Thome Joins Wall of Fame! Howard Hits Slam! #ChachiNow!

2016 Phillies Team Issue 2 #25

2016 Phillies Team Issue 2 #6

Phillies 10, Rockies 6
Game 117 - Friday Night, August 12th in Philadelphia
Record - 54-63, 4th place, 14 1/2 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  On the night Jim Thome was inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame, Ryan Howard hit a grand slam and Jake Thompson earned his first Major League win.

What It Means:  Party like it's 2005!

What Happened:  The suddenly hot Howard hit his grand slam in the fifth inning and he finished the night with three hits and five RBIs.  (Not to be completely overlooked is the fact that the Rockies Charlie Blackmon had three home runs in this game.)

Thompson pitched five innings, allowing three runs on two hits and three walks.  He made Phillies history in the second inning, becoming just the second player in franchise history to strike out four batters in one inning.  Doc White had accomplished the feat first back in 1902.  Thompson struck out rookie David Dahl to start the inning, but the ball went to the backstop and Dahl reached first. Thompson then struck out the next three Rockies batters.

2016 Chachi #56

Featured Cards:  There was a lot going on for this game!  Thompson earned the latest #ChachiNow (also known as a 2016 Chachi Highlights) card for his historic feat.  Howard should definitely get some recognition for his blast in this game.  And I wanted to call attention to the fact that the Phillies have updated their team-issued photo card set with several additional cards.  At the top of the "new" set is an Alumni card for Thome.  (I'll update this set's listing here for the new cards.)

Field Report:  We purchased four tickets to this game since we didn't want to miss the induction of Thome into the Phillies Wall of Fame.  I have a personal streak going of five years in a row that I've attended the Wall of Fame ceremonies and I hope to keep the streak going next year.

The Phillies do an unbelievable job at honoring their former players and the pre-game ceremony honoring Thome was no exception.  Charlie Manuel introduced him, Bobby Abreu was on hand to unveil the plaque in Ashburn Alley and Howard presented Thome with a replica of his plaque. Messages were played on Phanavision from Nick Punto, David Bell, Chase Utley (in his Dodgers uniform), Jimmy Rollins (retired?) and Tim McGraw.  Thome's speech was fantastic and I'm glad my sons got to see this great Phillies slugger honored.  (Click the pictures below to enlarge.)

Manuel inducts Thome

Abreu unveils Thome's plaque

Thome's speech

In other news . . . It was ridiculously, smoking HOT.  We missed the two biggest highlights of this game due to taking cover in the Hall of Fame Club (Thompson's four strikeouts) or heading home to be rescued by air conditioning (Howard's slam).

Transaction:  In a somewhat surprising move, outfielder Cody Asche was optioned to Lehigh Valley to make room for the activated Peter Bourjos.  I would have thought that Jimmy Paredes would be the odd man out when Bourjos was ready to return, but Asche's cold bat earned him a demotion.

Memory Lane - Past Induction Ceremonies/Alumni Weekends

2009 - Harry Kalas

2010 - Darren Daulton

2011 - John Kruk

2012 - Mike Lieberthal

2013 - Curt Schilling

2014 - Charlie Manuel
2015 - Pat Burrell
2016 - Jim Thome

Be sure to check out the 2016 Season Summary page with game results and links to game summary posts.

Series Preview - Rockies at Phillies: August 12th to August 14th

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

Rockies 56-59, 3rd place in the N.L. West, 9 1/2 games behind the Giants
Phillies 53-63, 4th place in the N.L. East, 15 1/2 games behind the Nationals

Rockies Probables:  Jon Gray (8-5, 4.26), Tyler Anderson (4-3, 3.04), Tyler Chatwood (10-7, 3.58)
Phillies Probables:  Jake Thompson (0-1, 12.46), Jared Eickhoff (7-12, 3.78), TBD

At the Ballpark:  One of the best weekends all season is the Phillies annual Alumni Weekend.  Jim Thome will be honored in a pre-game ceremony on Friday and inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame.  All fans will receive a commemorative print of the former Phillies slugger.

On Saturday night, Randy Wolf will return and officially retire and there will be a pre-game tribute to returning Phillies alumni.  Larry Bowa will also be honored pre-game with the annual John Vukovich award.

On Sunday afternoon, Placido Polanco will officially retire as a Phillie and all fans will receive a Phillies Wall of Fame Fathead collectible.

Rockies Leaders
Average:  DJ LeMahieu - .326
Runs:  Nolan Arenado - 85
Home Runs:  Nolan Arenado - 30
RBIs:  Nolan Arenado - 92
Stolen Bases:  Charlie Blackmon - 14

Wins:  Chad Bettis and Tyler Chatwood - 10
ERA:  Tyler Chatwood - 3.58
Strikeouts:  Jon Gray - 123
Saves:  Jake McGee - 15

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Cesar Hernandez - .285
Runs:  Odubel Herrera - 61
Home Runs:  Maikel Franco - 20
RBIs:  Maikel Franco - 66
Stolen Bases:  Odubel Herrera - 18

Wins:  Jeremy Hellickson - 9
ERA:  Jeremy Hellickson - 3.65
Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 121
Saves:  Jeanmar Gomez - 29

2003 Fleer Tradition Update #U74

2003 Fleer Tradition #322

2003 Fleer Tradition Update #U193

2016 Topps Gypsy Queen Glove Stories #GS-9 Galvis

Phillies 6, Dodgers 2
Game 116 - Wednesday Afternoon, August 10th in Los Angeles
Record - 53-63, 4th place, 15 1/2 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  Two big hits - a three-run home run from Freddy Galvis in the seventh and a bases-clearing pinch-double from Ryan Howard in the ninth - led to this 6-2 win over the Dodgers.

What It Means:  The Phils salvaged the series with the Dodgers and ended their West Coast swing with a respectable 3-3 record.

What Happened:  In addition to his big hit in the seventh, Galvis also contributed to this win with his glove.  With two outs and runners on first and second in the bottom of the eighth, Galvis made an amazing play to throw out Joc Pederson at first ending the Dodgers threat.

Jeremy Hellickson had to leave this game after five innings with back stiffness, but the staff ace declared himself healthy and ready for his next start following the game.

Featured Card:  This seems as if it's as good a game as any to feature Galvis' insert card from the 2016 Gypsy Queen Glove Stories set.  With the declining star power on the Phillies roster, there have been decidedly fewer insert cards to chase over the past few seasons.  It's always a nice surprise when a Phillies player (especially not one of the usually suspects like Aaron Nola and Maikel Franco) end up on an insert card.

Be sure to check out the 2016 Season Summary page with game results and links to game summary posts.

2008 Upper Deck Timeline #10 Chase Utley

Dodgers 9, Phillies 3
Game 115 - Late Tuesday Night, August 9th in Los Angeles
Record - 52-63, 4th place, 15 1/2 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  Vince Velasquez was hit hard and the Phillies were easily defeated by the Dodgers, 9-3.

What It Means:  Once again, we watched the top of the first and Chase Utley's first at-bat and then called it a night.  Once again, we made the right decision.

What Happened:  Velasquez didn't make it out of the fifth inning, allowing nine runs on 11 hits in 4 2/3 innings.  Aaron Altherr (3) and Freddy Galvis (10) both homered for the Phils.

Featured Card:  Utley gets the featured card again by default, since no Phillies player did anything in this game to merit recognition.  Utley went 2 for 5.

Transaction:  Before the game, pitcher Zach Eflin landed on the disabled list with patellar tendinopathy in both knees.  I'm no doctor, but I believe this means his knees hurt.  Elvis Araujo joined the team again, and his stay is most likely temporary as the Phillies will need a starting pitcher to take Eflin's spot this coming week.

Be sure to check out the 2016 Season Summary page with game results and links to game summary posts.

2017 Chachi Preview #1 Tommy Joseph

In case you missed it, Topps released the first image of its 2017 flagship set today and the reactions (at least on Twitter) seem to be decidedly negative.  The most common criticisms are that Topps seems to be trying too hard and the design would be more at home on a throw-away insert set moreso than the main 2017 base set.  I'm reserving judgment for now, and I won't pretend that I won't buy a pack (or 50) when the product is released in the spring.  For what it's worth, my nine-year-old son took one look at the mock-up and proclaimed, "I love it!"  So it would seem as if Topps is doing something right.

In any event, I've used the occasion of Topps releasing its first first preview image over the past few years to slightly steal the company's thunder and release a preview image of next year's Chachi set. After being all but completely certain that I'd use the 1971 Topps design for the 2017 Chachi set, I went and completely changed my mind a few weeks ago and landed on the 1982 Topps design.  (The 2017 Chachi Set Planning Committee seems indifferent to this decision, what with various non-stop summer activities occupying their time.)

The main reason for this decision is that I miss color.  I've enjoyed working with the 1970 Topps design this year, but it's main color component (gray) leaves a lot to be desired.  With the 1982 Topps design, I'll get pinks, oranges, greens, browns and different shades of blues.  Looking at the original color combinations used by Topps in 1982, I've already come up with the color combinations I'll use if I endeavor to create custom cards for players on the Marlins, Rockies, Rays or Diamondbacks. And in case you were wondering, the only two teams with the same 1982 Topps color palettes are the Expos and White Sox.

The one design element I haven't finalized yet is whether or not I'll tackle the challenge of having facsimile autographs on the 2017 Chachi cards, just like the originals.  This seems like a daunting and time consuming exercise to me, so I'll most likely forego the facsimile autographs as I've done with past Chachi set releases.

If the 2017 Topps design has you down, get ready to enjoy a whole lot of 1982 Topps here at The Philies Room next season.  If the 1982 Topps design has you down, I'm afraid there's no hope for you.

Memory Lane
2014 Chachi Preview #1 (8/8/13)
2015 Chachi Preview #1 (8/15/14)
2016 Chachi Preview #1 (8/11/15)
2017 Chachi Preview #1 (8/10/16)

2015 Topps Allen & Ginter Full-Size Relics #FSRA-CU Chase Utley

Dodgers 9, Phillies 4
Game 114 - Late Monday Night, August 8th in Los Angeles
Record - 52-62, 4th place, 15 1/2 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  Chase Utley faced the Phillies for the first time, hitting a solo home run in the second, as the Dodgers cruised to a 9-4 win.

What It Means:  Used to be a time when I wouldn't miss any of these West Coast games.  We watched Utley bat in the first and then promptly went to bed.  And it seems as if we made the right choice.

What Happened:  Zach Eflin was torched, allowing seven runs on seven hits and two walks in his three innings of work.  Severino Gonzalez gets the gold star for this game for pitching three innings of scoreless, mop-up relief.  Tommy Joseph hit his 15th home run, the most by a Phillies rookie since Ryan Howard hit 22 in 2005.

Featured Card:  We still miss you Chase.

Be sure to check out the 2016 Season Summary page with game results and links to game summary posts.

1950 Drake's #21 Del Ennis

As I'm wont to do from time to time, I celebrated a recent career milestone with a major baseball card purchase.  Major is a relative term here since any single card purchase over $20 is considered major by my definition.  My weekly and monthly baseball card spending budget is limited to an occasional blaster box from Target (courtesy of my wife) and the purchase of the latest Phillies team set from eBay.

I had been looking for a few oddball Del Ennis and Dick Sisler cards over the past few months, and this particular card had caught my attention.  I added it to my eBay watch list and didn't think of it again until I received an e-mail indicated that the card was now on sale.  Without hesitation, I bought it.  Ennis and Sisler were my Dad's favorite players growing up, and it's been a fun little side project of mine to try to track down their cards.

The 1950 Drake's set was a one and done issue from Drake Bakeries with cards found within boxes of either Drake's Oatmeal or Jumble Cookies.  The complete set consists of 36 cards and Drake's dubbed the set "TV Baseball Star Pictures" as shown by the advertisement on the lower portion of the backs of the cards.  Cards are square, measuring 2 1/2" by 2 1/2" and their black borders make them tough to find in mint condition.  A complete set sold in late July on eBay for $1,600.

There's a New York/Boston team bias to the set, with the majority of the cards featuring players from those teams:  Boston Braves (6), Boston Red Sox (6), Brooklyn Dodgers (6), New York Giants (6) and New York Yankees (6).  The remaining six cards are spread among the Chicago White Sox (1), Philadelphia Athletics (1), Philadelphia Phillies (3) and St. Louis Cardinals (1).  All the other teams got shut out.  Along with the Ennis card, the Phillies team set also consists of Sisler and Eddie Waitkus.

Now to track down that Sisler card . . .

Memory Lane/Checklist
1946-1949 Sports Exchange (W603) #3-3 - NEED
1947-1952 Baseball Player Charms
1947-1966 Exhibits
1947 Homogenized Bond Bread - Need original, have reprint
1949 Eureka Stamps #134 - NEED
1948 Leaf #49
1949 M.P. & Co. (R302-2) #109
1949 Philadelphia Bulletin - NEED
1949 Phillies Lummis Peanut Butter - NEED
1950 Bowman #31
1950 Drake's #21
1950 Philadelphia Inquirer Fightin' Phillies
1950 R423 - NEED
1951 Berk Ross #1-10
1951 Bowman #4
1951 Topps Blue Backs #4
1952 Berk Ross #17 - NEED
1952 Bowman #76
1952 Naitonal Tea Labels #8 - NEED
1952 Topps #233
1953 Bowman Color #103
1953 Red Man Tobacco #17
1954 Bowman #127
1954 Wilson's Franks #2 - NEED
1955 Bowman #17
1956 Topps #220

Series Preview - Phillies at Dodgers: August 8th to August 10th

Monday and Tuesday 10:10, Wednesday 3:10
Dodger Stadium - Los Angeles, CA

Phillies 52-61, 4th place in the N.L. East, 15 games behind the Nationals
Dodgers 62-49, 2nd place in the N.L. West, 1 game behind the Giants

Phillies Probables:  Zach Eflin (3-4, 4.77), Vince Velasquez (8-3, 3.33), Jeremy Hellickson (9-7, 3.72)
Dodgers Probables:  Julio Urias (1-2, 4.98), Kenta Maeda (10-7, 3.22), Scott Kazmir (9-5, 4.51)

At the Ballpark:  The Dodgers are giving away a set of retired numbers pins this season, and Jackie Robinson's #42 is the pin being given away at tonight's game.  On Tuesday, all fans will receive a Howie Kendrick bobble head.

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Cesar Hernandez - .290
Runs:  Odubel Herrera - 60
Home Runs:  Maikel Franco - 20
RBIs:  Maikel Franco - 66
Stolen Bases:  Odubel Herrera - 17

Wins:  Jeremy Hellickson - 9
ERA:  Jeremy Hellickson - 3.72
Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 121
Saves:  Jeanmar Gomez - 29

Dodgers Leaders
Average:  Corey Seager - .300
Runs:  Corey Seager - 71
Home Runs:  Justin Turner - 20
RBIs:  Justin Turner - 65
Stolen Bases:  Howie Kenrick - 7

Wins:  Clayton Kershaw - 11
ERA:  Clayton Kershaw - 1.79
Strikeouts:  Clayton Kershaw - 145
Saves:  Kenley Jansen - 34

1970 Topps #174

1970 Topps Appreciation:  I first wrote about Ted Sizemore way back in 2012 as part of a series preview post with the Dodgers.

Sizemore started his 12-year career with the Dodgers in 1969, winning the National League Rookie of the Year award.  Following the 1970 season, he was traded to the Cardinals (for Dick Allen) where he spent five seasons before coming back to the Dodgers for the 1976 season.  He served as the Phillies primary second baseman in 1977 and 1978 before getting shipped to the Cubs as part of the blockbuster deal that netted Manny Trillo for the Phils.  In his two years with the club, Sizemore hit .256 in 260 games.  The highlight of his time in Philly is perhaps his .385 average in the 1978 N.L.C.S. against the Dodgers.

Phils Turn First Triple Play Since 2009 in Victory! #ChachiNow

2016 Chachi #55

Phillies 6, Padres 5
Game 113 - Sunday Afternoon, August 7th in San Diego
Record - 52-61, 4th place, 15 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  Phillies ride a four-run fourth inning, a clutch pinch-hit from Tommy Joseph and a seventh inning triple play to a 6-5 win over the Padres.

What It Means:  The Phillies have won their last two series against the Giants and Padres and they'll open up a three-game set against Chase Utley and Dodgers on Monday night.

What Happened:  The Phillies batted around in the fourth inning, scoring four runs on seven hits with all the runs coming with two outs.  Jared Eickhoff was cruising in this ballgame, allowing just two hits over the first five innings.  The wheels fell off in the sixth and the Padres tied the game at four.

Tommy Joseph's pinch single in the seventh drove in Cesar Hernandez to break the tie.  In the bottom of the seventh, the Phillies escaped trouble by turning a 5-4-3 triple play, their first since Eric Bruntlett's unassisted triple play on August 23, 2009.  Jeanmar Gomez pitched a perfect ninth for his 29th save.

2016 Topps Heritage #138

Featured Cards:  The card for this game was going to go to Carlos Ruiz since it was the catcher's two-out single in the fourth that started the scoring for the Phils that inning.  Chooch had a three-hit game and he's hitting a surprising .262 this season.

But then I felt the need to make a Chachi card (Chachi Now!), paying tribute to the around-the-horn triple play turned in the seventh by Maikel Franco, Hernandez and Joseph.  With runners on first and second, and Edubray Ramos on the mound, Jabari Blash hit a sharp grounder to Franco who stepped on third for the first out, threw to Hernandez for the second out, who then threw to Joseph at first to get Blash for the third out.

Be sure to check out the 2016 Season Summary page with game results and links to game summary posts.

2016 Bowman Scouts' Top 100 #BTP-52 Jake Thompson

Padres 9, Phillies 7
Game 112 - Saturday Night, August 6th in San Diego
Record - 51-61, 4th place, 15 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  Jake Thompson struggled in his debut and a late Phillies comeback fell short as the Padres won, 9-7.

What It Means:  With the jitters from his big league debut out of the way, Thompson can now settle into the rotation with the knowledge that he'll be sticking around for a little while.

What Happened:  Thompson was in trouble immediately and after one inning had allowed four runs on three hits, two walks and a wild pitch.  Chrstian Bethancourt did the most damage with a three-run double.  Luis Garcia and David Hernandez couldn't keep the Padres off the board in the fifth through eighth innings, otherwise the Phils would have had a chance in this game.

Jimmy Paredes hit a two-run home run (4) in the ninth and Aaron Altherr added an RBI-double to make it close.  Ryan Howard hit a solo home run (16) off former IronPigs pitcher Paul Clemens in the second and Cesar Hernandez continued his misadventures on the base paths, getting caught stealing for the eighth time this season.

Featured Card:  This is one of the 2016 baseball cards in my collection that I've been unable to add to Zistle due to that site's recent lack of maintenance.  I love the Zistle format and its ease of use, but it seems as if I may soon need to migrate my collection to another platform if updates continue to lag.

In any event, this is one of a handful of Thompson baseball cards available this year and I would expect him to be all over the 2017 baseball card releases.

Transaction:  Prior to the game, Thompson was recalled from Lehigh Valley and long-man reliever Brett Oberholtzer was designated for assignment.  Oberholtzer could find himself back with the organization if another team doesn't claim him first.  Acquired as part of the Ken Giles trade with the Astros, Oberholtzer struggled for most of the season although he had been pitching better of late.

Also on the transaction front, Andrew Bailey was unconditionally released, ending his Phillies tenure.

Be sure to check out the 2016 Season Summary page with game results and links to game summary posts.

2016 Chachi #54 Jake Thompson

#44
Jacob Keith Thompson
Starting Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'4"  Weight:  225
Born:  January 31, 1994, Dallas, TX
Home:  Rockwall, TX
Drafted:  Selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 2nd round of the June 2012 draft
Teams:  Phillies 2016
Acquired:  Acquired with Matt Harrison, Nick Williams, Jorge Alfaro, Jared Eickhoff and Alec Asher from the Texas Rangers for Cole Hamels, Jake Diekman and cash considerations, July 31, 2015

2015 Topps Heritage Minor League #129

2016 Bowman Prospects #BP107

9 Thompson Baseball Cards in My Collection per Zistle
First Card:  2015 Topps Heritage Minor League #129
First Phillies Card:  2016 Bowman Prospects #BP107
First Topps Flagship Base Card:  N/A
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  N/A
Latest Card:  2016 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #4

Complete Chachi Checklist
2016 Chachi #54

Card statistics through 8/6/16.

2016 Chachi #53 Michael Mariot

#31
Michael Mariot
Relief Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  160
Born:  October 20, 1988, West Hills, CA
Home:  Southlake, TX
Drafted:  Selected by the Kansas City Royals in the 8th round of the June 2010 draft
Teams:  Kansas City Royals 2014-2015; Phillies 2016
Acquired:  Claimed off waivers from the Kansas City Royals, November 30, 2015

2016 Choice Lehigh Valley
IronPigs #17

1 Mariot Baseball Card in My Collection per Zistle
First Card:  2016 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #17
First Phillies Card:  N/A
First Topps Flagship Base Card:  N/A
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  N/A
Latest Card:  2016 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #17

Complete Chachi Checklist
2016 Chachi New Additions #4
2016 Chachi #53

Card statistics through 8/6/16.

2016 Chachi #52 Phil Klein

#43
Phil William Klein
Starting Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'7"  Weight:  255
Born:  April 30, 1989, Columbus, OH
Drafted:  Selected by the Texas Rangers in the 30th round of the June 2011 draft
Teams:  Texas Rangers 2014-2016; Phillies 2016
Acquired:  Claimed off waivers from the Texas Rangers, June 19, 2016

2015 Topps Update #US52

0 Klein 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:  2015 Topps Update #US52

Complete Chachi Checklist
2016 Chachi #52

Card statistics through 8/6/16.

2012 Grandstand Clearwater Threshers #28 Cameron Rupp

Philllies 5, Padres 4
Game 111 - Late Friday Night, August 5th in San Diego
Record - 51-60, 4th place, 15 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  Cameron Rupp drove in four runs and Jeremy Hellickson pitched well again in this 5-4 late night win over the Padres.

What It Means:  I don't recall the last time a Phillies regular season game started this late.  The 10:40 start time meant I was already sound asleep by the time Hellickson threw his first pitch.  (And it's nice to see Hellickson still here with the Phils.)

What Happened:  Rupp has been hot lately, homering in this third straight game.  Hellickson allowed three runs in 6 2/3 innings and Jeanmar Gomez saved his 28th game.

Featured Card:  I've already burned through my supply of Rupp's 2016 baseball cards, so we'll need to go back a few years for this featured card.  This is Rupp's sole baseball card from 2012, when he was a member of the High-A Clearwater Threshers.

Transaction:  As the roster roulette continued, Gomez was activated from the paternity leave list and reliever Elvis Araujo was sent back down to Lehigh Valley after just one game back on the big league roster.

Be sure to check out the 2016 Season Summary page with game results and links to game summary posts.

2006 Sweet Spot Update #73 Pat Burrell

Giants 3, Phillies 2 (10)
Game 110 - Thursday Afternoon, August 4th in Philadelphia
Record - 50-60, 4th place, 15 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  The Giants barely avoided the sweep, scoring the winning run off Severino Gonzalez in the 10th inning.

What It Means:  The Phillies were attempting to sweep the Giants for the first time since May 2006. They'll now head to San Diego for some late night baseball.

What Happened:  Vince Velasquez labored again, allowing just two runs in his five innings of work but throwing 93 pitches.  Denard Span hit a solo home run off Gonzalez in the 10th to give the Giants the lead and eventual win.

Featured Card:  Pat Burrell hit a key two-run home run in the first inning on May 7, 2006 and drove in three runs in a game the Phillies won 9-5 to seal the series sweep of the Giants.

Transaction:  Phil Klein, making just one emergency spot start in place of the injured Aaron Nola, was optioned back to the IronPigs following Wednesday night's game.  On Thursday morning prior to this game, reliever Elvis Araujo was recalled.

Be sure to check out the 2016 Season Summary page with game results and links to game summary posts.

Franco's Walk-Off Single/Fielder's Choice Wins It

2015 Donruss Diamond Kings #199

2016 Topps Allen & Ginter #269

2016 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #17

Phillies 5, Giants 4 (12)
Game 109 - Wednesday Night, August 3rd in Philadelphia
Record - 50-59, 4th place, 14 1/2 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies mounted an improbable comeback against Johnny Cueto and the Giants, winning in the 12th inning on Maikel Franco's walk-off hit/fielder's choice.

What It Means:  There was a lot going on with this game.  On Wednesday afternoon, it was announced that Aaron Nola would miss his scheduled start (and perhaps the remainder of the season) with right elbow issues.  Phil Klein was recalled from the IronPigs to make the emergency start.

What Happened:  Trailing 4-0 as a result of  five shaky innings from Klein, the Phillies battled back first with back-to-back home runs from Ryan Howard (15) and Cameron Rupp (12) in the seventh.  A two run single from Franco in the eighth tied it up and Franco eventually singled* to right to score Tommy Joseph with the winning run.

Led by Brett Oberholtzer, the bullpen was fantastic, holding the Giants scoreless through the final seven innings of the game.

*The official scorer changed his mind multiple times following this game, eventually ruling Franco's ball as a fielder's choice since Aaron Altherr, who was on first at the time, failed to touch second base during the post-game celebration.

Featured Cards:  Franco ended up being the star of this game, and this is his most recent mainstream baseball card from the recently released Allen & Ginter set.

I also wanted to show off a card for Klein, who could become this season's version of Adam Bernero. Klein's two readily available baseball cards (to date) can be found within the 2015 Topps Update set and within the 2015 Donruss Diamond Kings set.

Finally, Michael Mariot made his Phillies debut along with Klein (see below).  Mariot is that rare player with absolutely no mainstream baseball cards to his name.  To date, he's appeared only within Royals and now Phillies minor league team sets.

Transaction:  Nola's injury and a paternity list stay for Jeanmar Gomez led to a few roster moves before this game.  Nola was placed on the disabled list and Klein was recalled from Lehigh Valley for the emergency start.  Taking Gomez's spot on the roster was Mariot, who had pitched nicely in relief for the IronPigs this season.

Be sure to check out the 2016 Season Summary page with game results and links to game summary posts.

Series Preview - Phillies at Padres: August 5th to August 7th

Friday 10:40, Saturday 8:40 and Sunday 4:40
Petco Park - San Diego, CA

Phillies 50-60, 4th place in the N.L. East, 15 games behind the Nationals
Padres 47-61, 4th place in the N.L. West, 15 games behind the Nationals

Phillies Probables:  Jeremy Hellickson (8-7, 3.70), Jake Thompson (0-0, 0.00), Jared Eickhoff (6-12, 3.68)
Padres Probables:  Christian Friedrich (4-6, 4.72), Paul Clemens (0-2, 3.46), Jarred Cosart (0-1, 5.09)

At the Ballpark:  Tomorrow night, all fans will receive a Padres throwback replica jersey from the 1990s and Sunday is U.S. Navy Appreciation Day.

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Cesar Hernandez - .294
Runs:  Odubel Herrera - 59
Home Runs:  Maikel Franco - 20
RBIs:  Maikel Franco - 66
Stolen Bases:  Odubel Herrera - 16

Wins:  Jeremy Hellickson and Vince Velasquez - 8
ERA:  Jared Eickhoff - 3.68
Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 121
Saves:  Jeanmar Gomez - 27

Padres Leaders
Average:  Wil Myers - .275
Runs:  Wil Myers - 70
Home Runs:  Matt Kemp - 23
RBIs:  Matt Kemp - 69
Stolen Bases:  Travis Jankowski - 23

Wins:  Drew Pomeranz - 8
ERA:  N/A
Strikeouts:  Drew Pomeranz - 115
Saves:  Fernando Rodney - 17

1970 Topps #284

1970 Topps #44

1970 Topps Appreciation:  Pitcher Jack Baldschun and infielder Roberto Pena were teammates on the 1969 expansion Padres team, and both also played for the Phillies.

Baldschun began his nine-year career by pitching in parts of five seasons for the Phils between 1961 and 1965.  Used strictly as a relief pitcher, Baldschun led the team in saves in 1962 (13), 1963 (16) and 1964 (21).  He shared closer duties with Gary Wagner in 1965 before the Phillies traded him to the Orioles for Jackie Brandt and Darold Knowles that December.  Picked up by the Padres after two seasons with the Reds, Baldschun was second only to Frank Reberger with relief appearances with 61 to Reberger's 67.  He appeared in 12 games for the 1970 Padres before being released in early April.

The starting shortstop for the Phillies in 1968, Pena was left unprotected by the club and chosen by the Padres in the expansion draft.  He hit a respectable .260 in 138 games for the 1968 Phillies.  Pena is a member of the "Missing Links" club for the Phillies in the 1960s as he never appeared on a Phillies baseball card.

2016 Topps Gypsy Queen #225 Aaron Altherr

Phillies 13, Giants 8
Game 108 - Tuesday Night, August 2nd in Philadelphia
Record - 49-59

One Sentence Summary:  Cesar Hernandez, Aaron Altherr and Maikel Franco had 11 hits and nine RBIs in this 13-8 slugfest of a win over Madison Bumgarner and the Giants.

What It Means:  The Phillies blew three separate leads, but scored a season high 13 runs.

What Happened:  The first three hitters in the Phillies line-up, Hernandez, Altherr and Franco went 11 for 14 with nine runs scored and nine RBIs.  Hernandez and Franco both enjoyed four hit nights while Altherr drove in five runs.  Altherr hit a two-run home run (2) in the first and Franco hit a three-run home run (20) in the second - both off Giants starter Bumgarner.

Cameron Rupp put the game away with a three-run home run (11) in the eighth.

Featured Card:  Altherr has been a breath of fresh air in an otherwise stagnant line-up since his return from a wrist injury.  This is his card from this year's Topps Gypsy Queen release.

Transaction:  Prior to the game, the struggling Andrew Bailey was designated for assignment and Luis Garcia was recalled from Lehigh Valley.

Be sure to check out the 2016 Season Summary page with game results and links to game summary posts.

Series Preview - Giants at Phillies: August 2nd to August 4th

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

Giants 61-44, 1st place in the N.L. West, 2 games ahead of the Dodgers
Phillies 48-59, 4th place in the N.L. East, 14 1/2 games behind the Nationals

Giants Probables:  Madison Bumgarner (10-6, 2.09), Johnny Cueto (13-3, 2.63), Jeff Samardzija (9-7, 4.30)
Phillies Probables:  Zach Eflin (3-4, 4.23), Aaron Nola (6-9, 4.78), Vince Velasquez (8-3, 3.32)

At the Ballpark:  It's Grateful Dead Tribute Night tonight at the ballpark and fans holding a special theme ticket will receive a Phillies/Dead tee-shirt.  The back of the shirt lists each of the Grateful Dead's live performances in Philadelphia.  On Thursday afternoon, all fans will receive a Pride of the Phillies Print featuring Ryan Howard and Carlos Ruiz.  Following the game, kids will be able to run the bases.

Giants Leaders
Average:  Buster Posey - .290
Runs:  Buster Posey - 58
Home Runs:  Buster Posey - 12
RBIs:  Brandon Crawford - 63
Stolen Bases:  Angel Pagan and Denard Span - 9

Wins:  Johnny Cueto - 13
ERA:  Madison Bumgarner - 2.09
Strikeouts:  Madison Bumgarner - 170
Saves:  Santiago Casilla - 24

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Cesar Hernandez - .289
Runs:  Odubel Herrera - 58
Home Runs:  Maikel Franco - 19
RBIs:  Maikel Franco - 59
Stolen Bases:  Odubel Herrera - 16

Wins:  Jeremy Hellickson and Vince Velasquez - 8
ERA:  Jared Eickhoff - 3.68
Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 121
Saves:  Jeanmar Gomez - 27

1970 Topps #378

1970 Topps #583

1970 Topps Appreciation:  For seven seasons between 1964 and 1970, Jim Davenport and Hal Lanier were teammates with the Giants.  They'd miss a reunion in Philadelphia years later when Davenport coached for the team in 1986 and 1987 and Lanier was with the club in 1990 and 1991.

Davenport was wrapping up his 13-year career, all with the Giants, in 1970.  Their primary third baseman in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Davenport was an All-Star in 1962 and finished his career with a .258 average, 77 home runs and 456 RBIs.  He also won a Gold Glove in 1962 and helped the Giants to the World Series, where they were defeated by the Yankees in seven games.  After more than 40 years with the Giants as a player, coach and manager, Davenport left the organization in 1985 after being fired as their manager and replaced by Roger Craig.  He joined John Felske's coaching staff the following season, and departed following the 1987 season along with Felske.  Davenport passed away this past February.

The son of pitcher Max Lanier, Hal Lanier played both second base and shortstop for the Giants between 1964 and 1971.  In his 10 year career, Lanier hit just .228 and he'd go on to find more success as a manager.  Lanier managed the Astros between 1986 and 1988, leading them to the N.L.C.S. in 1986.  He'd join Nick Leyva's coaching staff with the Phillies in 1990, and was fired after spending the 1991 season as Jim Fregosi's bench coach.  Lanier has spent the past 20 years managing in the independent leagues, and he's the current manager for the Ottawa Champions in the Cam-Am Association.

2016 Topps Heritage #252 Jeff Francoeur

Braves 2, Phillies 1
Game 107 - Sunday Afternoon, July 31st in Atlanta
Record - 47-59, 4th place, 14 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  Jeff Francoeur broke a scoreless tie in the seventh with a two-run home run off Andrew Bailey, and the Braves held on to win, 2-1.

What It Means:  The last time the Phillies won back-to-back games was their four-game winning streak from July 3rd to July 6th.

What Happened:  Jared Eickhoff threw five shutout innings and was cruising along until a rain delay cut his afternoon short.  The Phillies only run came on a Jimmy Paredes solo home run (3) in the eighth.  Bailey's season ERA is now up to 6.40 and his stats for June and July are not pretty - 19 earned runs in 18 1/3 inning pitched (9.33 ERA) and a .312 batting average against.

Featured Card:  Francoeur appears on two early 2016 baseball card releases with the Phillies, this Topps Heritage card and a card within Topps Series One.

Be sure to check out the 2016 Season Summary page with game results and links to game summary posts.

2016 Stadium Club #247 Cameron Rupp

Phillies 9, Braves 5
Game 106 - Saturday Night, July 30th in Atlanta
Record - 48-58, 4th place, 14 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  The offense came to life and Jeremy Hellickson pitched effectively again in this 9-5 win over the Braves.

What It Means:  As of this writing, Hellickson is still a member of the Phillies, despite being mentioned in numerous trade rumors over the past month.  In six July starts, Hellickson put together a 2.34 ERA and he left this game early with a minor injury caused by fouling a ball off his hand.

What Happened:  Jim Salisbury put it best, summing up this game as a three-hour and forty minute ugh-fest.  In the four-run eighth inning, the Phillies batted around without the benefit of a hit.  The sequence went BB-FC-BB-IBB-BB-E5-E6-HBP-GIDP.

Featured Card:  As has been the case of a lot of Phillies wins this season, there really wasn't a stand-out star in this game.  I'll go with Cameron Rupp here since the catcher went 3 for 5 with an RBI and two runs scored.

Be sure to check out the 2016 Season Summary page with game results and links to game summary posts.

2016 Stadium Club #74 Maikel Franco

Braves 2, Phillies 1
Game 105 - Friday Night, July 29th in Atlanta
Record - 47-58, 4th place, 15 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  Braves starting pitcher Tyrell Jenkins earned his first Major League win, limiting the Phillies to four hits in this snooze-fest.

What It Means:  The Phillies fell to 15 games behind the Nationals in the N.L. East, the furthest out of first place they've been all season.

What Happened:  Vince Velasquez labored through six innings, allowing two runs on seven hits. Surprisingly, Velasquez finds himself the subject of a trade rumor that could have him potentially going to the Rangers. The offense managed five hits, including a double from Cody Asche.

Featured Card:  Posting a card for Maikel Franco is more about trying to send him good vibes more than his performance in this particular game.  Since July 15th, Franco is hitting .150 with one home run and seven RBIs.  In this game against the Braves, he saw a total of four pitches, making four outs in the first swing of each of his four at-bats.

Be sure to check out the 2016 Season Summary page with game results and links to game summary posts.