2016 Topps Scouting Report #SRA-AN Aaron Nola (rc - auto)

The Phillies Home Opener versus the San Diego Padres is today and 2nd year pitcher Aaron Nola will be the starting for the home squad.

Both the Aaron Nola Base and Autograph cards were part of the promotional material published by Cardboard Connection. I saw each card several times over the last couple of months but didn't really examine them until I took part in the Nachos Grande group break.

2016 Topps Scouting Report Autograph #SRA-AN Aaron Nola

I am not sure how many collectors would consider Aaron Nola a good pull in a Hobby Box break of 2016 Topps, but if you have the Phillies in a Grouper it is a great pick.

When the cards from the group break arrived I quickly realized that the Nola Auto card has a different image than the base card

2016 Topps #133 Aaron Nola
2016 Topps Scouting Report Autograph #SRA-AN Aaron Nola

Similar but definitely different. Notice on the base card Nola's head is angled more toward home. It also appears the index finger on his pitching hand is below the seam on the base card while it covers the seam on the auto. The angle of the non-pitching hand is different in the two shots.

Getty the Game
Both pictures were shot from the same angle and in fact were taken during the same game by the same photographer.  We discussed the base card last week and noted that the photo was this one taken by Miles Kennedy. The shot on the Auto card was also taken by Kennedy but it was taken an inning later than the base card.

During the 2nd inning of the game on July 21 2015 Aaron Nola faced four hitters yielding only one hit a single to Jake Elmore. Also during that same inning Nola recorded a strikeout of Rene Rivera.

2016 Topps Scouting Report Autograph #SRA-AN Aaron Nola (b-side)

The back of Nola's card mentions his best game of the season, a 2-0 combined shutout of the Marlins in which he got through 8 innings yielding just three hits while striking out six. The game is discussed on Nola's base card as well.

Phungo Game Cards
The picture is from a game attended by Team Phungo and will join the list of Phungo Game Cards.

Sources and Links
2016 Topps Index
2016 Topps Phillies
Getty Images
Baseball-ref

2016 Topps #133 Aaron Nola (rc)

Aaron Nola didn't earn the Opening Day start for the rebuilding 2016 Philadelphia Phillies. That honor rightfully went to veteran Jeremy Hellickson.

Nola did earn the #2 spot in the rotation.

2016 Topps #133 Aaron Nola

The nice thing about getting the b-slot is that if the weather cooperates Nola will get the opportunity start the Phillies Home Opener on Monday.

The #133 card is Nola's first flagship card, and will likely be considered his rookie card - Note the mandatory RC flair in the bottom right. This likely will end up being the image my memory will permanently attach to 2016 Topps.

Flip

2016 Topps #133 Aaron Nola (b-side)

Nice blurb on the back of the card, the Text mentions that the Phillies sold 8,500 tix in the days leading up to Aaron Nola's debut - One of those tickets went to Team Phungo. The Phillies may have lost the game 1-0 but it still felt like a W, a symbolic turning of the page to a new generation of players.

Getty the Game
Now we get to the reason I love this card. The text on the back ties to the image on the front. I quickly perused the pictures on Getty Images and found this photo which was taken July 21 2015 during Nola's debut. The Getty Details are even good enough to mention that the picture was taken during the first inning, There were four batters in that inning the most prominent of which was Evan Longoria.

The Photo is credited to Miles Kennedy who has a few sports related images in the Getty library and appears to be a staff photographer with the Phillies.

Finally since this card features both a Photo on the front and text on the back that refers to a game team Phungo attended the card gets added to our favorite subset, the Phungo Games Collection.

2016 WAR
Hoping for a good sophomore year from Aaron Nola, +2.1. 

Sources and Links
Phungo Game Cards Index
2016 Topps Index
2016 Topps Phillies
Getty Images

Game Report 2015 0721: Rays at Phillies - Aaron Nola Debut, Nathan Karns HR

Citizen's Bank Park provided some excitement on Tuesday night as their 2014 top draft pick Aaron Nola made his Major League Debut

It was a fun night for everyone, there was a buzz across the stadium as fans followed Nola from his Long Toss routine all the way through his six inning start.

2015 0721 Aaron Nola in his Major League Debut

Aaron Nola looked good giving up run on 5 Hits and a walk over the course of six innings in his first start.

He did have one bad pitch.

2015 0721 Nate Karns

Typically a gift pitch with an AL Pitcher batting isn't a problem, but on Tuesday night it was. Nate Karns had never had a hit in the Majors and only one in the minors, but he made his first in the Majors count. Karns Homered off of Aaron Nola in the 3rd inning and it was the only run the Rays needed. 

 2015 07 21 Linescore

How often do you get a 1-0 game where the only run is the result of a Pitcher hitting a Home Run.

Not often.

Yovani Gallardo did to give the Brewers a 1-0 victory over the Pirates in 2009. Karns was the first AL Pitcher to do it since 1962 when Milt Pappas did it for the Orioles versus the Yankees.

GGA

Kevin Kiermaier

There were a number of Rays that came out to sign autographs, one of them was Kevin Kiermaier who had a really good night in Centerfield. In addition to a couple of nice catches he also picked up and outfield assist when Cody Asche attempted to go first to third on a single.

Line Up Card Aaron Nola

The Phillies even had a new LineUp card posted for Aaron Nola.

Citizens Bank Park 

It is a little hard to tell but the flags at CBP were lowered to honor the memory of the servicemen killed in Chattanooga.

Sources and Links
Baseball-ref
The Sporting News
Phillies Radio Broadcast