The 1997 Philadelphia Phillies season was the 115th season in the history of the franchise.
Offseason November 21, 1996: Rex Hudler was signed as a free agent by the Phillies.Rex Hudler at Baseball Reference November 27, 1996: Ricardo Jordan and Toby Borland were traded by the Phillies to the New York Mets for Rico Brogna.Rico Brogna at Baseball Reference December 12, 1996: Mark Portugal was signed as a free agent by the Phillies.Mark Portugal at Baseball Reference February 25, 1997: Danny Tartabull was signed as a free agent by the Phillies.Danny Tartabull at Baseball Reference
Regular season On June 28, 1997, the Phillies played the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field in Atlanta. In honor of the 50th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking professional baseball's color line, the Braves hosted a Turn Back the Clock game. The Braves wore 1938 Atlanta Black Crackers home uniforms and the Phillies wore 1938 Philadelphia Stars road uniforms. In 1938, the Black Crackers had played in the Negro American League and the Stars in the Negro National League.
JackieRobinson2BMLB–retired 1997The Official Site of The Philadelphia Phillies: History: Phillies Retired numbers
J. D. Drew Phillies' first round draft pick J. D. Drew and his agent Scott Boras elected not to sign with the Phillies, sticking to their guarantee that they would not sign for less than $10 million. The Phillies had no plan to pay an unproven player this amount of money, and despite Boras' warnings, drafted Drew nonetheless. Consequently, Drew ended up playing for the St. Paul Saints of the independent Northern League.
Season standings
The Phillies played extremely poorly in the first 100 games of the season, going 30–70, including a 4–22 stretch in the month of June. The team made a miraculous comeback in the last 62 games, going 38–24, the best of any team in the National League during that span. It was not enough, however, to get them out of last place.
Record vs. opponents
Notable transactions June 3, 1997: J. D. Drew was drafted by the Phillies in the 1st round (2nd pick) of the 1997 Major League Baseball draft, but did not sign.J. D. Drew at Baseball Reference July 8, 1997: Midre Cummings was selected off waivers by the Phillies from the Pittsburgh Pirates.Midre Cummings at Baseball Reference
1997 Game Log Legend Phillies win Phillies loss PostponementBoldPhillies team member
|- style="background:#bfb" | 1 || April 1 || @ Dodgers || 3–0 || Curt Schilling (1–0) || Ramón Martínez (0–1) || Ricky Bottalico (1) || 53,079 || 1–0 |- style="background:#fbb" | 2 || April 2 || @ Dodgers || 1–5 || Hideo Nomo (1–0) || Calvin Maduro (0–1) || Darren Dreifort (1) || 37,195 || 1–1 |- style="background:#fbb" | 3 || April 3 || @ Dodgers || 1–2 || Ismael Valdez (1–0) || Mark Leiter (0–1) || Todd Worrell (1) || 26,579 || 1–2 |- style="background:#fbb" | 4 || April 4 || @ Padres || 3–13 || Tim Worrell (1–0) || Bobby Muñoz (0–1) || None || 20,903 || 1–3 |- style="background:#fbb" | 5 || April 5 || @ Padres || 1–4 || Sterling Hitchcock (1–0) || Mike Mimbs (0–1) || Trevor Hoffman (1) || 44,807 || 1–4 |- style="background:#bfb" | 6 || April 6 || @ Padres || 3–2 || Curt Schilling (2–0) || Joey Hamilton (1–1) || Ricky Bottalico (2) || 37,016 || 2–4 |- style="background:#fbb" | 7 || April 7 || @ Giants || 3–4 || Shawn Estes (1–0) || Calvin Maduro (0–2) || Rod Beck (4) || 7,525 || 2–5 |- style="background:#bfb" | 8 || April 8 || @ Giants || 2–1 || Mark Leiter (1–1) || Osvaldo Fernández (1–1) || Ricky Bottalico (3) || 6,260 || 3–5 |- style="background:#fbb" | 9 || April 9 || @ Giants || 0–3 || Kirk Rueter (1–0) || Bobby Muñoz (0–2) || Rod Beck (5) || 7,617 || 3–6 |- style="background:#fbb" | 10 || April 11 || Padres || 3–8 || Sterling Hitchcock (2–0) || Curt Schilling (2–1) || None || 36,774 || 3–7 |- style="background:#bbb" | – || April 12 || Padres || colspan=6 | Postponed (rain); Makeup: August 25 as a traditional double-header |- style="background:#fbb" | 11 || April 13 || Padres || 1–3 || Tim Scott (1–0) || Ricky Bottalico (0–1) || Trevor Hoffman (2) || 16,613 || 3–8 |- style="background:#fbb" | 12 || April 15 || Giants || 4–8 || William Van Landingham (1–0) || Bobby Muñoz (0–3) || None || 12,099 || 3–9 |- style="background:#fbb" | 13 || April 16 || Giants || 5–6 (10) || Jim Poole (1–0) || Reggie Harris (0–1) || Rod Beck (8) || 12,109 || 3–10 |- style="background:#bbb" | – || April 17 || Expos || colspan=6 | Postponed (rain); Makeup: April 20 as a traditional double-header |- style="background:#bfb" | 14 || April 18 || Expos || 8–3 || Calvin Maduro (1–2) || Jim Bullinger (0–3) || None || 11,883 || 4–10 |- style="background:#bfb" | 15 || April 19 || Expos || 10–8 || Mark Leiter (2–1) || Carlos Pérez (2–1) || Ricky Bottalico (4) || 17,426 || 5–10 |- style="background:#fbb" | 16 || April 20 (1) || Expos || 1–5 || Jeff Juden (2–0) || Bobby Muñoz (0–4) || Dave Veres (1) || see 2nd game || 5–11 |- style="background:#fbb" | 17 || April 20 (2) || Expos || 0–3 || Pedro Martínez (2–0) || Mark Portugal (0–1) || Ugueth Urbina (1) || 20,262 || 5–12 |- style="background:#bfb" | 18 || April 21 || @ Pirates || 10–2 || Curt Schilling (3–1) || Steve Cooke (1–3) || None || 9,015 || 6–12 |- style="background:#fbb" | 19 || April 23 || @ Pirates || 2–3 || Ricardo Rincón (2–1) || Jerry Spradlin (0–1) || None || 8,850 || 6–13 |- style="background:#bfb" | 20 || April 25 || @ Reds || 10–7 || Mark Leiter (3–1) || Dave Burba (3–2) || Ricky Bottalico (5) || 22,843 || 7–13 |- style="background:#fbb" | 21 || April 26 || @ Reds || 2–10 || Pete Schourek (1–2) || Curt Schilling (3–2) || None || 27,357 || 7–14 |- style="background:#bbb" | – || April 27 || @ Reds || colspan=6 | Postponed (rain); Makeup: May 26 as a traditional double-header |- style="background:#fbb" | 22 || April 28 || Pirates || 4–9 (12) || Marc Wilkins (1–0) || Mike Mimbs (0–2) || None || 12,017 || 7–15 |- style="background:#bfb" | 23 || April 29 || Pirates || 8–2 || Calvin Maduro (2–2) || Matt Ruebel (1–2) || None || 12,453 || 8–15 |- style="background:#fbb" | 24 || April 30 || Dodgers || 5–7 || Hideo Nomo (3–2) || Mark Leiter (3–2) || Todd Worrell (7) || 15,872 || 8–16
|- style="background:#fbb" | 25 || May 1 || Dodgers || 0–5 || Pedro Astacio (3–0) || Curt Schilling (3–3) || None || 16,546 || 8–17 |- style="background:#bfb" | 26 || May 2 || @ Rockies || 7–4 || Bobby Muñoz (1–4) || Mark Thompson (3–2) || Ricky Bottalico (6) || 48,031 || 9–17 |- style="background:#fbb" | 27 || May 3 || @ Rockies || 3–7 || Jamey Wright (4–1) || Mark Portugal (0–2) || None || 48,050 || 9–18 |- style="background:#fbb" | 28 || May 4 || @ Rockies || 0–9 || Roger Bailey (4–1) || Calvin Maduro (2–3) || None || 48,107 || 9–19 |- style="background:#fbb" | 29 || May 5 || @ Astros || 2–9 || Chris Holt (3–3) || Mark Leiter (3–3) || None || 11,268 || 9–20 |- style="background:#bfb" | 30 || May 6 || @ Astros || 5–1 || Curt Schilling (4–3) || Ramón García (2–2) || None || 12,179 || 10–20 |- style="background:#fbb" | 31 || May 7 || @ Cardinals || 7–14 || John Frascatore (2–1) || Reggie Harris (0–2) || None || 23,388 || 10–21 |- style="background:#fbb" | 32 || May 8 || @ Cardinals || 2–6 || Andy Benes (2–1) || Mike Mimbs (0–3) || None || 32,264 || 10–22 |- style="background:#bfb" | 33 || May 9 || Rockies || 3–1 || Calvin Maduro (3–3) || Roger Bailey (4–2) || Ricky Bottalico (7) || 13,564 || 11–22 |- style="background:#bfb" | 34 || May 10 || Rockies || 5–4 (10) || Ricky Bottalico (1–1) || Steve Reed (0–1) || None || 17,629 || 12–22 |- style="background:#bfb" | 35 || May 11 || Rockies || 3–1 || Curt Schilling (5–3) || John Thomson (0–1) || None || 21,282 || 13–22 |- style="background:#fbb" | 36 || May 12 || Rockies || 2–9 || Mike DeJean (1–0) || Bobby Muñoz (1–5) || None || 12,603 || 13–23 |- style="background:#bfb" | 37 || May 13 || Cardinals || 3–2 || Jerry Spradlin (1–1) || T. J. Mathews (1–2) || Ricky Bottalico (8) || 14,416 || 14–23 |- style="background:#fbb" | 38 || May 14 || Cardinals || 3–12 || Todd Stottlemyre (2–2) || Calvin Maduro (3–4) || None || 14,799 || 14–24 |- style="background:#fbb" | 39 || May 16 || Astros || 7–12 || Chris Holt (5–3) || Mark Leiter (3–4) || None || 13,456 || 14–25 |- style="background:#bfb" | 40 || May 17 || Astros || 4–2 || Curt Schilling (6–3) || Shane Reynolds (4–4) || Ricky Bottalico (9) || 17,138 || 15–25 |- style="background:#bfb" | 41 || May 18 || Astros || 5–3 || Garrett Stephenson (1–0) || Mike Hampton (2–4) || Ricky Bottalico (10) || 17,367 || 16–25 |- style="background:#fbb" | 42 || May 19 || Astros || 5–9 || Darryl Kile (4–2) || Calvin Maduro (3–5) || None || 15,122 || 16–26 |- style="background:#bfb" | 43 || May 20 || @ Cubs || 3–2 || Mark Leiter (4–4) || Frank Castillo (2–6) || Ricky Bottalico (11) || 20,186 || 17–26 |- style="background:#fbb" | 44 || May 21 || @ Cubs || 0–7 || Kevin Foster (5–3) || Edgar Ramos (0–1) || None || 22,881 || 17–27 |- style="background:#fbb" | 45 || May 22 || Mets || 3–10 || Bobby J. Jones (8–2) || Curt Schilling (6–4) || None || 18,486 || 17–28 |- style="background:#bfb" | 46 || May 23 || Mets || 2–1 || Garrett Stephenson (2–0) || Dave Mlicki (0–4) || Ricky Bottalico (12) || 15,501 || 18–28 |- style="background:#fbb" | 47 || May 24 || Mets || 4–8 || Armando Reynoso (3–0) || Calvin Maduro (3–6) || John Franco (13) || 19,090 || 18–29 |- style="background:#bbb" | – || May 25 || Mets || colspan=6 | Postponed (rain); Makeup: September 15 as a traditional double-header |- style="background:#fbb" | 48 || May 26 (1) || @ Reds || 5–8 || John Smiley (5–6) || Mark Leiter (4–5) || Mike Remlinger (2) || see 2nd game || 18–30 |- style="background:#fbb" | 49 || May 26 (2) || @ Reds || 4–8 || Mike Morgan (2–4) || Matt Beech (0–1) || None || 16,798 || 18–31 |- style="background:#bfb" | 50 || May 27 || @ Reds || 2–1 || Curt Schilling (7–4) || Brett Tomko (0–1) || None || 17,297 || 19–31 |- style="background:#fbb" | 51 || May 28 || @ Reds || 0–2 || Kent Mercker (2–5) || Garrett Stephenson (2–1) || Jeff Shaw (7) || 15,451 || 19–32 |- style="background:#fbb" | 52 || May 30 || @ Mets || 3–7 || Dave Mlicki (1–4) || Edgar Ramos (0–2) || None || 17,401 || 19–33 |- style="background:#fbb" | 53 || May 31 || @ Mets || 3–10 || Armando Reynoso (4–0) || Mark Leiter (4–6) || None || 28,526 || 19–34
|- style="background:#fbb" | 54 || June 1 || @ Mets || 5–8 || Rick Reed (4–2) || Matt Beech (0–2) || Cory Lidle (1) || 42,058 || 19–35 |- style="background:#bbb" | – || June 2 || Reds || colspan=6 | Postponed (rain); Makeup: September 12 as a traditional double-header |- style="background:#fbb" | 55 || June 3 || Reds || 2–3 || Kent Mercker (3–5) || Curt Schilling (7–5) || Jeff Shaw (8) || 14,340 || 19–36 |- style="background:#fbb" | 56 || June 4 || Cubs || 1–5 || Frank Castillo (3–7) || Garrett Stephenson (2–2) || None || 12,872 || 19–37 |- style="background:#bfb" | 57 || June 5 || Cubs || 9–8 (10) || Ken Ryan (1–0) || Terry Adams (0–2) || None || 13,189 || 20–37 |- style="background:#fbb" | 58 || June 6 || @ Pirates || 4–5 (10) || Marc Wilkins (5–0) || Jerry Spradlin (1–2) || None || 15,165 || 20–38 |- style="background:#fbb" | 59 || June 7 || @ Pirates || 2–9 || Jon Lieber (3–7) || Ryan Nye (0–1) || None || 25,664 || 20–39 |- style="background:#bfb" | 60 || June 8 || @ Pirates || 3–2 || Curt Schilling (8–5) || Steve Cooke (5–7) || Ricky Bottalico (13) || 30,667 || 21–39 |- style="background:#fbb" | 61 || June 10 || @ Expos || 5–8 || Dave Veres (2–1) || Ricky Bottalico (1–2) || Lee Smith (5) || 27,823 || 21–40 |- style="background:#fbb" | 62 || June 11 || @ Expos || 3–4 || Jim Bullinger (4–5) || Jerry Spradlin (1–3) || Ugueth Urbina (10) || 10,475 || 21–41 |- style="background:#bfb" | 63 || June 13 || Blue Jays || 4–3 || Wayne Gomes (1–0) || Paul Spoljaric (0–3) || Ricky Bottalico (14) || 26,799 || 22–41 |- style="background:#fbb" | 64 || June 14 || Blue Jays || 2–3 || Robert Person (2–4) || Ryan Nye (0–2) || Paul Quantrill (4) || 22,582 || 22–42 |- style="background:#fbb"