Player Profile: Brandon Braboy

I have one card of Brandon Braboy, from 2009 TriStar.

Playing career: Brandon Braboy pitched in the Yankees organization from 2008 to 2010. He went 6-6 with a 3.70 ERA in 54 games but injuries cut short his career.

Where he is now: Assistant Coach at McCracken County High School in Kentucky.

My memories: Only know him from his card.

Google Autocomplete results: He is first when you type Brandon Brab, ahead of Brandon Brabender, Riverine Ground Operations Instructor at DMS International. There do not appear to be any other prominent Brandon Braboys.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Miah Bradbury.

JD Closser on baseball cards

Catcher JD Closser played for the Rockies from 2004 to 2006. In 160 games he hit .239 with 10 HR and 48 RBI. Now a minor league coach for the Yankees, he kindly answered my questions about baseball cards.
"I remember when I first found out that I was going to have a card, my parents and friends of the family doing everything they could to collect at least one of every card that came out.  Hunting for them was always a big adventure.

I think that I would have to say that my favorite card is my first card just because it is something that you dream of while you are a kid.  When you would go to the store and buy a pack of Topps cards and open them it was always fun to think that one day you may find a card of yourself in there. 
I think my next favorite would be the ones from when I had actually made it to the big leagues.  Once in particular was a card that had the title "old judge" on it.
I do not currently collect baseball cards but my family and I did when I was a kid.  I remember that used to be my father's present for Christmas from my Grandmother, that year's full set of Topps cards all boxed up and unopened.  I also would get the bubble gum packs of cards at the store or almost anywhere that would carry them, open the packs, chew the very stale gum and rifle through the cards to see who I got. I would then take them home and put them in binders and organize them over and over.  I also had other boxes full of cards that did not make it into the binders."

Thanks!

Player Profile: Tagg Bozied

I have three cards of Tagg Bozied. This one is from 2003 Topps.

Playing career: First baseman Tagg Bozied played ten years of professional baseball, mostly in the Padres and Phillies organizations. In 868 games he hit .281 with 160 HR and 557 RBI.

Where he is now: Founder of Venutopia, a gaming app.

My memories: He shared his thoughts on baseball cards on this blog in 2010.

Google Autocomplete results: He is first when you type Tagg B, ahead of Tagg Battery, referring to a part for a pet tracker. There do not appear to be any other prominent Tagg Bozieds.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Brandon Braboy.

Player Profile: Marshall Boze

I have one card of Marshall Boze, from 1993 Bowman.

Playing career: The first Alaskan to play major league baseball, Marshall Boze pitched in 25 games for the Brewers in 1996. In 32.1 innings he went 0-2 with 1 save and a 7.79 ERA.

My memories: Only know him from his card.

Where he is now: Anyone know where Marshall Boze is now?

Google Autocomplete results: He is first when you type Marshall Boz, ahead of Marshall Bozeman, a student at Columbia University. There do not appear to be any other prominent Marshall Bozes.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Tagg Bozied.

Player Profile: Dorian Boyland

I have one card of Dorian Boyland, from 1980 Topps.

Playing career: Dorian Boyland played in 21 games for the Pirates between 1978 and 1981, getting two hits in nineteen at-bats.

Where he is now: Since his baseball career ended he has gone on to a very successful career in the auto sales business. Boyland Auto Group has nine dealerships around the country and in 2011 had nearly $400 million in revenue.

My memories: Before my time. Only know him from his card.

Google Autocomplete results: He is third when you type Dorian Bo, between Dorian Boncoeur, a university researcher in Germany, and Dorian Boose, a former defensive end for the Jets. There do not appear to be any other prominent Dorian Boylands.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Marshall Boze.

Player Profile: Shaun Boyd

I have one card of Shaun Boyd, from 2001 Topps.

Playing career: Outfielder Shaun Boyd played eight seasons in the Cardinals and Phillies organizations. In 750 games he hit .273 with 41 HR, 280 RBI and 131 SB.

Where he is now: Director of Operations at SONIC Drive-In of San Diego.

My memories: Only know him from his card.

Google Autocomplete results: He is seventh when you type Shaun Bo, between Shaun Botes, a brand designer in South Africa, and Shawn Boy Meets World, referring to a TV character. The first entry when you google Shaun Boyd is not the ballplayer but a TV news reporter in Denver.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Dorian Boyland.

Player Profile: Jason Boyd

I have one card of Jason Boyd, from 2000 Fleer Tradition Update.

Playing career: Jason Boyd pitched for the 1999 Pirates, 2000 Phillies, 2002 Padres, 2003 Indians and 2004 Pirates. In 113 games, all in relief, he went 5-2 with a 5.74 ERA.

Interesting facts: Boyd was arrested for two separate fights in October 2003, once during a basketball game and once in a bar. The chargers for the former incident were dropped; for the latter he was convicted of misdemeanor battery and sentenced to a year of court supervision.

My memories: Only know him from his card.

Where he is now: Anyone know where Jason Boyd is now?

Google Autocomplete results: He is first when you type Jason Boy, ahead of Jason Boyarski, an entertainment lawyer. The first entry when you google Jason Boyd is not the ballplayer but a singer.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Shaun Boyd.

Baseball card story from Rocky Cherry

Rocky Cherry pitched for the Cubs and Orioles in 2007 and 2008. In 40 games he went 1-4 with a 5.81 ERA. Now Vice President of Cherry Paint in Dallas, his family's business, he kindly shared this great baseball card story.

"My first card was made when I was with the cubs, still in the Minor Leagues but close to breaking into the Big Leagues. I got a card deal with Upper Deck and Topps and was pumped to be getting some money. I got $1 for every signature. So a guy who had to authenticate every signature, from Upper Deck, came to my house and brought me sheets of paper with little clear stickers. I had to sign each sticker and then they would put the sticker on the card. The authenticator had to watch every signature. So I decided to make a day of it. It was a nice day and so I would sign 100 signatures and then lay out by the pool and drink a few beers with my buddies. Then go back in and sign a few more. I could tell he was getting irritated but I thought it was funny. So, I offered him a beer. He said no at first but after seeing how things were shaking out he caved into the pressure and started drinking. This dude got wasted. We were feeding him shots and having a good time. I ended signing all the stickers and had a lot of fun doing it."

Thanks! I don't have that card, but here is one from my collection, from 2007 Topps Update.

Player Profile: Hudson Boyd

I have one card of Hudson Boyd, from 2011 Bowman Draft Picks & Prospects.

Playing career: Hudson Boyd was the Twins’ number one pick in 2011, and pitched well at rookie-league Elizabethton in 2012, going 2-5 with a 2.95 ERA in thirteen starts. In 2013 he was promoted to class-A Cedar Rapids and struggled, going 4-5 with a 4.98 ERA, and was moved from the starting rotation to the bullpen.

Where he is now: He spent all of 2014 in the Cedar Rapids bullpen, going 4-4 with 7 saves and a 4.34 ERA in 44 games. His peripherals were not great (52 H, 31 BB and only 45 K in 58 IP) and he was suspended for a week for breaking an undisclosed team rule. He is shaping up to be a first-round bust.

My memories: Only know him from his card.

Google Autocomplete results: He is third when you type Hudson Boy, between Hudson Boyfriend Jeans, referring to women’s pants, and Hudson Boy or Girl Name – traditionally a boy’s name, becoming more popular for girls.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Jason Boyd.

Player Profile: Greg Boyd

I have one card of Greg Boyd, from 1993 Topps.

Playing career: First baseman Greg Boyd played in the Rockies organization in 1992 and 1993. In 124 games he hit .257 with 13 HR and 64 RBI.

My memories: Only know him from his card.

Where he is now: Anyone know where Greg Boyd is now?

Google Autocomplete results: He is tenth when you type Greg B, behind Greg Brown, a folk singer. There are no references to the ballplayer on the first page of results; most refer to a prominent theologian in Minnesota.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Hudson Boyd.

Chris Getz on baseball cards

Second baseman Chris Getz played seven seasons for the White Sox and Royals. In 459 games he hit .250 with 3 HR, 111 RBI and 89 SB. Now Baseball Operations Assistant, Player Development for the Royals, he kindly answered my questions about baseball cards.

" I know my uncle puts a signed card of mine in my cousins stocking every year. I am sure they are getting tired of receiving those ha.

My favorite card is me sliding home after an Alex Gordon walk off.  Captures a good memory.

I used to collect them as a kid but not anymore."

Thanks!

Terry Kennedy on baseball cards

Catcher Terry Kennedy played fourteen seasons in the major leagues, hitting .264 with 113 HR and 628 RBI. A four-time All-Star, he was a key member of two NL pennant winners in the 1980's. Now a scout for the Cubs, he kindly answered my questions about baseball cards.

"I was in the Major Leagues when Topps lost it's lawsuit and that really opened up the whole thing.  But then it became saturated and I feel it (baseball card business) has never recovered. 

My favorite card was the one painted that was similar to the ‘50s kind of card."

Thanks!

Player Profile: Dennis Boyd

I have 46 cards of Dennis Boyd. This one is from 1986 Topps.

Playing career: Dennis Boyd, better known as “Oil Can” [slang for “beer can” in his native Mississippi] pitched ten seasons in the major leagues, mostly for the Red Sox. His best season was 1986, when he helped the Red Sox win the pennant by going 16-10 with a 3.78 ERA. Overall he went 78-77 with a 4.04 ERA.

Where he is now: Boyd still pitches in semi-pro leagues, and made headlines in 2012 for writing an autobiography where he detailed his cocaine use during his playing career and claimed to have been high for every start in 1986. He also accused everyone he had a conflict with as being racist (including black Red Sox teammates Don Baylor and Jim Rice). For example, he claimed that Dick Howser was racist for leaving him off the All-Star team in 1986, saying “Bigotry had to do with that. I was the best pitcher in the league that first half.” Anyone who was watching baseball in 1986 knows Boyd wasn’t even the best pitcher on his own team in the first half. That quote came from a very pro-Boyd profile in the marijuana publication High Times. That articles notes that “Boyd’s been married to the same woman for 27 years . . . never went bankrupt or lost his mind.” Somehow they failed to mention his arrest a few years earlier for threatening a girlfriend and business associate.

My memories: I remember him as being one of the most colorful characters in baseball when I first started following the game. I didn’t really understand the drug stuff as a kid. I also remember him being the most prominent of the strikebreakers in the 1995 Spring Training. I was kind of hoping that they played some real games (like they did in the NFL in 1987) so guys like Boyd would pitch in the major leagues again.

Google Autocomplete results: He is eighth when you type Dennis Bo, between Dennis Booker, a TV character, and Dennis Bonn, football coach at Cold Spring Harbor High School on Long Island. Another prominent Dennis Boyd is President of Southport Wealth Management.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Greg Boyd.

Player Profile: Justin Bowles

I have one card of Justin Bowles, from 1999 Topps Traded.

Playing career: Outfielder Justin Bowles played in the A’s organization from 1996 to 2000. In 495 games he hit .290 with 64 HR and 284 RBI. In his last two seasons he topped 15 HRs in AA ball – odd that he didn’t play again. Don’t know if there was an injury or he just quit.

My memories: Only know him from his card.

Where he is now: Anyone know where Justin Bowles is now?

Google Autocomplete results: He is ninth when you type Justin Bow, between Justin Bower Art, an artist in Los Angeles, and Justin Bieber, a singer. Another prominent Justin Bowles is a high school football player in Georgia.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Dennis Boyd.

Player Profile: John Bowker

I have one card of John Bowker, from 2008 Topps Rookie Bonus.

Playing career: Outfielder John Bowker played for the Giants, Pirates and Phillies from 2008 to 2011. In 240 games he hit .232 with 17 HR and 73 RBI.

Where he is now: He has spent the past three seasons in Japan. Last year, with Rakuten, he hit .248 with 7 HR and 22 RBI in 65 games.

My memories: Only know him from his card.

Google Autocomplete results: He is first when you type John Bowk, ahead of John Bowkus, Head Hockey Coach at Williston State College. Another prominent John Bowker is a prominent theologian in England.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Justin Bowles.

Player Profile: Micah Bowie

I have five cards of Micah Bowie. This one is from 1999 Fleer Tradition Update.

Playing career: Micah Bowie pitched for the Braves, Cubs, A’s, Nationals and Rockies from 1999 to 2008. In 88 games he went 8-13 with a 6.16 ERA.

Where he is now: Owns the Bowie Baseball Academy in San Marcos, TX.

My memories: Only know him from his card.

Google Autocomplete results: He is seventh when you type Micah Bo, between Micah Boy Name, referring to the biblical name, and Micah Boyd, an Olympic rower. There do not appear to be any other prominent Micah Bowies.

Coming up next: The next profile will be John Bowker.

Player Profile: Jim Bowie

I have two cards of Jim Bowie. This one is from 1987 ProCards.

Playing career: First baseman Jim Bowie played in six games for the Oakland A's in 1994, getting three hits in fourteen at-bats. A fuller account of his career can be found at The Greatest 21 Days.

Where he is now: A hitting coach at Strictly Baseball in Fairfield, CA.

My memories: Only know him from his card.

Google Autocomplete results: He is tenth when you type Jim B, after Jim Brickman, a musician. There are no references to the ballplayer on the first page of Google results; all refer to the pioneer who died at the Alamo.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Micah Bowie.

Player Profile: Shane Bowers

I have one card of Shane Bowers, from 1996 Best.

Playing career: Shane Bowers pitched for the Twins in 1997, going 0-3 with an 8.05 ERA in five major league starts. 

Interesting facts: Bowers pitched for the Twins’ AAA team in Salt Lake City. While there he had a relationship with a woman named Heather Alwine. After Bowers broke off the relationship, Alwine became obsessed with Bowers, calling him 30 times in 41 days. Alwine also interviewed for the General Manager job with team owner Joseph Buzas. She later sued Buzas for sexual harassment in what she claimed was a week-long job interview, but that defense attorneys successfully argued was actually a week in the city to try to win Bowers back.

Where he is now: A scout for the Phillies.

My memories: Only know him from his card.

Google Autocomplete results: He is fourth when you type Shane Bow, between Shane Bowman, who plays football at the University of Washington, and Shane Bauer, an American hiker arrested in Iran in 2009. Another prominent Shane Bowers is a youth hockey prospect in Nova Scotia.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Micah Bowie.

Kyle Nichols on baseball cards

First baseman Kyle Nichols played in the Diamondbacks, Phillies and Reds organizations from 2001 to 2005, hitting .270 with 80 HR and 300 RBI. He has spent the last nine years playing in the independent leagues, hitting .269 with 110 HR and 499 RBI. This year he hit .268 with 11 HR and 53 RBI for the Amarillo Sox. Also the owner of Nichols Baseball Instruction in Dothan, AL, he kindly answered my questions about baseball cards.

"One story I remember is that our catcher in Triple A with Arizona, Craig Ansman, got paid .10 for every card he signed for Topps.  I remember his hand cramping up as he signed and signed and signed cards in the clubhouse in Tucson.  

As for me....my rookie card stated I was the younger brother of Kevin who played with the Phillies.  We always have a laugh that I could never escape his shadow.
 
I own a Rickey Henderson rookie card from the 80's that is by far my favorite card....
 
...although my first professional card is pretty sweet, too.
 

I have a small collection of cards that I collected when I was a kid.  Maybe there are some high dollar cards in there somewhere."

Thanks!

Player Profile: Cedrick Bowers

I have two cards of Cedrick Bowers. This one is from 1998 Topps.

Playing career: Cedrick Bowers pitched for the Rockies in 2008 and the A’s in 2010. In nineteen games he went 0-1 with a 7.29 ERA.

Where he is now: A youth baseball instructor in Florida.

My memories: Only know him from his card.

Google Autocomplete results: He is first when you type Cedrick Bo, ahead of Cedrick Bowen, a basketball player at Charleston Southern University. There do not appear to be any other prominent Cedrick Bowerses.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Shane Bowers.

Player Profile: Brent Bowers

I have three cards of Brent Bowers. This one is from 1994 Classic.

Playing career: Brent Bowers played in 21 games for the Orioles in 1996, hitting .308 with 0 HR and 3 RBI.

Interesting facts: As a manager for the independent-league Edmonton Capitals in 2010, Bowers got in an argument with umpire Billy Van Raaphorst, who is openly gay. During the argument, Bowers bent over and grabbed his own ankles, while saying, "I ought to kick your ass, you faggot." The incident garnered nationwide attention and Bowers resigned a week later.

Where he is now: Owns Triple Crown Baseball Academy in Schererville, IN.

My memories: I remember hearing about the Van Raaphorst incident. It certainly colored the way I looked at a previously obscure minor league baseball card.

Google Autocomplete results: He is fourth when you type Brent Bow, between Brent Bowen, an attorney in Texas, and Brent Bowles, Direct Marketing Program Manager at Wells Fargo. Another prominent Brent Bowers is a bowling coach in Kansas.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Cedrick Bowers.

Player Profile: Ryan Bowen

I have 32 cards of Ryan Bowen. This one is from 1991 Upper Deck Final Edition.

Playing career: Ryan Bowen pitched for the Astros and Marlins from 1991 to 1995. In 64 games he went 17-28 with a 5.30 ERA. A fuller account of his career can be found at The Greatest 21 Days.

Where he is now: An agent at Neighborhood Insurance Service and a coach at Homerun Alley, both in Texas.

My memories: Only know him from his card.

Google Autocomplete results: He is second when you type Ryan Bow, between Ryan Bowers, who was on Bachelorette, and Ryan Bowers Rapper, a performer in California. The first entry when you google Ryan Bowen is not the ballplayer but a former NBA player.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Brent Bowers.

Player Profile: Rob Bowen

I have two cards of Rob Bowen. This one is from 2007 Upper Deck.

Playing career: Catcher Rob Bowen played for four teams from 2003 to 2008. In 216 games he hit .209 with 9 HR and 43 RBI.

Where he is now: Owns Southern Star Cleaning & Removal and Red Alert Baseball in Georgia.

My memories: Only know him from his card.

Google Autocomplete results: He is eighth when you type Rob Bow, between Rob Bowerman, an executive recruiter focused on the retail industry, and Rob Bowden Harvard, referring to a computer science student. Another prominent Rob Bowen is an interior designer in Florida.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Ryan Bowen.

Player Profile: Michael Bowden

I have one card of Michael Bowden, from 2009 Topps.

Playing career: Michael Bowden pitched for the Red Sox and Cubs from 2008 to 2013. In 103 games he went 3-5 with a 4.51 ERA.

Where he is now: He pitched for the Seibu Lions in Japan in 2014, going 2-1 with a 4.50 ERA in 36 games.

My memories: Only know him from his card.

Google Autocomplete results: He is first when you type Michael Bowd, ahead of Michael Bowden Basketball, referring to the assistant video coordinator for the University of Louisville’s basketball team. Another prominent Michael Bowden is a Principal at Hercules Technology Growth Capital in Boston.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Rob Bowen.

An in-person trade

Did an in-person trade with someone who had posted on Craigslist. Kind of nice to meet someone in-person and exchange cards. Got some cool cards from a variety of sets like this 1997 Topps Derek Jeter:

But when looking at the cards the majority of the most interesting photos came from 1995 Pinnacle. Here are some highlights.

We met near the location of a new card shop today that opened recently in my county. I decided to check it out since I'm not usually in that area. I went in and the guy asks me if I am looking for something. I asked if there were any dime boxes. His response? "What's a dime box?" I explained to him about a box of common cards mixed together that you could pull from. He pulled out a bunch of boxes of star players in plastics and said they would be all different prices but more than a dime. I wasn't about to start haggling over cards I wasn't really interested so I left. I wish my area had cool LCSes like I read about in other blogs. Everything is NY is overvalued and overpriced.

Darnell McDonald on baseball cards

Outfielder Darnell McDonald played seven seasons in the major leagues for the Orioles, Twins, Reds, Red Sox, Yankees and Cubs. In 331 games he hit .250 with 20 HR and 83 RBI. His brother Donzell played in the major leagues with the Yankees and Royals. Now a Baseball Operations Assistant for the Chicago Cubs, he kindly answered my questions about baseball cards.

"My brother and I started collecting baseball cards and other cards such as garbage pail kids. The cards that we didn’t like or that we didn’t feel were as valuable we would put in our bike spokes and use as a motor. I think that I have card with myself and someone else and my info was wrong on the card so I thought that was funny. My favorite card growing up was the Ken Griffey rookie card. My brother and I were big on the Topps cards that had the gold rookie card trophy on the bottom. At this time I do not collect cards but I wish I knew what happened to the collection I had growing up. My brother and I had quite a collection."

Thanks! His 1998 Topps card with Ntema Ndungidi appears to have correct placement of the photos on the front, but reversed on the back.

Player Profile: Larry Bowa

I have eighteen cards of Larry Bowa. This one is from 1981 Topps.

Playing career: Larry Bowa was the shortstop for the great Phillies teams of the late 1970s and early 1980s. His fiery personality and solid glove overshadowed his pedestrian bat. He was a five-time all-star despite generally mediocre offensive numbers. In 2,247 games he hit .260/.300/.320. In the 1980 playoffs, he helped the Phillies win the World Series by hitting a combined .349 in the NLCS and World Series. In four other playoff series (all losses) he hit just .200.

Where he is now: He has been a long-time coach for several teams and had stints managing the Padres and Phillies. He is currently the bench coach for the Phillies.

My memories: His playing career is before my time but I remember him as a Yankee coach. He was credited with mentoring Robinson Cano.

Google Autocomplete results: He is tenth when you type Larry B, behind Larry Brooks, a hockey columnist for the New York Post. There do not appear to be any other prominent Larry Bowas.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Michael Bowden.

Jose Flores on baseball cards

Shortstop Jose Flores played in the Astros organization from 1990-1994. In 429 games he hit .239 with 5 HR, 115 RBI and 36 SB. Now the minor league infield coordinator for the Chicago Cubs, he kindly answered my questions about baseball cards.

"I do have a bunch of different cards from my playing career with the Astros from 1990-94...My favorite card is an action shot playing defense wearing a navy blue Asheville Tourist away jersey and gray pants. Being the Infield Coordinator currently with the Cubs, I do put a lot of emphasis on defense. 

I don't collect baseball cards, but owned a bunch of memorabilia from both my playing and coaching careers."

Thanks! He also sent me a bunch of pictures of his cards and memorabilia.