Greatest 21 Days Baseball Profiles

Every baseball game is filled with stories, many of which aren't evident even the day the game is played. They're stories that play out over years, stories of careers. Each player on that roster has a story to tell. The stars, or prospects, have stories. How did they get there? Where are they going? The non-stars and never-were-stars have their own stories to tell, even if many never take the time to listen. Back in late-2009, I came across a set of old baseball cards from 1990 that intrigued me. It was a set that I was familiar with from my youth. It had a gaudy yellow and green color scheme, with an abrupt switch to a wood motif for the last third of the set. After picking up a box of the cards, I started looking through the names. Hardly any of them were familiar to me. And hardly any of them should have been familiar to any other baseball fan. These were cards of minor leaguers from 1990, a set printed to capitalize on the baseball card rookie craze of the era. ...

Features on each member of the 1990 Buffalo Bisons, AAA affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Players are as included in that year's team set, as well as interviews with two of the players. Click on the player's name to read more. Interviews (2) 1 - Dann Bilardello kept battling as player, manager 2 - Hugh Kemp used lessons from father over 8 seasons 1990 Buffalo Bisons (44) 1  -  Moises Alou  knew body English in 17 major league seasons 2 -  Doug Bair did his job in major leagues over 15 seasons 3 -   Jeff Banister  came back from cancer to make bigs, manage 4 -  Stan Belinda  saw 12 majors seasons, returned after MS 5 -  Dann Bilardello  hit 1st ML HR off Seaver, saw 8 ML seasons 6 -  Jackie Brown  made 7 ML seasons as player, later as coach 7 -  Kevin Burdick  got dugout broken nose at AAA, missed bigs 8 -  John Cangelosi  took his small size to 13 majors seasons 9 -  Ste...

Features on each member of the 1990 Denver Zephyrs, then the AAA team for the Milwaukee Brewers. Interviews (3) 1 - Mike Birkbeck got noticed, then made bigs in awe 2 - Dave Machemer credits minors manager with success 3 - Joe Xavier followed first love, baseball, to pros 1990 Denver Zephyrs (28) 1  -  Don August  enjoyed early majors win, saw four bigs seasons 2  -  Mike Birkbeck 's role went from ML pitcher to college coach 3  -  George Canale  saw bigs over three seasons with Brewers 4  -  Mike Capel  tried to be aggressive over three majors seasons 5  -  Logan Easley  worked to prove 'em wrong, saw two ML seasons 6  -  Tom Edens  accepted offer, made majors debut, saw 7 seasons 7  -  Ruben Escalera  played decade, became scout, minors manager 8  -  Don Gordon  gave up Molitor streak hit, saw 3 majors seasons 9  -  Mark Higgins  got cr...

Features on each member of the 1990 Richmond Braves, AAA affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. Players are as included in that year's team set.   Interviews (3) 1 - Kash Beauchamp, Pretty Simple Kash Beauchamp talks about his dad, 1990 Richmond Brave manager Jim Beauchamp. 2 - Bruce Crabbe, Next Level Bruce Crabbe's father helped teach him the game that became his career. 3 - John Mizerock, Cut Out John Mizerock made the majors because he could catch the knuckleball. 1990 Richmond Braves (30) 1  -  John Alva  played seven pro seasons, made AAA in two 2  -  Steve Avery  had success in five postseasons with Braves 3  -  Sam Ayoub , Richmond's longtime trainer, called nicest 4  -  Jim Beauchamp  knew hard work made bigs, as player, coach 5  -  Rick Berg  set college marks, briefly played pro, coached 6 -  Geronimo Berroa  got two-game ML record, saw 11 bigs seasons 6  -  Francisco Cabrer...

Features on each member of the 1990 Pawtucket Red Sox, AAA affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. Players are as included in that year's team set.  Interviews (4) 1 - Rick Lancellotti, Christmas Morning Rick Lancellotti likened getting his first call-up to Christmas morning. 2 - John Leister, Most Influential After brief looks with the Steelers and the USFL, John Leister just looked for steady paycheck. The Red Sox gave it to him. 3 - Ed Nottle, Stayed in Baseball Ed Nottle promised he'd stay in baseball as long as he could. He was still there 50 years later. 4 - Jim Pankovits, Be Ready Jim Pankovits impressed upon his players the importance of being ready. 1990 Pawtucket Red Sox (30) 1  -  Steven Bast  saw 4 seasons, then realized dream as doctor 2  -  Tom Bolton  pitched well in Tigers start, saw 8 bigs seasons 3  -  Scott Cooper  saw 7 ML seasons, 2 All-Star games, Japan 4  -  Steve Curry  focused on pitching,...

Features on each member of the 1990 Scranton-Wilkes Barre Red Barons, the AAA affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. Players are as included in that year's team set. Click on the player's name to learn more. Interview (1) 1 - Sal Agostinelli, Got Close Sal Agostinelli did everything he could to make bigs. He's now looking for others that could make it. 1990 Scranton-Wilkes Barre Red Barons (28) 1  -  Jim Adduci  got majors chances over four seasons, three clubs 2  -  Sal Agostinelli  saw 10 seasons, AAA, later scouted, more 3  -  Eric Boudreaux  played 6 seasons, made AAA with Phillies 4  -  Bill Dancy  had specific expectations for over long career 5 -  Jose DeJesus  didn't think, made ML with Phillies, Royals 6 - Marvin Freeman, Fine Arm Marvin Freeman spent time in 10 major league seasons, coming in fourth in the Cy Young voting in one. 7 - Todd Frohwirth, More Excited Todd Frohwirth didn't have ...

Features on each member of the 1990 Columbus Clippers, AAA affiliate of the New York Yankees. Players are as included in that year's team set. 1990 Columbus Clippers (33) 1  -  Steve Adkins ' major league career spanned five games 2  -  Oscar Azocar  saw 3 majors seasons, free-swinger reputation 3  -  Clete Boyer  played in bigs, coached, had game perception 4  -  Darrin Chapin  made 4 ML outings with Yankees, Phillies 5  -  Jeff Datz  made 7 major league games, later coached there 6  -  Bobby Davidson  saw one major league outing in 8 seasons 7 - Brian Dorsett, Hung Around Brian Dorsett believed he'd get a regular spot in the majors. In 1994, he got it . 8 - Dave Eiland, Part of the Game Dave Eiland lost out on his first major league win, but shrugged it off. He went on to coach the same team, the Yankees. 9 - John Fishel, Anything Asked John Fishel did what was asked of him, and played in...

Features on each member of the 1990 Omaha Royals, AAA affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. Players are as included in that year's team set. Click on the player names to learn more. Interviews (4) 1 - Bobby Meacham's 1st majors call came unexpectedly  (3 parts) 2 - Russ Morman had big ML debut, just played game  (2 parts) 3 - Sal Rende played well, then got 4 decades in game  (2 parts) 4 - Gary Thurman heeded Mom's advice, got long career  (2 parts) 1990 Omaha Royals (29) 1  -  Jay Baller  returned from coma to make bigs, saw 6 seasons 2  -  Kevin Burrell  turned pro, relaxed, saw 11 seasons, AAA 3  -  Ray Chadwick  started 7 Angels games, missed out on win 4  -  Dera Clark  proved exception in college, saw decade in pros 5  -  Luis de los Santos  thought on bigs daily, saw 3 seasons 6  -  Rich Dubee  coached in minors, later Phillies, others in bigs 7  -...

Features on each member of the 1990 Oklahoma City 89ers, AAA affiliate of the Texas Rangers. Players are as included in that year's team set. Oklahoma City 89ers (31)   1  -  Gerald Alexander  threw perfect inning with Rangers 2  -  Brad Arnsberg  saw bigs over 6 seasons, turned ML coach 3  -  John Barfield  relieved, started, in bigs over three seasons 4  -  Mike Berger  worked trade in pros as player, team official 5  -  Nick Capra  made it in 1st ML trip, saw 5 seasons, 45 games 6 - Pat Dodson, Impressive Spring Pat Dodson hit well in the spring of 1987. He made the Red Sox that season and in two others. 7 - Dick Egan, Evaluation Skills Dick Egan had an unorthodox method of helping Bobby Witt as a coach for the Rangers. Now a special assistant to the Tigers general manager. 8 - Dave Engle, Best Shot Dave Engle got lessons from Ted Williams. He then played in nine major league seasons. ...