#201 Phil Roof

Long time reserve backstop….Went with the repartee and antonym nickname "Babe"….Well traveled donning the uniforms of eight teams….began with Milwaukee (Braves) with a solo year splitting time in Cleveland and California….found a four year home the A’s organization and was their most used catcher in 1966-67…Returned to Milwaukee (Brewers) for year and half starting 1971…..settled in for 6 years in Minnesota….finished up with a handful of game Chisox and first year edition of the Toronto Blue Jays….Struggled at the plate spent ½ of his 16 years below .200 BA….exited with a .217 BA….Had anomaly in 1975 hitting .302 and 7 home runs in 126 at bats….that year maybe, occasionally he was Babe….had a brother Gene, who was Phil’s 17 year junior with very brief MLB career the early eighties.

#324 Mike Ryan

Defensive specialist catcher usually in a backup role...anemic with a bat... Career .193 BA in 2000+ at bats.....Introduced to the Red Sox was their regular catcher 1966....thrust into the spotlight 1967 as the Red Sox surged....lost starting job to veteran Elston Howard....outspoken about it and he may had a case....nobody calling themselves backstop hit very well....Ryan hit .199 while the ancient Howard hit a horrid .145...Ryan was vocal about too....Shuffled to the Phillies for 1968...a regular for a second time Ryan was able to put up his career best 12 hrs and 44 RBIs in 1969 but his .204 BA underlies his hitting futility....Ryan never regained significant playing time thereafter, due acquisitions of Tim McCarver, John Bateman, and then the development of Bob Boone...got in 46 games twice in the remainder of his five season....was able to hit .232 in 79 at bats 1973, a personal best....squeaked in some time with Pirates 1974....remained in baseball for 21 more years; minor league manager, catching instructor, and bullpen coach....mostly for the Phillies organization.

#356 Jerry Moses

All research indicates friendly approachable guy....Career took hold with the Red Sox as a teenager...2^nd at bat was a home run 1965 the youngest Red Sox ever to do so....just a year out high school.......returned to Red Sox farm system for a couple of years...returned with an impressive late season call up 1968....shared catching duties with two others, Jerry far and away best of the Trio with a .304 mark....gained more playing time 1970 and got named to the All star team... traveled around thereafter and seemed to effect his play....California, Cleveland, New York, Detroit, were destinations in successive years...last year playing split time between Padres and White Sox....most closely aligned the Red Sox participating in reunions and charitable endeavors such as Mike Andrews chaired Jimmy Fund....hobby during playing days was waterskiing ....now they  are golf and grandkids.

#359 Don Pavletich

Pronounce pav-LET-ic....A Milwaukee native, reserve backstop by trade, sounds a bit one Bob Uecker....acquired for 1972 to help out his hometown team... except he didn’t play in Brewcity.....Cincinnati debut in 50’s resulted in only  one at bat....started getting MLB time 1962......In his prime Don was one of the better reserves catchers in the NL....put together .300 BA over two seasons backing up Johnny Edwards 1965-66 as a member of the Reds...rest of his time was more inconsistent....barely played during his two year in Red Sox uniform circa 1970-71....given his career, it would have interesting if he ever would have been given a regular working schedule.

#633 Jack Hiatt

Well traveled career reserve catcher…mostly played with the SF Giants 1965-70…signed as a free agent by the first year Los Angeles Angels in 1961…worked his way up the farm system…made it to AAA Hawaii where he hit .308 in 1964 and earned a cup of coffee with the big club…Traded in off season to Giants…gradually gained more playing time but pitcher seem to find out his weaknesses and hitting average suffered…Finished out the 1969 season with the Giants with a .196 BA…Purchased by the Expos prior to 1970 season…hit well in les Expo land but was quickly traded to Cubs to replace a ailing Randy Hundley…Time with the Cub was the closest Jack ever came to starter status…Purchased by Houston for 1971…hit .276 in 174 at bats…finished out MLB career splitting time for Astros and original club California Angels…Played in minors two years after leaving MLB.  

 

#705-706 In Action Pat Corrales

Good field, no hit again here, but when it came to offensive skills Pat made Tim Foli look like Ty Cobb…Pat’s stats were not impressive in 1971…40 games, 94 AB, 17 hits, 0 HR, 6 RBIs, .181 BA…Given Career stats were not a huge improvement 4Hrs, 54 RBIs, .216 Avg….Never was a regular at any one time…best was his stint in Philadelphia appearing in 63 games and 205 Abs taking place in 1965…Was a fair player at the AAA level hitting .271 in 1667 Abs during five different occasions…Went from Philly to St Louis then to Cincinnati…with Reds any chance of playing time was stifled by Johnny Bench…traded to Padres mid 1972 season effective pulling him out of AAA…didn’t hit any better in SD…His time in the mustard yellow uniform made for a dramatic photo on 1973 card a collision with Fergie Jenkins at home in game played on 6/14/72...Jenkins was out... Despite the agony depicted, Corrales played the rest of the game until being taken out for a pinch hitter in the 9^th…Like most back up Catcher’s career path became a MLB manager…Took the helm for Texas, Philadelphia, and Cleveland encompassing parts of nine seasons.

In action:  Why Topps? Why?...Statistically speaking probably the least deserving player of in-action photo card ever…even the picture is awkward with his mitt is off his hand as if to say “Ouch!  that pitch was too hard”...most likely show the ump the ball… Given his 1971 stats the photo represents rare footage…hit .191 in his MLB career from then on.

Special Note:  Pat could of had more playing time if this guy pursued this career...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKKQLJWcwBs


then on.