#342 Bob Rodgers - Los Angeles Angels

Robert Leroy Rodgers
Los Angeles Angels
Catcher

Bats:  Both  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  190
Born:  August 16, 1938, Delaware, OH
Signed:  Signed by the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent before 1956 season
Major League Teams:  Los Angeles Angels 1961-1965; California Angels 1966-1969
As a Manager:  Milwaukee Brewers 1980-1982; Montreal Expos 1985-1991; California Angels 1991-1994

After being selected from the Tigers in the 1960 expansion draft, Buck Rodgers assumed regular catching duties for the Angels in the early 1960s, finishing as runner-up for A.L. Rookie of the Year honors in 1962 behind the Yankees' Tom Tresh (#440).  He was a light-hitting switch-hitter, known for his defense, and he led the league in runners caught stealing three times (1962, 1964 and 1967).  Rodgers caught Bo Belinsky's (#225) no-hitter on May 5, 1962.  He spent his entire big league playing career with the Angels, batting .232 over 932 games with 31 home runs and 288 RBIs.

1982 Donruss #232

Rodgers served as a coach with the Twins (1970-1974), Giants (1976) and Brewers (1978-1980) before getting his shot managing.  He took over on an interim basis for George Bamberger in 1980 when Bamberger suffered a heart attack.  Bamberger briefly returned, but resigned on September 9th.  Rodgers guided the Brewers to the best A.L. record during the first half of the strike-shortened 1981 season, but the team lost to the Yankees in the divisional playoffs.  He managed the Expos next for 6 1/2 seasons, winning 1987 N.L. Manager of the Year honors when his team improved to 91-71.  Rodgers' final managerial job saw him return to the Angels, but he was injured in a highway bus accident in 1992 missing the bulk of the season.  Rodgers was fired 40 games into the 1994 season, and his lifetime managerial record was 784-774 over 13 seasons.

Building the Set
February 13, 2021 from Edmonds, WA - Card #221
Busy with my chosen profession, rarely leaving the house and anxiously awaiting the return of live baseball, I turned to eBay in early February for some cardboard therapy.  After another largely unsuccessful bidding exercise on a 1965 Topps set break hosted by Greg Morris Cards, I went the Buy It Now route with 10 cards from Mitchell's Cards located in Edmonds, Washington.  As we've been completely unable to find packs of 2021 Topps locally, the much-needed package of baseball cards was a welcome sight in our mailbox on February 13th.  I spent $34 on the 10 cards from Mitchell's, with this Rodgers card costing $1.50.

The Card / Angels Team Set
The back of the card shows all Rodgers' minor league statistics, and he played in the Tigers' system for five seasons before getting a shot with the Angels.  The Tigers went with Dick Brown and Mike Roarke behind the plate in 1961 and 1962, and it would seem they missed the boat by leaving Rodgers unprotected in the expansion draft.  Rodgers did in fact set an Angels' record with 8 sacrifice flies in 1962, the team's second year of existence.  Dan Ford holds the franchise record currently, hitting 13 sacrifice flies in 1979.

Rodgers is in the harder to find 1965 Topps Transfers insert set, but he's not in the 1965 Topps Embossed insert set.

1965 Season
Rodgers' playing time was limited in 1965 due to an ankle injury.  The team's opening day and regular catcher, he appeared in 132 games, hitting .209 with 1 home run and 32 RBIs.  Rodgers made 112 starts at catcher, with Merritt Ranew serving as his primary back-up.

Phillies Connection
Following his firing from the Angels, Rodgers' SABR biography notes he was hired as a West Coast scout for the Phillies, reuniting with his former teammate and friend Jim Fregosi (#210), who was managing the Phillies at the time.  I had never known this, and I checked the team's Media Guides for 1995 and 1996 but couldn't find any mention of Rodgers or his role with the club.

1962 Topps #431

1969 Topps #157

1974 Topps #447

1987 Topps #293

1992 Topps #21

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1962 Topps #431
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (20):  1962-1969, 1973-1974, 1981, 1985-1993
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2018 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #ROA-BRO

85 - Rodgers non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 2/18/21.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database

Wikipedia

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