no. 589 - bob barton

Who is the man: Bob Barton played in 61 games in his first season with the Padres in 1970, backing up starting catcher Chris Cannizzaro.

Can ya dig it: Barton signs his name with some prominent "Bs". I like it.

Right on: I know Barton for his 1972 Topps In Action card, notable because many of the In Action players are stars or very good players (Barton's 1971 season was by far his best season).

You see that cat Barton is a bad mother: Barton recorded just nine passed balls in 380 games played in the majors. He also threw out 41 percent of base stealers during his career.

Shut your mouth:  Barton hit a ninth-inning grand slam against his old team, the Giants, during a game on June 18, 1971. The home run put the Padres ahead 9-5. But the Giants scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth to win the game 10-9.

No one understands him but his woman: Barton was used by Players Union head Marvin Miller to undermined club owners' argument that the reserve clause was good for marginal players because teams could deal them to another club that could use the player. Miller brought up a specific example, Barton, a player who had spent three years with the Giants' big league club but was barely used. Miller's argument was that if Barton could choose to play where he wanted, he might be able to succeed, instead of waiting for a club to trade him.

(A word about the back): Those 1970 stats make me wonder what would have happened if Barton took that University of Kentucky basketball scholarship.