25 - Trot Nixon

Front photo: Posed photo.

Back photo: Couldn't be more staged if he were reciting Hamlet's soliloquy.

Better photo?: The clouds look like they are real and not some photographers backdrop, so I'll vote for the front.

Ties to my personal collections: Played 11 games of the 2008 season with the Mets and has a base card in that year's update set. I don't have it. The 2008 issue, and its parallels, were the last cards of his career.

Paragraphs in wikipedia entry: 17

Wiki-facts: Real name is Christopher Trotman Nixon.

Google it: First son was born on 9/11/2001. He was at the airport in Norfolk, VA after air space shut down.

How was his strike-shortened 1994? Spent the season with the A Level Lynchburg Red Sox, batting .246 with 12 HR and 43 RBI.

Birthday boy: April 11, 1974. Nobody else on the various *-references has that exact date. But, he does match up with model and actress Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica).

Up next: 26 - Kirk Presley.

24 - Steve Soderstrom

Front photo: Posed  photo, but at least you get some scenery in the background.

Back photo: Unless that ballpark has a fence within a few paces of the mound, I'll call this one posed as well.

Better photo?: Trees in the background are always nice. The front.

Ties to my personal collections: Was originally drafted by the Mets in 1990 in the 15th round. Didn't sign with them.

Paragraphs in wikipedia entry: 4

Wiki-facts:  He currently runs a baseball teaching facility in Turlock, CA. Only had 3 big league appearances, all starts, going 2-0 with an ERA of 5.27 in 1996.

Google it: He's actually the co-owner of the Backyard Sports Academy.

How was his strike-shortened 1994? Spent his time at Class A San Jose, where he went 2-3 with a 4.20 ERA.

Birthday boy: April 3, 1972. Matches up with nobody on any of the team sports reference sites. but does match up with former tennis player Sandrine Testud, who has 3 singles championships and was ranked #9 in the world at one point. In Hollywood, actresses Jennie Garth (90210) and Leigh-Allyn Baker (Will & Grace) were also born that date.

Up next: 25 - Trot Nixon.

23 - Jeff Granger

Front photo: Despite the fact he debuted with the Royals in 1993, it is still a posed shot. But, that debut consisted of one inning and an ERA of 27.00.

Back photo: And another one.

Better photo?: A bland draw.

Ties to my personal collections: None that I can see.

Paragraphs in wikipedia entry: 2

Wiki-facts: If I ever get a wikipedia page, I don't want the words "cautionary tale" to appear on it. Unfortunately for Jeff, those words do appear in relation to his being rushed to the majors. On a better note, he was also a quarterback at high school and at Texas A&M.

Google it: There is another Jeff Granger that shows up in two other links prior to this Granger. No matter how bad the cautionary tale is for the baseball Jeff Granger, at least the first three words in an article about him don't contain the phrase "Corrupt tax auditor".

How was his strike-shortened 1994? Had two games in the bigs, both starts. Went 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA.

Birthday boy: December 16, 1971. Both the Bangladesh Liberation War and Indo-Pakistani Wars of 1971 ended on that date. Michael McCary of Boyz II Men was born that date. Nobody else on other sports reference sites has that exact birthdate.

Up next: 24 - Steve Soderstrom