2003 Topps Heritage, Taggert Bozied

#199 Taggert Bozied

Here is one of the few autographed Padre cards that was not given to me by Rod of Padrographs. I actually got this card signed myself in Round Rock, Texas in 2008 while Tagg was playing with the Albuquerque Isotopes. Round Rock is a great place for autographs because the clubhouses are in left field and the players have to cross the concourse to get to the field. I was able to get this card signed at that spot prior to the game.

Tagg was drafted by the Padres in 2001 out of the University of San Francisco. The Padres must have had some problems signing him because he played that season with his hometown independent club, the Souix Falls Canaries. But, the Padres signed him in time to play in 2002 and by 2003, he was in AAA. Unfortunately, AAA is where he would spend most of his career.

After 2005, Tagg has bounced around on a yearly basis. He has played AAA ball with the Mets, Cardinals, Marlins, and Pirates organizations. This year, he is with the Phillies and they currently have him assigned to their AA team. It seems weird that he is playing down at the AA level, but it is good to see that he is still trying to make it to the big leagues. I hope that it happens one day for him. But, if it doesn't, I wouldn't mind seeing him make a curtain call in Wichita as a Souix Falls Pheasant.

This card came out of the same pack as the last card I posted on here and you can see the crinkle in the top right corner that every card from the pack had.

I saw Tagg play twice in '08 and he went 2-7 with a double.

Below is a picture I took at Isotope Park in Albuequerque in '08. I was taking a picture of the unique incline in center field as Tagg happened to be out stretching prior to the game.