Dave and Rafael

David Tanner Robinson played 22 games for the Padres in 1970-1971.  That was the extent of his major league career.  He was drafted by the Padres in 1968 and finished playing in the minors in 1971.  I obtained the signed card through a dealer.  Rafael Orlando Robles was drafted by the Giants in 1967 and then drafted by the Padres in the expansion draft.  He played for the Padres in '70,'71 and '72.  I bought the card through eBay.  

Dave Roberts, 3 of 3

David Arthur Roberts just missed playing with David Wayne Roberts by two weeks.  He was traded to the Astros' two weeks prior to David Wayne Roberts being drafted.  He was drafted by the Phillies in 1963, then was picked up the Padres in the expansion draft.  He also played for the Tigers, Cubs, Giants, Pirates, Mariners and Mets.  He said "The way I look at it, either I'm a bum or everyone wants me."  I got the card on eBay

Dave Roberts, 2 of 3

David Ray Roberts was just named the Padres 1st base coach for the coming season.  He is returning to San Diego where he played in 2005-2006.  He has also played for the Indians, Dodgers and Giants.  He is best known for a play in the 2004 ALCS for the Red Sox when he stole a base against the Yankees.  The play has become known simply as 'The Steal" and is considered one of the most important plays in Red Sox history.  The amazing thing is that he only played in 45 games for the Red Sox in 2004.  Dave has survived a health crisis in the last couple of years.  I got this card through the mail.

Dave Roberts, 1 of 3

David Wayne Roberts is one of the reasons I am a Padres fan.  On June 7,1972 Dave Roberts was drafted by the Padres, Dave made his major league debut that same day.  While Dave was making his major league debut, I was attending South Eugene High School with Dave's' sister Jill.  That is when I started following the Padres, and then in 1975 I got to attend my first Padres game while I was going through Navy boot camp in San Diego.  I know Willie McCovey was playing and think Dave was also playing.  He played for the Padres through 1978, then played 2 years in Texas and a year each in Houston and Philadelphia.  I have met Dave at a couple of local card shows and he is a very nice man.  I got this signed at one of those card shows.  He was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1994.

The King of Leon

Leon Joseph Roberts is the king.  When I got out of the Navy I worked for a year as a Young Life leader at Skyline High School in Oakland, California for the 1980-1981 school year.  I got to watch some high school sports and got to see a senior, named Bip Roberts, play baseball.  A few years later I was attending a Portland Beavers game and got to see Bip play for the Las Vegas Stars, must have been 1987.  We talked about Skyline and other things and I got his '86 Topps Traded signed.    He spent all of the 1986 season in the major leagues after being chosen from the Padres in the Rule 5 draft.  He played for 12 major league seasons, 7 with the Padres along with 5 other teams, the Reds, A's, Tigers, Royals, and Indians.  He played in the 1992 All Star game, he was traded away from the Padres twice, once for Randy Myers and once for Wally Joyner.  He had a 23 game hitting streak for the Padres for the Padres at one point.  After he retired he returned to Oakland and began helping with his high school baseball as a volunteer, in 2008 he was named the head baseball coach of the Skyline High Scool Titans.  This is one of the many cards that I have signed by Bip, many in person and through the mail.  I am about 25 cards short of completing my Bip Roberts collection.

Mike Roarke

Michael Thomas Roarke played for the Tigers for 4 years from from 1961-1964.  He was the pitching coach for the White Sox, Cardinals, Padres and Red Sox.  He has also managed in the minor leagues.  I have all of the other coaches signed on other cards.  I got Mr. Roarke to sign this through the mail.

Michael and Ruben

Michael R. Rivera is a catcher who played in 19 games in 2003 for the Padres.  He was taken off waivers by the ChiSox from the Padres, the Padres had gotten him in a trade from the Tigers for Gene Kingsale.  I got the Topps Total card signed through the mail.  Rubeno Rivera is Mariano Riveras' cousin, he was obtained from the Yankees for Hideki Irabu.  Ruben had been voted off the team by his Yankee teammates, after he took Derek Jeters' bat and glove and selling them to a memorabilia dealer.  I picked up the card on eBay.

Edinson

Edinson Rincon is a 20 year old who has been in the Padres organization since 2007 at age 16.  He has been working his way up to A league.  I got this signed through the mail earlier this year.

Greg and Jim

Gregory Lee Riddoch is in the Eugene Emeralds Hall of Fame, he managed the team for six years when it was a Reds affiliate and 4 years when it was part of the Padres organization.  He also managed the Padres from 1990-1992,then returned to managing the Emeralds.  James David Riggleman took over the Padres managerial position when Greg Riddoch was relieved in 1992, he managed through the end of the 1994 season.  He managed the Cubs from 1995-2000, the Mariners in 2008, the Nationals from 2009 to the present.  I got both of these cards signed through the mail. 

Eugene

Eugene Richards, Jr.  played 7 years for the Padres and one year for the Giants.  He was drafted by the Padres in 1975 and made his major league debut in 1977 and came in third in the Rookie of the Year balloting that year.  He played through the '83 season, playing in the majority of games each year until 1983, playing at first and the outfield.  I bought this card on eBay.

The Reynolds Brothers

Donald Edward Reynolds was drafted out of the University of Oregon in 1975, so we both left Eugene for San Diego at about the same time.  Don worked his way up to the majors in 1978 and 1979.  He played 87 games for the Padres in those two years, he played in the organization until 1981.  I got this signed through the mail, although Don only lives about a mile from where I work.   Harold Craig Reynolds is seven years younger than his brother, Don.  Harold graduated from high school in Corvallis, Oregon in 1979 and was drafted by the Padres, but elected not to sign.  He was then drafted by the Mariners and spent 10 seasons playing for Seattle, he then signed as a free agent with the Orioles for a year.  He then signed a free agent contract with the Padres and stopped by just long to have his picture taken before being traded to the Angels for Hilly Hathaway (WHO?).  Harold is now a commentator for MLB network, one of at least two Oregon High School players.  I got this somehow, I know I bought a bunch and sent them out,

Dennys

Dennys Reyes pitched in 36 games for the Padres in 2005, mostly in long relief.  He has pitched for 11 organizations since 1997.  He started with the Dodgers and pitched for the Cardinals last year, in between he has pitched for San Diego, Colorado, Minnesota, Kansas City, Cincinnati, Texas, Arizona, and Pittsburgh.  His longest tenure so far was was 4 years with the Reds.  I think I bought this off eBay after trying several times to get it signed through the mail. 

Merv and Carlos

Mervin Weldon Rettenmund is the proud owner of three World Series ring, two as a player and one as a coach. He got one in 1970 with the Orioles, one in 1975 with the Reds and one, as a coach with the A's in 1989.  He played with the Padres in 1976 and 1977, and served as their hitting coach from 1991-1999 and then again in parts of 2006 & 2007.  I got this 1978 Topps card signed through the mail.   Carlos Alberto Reyes was liked by someone in baseball operations in San Diego.  He was signed three times as a free agent by the Padres.  He pitched for the Padres in 1998, 1999 and 2000 with stops in Boston and Phillies in between each of those stints in San Diego. I got this Keebler team issue card signed through the mail. 

Steve and Kevin

Steven Vincent Reed quietly played from 1992 to 2005 in the majors.  He was originally a  member of the Giants and then began an odyssey that took him through the leagues. In January of 2002 the Padres signed him as a free agent and then in July traded him to the Mets for Jason Bay and one of the Bobby Joneses. He appeared in 40 games for the Padres.  He signed the UD 40 Man card through the  mail.  Kevin Patrick Reese was born in San Diego, went to the University of San Diego, was drafted by San Diego in 2000 and was traded by San Diego in 2001 to the Yankees.  He played in 12 games for the Yankees as a replacement for an injured Hideki Matsui.  He retired after the 2007 season and is currently a scout for the Yankees in the Sally and Carolina leagues.  I think I got this signed through the mail.

Tom and Jody

Thomas Richard Redington played in the minor leagues from 1987-1995.  He played in the Braves organization and then played in the Padres organization during 1990.  I picked up the card on eBay.  Jody Eric Reed was a Red Sox mainstay for several years, then played for the Dodgers for a year,a year for the Brew Crew, two years for San Diego and a year for the Tigers.  He is the current defensive infield coordinator for the New York Yankees.  I don't remember how I got this signature.