Card Detective #1

Card Detective #1

1993 Topps Stadium Club #157

What we know:

1. This is from the 1992 season.

2. This is Juan Bell making a play.

3. This is a home game for Philadelphia vs. Cincinnati.

4. Player sliding into the base is #10.

What we looked up:

1. Juan Bell only played one season in Philadelphia (1992).

2. Bell only played in 46 games via Baseball Reference.

3. Of his 46 games played, only 3 were at home vs. the Reds.

4. Those dates were a doubleheader on Aug. 18 and a single game on Aug. 19.

5. In those three games, Bell played shortstop for the entire game.

6. In 1992, #10 for Cincinnati was Bip Roberts.

7. So it looks like we are looking for an attempted double play with Bip Roberts sliding into 2nd Base.

8. In the Aug. 18 game one of the double header, the Phillies 2nd Baseman for the entire game was Mariano Duncan. So my guess is that looks like him in the play.  So most likely he fed the ball to Bell.  In this game, Roberts is 1-5.  He got a single in the top of the 3rd and advanced on a throwing error to second.  And he reached on an error in the top of the 8th (I'm hopeful now).  Unfortunately, he steals 2nd base.  So it looks like Aug. 18th game one is a no.

9. In the 2nd game of the Aug. 18th twin bill, the Phillies played Mickey Morandini the whole game as the 2nd Baseman, so this rules out that game.

10.  I'm hopeful that I now find the play in the Aug 19th game.  Bell played SS and Duncan is back at 2nd. Bip Roberts is 1-4 with a walk this game so looks like there might be an opportunity.  The first time he gets to 1st Base is the top of the seventh when he has a leadoff walk.  Jeff Branson is up next and on a 2-2 count hits a ground ball up the middle to 2nd Baseman Duncan who dishes to Bell and then fires to Rickey Jordan, the Phillies 1st Baseman, to complete the double play.  This is most likely it, but we need to confirm that the hit by Roberts later in the game didn't have a similar result.

11. Reds Bip Roberts gets a 2 out hit in the top of the ninth which is followed up by Cesar Hernandez pinch hit strikeout.  So definitely not this.

Final VERDICT:

This is August 19, 1992 at a day game at Veterans Stadium in the top of the 7th with a 2-2 count and no outs and Bip Roberts on 1st. Jeff Branson hits into a double play in which Juan Bell is shown here making the throw to 1st Base.  The Phillies were up 6-2 at that point and go on to win the game 9-3 improving their record to 51-68.  They would end up 6th (last place) in the NL East that year.