MiLB Madness: Kerry Wood's Rays jersey, The Voice & more

Minor league baseball cards from the past can include some weird stuff ... stuff you wouldn't imagine to be found on a baseball card. Here are some some new oddities in this latest edition of MiLB Madness. 

WAIT, WHAT? ... PART 2
The Item: Kerry Wood & Pat Cline (aka "Future Stars") 1997 Best Orlando Rays
The Buzz On This: Last month, I showed off a card that surprised me as I'd never seen it before and this one is a sequel -- this time, it's former Cubs pitcher Kerry Wood in a Rays jersey from a team set and not a card found in packs from the former card-maker known as Best. It's once again Wood with the Orlando Rays with a uni look that absolutely moved south to Tampa Bay the following summer, not a Chicago Cubs jersey. (These Rays were a Cubs farm team.) It's one of two Wood cards in that set -- spoiler: look for Wood one last time here next month -- and this is a quick, quirky start to this month's piece. A familiar face in an unfamiliar look is a fun part of MiLB cardboard ... so stuff like this can make for a cool collection. This one just looks extra different with a MiLB logo that became an MLB logo.

Keep reading for more examples of some weird or fun baseball cards you can find in MiLB.

THE OWNER
The Item: Jenny Boyd 2023 Choice Tennessee Smokies
The Buzz On This: It's not totally unheard of to have a team owner pop up on MiLB baseball cards, and this one includes other facts about Boyd but barely touches on the musical instrument in her hands for the photo. Boyd owns a bar called "Jig and Reel" in the Old City of downtown Knoxville -- a musical Scottish pub. She and her husband, Randy, have all kinds of projects cooking beyond their baseball team.

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THE CLUBBIE
The Item: Phil Schelzo 1997 Best Vermont Expos
The Buzz On This: The Vermont Expos came to the end of their MiLB run as the Vermont Lake Monsters in 2020 and the franchise is now a collegiate baseball league team after MLB restructured the minors after that. This card is different as Schelzo was a clubhouse manager -- not a role you'll find in big-league cardboard but it is one you may see from time to time down on the farm. This card notes it was his third year with the team and he ended up working there for 20 summers after retiring from working at a milk plant. (Learn more about him here.) There are a lot of names in the game without cards -- but they all have a story.

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THE VOICE
The Item: Larry Ward 2016 Grandstand Chattanooga Lookouts
The Buzz On This: The design of this set borrows quite liberally from the 2013 Topps MLB release and this card showcases "The Voice," the Lookouts announcer who has plenty of time in the game and a number of cards. Ward has a trio of Hall of Fame nods to show for it, too, as he's in the Greater Chattanooga Sports Hall of Fame (2005), Southern League Hall of Fame (2015) and the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame (2022). Here's a past look at his career. It's also not unusual to find team broadcasters in sets year after year as they, along with mascots, offer some cardboard continuity for fans from year to year.

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THE MASCOT
The Item: Rowdy 2017 Choice Binghamton Rumble Ponies
The Buzz On This: Ever wondered what it would look like if the wood-bordered 1962 Topps set and the pennant-loaded 1974 Topps design had some cardboard offspring? That's this set. Beyond that, this card is apparently the debut for this mascot who's clearly ready to rumble with that championship around his waist.

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THE MANAGER'S KID
The Item: Ned Yost IV 2005 Grandstand Helena Brewers
The Buzz On This: Ned Yost played parts of six seasons in the majors and 10 seasons in the minors before a coaching career in the prime years for the 1990s Atlanta Braves and then a lengthy managerial career with the Brewers and Royals that included a second World Series ring while in charge in Kansas City. Well, that wa dad. This card is of Ned Yost IV -- his son -- who is, however, a coach in the Brewers organization these days. Back when this card arrived 20 years ago, Yost was in Montana coming off what became a three-year playing career as a 22-year old in the Pioneer League, which no longer has MLB affiliation after more than 80 seasons of operation. This set arrived after the season so his stats are there for 2005 -- and it's arguably his best season.

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