One of my favorite Frankenset categories has to be what I call the "lesser knowns." It's a lot of fun to come across cards of guys who instantly remind you of someone else, whether it be someone in the same baseball family or some other famous athlete or maybe actor, etc. I'm always on the lookout for more cards to add to my collection, since the ones that don't make the Frankenset cut are housed in a separate binder. I've now posted a separate page so you can see the list of the lesser knowns that I have accumulated. I'm always seeking new ones, and today I wanted to show some of my most recent acquisitions.
The first three I'll show are guys who had someone in their family achieve more fame in the baseball arena.
2006 TriStar Prospects Plus #10 - Josh Papelbon
Josh Papelbon and his twin brother, Jeremy, are the younger brothers of former Red Sox/Phillies/Nationals closer Jonathan Papelbon. Both brothers topped out at Double-A, while Jonathan was a 6-time all-star. Jeremy is also a part of my lesser known collection and has a slot in the Frankenset.
1995 SP Prospects #104 - Dennis Martinez Jr.
Dennis Martinez Jr., son of 23-year veteran pitcher "El Presidente" Dennis Martinez, only made it as high as Single-A in 1997 as a member of the Columbus Red Stixx, where he was a teammate of another lesser known, Mike Glavine (Tom's brother).
2000 Bowman Chrome Draft #95 - Aaron Herr
Aaron Herr, son of long-time Cardinals second baseman Tommy, played 11 minor league seasons, including three at the Triple-A level. He played both second and third base.
Next up are a couple of guys who at one time were the better known player with their name, but not anymore.
2011 Topps #411 - Josh Bell
The first Josh Bell played parts of three MLB seasons as a third baseman. His career slash line was .195 BA, .223 OBP, .488 OPS. Pirates first baseman Josh Bell has a career slash line of .262/.349/.817 and made the 2019 NL All-Star team.
2002 Topps #257 - Nelson Cruz
The original Nelson Cruz was primarily a reliever and actually appeared in 204 career games. But he is overshadowed by the Twins 6-time all-star slugger, who is 4th on the active homerun list with 410 for his career.
Finally, how about a few guys with names you would be more likely to recognize from the NFL?
1994 Bowman #344 Bubba Smith
Baseball's Bubba Smith was primarily a first baseman who actually played 16 minor league seasons. His best season was probably 1997 with the Rangers' Triple-A affiliate Oklahoma City 89ers where he batted .255, clubbed 27 homers, and drove in 94. The better known Bubba Smith is noteworthy for both his NFL career and his acting career, perhaps most famously for his role in the Police Academy series of films. Both guys had the birth name Charles.
1997 Bowman #86 Robert Smith
Baseball's Robert Smith was one of many Robert Smiths to play professionally. He went by Bob or Bobby and played parts of five seasons for the dreadful Devil Rays teams of the late 90s and early 00s. Football's Robert Smith played eight seasons for the Minnesota Vikings. He rushed for 1,000 yards four consecutive times before retiring at age 28 in 2000.
1989 Star Minor League #76 Tommy Kramer
Baseball's Tommy Kramer typically went by Tom. He had a pretty good season of work in 1993, but couldn't stick on a roster at the major league level. Football's Tommy Kramer played 14 seasons as an NFL quarterback, all but one as a member of the Vikings. He made the Pro Bowl in 1986.
1992 Classic Best #158 Tim Brown
Baseball's Tim Brown was one of several players by that name to play professionally. Brown topped out at Triple-A as a pitcher in the Blue Jays organization. Football's Tim Brown played 17 seasons in the NFL as a wide receiver, made 9 Pro Bowls, and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Do you have a favorite "lesser known" or can you think of someone not on my list?
Thanks for reading!
