2014 TSR Custom #234 Roberto Hernandez

Phillies 4, Brewers 1
Game 91 - Wednesday Night, July 9th in Milwaukee
Record - 40-51, 5th Place, 10 games behind the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  Roberto Hernandez pitched the best game of his Phillies career, while home runs from Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins contributed to the 4-1 win over the Brewers.

What It Means:  What in the name of Johnny Wockenfuss is going on around here?  The Phillies have won three in a row against the first place Milwaukee Brewers and they've looked good doing it.  They'll go for the sweep this afternoon.

What Happened:  Hernandez was pulled after eight innings and 84 pitches, having allowed a run on three hits.  Jonathan Papelbon pitched a perfect ninth for his 22nd save.

Featured Card:  Hernandez (the pitcher formerly known as Fausto Carmona) has only one Phillies card to date, and I've already posted it.  Fortunately, the good folks over at The Shlabotnik Report have created a custom card of the multi-named righty.

If Hernandez sticks around long enough, hopefully he's a possibility for the Topps Update set.

Transaction:  Prior to the game, reliever Jeff Manship was activated from the disabled list and B.J. Rosenberg was sent back to the IronPigs.

2014 Phillies Team Issue #27 Roberto Hernandez

Phillies 1, Nationals 0
Game 29 - Sunday Afternoon, May 4th in Philadelphia
Record - 15-14, Tied for 4th Place, 1 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Roberto Hernandez and three relievers combined for a five-hit shutout against the Nationals as the Phillies won, 1-0.

What It Means:  It means the Phillies looked pretty good in this series and Hernandez turned in his best performance of the year.  He was making a spot start for Cole Hamels who was scratched with the flu.

What Happened:  Hernandez allowed four hits in his 7 1/3 innings of work, and then handed it over to Mike Adams, Antonio Bastardo and Jonathan Papelbon.  Papelbon recorded his ninth save of the year. The lone Phillies run came in the first when Jimmy Rollins tripled and then came home on a Chase Utley single.

Featured Card:  As of this writing, this is the sole official Phillies cards for the pitcher formerly known as Fausto Carmona.  Perhaps in one of the next packs opened by The Shlabotnik Report crew, there will be two Phillies cards - one for A.J. Burnett and one for Hernandez.  What are the odds?

2014 Chachi #13 Roberto Hernandez

#27

Roberto Heredia Hernandez

Starting Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'4"  Weight:  230

Born:  August 30, 1980, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Home:  Yamasa, Dominican Republic

Signed:  Signed by the Cleveland Indians as an amateur free agent, December 28, 2000

Teams:  Cleveland Indians 2006-2012, Tampa Bay Rays 2013, Phillies 2014

Acquired:  Signed as a free agent formerly with the Tampa Bay Rays, December 18, 2013

Phillies Cards in My Collection:

#1 - 2014 Phillies Team Issue #27

First Chachi Card:  2014 Chachi #13

2013 Topps Heritage High Numbers #H585 Roberto Hernandez

Phillies 6, Yankees 2
Spring Training Game 16 - Thursday Afternoon, March 13th in Clearwater
Record - 4-10-2

One Sentence Summary:  Roberto Hernandez threw a perfect game through five innings, and the Phillies would go on to defeat the Yankees, 6-2.

What Happened:  Don't look now, but the Phils have won three of their last five.  Hernandez was extremely impressive in his outing, throwing five perfect frames and recording 10 of his 15 outs via the ground ball.  Ben Revere had two hits to raise his spring average to .323 and Tommy Joseph contributed a two-run double in the eighth.

Featured Card:  If you're up on today's baseball card happenings and if you happen to read and/or follow any of the baseball card-related blogs out there, you probably know that today is the day that 2014 Topps Heritage is supposed to "go live," as the kids say these days.  This is Hernandez's card from last year's High Number/Update Heritage set, featuring the 1964 Topps design.  If, like me, you read several dozen baseball card blogs on a daily basis, get ready to see a whole lot of the 1965 Topps design in your blogrolls once this year's Heritage set officially arrives.

The investigative reporting team over at Team Phungo has already confirmed the arrival of the long-awaited set is imminent.

New Uniform Numbers Have Arrived!

2003 E-X Behind the Numbers #BTNGU-MB

The slow offseason has had one positive effect for the Phillies, as they've been able to assign out new uniform numbers much sooner than in the prior two offseasons.  It's the little things, right?

Yesterday, I noticed that all new players, coaches and non-roster invitees (with the exception of the latest round of additions) had been assigned uniform numbers on the official Phillies website.  This is usually the final offseason hurdle to clear before the team packs up its trucks and heads down to Clearwater.

Similar to what I've done the past two seasons, here's this year's handy guide to new players, new numbers and a few other trivial observations:

New Players
#3 Marlon Byrd - Byrd was assigned #3 almost immediately after being signed, assuming the number worn by both Delmon Young and Roger Bernadina in 2013.  Byrd wore #29 during his first stint with the Phillies, and it's surprising that he couldn't coerce that number from its current owner, third string catcher Cameron Rupp.
#4 Lou Marson - It's strange to see a non-roster invitee with a number in the single digits, but Marson has been assigned John McDonald's #4.  Marson wore #3 during his short time with the Phillies in 2008 and 2009.

2008 Topps Opening Day #146

#17 Reid Brignac -  Like Marson, non-roster invitees Brignac, Tony Gwynn, Jr. and Clete Thomas have all received relatively low uniform numbers.  Departed catching coach Mick Billmeyer wore #17 last season.
#19 Tony Gwynn, Jr. - The younger Gwynn has never before worn (in the Majors) the number his father made famous with twenty Hall of Fame seasons in San Diego.  Laynce Nix was #19 the previously two seasons.
#21 Wil Nieves - Assistant hitting coach Wally Joyner wore this number last year.
#24 Clete Thomas - Strangely enough, #24 wasn't worn at all last season.  Ty Wigginton last wore the number in 2012.
#27 Roberto Hernandez - The pitcher formerly known as Fausto Carmona will wear John Lannan's #27.
#31 Brad Lincoln - The new righty reliever wore #49 as a member of the Blue Jays last season, but Ethan Martin has that number with the Phillies.  Lincoln will assume the number of the player for whom he was acquired, wearing Erik Kratz's old #31.
#52 Kevin Munson - The Rule 5 pick assumes the number last worn by reliever Jose Contreras in 2012.
#75 Miguel Gonzalez -  Cuban born Gonzalez could become the second player in franchise history to wear #75, after Jim Crowell briefly wore the number during the 2004 season.

New Coaches

1996 Phillies Team Issue #2

#10 Larry Bowa - There's no way Bowa could don a Phillies uniform and wear anything other than #10 . . . although he did at one point.  As a coach in the late '80s and early '90s, Bowa wore #2 while Darren Daulton kept his regular #10 warm.  Michael Young wore the number last season.
#12 John Mizerock -  Both Humbero Quintero and Pete Orr wore this number in 2013.  Hopefully, Mizerock finds more success with it.
#22 Bob McClure -  The new pitching coach assumes the number last worn by outfielder/pitcher Casper Wells.
#45 Pete Mackanin -  Chad Durbin and Zach Miner both spent time with #45 in 2013.  During his first stint as a Phillies coach, Mackanin wore #45 in 2009 (before Pedro Martinez took it over), #22 in 2010 and 2011 and #5 in 2012.  Hitting coach Steve Henderson currently owns #5, so Mackanin went back to his 2009 number.

New Numbers
#30 Justin De Fratus - There's just no telling what number De Fratus is going to wear from year to year.  He began his career as #37 but then surrendered that number prior to the 2012 season to Antonio Bastardo and strangely assumed #79.  His new #30 was last worn by former pitching coach Rich Dubee.  Maybe this is some sort of tribute to Dubee?

2010 Phillies Fan Appreciation
Day Postcards #4

Other Stuff
- For the second year in a row, outfield prospect Zach Collier wins the prize for the highest number with his #80.

- From 1 to 60, the following non-retired numbers are still officially up for grabs - #7, #34, #39, #41, #43 and #46.  I wouldn't be shocked if the team has unofficially retired #34 and #41, at least for the next few seasons, out of respect for Roy Halladay and Charlie Manuel.  I seriously doubt they're doing the same thing for #7 (Michael Martinez), #39 (Steven Lerud), #43 (Steve Susdorf) or #46 (Raul Valdes).  I'd expect some or all of those numbers to go to the remaining four non-roster invitees still in need.  Hot prospect Maikel Franco would make an excellent #7.

Memory Lane
2012 New Numbers
2013 New Numbers

Phillies Sign Their Second Roberto Hernandez

2014 Chachi Transactions #12

Yesterday, the one-year deal to add Roberto Hernandez to the Phillies starting rotation became official.  Hernandez made a comeback of sorts last season, appearing in 32 games for the Rays and going 6-13 with a 4.89 ERA.  When I first read the news of Hernandez's signing, I'll admit I wasn't sure if I knew who he was.  The first image that came to mind was long-time reliever and former Phillie Roberto Manuel Hernandez.  That Hernandez spent the 2004 season with the Phillies, appearing in 63 games as a reliever.  That Hernandez was also a two-time All-Star with the 1996 White Sox and the 1999 Rays.

So who is this new Roberto Hernandez?  The new Phillies pitcher began his professional career using the name Fausto Carmona.  As Carmona, and purporting to be two years younger than he actual was, Hernandez made his debut with the Indians in 2006.  His finest season came in 2007 when he went 19-8 for the Indians, finishing fourth in the A.L. Cy Young Award voting.  His false identity came to light in January 2012 when he was arrested in his native Dominican Republic for trying to obtain a U.S. visa illegally.  In July 2012, after a stint in jail, he returned to the U.S. and served a three week suspension before returning to the Indians pitching staff.

2004 Topps #571

Hernandez's sole mainstream 2013 baseball card was recently released in the Topps Heritage High-Number Series.

And now he's projected to be the third or fourth starter for the Phillies.  Just don't get him confused with the other Roberto Hernandez.  Or call him Fausto.

Moving On

Steven Lerud (10/1/13) - Elected free agency.  (Signed as a minor league free agent with the Atlanta Braves, 11/23/13)

Raul Valdes (10/2/13) - Claimed off waivers by the Houston Astros.

Tyler Cloyd (10/2/13) - Claimed off waivers by the Cleveland Indians.

Michael Martinez (10/7/13) - Outrighted off the 40-man roster and elected free agency.  (Signed as a minor league free agent with the Pittsburgh Pirates, 12/18/13)

Zach Miner (10/7/13) - Outrighted off the 40-man roster and elected free agency.

Pete Orr (10/7/13) - Outrighted off the 40-man roster and elected free agency.

Roger Bernadina (10/17/13) - Outrighted off the 40-man roster and elected free agency.

J.C. Ramirez (10/17/13) - Outrighted off the 40-man roster and elected free agency.  (Signed as a minor league free agent with the Cleveland Indians, 11/1/13)

Casper Wells (10/17/13) - Outrighted off the 40-man roster and elected free agency.  (Signed as a minor league free agent with the Chicago Cubs, 11/23/13)

John Lannan (10/17/13) - Outrighted off the 40-man roster and elected free agency.

Roy Halladay (10/31/13) - Elected free agency.  (Signed by the Toronto Blue Jays and announced his retirement, 12/9/13)

Mauricio Robles (11/5/13) - Outrighted off the 40-man roster and became a minor league free agent.

Erik Kratz (12/3/13) - Traded with Rob Rasmussen to the Toronto Blue Jays for Brad Lincoln.

Coming Back

Cesar Jimenez (11/15/13) - Signed to a minor league contract and invited to spring training.

Carlos Ruiz (11/21/13) - Resigned by the Phillies to a three-year contract with a club option for a fourth year.

New Additions

Marlon Byrd (11/12/13) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Brad Lincoln (12/3/13) - Acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays for Erik Kratz and Rob Rasmussen.

Wil Nieves (12/5/13) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Kevin Munson (12/12/13) - Selected in the Rule 5 draft from the Arizona Diamondacks.
Roberto Hernandez (12/18/13) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the Tampa Bay Rays.