Juan Padilla on baseball cards

Juan Padilla pitched ten seasons of professional baseball, including time in the major leagues with the Yankees, Reds and Mets. Now the Founder and CEO of PRO-Dream Agency, a charitable organization that helps children in the US and Puerto Rico learn valuable life skills through baseball, he kindly answered my questions about baseball cards.

"I used to collect baseball cards when I was a kid...I don't any more...My favorite baseball card is my own with the New York Yankees, Prospect '04."

Thanks!

Player Profile: Matt Arrandale

I have one card of Matt Arrandale, from 1995 Topps.

Playing career: Matt Arrandale pitched in the Cardinals organization from 1993 to 1998, going 37-28 with a 3.47 ERA.

Where he is now: Area Director of Sales, Southeast, at Interactive Intelligence, a business communications company.

My memories: Never heard of him until I got his card.

Google Autocomplete results: He is second when you type Matt Arra, between Matt Arrants, Director of Asset Management Services at Pinnacle Advisory Group, and Matt Arrah, Application Support Coordinator at the Australia Department of Education and Training. There do not appear to be any other prominent Matt Arrandales.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Roberto Arredondo.

Player Profile: Rene Arocha

I have eighteen cards of Rene Arocha. This one is from 1995 Donruss.

Playing career: One of the first Cuban defectors to play in the US, Rene Arocha went 11-8 as a member of the Cardinals’ starting rotation in 1993, a promising rookie season. Unfortunately, injuries ruined his career and he only made seven more major league starts.

My memories: I remember him and Ariel Prieto getting a lot of press as the first Cuban defectors to play in the US. Unfortunately they did not have much success here. The next prominent Cuban defectors, the Hernandez brothers, ended up being much more successful.

Where he is now: A private baseball instructor in the Miami area.

Google Autocomplete Results: He is fourth when you type Rene Ar, between Rene Arnoux, a French race car driver in the 1970s and 1980s, and Rene Arnez, a fashion designer. There do not appear to be any other prominent Rene Arochas.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Matt Arrandale.

My first '12's

I used some Rite Aid UP Rewards to purchase a $5 36-card pack of 2012 Topps for $1, which is what that amount of new cards should cost, in my opinion. I remember getting two packs of cards a dollar with about that many cards in them when I was a kid. Those were the days. Highlights from the pack:

Mariano Rivera. Glad he's coming back next year.

David Robertson. Rivera's replacement.

 

Think the back of the card jinxed Mariano?

Finally, I was really glad to get this card in my first pack of '12's. As a collector of cards with unusual/funny pictures this one is right in my sweet spot.

Kyle Peterson on baseball cards

Kyle Peterson pitched five seasons of professional baseball, including two years in the majors with the Milwaukee Brewers. Now a college baseball announcer for ESPN, he kindly answered my questions about baseball cards.

"I collected as a kid, my favorite was probably the '85 Gooden Topps card. My son found my cards in my parents' basement and now is hooked. There is something pretty cool about seeing yourself on a baseball card. Watching my son get excited when he opens a pack tops it though."

Thanks!

Player Profile: Brad Arnsberg

I have thirteen cards of Brad Arnsberg. This one is from 1988 Topps.

Playing career: Brad Arnsberg pitched for the Yankees, Rangers and Indians from 1986 to 1992. His best season was 1990, when he went 6-1 with 5 saves and a 2.15 ERA for Texas.

Where he is now: A pitching coach for the Marlins, Blue Jays and most recently Astros, who fired him last June.

My memories: I remember him as a well-regarded Yankee prospect in the 1980s; one of many who ended up having greater success in another uniform.

Interesting stories: I wrote to him last year for his baseball card stories. He declined to participate but wished me good luck on my project.

Google Autocomplete results: He is fifth when you type Brad Ar, between Brad Arnold Divorce, referring to the marital problems of the singer from 3 Doors Down, and Brad Aronstam, an attorney in Delaware. There don’t appear to be any other prominent Brad Arnsbergs.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Rene Arocha.

Player Profile: Scott Arnold

Very sad about Mariano Rivera. Still, that's baseball. And life. The Yankees will just have to find a way to deal with it. As will us fans.

I have one card of Scott Arnold, from 1990 CMC.

Playing career: Scott Arnold pitched in six games for the 1988 Cardinals, going 0-0 with a 5.40 ERA but striking out 8 batters in 6.2 innings. You can read more about his pro baseball career in his Greatest 21 Days profile.

My memories: Only know him from his card.

Where he is now: Anyone know where Scott Arnold is now?

Google Autocomplete results: He is fourth when you type Scott Ar, between Scott Architectural Lighting, a light fixture manufacturer in California, and Scott Arenare, General Counsel of Warburg Pincus. When you google Scott Arnold there are four links before the ballplayer, including an attorney and a photographer.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Brad Arnsberg.

Player Profile: Jason Arnold

I have one card of Jason Arnold, from 2003 DAV.

Playing career: Jason Arnold was the Yankees' #2 pick in the 2001 draft. He was traded to Oakland the following year in the Ted Lilly trade, and less than a year later traded again to Toronto. Injuries cut his career short before he could make the major leagues; He was 29-26 with a 3.33 ERA in 136 minor league games.

Where he is now: He’s the pitching coach at Georgia State and, judging from his picture on his web bio, a very snappy dresser.

My memories: Only know him from his card. I remember the Ted Lilly trade – I thought he would be pretty good and that’s basically what he became – but I don’t remember the relatively anonymous minor-league throw-in.

Google Autocomplete Results: He is eighth when you type Jason Ar, between Jason Aronowitz, recently arrested for a shooting in Pennsylvania, and Jason Armstrong Beck, a photographer. When you google Jason Arnold there are seven links before the ballplayer, referring to a photographer, a painter, a musician, and a furniture designer.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Scott Arnold.

Player Profile: Jamie Arnold

First, on an unrelated matter, check out this very interesting bit of behind-the-scenes Topps history in my latest post at the Hall of Very Good.

I have seven cards of Jamie Arnold. This one is from 1995 Upper Deck Minors.

Playing career: Jamie Arnold, the Braves' #1 pick in 1992, pitched for the Dodgers and Cubs in 1999 and 2000, going 2-7 with a 5.73 ERA.

My memories: Only knew him from his card.

Where he is now: Anyone know where Jamie Arnold is now?

Google Autocomplete results: He is third when you type Jamie Ar, between Jamie Arendt, Project Manager at The Mixx, and Jamie Arniel, center for the Boston Bruins. The first mention when you google Jamie Arnold is not the baseball player but a pro basketball player in Israel.

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

Player Profile: Larry Arndt

I have one card of Larry Arndt, from 1990 Topps Debut.

Playing career: Infielder Larry Arndt played in two games for the 1989 A’s, going 1-6 with a run scored.

Where he is now: He is in the mortgage business in Arizona.

My memories: Only know him from his card.

Google Autocomplete results: He is sixth when you type Larry Arn, between Larry Arno, a realtor in upstate New York, and Larry Arnn Hannity, referring to the President of Hillsdale College appearing on the Sean Hannity show. Another prominent Larry Arndt is an executive at MA Mortenson.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Jamie Arnold.