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Merkle923 · 08-11-2015, 11:15 PM

The George Brace photo of Monroe in 1971-75 White Sox red pinstripes underscores one of the pitfalls of trying to identify players who were on major league rosters but never appeared in games, either for a career or a given year (or even for one particular team).

The pitfall is misleading photographic evidence. I took a photo (and thought I'd posted it here, but I'll be danged if I can find it) of Tito Fuentes taking batting practice at Yankee Stadium in 1978. Full uniform, wearing number 26 - which they promptly pulled off of him and said "no, thanks." Starting second baseman Willie Randolph had been hurt and Fuentes had been cut by Oakland, and the Yankees worked him out. By accident I got a photo of him. He was never on the roster.

Brace's photos have quite a few such instances. He took a shot of Casey Cox with the Cubs, warming up on the bullpen mound at Wrigley (never played for them, though they did give him some time at AAA). He had Lloyd Flodin, a top prep catching prospect of the '60s, in a full White Sox uniform (Flodin turned down the Sox, signed with the Mets). He even has a shot of Bob Arnzen, a basketball and baseball star from Notre Dame, in an Atlanta Braves' uni with a 1969 100th Anniversary patch on the sleeve. Arnzen would go to camp with the '72 Expos, and play in the NBA and ABA (on the 1973 champion Pacers) - but never for the Braves. Never did figure that one out.

The Monroe thing is a little less opaque. A quick look at SABR's file of "The Sporting News" produces the explanation, in the September 21, 1974 issue (as an additional note, Monroe also went to Cooperstown with the White Sox and pitched in the 1974 Hall of Fame game):

08-11-2015, 11:15 PM	#25874
Merkle923 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 2,185	Larry Monroe 1976 The George Brace photo of Monroe in 1971-75 White Sox red pinstripes underscores one of the pitfalls of trying to identify players who were on major league rosters but never appeared in games, either for a career or a given year (or even for one particular team). The pitfall is misleading photographic evidence. I took a photo (and thought I'd posted it here, but I'll be danged if I can find it) of Tito Fuentes taking batting practice at Yankee Stadium in 1978. Full uniform, wearing number 26 - which they promptly pulled off of him and said "no, thanks." Starting second baseman Willie Randolph had been hurt and Fuentes had been cut by Oakland, and the Yankees worked him out. By accident I got a photo of him. He was never on the roster. Brace's photos have quite a few such instances. He took a shot of Casey Cox with the Cubs, warming up on the bullpen mound at Wrigley (never played for them, though they did give him some time at AAA). He had Lloyd Flodin, a top prep catching prospect of the '60s, in a full White Sox uniform (Flodin turned down the Sox, signed with the Mets). He even has a shot of Bob Arnzen, a basketball and baseball star from Notre Dame, in an Atlanta Braves' uni with a 1969 100th Anniversary patch on the sleeve. Arnzen would go to camp with the '72 Expos, and play in the NBA and ABA (on the 1973 champion Pacers) - but never for the Braves. Never did figure that one out. The Monroe thing is a little less opaque. A quick look at SABR's file of "The Sporting News" produces the explanation, in the September 21, 1974 issue (as an additional note, Monroe also went to Cooperstown with the White Sox and pitched in the 1974 Hall of Fame game): Attached Images