Number of Cards: 49
Card Size: 4" x 6"
Description: The 2019 set of Phillies team-issued photo cards feature a player photo with a red and blue border lining the left and bottom of each card. A Liberty Bell is featured at the bottom right with the players' number and position at the top left. As has been the case with all recent first edition sets, photos are from spring training. Also consistent with prior years' designs, the horizontal card backs feature biographical information and complete career statistics.
How Distributed: The set went on sale at Citizens Bank Park at the March 28th home opener, and sets could be found for sale for $5 at souvenir locations throughout the ballpark up until the Phillies game on Sunday, May 19th.
Complete Standard Checklist: The cards are unnumbered, but I've presented them below ordered by uniform number. The set comes in clear packaging with Bryce Harper and Aaron Nola facing up on either side, and with the cards originally packaged in alphabetical order.
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First Appearances (8): Alvarez, Harper, McCutchen, Nicasio, Realmuto, Robertson, Rodriguez, Segura
Returning Players (24): Altherr, Arano, Arrieta, Cozens, Dominguez, Eflin, Eickhoff, Franco, Hernandez, Herrera, Hoskins, Hunter, Kingery, Knapp, Morgan, Neris, Neshek, Nola, Pivetta, Ramos, Rios, Quinn, Velasquez, Williams
This is a wonderfully comprehensive checklist.
Of the 34 players on the checklist, 25 were on the team's opening day roster, 2 started the season on the disabled list (Hunter and Quinn), 6 started the season in the minors (Arano, Cozens, Eickhoff, Pazos, Rios and Rodriguez) and 1 has already left the organization (Butera). If nothing else, the Phillies have covered the bases in terms of potential early season call-ups. Butera was released by the Phillies on March 22nd and signed by the Rockies on March 25th, meaning the latest the set went to print was March 21st.
There has not been a broadcasters card since the 2017 first edition team photo card set.
The First Appearance designation is for players who have never before appeared within a Phillies team issued set. These players may have already appeared on other Phillies baseball cards.
Manager (1): Kapler
Phillie Phanatic (1)
Broadcasters (0)
Other Cards (2): Calitri, Fuld
Coaches Dickerson, Figueroa and Lundquist are marking their first appearances in a Phillies team issued set. Bullpen catchers Driver and Stumpo make appearances for the second year in a row. New to the main set this year are Sam Fuld and Mike Calitri. No coach indication is made on their cards, but they hold the titles of "Player Information Coordinator" and "Manager, Advance Scouting", respectively.
No offense to either guy, but I'm not sure why cards are merited for either of them. If the Phillies had asked me (they didn't), I would have replaced the Calitri and Fuld cards with cards for Drew Anderson and Enyel De Los Santos who will both likely appear at Citizens Bank Park at some point this season.
Rarities: None yet, but watch this space!