Thomas DiBenedetto on baseball cards

Infielder Thomas DiBenedetto played in the Red Sox organization in 2008 and 2009. In 47 games he hit .272 with 0 HR and 8 RBI. Now a youth baseball coach and Orioles scout who also played professionally in Spain this year, he kindly answered my questions about baseball cards.

"I was never told a baseball card was being made of me. As a 37th round draft pick it's not exactly a given that they would choose to make a card of you.  Anyways after finishing my first season with Single-A Greenville, I was in Fort Myers for the off-season and a friend of mine that collects baseball cards told me he just got my baseball card.  I was like what in the world are you talking about, and thought he was talking about some summer baseball card that was made of our whole team in The NECBL.  He's like "no it's Bowman Chrome..."  I didn't believe him, but I googled it and was surprised to actually see it.  I think I still have to make good on a promise to sign it for him, not that it would increase it's value...

Bowman didn't actually send me any of the cards they made of me, so I actually went on Ebay and bought like 15 of them.

I used to be an avid baseball card collector, and even collected some football cards.  I lived in a small neighborhood outside of Boston called Nahant, so loved finding any Red Sox player in a pack. Anyone that's ever collected cards, knows the thrill you get as a kid opening a new pack of cards.  Pretty much anytime I was given a few bucks for Christmas or a Birthday, I spent it on Slush Puppies, Ice-cream, and baseball cards.

My favorite card is the Ken Griffey Jr. Upper Deck Rookie.  I feel like regardless of what team you were a fan of, every kid loved Griffey.  This is the card that everyone wanted, and it definitely brings back memories and kind of tells the story of my collecting as a kid."

 Thanks!