1977 Topps Baseball #16 - Bob Jones

• Bob Jones was a player who really did well at the AAA level but didn't do as much at the major league level. This was his first Topps card.
• Jones was drafted by the Washington Senators in 1967. He played in the Senators/Texas Rangers system for several years (with the exception of 1970, when he was doing military service).
• Jones finally came up to the Rangers in 1974. He got in two games and went 0 for 5.
• Bob found himself in AAA Spokane for the third straight year in 1975 and batted .277 with 17 home runs. He played in nine games for the Rangers and went 1 for 11 (.091).
• Jones started the 1976 season in AAA Sacramento and batted .355 in 26 games. On May 17 the Rangers waived Jones and he was claimed by the California Angels
• Bob stayed with the Angels as a  backup outfielder for the entire 1976 season and batted .211 in 166 at bats
• In 1977 Jones started the season with the Angels but was sent down to AAA Salt Lake City in May. Bob batted .340 with 18 HR for Salt Lake City.
• Jones spent the entire 1978 season in Salt Lake City and batted .307 with 14 HR and 102 RBI
• After the 1978 season Bob signed with Japan's Crunichi Dragons and played there for the next two seasons
• In 1981 Jones came back to the states and signed with the Rangers. He played for AAA Wichita (.315, 20 HR, 72 RBI) until September and then batted .265 in ten games for the Rangers.
• Bob spent the entire 1982 season in AAA Denver, but he played in only 82 games (.318, 12 HR, 51 RBI).
• Jones started the 1983 season in AAA Oklahoma and was recalled in late June. He finished the season with the Rangers and batted .222 in 41 games.
• Bob spent the entire 1984 season with the Rangers. He played 1B, outfield, and DH and batted .259 in 64 games.
• Jones batted .224 in 83 games as a pinch hitter and backup OF/1B in 1985.
• In 1986 Bob played in his first game for the Rangers on May 23. He batted .095 in 13 games and went back to Oklahoma City, where he batted .252 in 90 games.
• Jones played in 65 games in AA Tulsa in 1987 and batted .303. After the season he started a long career as a successful minor league manager.
• From 1988-1990 Jones managed at the A-ball level. He then managed AA Tulsa for two seasons. Bob moved up to AAA Oklahoma City and managed there in 1993 and in 1994. His AAA teams were not very successful and Jones moved back to Tulsa. He managed there from 1995-2000. 
• In 2002 Jones went back to Oklahoma City to manage. Except for the 2006 season, he has managed the club ever since. The team is now the Round Rock Express. As of the end of the 2011 season Jones has a 797-782 (.505) record with the club. Jones has over 1500 career minor league victories as a manager.
• Bob was named the Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year in 2011. 
• 1977 Stats: 3 for 17 (.176) with 1 HR and 3 RBI
• 1977 Highlights:
• April 10 - Hit a solo home run and scored another run in the Angels' 12-5 victory over the Seattle Mariners
• June 20 - Went 3 for 5 with three runs scored as the Gulls beat the Spokane Indians 15-4.
• July 7 - Had three hits (including a three-run homer) to help the Gulls to an 8-2 win over San Jose