velasquez - 5
ERA:  Aaron Nola - 2.65
Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 85
Saves:  Jeanmar Gomez - 18

1970 Topps #240

1970 Topps Appreciation:  For the Cubs-Phillies series in Chicago, I took a look at some of the baseball cards of players involved in the November 1969 trade that sent long-time Phillie Johnny Callison out of town.

For today's series preview post, the 1970 Topps card of Fergie Jenkins is featured.  The future Hall of Famer played eight games for the Phillies before being traded to the Cubs in April 1966.  Jenkins was sent with John Herrnstein and Adolfo Phillips to the Cubs in exchange for Bob Buhl and Larry Jackson.  In 1970, Jenkins won 20 games or more for the fifth season in a row and he led the league with 24 complete games.

By comparison, Buhl was released by the Phillies in May 1967 and in 35 games with the Phils he went 6-8 with a 4.93 ERA.  Jackson lasted a season longer than Buhl, and in 109 games with the Phils over three seasons he went 41-45 with a respectable 2.95 ERA.  He was left unprotected in the 1968 expansion draft and chosen by the Expos, although he'd never play for them.

2016 Chachi #45 Cody Asche

#25
Cody James Asche
Left Field

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  204

Born:  June 30, 1990, St. Charles, MO

Home:  Lincoln, NE

Drafted:  Selected by the Phillies in the 4th round of the June 2011 draft

Teams:  Phillies 2013-

Acquired:  Via draft

2011 Choice Williamsport Crosscutters #17

2011 Bowman Draft Prospects #BDPP2

2013 Chachi #53

2013 Topps Update #US71

26 Asche Baseball Cards in My Collection per Zistle

First Card:  2011 Choice Williamsport Crosscutters #17
First Phillies Card:  2011 Bowman Draft Prospects #BDPP2
First Topps Flagship Base Card:  2013 Topps Update #US71
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  2014 Phillies Team Issue First Edition #25
Latest Card:  2016 Phillies Team Issue 2 #25

Complete Chachi Checklist
2013 Chachi #53
2014 Chachi #8
2015 Chachi #7
2016 Chachi #45

Card statistics through 6/5/16.

2016 Topps Phillies #PP-5 Cesar Hernandez

Brewers 6, Phillies 3
Game 56 - Saturday Afternoon, June 4th in Philadelphia
Record - 27-29, 4th place, 6 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies plated three in the second and then shut it down for the rest of the game, as the Brewers won 6-3.

What It Means:  The Phils have lost 10 of their last 12.

What Happened:  Second inning home runs from Tommy Joseph (4) and Cesar Hernandez (1) accounted for all the Phillies offense in this game.  Jeremy Hellickson allowed three runs and seven hits in his five-inning start.

Former Phillie farmhands Jonathan Villar (3 for 5 with a solo home run) and Domingo Santana (2 for 4 with a solo home run) continued to punish their original team.

Featured Card:  After losing some playing time recently, Hernandez was inserted back into the line-up and went 3 for 4 with a then big two-run home run in the second.  This is his Topps card from the retail team set.

Recently added to The Phillies Room - 2016 Season Summary page with game results and links to game summary posts.

2016 Chachi #44 Jimmy Paredes

#41
Jimmy Santiago (Terrero) Paredes
Outfield

Bats:  Switch  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'3"  Weight:  200
Born:  November 25, 1988, Bajos de Haina, San Cristobal, D.R.
Signed:  Signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent, July 2, 2006
Teams:  Houston Astros 2011-2013; Kansas City Royals 2014; Baltimore Orioles 2014-2015; Toronto Blue Jays 2016; Phillies 2016
Acquired:  Acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays for cash, June 1, 2016

2012 Topps #585

0 Paredes Baseball Cards in My Collection per Zistle
First Card:  N/A
First Phillies Card:  N/A
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  N/A
Latest Card:  N/A

First Topps Flagship Base Card:  2012 Topps #585

Complete Chachi Checklist
2016 Chachi #44

Card statistics through 6/4/16.

Far Out! 2016 Chachi Archives Cards Have Arrived! Phils Win!

Phillies 6, Brewers 3
Game 55 - Friday Night, June 3rd in Philadelphia
Record - 27-28, 4th place, 6 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  Andres Blanco's three-run home run and strong relief pitching led to a 6-3 win over the Brewers, snapping the team's seven-game losing streak.

What It Means:  The Phillies won and they looked super groovy doing it!

What Happened:  Blanco's home run gave the Phillies a 6-0 lead in the fourth inning, and their first genuinely comfortable lead of the season.  Cameron Rupp also homered and Tommy Joseph had a two-hit night.

Once again, Vince Velasquez couldn't escape the fifth inning, allowing two runs on four his while laboring through 94 pitches.  Andrew Bailey, Hector Neris and Jeanmar Gomez (18th save) all contributed scoreless innings in relief.

Featured Cards:  It was 1970s Retro Night at the ballpark and both the Brewers and Phillies wore uniforms from 1976.  It was an odd and interesting sight to see, as these two teams played in opposing leagues in 1976 and wouldn't have ever played each other.  As an added bonus, the Phillies went with the pillbox caps they wore occasionally during the Bicentennial season.  I absolutely love these old uniforms, and I was inspired to create a small insert set of 2016 Chachi Archives cards to highlight some of my favorite photos from the game.

Please click on each of the cards above to enlarge.  These were fun custom cards to create, and I was thankful I still had the templates I had created back in the day for the 2007 Chachi set.

Recently added to The Phillies Room - 2016 Season Summary page with game results and links to game summary posts.

2016 Chachi #42 Tommy Joseph

#19
Thomas Richard Joseph
First Base

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  215
Born:  July 16, 1991, Phoenix, AZ
Home:  Phoenix, AZ
Drafted:  Selected by the San Francisco Giants in the 2nd round of the June 2009 draft
Teams:  Phillies 2016
Acquired:  Acquired with Seth Rosin and Nate Schierholtz from the San Francisco Giants for Hunter Pence, July 31, 2012

2012 Grandstand Reading Phillies #15

2013 Bowman Chrome Cream of the Crop #CC-PP2

11 Joseph Baseball Cards in My Collection per Zistle
First Card:  2012 Grandstand Reading Phillies #15
First Phillies Card:  2013 Bowman Chrome Cream of the Crop Mini Refractors #CC-PP2
First Topps Flagship Base Card:  N/A
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  N/A
Latest Card:  2015 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #14

Complete Chachi Checklist
2016 Chachi #42

Card statistics through 6/3/16.

2010 Bowman Chrome Prospects #BCP160 Jonathan Villar

Brewers 4, Phillies 1
Game 54 - Thursday Night, June 2nd in Philadelphia
Record - 26-28, 4th place, 7 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  The offensive drought continued as the Phillies dropped their seventh straight in this lifeless 4-1 loss to the Brewers.

What It Means:  I'd like to think that this two month dry spell for the Phillies' bats will end with an absolute explosion of hits and runs over the course of a few games.  I'd like to think that . . .

What Happened:  Jared Eickhoff kept his team in the game, giving up just two runs in 6 2/3 innings. Jeanmar Gomez tried to keep the score at 2-1 in the ninth, but allowed a two-run home run to former Phillies prospect Jonathan Villar.  Maikel Franco and Tommy Joseph both had two hit nights, accounting for four of the team's total of five hits.

2016 Phillies Team
Issue 2 #3

Featured Cards:  Now in his fourth big league season, Villar was the greenest of the three young players traded away (along with Anthony Gose and J.A. Happ) to the Astros in July 2010 for Roy Oswalt.  He appeared with the Phillies way back in the 2010 Bowman Chrome set.

Transaction:  Outfielder Cody Asche was activated from the disabled list prior to this game, and he made his season debut as the starting left fielder.  Asche had missed the start of the season with an oblique injury.  To make room on the roster for Asche, Phillies Room favorite David Lough was designated for assignment.

Lough provided steady and occasionally stellar defense, but he was hitting just .239 (16 for 67) in 30 games this season.  He appears in both team issued photo card sets, and my hope is that he clears waivers and ends up back with the IronPigs.

Recently added to The Phillies Room - 2016 Season Summary page with game results and links to game summary posts.

2016 Topps #6 Jimmy Paredes

Nationals 7, Phillies 2
Game 53 - Wednesday Night, June 1st in Philadelphia
Record - 26-27, 4th place, 6 1/2 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  Max Scherzer dominated, leading the Nationals to a 7-2 win and a three-game sweep of the free-falling Phils.

What It Means:  The Phillies are below .500 for the first time since April 24th.  The offense is just gone.

What Happened:  Scherzer cruised, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out 11 over eight innings of work.  Tyler Goeddel provided the only offense with a two-run home run off Scherzer in the seventh.

Adam Morgan saw his ERA increase to 7.07, allowing six runs on nine hits.

2016 Phillies Team
Issue 2 #15

Featured Cards/Transaction:  On Wednesday afternoon, the Phillies acquired outfielder/infielder Jimmy Paredes from the Blue Jays for cash considerations.  Emmanuel Burriss was designated for assignment to make room for Paredes on the roster.
 
Paredes has been designated for assignment twice already this season, beginning with the Orioles a few weeks ago and then most recently by the Blue Jays a few days ago.  In seven games with the Blue Jays, Paredes hit .267 (4 for 15) with a home run.  He's a lifetime .257 hitter and I suppose the Phillies are hoping he provides a slight spark to the struggling offense.

Paredes has 2016 baseball cards in the Topps flagship, Topps Heritage and Topps Orioles retail team sets.  He also has a Topps Gypsy Queen autographed insert card.  He made his Phillies debut in the bottom of the sixth, pinch-hitting for Morgan and striking out swinging.

Burriss hit .121 (4 for 27) in his time with the Phillies, and he appeared in both of this year's team issued photo card sets.

Recently added to The Phillies Room - 2016 Season Summary page with game results and links to game summary posts.

2016 Chachi #41 Colton Murray

#60

Colton James Murray

Relief Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  195

Born:  April 22, 1990, Overland Park, KS

Home:  Overland Park, KS

Drafted:  Selected by the Phillies in the 13th round of the June 2011 draft

Teams:  Phillies 2015-

Acquired:  Via draft

2011 Choice Williamsport Crosscutters #21

2015 Chachi #64

2016 Topps Heritage #173

10 Murray Baseball Cards in My Collection per Zistle
First Card:  2011 Choice Williamsport Crosscutters #21
First Phillies Card:  2016 Topps Heritage #173 (with Jerad Eickhoff)
First Topps Flagship Base Card:  N/A
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  2016 Phillies Team Issue 2 #60
Latest Card:  2016 Phillies Team Issue 2 #60

Complete Chachi Checklist
2015 Chachi #64
2015 Chachi Special Edition #11
2016 Chachi #41

Card statistics through 6/2/16.

Series Preview - Brewers at Phillies: June 2nd through June 4th

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

Brewers 24-29, 4th place in the N.L. Central, 13 games behind the Cubs
Phillies 26-27, 4th place in the N.L. East, 6 1/2 games behind the Nationals

Brewers Probables:  Chase Anderson (2-6, 5.00), Jimmy Nelson (5-3, 2.88), Junior Guerra (3-1, 3.47), Wily Peralta (3-6, 6.51)
Phillies Probables:  Jared Eickhoff (2-7, 4.07), Vince Velasquez (5-2, 3.63), Jeremy Hellickson (4-3, 3.68), Aaron Nola (4-4, 2.88)

At the Ballpark:  It's a Dollar Dog night tonight, but I'm particularly excited about Friday night's game.  Friday night is 1970s Retro Night and the Phillies will turn back the clock to 1976 with retro uniforms and pillbox caps.  All fans will also receive a commemorative Phillies retro print.

On Saturday, all kids will receive an Aaron Nola t-shirt and all fans will receive Phillies retro socks on Sunday afternoon.  Quite a good promotional schedule for this weekend series with the Brewers.

Brewers Leaders
Average:  Ryan Braun - .352
Runs:  Jonathan Lucroy and Jonathan Villar - 28
Home Runs:  Chris Carter - 13
RBIs:  Ryan Braun and Chris Carter - 32
Stolen Bases:  Jonathan Villar - 19

Wins:  Jimmy Nelson - 5
ERA:  Jimmy Nelson - 2.88
Strikeouts:  Jimmy Nelson - 59
Saves:  Jeremy Jeffress - 13

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Odubel Herrera - .319
Runs:  Odubel Herrera - 28
Home Runs:  Maikel Franco and Ryan Howard - 8
RBIs:  Maikel Franco - 28
Stolen Bases:  Odubel Herrera - 6

Wins:  Vince Velasquez - 5
ERA:  Aaron Nola - 2.88
Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 76
Saves:  Jeanmar Gomez - 17

1970 Topps #149

1970 Topps #645

1970 Topps Appreciation:  On Halloween 1972, the Phillies traded Don Money, Billy Champion and John Vukovich to the Milwaukee Brewers for Ken Brett, Jim Lonborg, Ken Sanders and Earl Stephenson.  I detailed this trade in a series preview post back in 2013, writing the following:

Only Money went on to have success in Milwaukee, making four All-Star teams and hitting 134 home runs in his 11 seasons with the Brewers.  Champion went 22-19 from 1973 to 1976 and Vuk hit .149 in parts of two seasons with the Brewers. 

On the flip side, Lonborg was the key to the deal for the Phillies.  He helped solidify a pitching rotation that went to the postseason three years in a row from 1976 to 1978. Lonborg won 17 games in 1974 and was an 18-game winner in 1976.  Brett lasted just one season in Philly (13-9, 3.44 ERA in 31 games) before getting dealt to the Pirates for Dave Cash. 

Sanders received a card in the 1973 Topps set with the Phillies, but the team kept him only a month before flipping him to the Twins in the Cesar Tovar deal.  Stephenson never played for the Phils.

2016 Chachi #39 Adam Morgan

#39

Adam Christopher Morgan

Starting Pitcher

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  202

Born:  February 27, 1990, Tampa, FL

Home:  Marietta, GA

Drafted:  Selected by the Phillies in the 3rd round of the June 2011 draft

Teams:  Phillies 2015-

Acquired:  Via draft

2012 Grandstand Clearwater Threshers #23

2013 Bowman Chrome Cream of the Crop #CC-PP5

2015 Chachi #45

13 Morgan Baseball Cards in My Collection per Zistle
First Card:  2012 Grandstand Clearwater Threshers #23
First Phillies Card:  2013 Bowman Chrome Cream of the Crop Mini Refractors #CC-PP5
First Topps Flagship Base Card:  N/A
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  2016 Phillies Team Issue #39
Latest Card:  2016 Phillies Team Issue 2 #39

Complete Chachi Checklist
2015 Chachi #45
2015 Chachi Special Edition #12
2016 Chachi #39

Card statistics through 6/1/16.

2016 Chachi #38 Luis Garcia

#57
Luis Amado Garcia
Relief Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'3"  Weight:  230

Born:  January 30, 1987, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Home:  Dover, NJ

Signed:  Signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an amateur free agent, January 22, 2004

Teams:  Phillies 2013-

Acquired:  Signed as minor league free agent, formerly with the Newark Bears of the independent Canadian-American Association, March 25, 2013

2013 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs Update #8

2013 Chachi #49

2014 Topps #451

9 Garcia Baseball Cards in My Collection per Zistle
First Card:  2013 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs Update #8
First Phillies Card:  2014 Topps #451
First Topps Flagship Base Card:  2014 Topps #451
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  2015 Phillies Team Issue #57
Latest Card:  2016 Phillies Team Issue 2 #57

Complete Chachi Checklist
2013 Chachi #49
2014 Chachi #37
2015 Chachi #21
2016 Chachi #38

Card statistics through 5/31/16.

2016 Reading Fightin Phils 50 Greatest Players #30 Larry Bowa

Nationals 5, Phillies 1
Game 52 - Tuesday Night, May 31st in Philadelphia
Record - 26-26, 4th place, 5 1/2 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  The offensive woes continued as the Phillies managed just four hits in this 5-1 loss to the Nationals.

What It Means:  The Phillies are in the midst of a season high five-game losing streak.  They're at .500 for the first time since April 26th when they were 10-10, and they're back in fourth place for the first time since May 6th.

What Happened:  Aaron Nola pitched well again with his only real mistakes coming on two home run balls allowed to Jayson Werth and Daniel Murphy.  He struck out six in his six innings of work. Colton Murray allowed three runs to score in the ninth including an inside the park home run to Stephen Drew.

Featured Card:  There are no better subjects to feature in this game summary post, so I might as well plug a relatively new item added to my 2016 Phillies Want List.  Throughout nine games in April and May, the Reading Fightin Phils released nine sheets of baseball cards to celebrate their 50th season as a Phillies affiliate.  Each sheet contains six cards, and the complete set of 54 cards is comprised of the 50 greatest players and the four greatest mascots.

I need three more sheets for a complete set - the sheets starting with Juan Samuel, Dallas Green and Robin Roberts.  I've been able to find the other six sheets on eBay, but any help anyone could provide with the remaining three sheets would be greatly appreciated.

It's safe to assume that the Phillies current bench coach didn't look this happy following Tuesday night's game.  The complete sheet containing the Bowa card is featured below.

2016 Reading Fightin Phils 50 Greatest Players Card Set #5

Recently added to The Phillies Room - 2016 Season Summary page with game results and links to game summary posts.