Rise And Fall Of A Pro Pitcher: From the Bull Pen To The Texas Pen

By Robert Riggs

What You Will Learn

The high school baseball player hung a homemade motivational sign on the wall of his bedroom.  It read Brandon Puffer will be a Major League Baseball player.

Indeed, Puffer made it to what ballplayers call ā€œThe Show.ā€ 

Only to fall from the Bullpen to the State Penitentiary in Texas.

Brandon Puffer was a pitcher on the Boston Red Sox baseball team when they broke a century-old curse and won the World Series in 2004.

But four years later, a Texas jury sentenced Puffer to five years in prison.

He survived the tough Texas prison system and is now out.

Puffer has written a book titled, From The Bullpen To The State Pen, in which he opens up about his experience.

In this episode of True Crime ReporterĀ®, Puffer shares the story of his setbacks and come back.


Puffer coaches youth and high school baseball players on how to play college and pro ball at GPSLegends, located in Central Texas near Round Rock and Georgetown.


In closing, here’s my reporter’s recap and reflections.

No matter what walk of life they came from, most of the convicted felons that I have interviewed did not comprehend that their actions had consequences.

To quote Puffer, ā€œthe longer we try to ignore or run from those consequences, the more they will grow like a cancer that starts small, but eventually takes over the whole body if ignored. 

You’ve been listening to the True Crime Reporter Podcast: Stay True. Stay Safe. And Stay Tuned for more stories from inside the crime scene tape.

This is Robert Riggs Reporting.


Insightful Quotes From Brandon Puffer in From The Bullpen To The State Pen:

One of the devil’s schemes is to make you think the only one who thinks a certain way or acts the way you do–it’s a feeling of isolation, and when humans feel isolated, the mind has a tendency to go to some dark places.

Our actions in this life have consequences, and the longer we try to ignore or run from those consequences, the more they will grow–like a cancer that starts small, but eventually takes over the whole body if ignored.

The music we listen to, the things we watch, the games we play, and the words we speak…they all take a toll over time, and only you have the power to control what enters your mind and soul. 

You have the power to make choices before the choices that will define you.

My dream was derailed by one decision that was actually many smaller decisions that led up to that moment.


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What You Will Learn

  • How Brandon Puffer reached Major League Baseball and played for the 2004 World Series champion Red Sox.
  • How addiction and choices led to a Texas prison sentence, as framed in the supplied script.
  • How Puffer returned to baseball work after release and now coaches young players.**Robert Riggs**
  • The high school baseball player hung a homemade motivational sign on the wall of his bedroom. It read Brandon Puffer will be a Major League Baseball player.
  • Indeed, Puffer made it to what ballplayers call ā€œThe Show.ā€
  • Only to fall from the Bullpen to the State Penitentiary in Texas.
  • Hello, I’m Robert Riggs here with a story from inside the crime scene tape that begins on a baseball diamond.
  • **Robert Riggs**
  • Brandon Puffer was a pitcher on the Boston Red Sox baseball team when they broke a century-old curse and won the World Series in 2004.
  • But four years later, a Texas jury sentenced Puffer to five years in prison.
  • He survived the tough Texas prison system and is now out.
  • Puffer has written a book titled, From The Bullpen To The State Pen, in which he opens up about his experience.
  • In this episode of True Crime ReporterĀ®, Puffer shares the story of his setbacks and comeback.
  • **Brandon Puffer**
  • I got drafted High School. So you think you're kind of a big deal, right. And you show up to rookie ball in the minor leagues. I was in Fort Myers, Florida.
  • **Robert Riggs**
  • We're going to pause for a moment for a word from our sponsor. And when we come back, I want to talk to you about on being on trial and going to the Texas prison system
  • **Robert Riggs**
  • I'm talking with Brandon puffer who was a big league baseball player who went from wearing the jersey and what they call the show to an orange jumpsuit and later the white jumpsuit in the Texas prison system. When you got intoxicated you overdid it. You were fighting addiction. What happened just in general that got you arrested?
  • **Brandon Puffer**
  • lot, a lot of those little lessons that you know, some of them I learned in prison, some of my learned in my career, you know, and I'm still learning all the time. But yeah, a lot of that is just like Be aware of your choices. It really can affect your life.
  • **Robert Riggs**
  • After he got out of prison Puffer’s first real job was to take out the trash, clean the aisles, and help maintain the professional baseball field for the Round Rock Express.
  • The Minor League team’s owner, Reid Ryan, the son of Hall of Fame legend Nolan Ryan, hired Puffer.
  • Now, Puffer coaches youth and high school baseball players on how to play college and pro ball at GPSLegends, located in Central Texas near Round Rock and Georgetown.
  • I’ve placed a link to it in the show notes.
  • **Robert Riggs**
  • In closing, here’s my reporter’s recap and reflections.
  • No matter what walk of life they came from, most of the convicted felons that I have interviewed did not comprehend that their actions had consequences.
  • To quote Puffer, ā€œthe longer we try to ignore or run from those consequences, the more they will grow like a cancer that starts small, but eventually takes over the whole body if ignored.
  • You’ve been listening to the True Crime Reporter Podcast: Stay True. Stay Safe. And Stay Tuned for more stories from inside the crime scene tape.
  • This is Robert Riggs Reporting.

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**Robert Riggs**

The high school baseball player hung a homemade motivational sign on the wall of his bedroom. It read Brandon Puffer will be a Major League Baseball player.

Indeed, Puffer made it to what ballplayers call ā€œThe Show.ā€

Only to fall from the Bullpen to the State Penitentiary in Texas.

Hello, I’m Robert Riggs here with a story from inside the crime scene tape that begins on a baseball diamond.

**Robert Riggs**

Brandon Puffer was a pitcher on the Boston Red Sox baseball team when they broke a century-old curse and won the World Series in 2004.

But four years later, a Texas jury sentenced Puffer to five years in prison.

He survived the tough Texas prison system and is now out.

Puffer has written a book titled, From The Bullpen To The State Pen, in which he opens up about his experience.

In this episode of True Crime ReporterĀ®, Puffer shares the story of his setbacks and comeback.

**Brandon Puffer**

I got drafted High School. So you think you're kind of a big deal, right. And you show up to rookie ball in the minor leagues. I was in Fort Myers, Florida.

**Robert Riggs**

We're going to pause for a moment for a word from our sponsor. And when we come back, I want to talk to you about on being on trial and going to the Texas prison system

**Robert Riggs**

I'm talking with Brandon puffer who was a big league baseball player who went from wearing the jersey and what they call the show to an orange jumpsuit and later the white jumpsuit in the Texas prison system. When you got intoxicated you overdid it. You were fighting addiction. What happened just in general that got you arrested?

**Brandon Puffer**

lot, a lot of those little lessons that you know, some of them I learned in prison, some of my learned in my career, you know, and I'm still learning all the time. But yeah, a lot of that is just like Be aware of your choices. It really can affect your life.

**Robert Riggs**

After he got out of prison Puffer’s first real job was to take out the trash, clean the aisles, and help maintain the professional baseball field for the Round Rock Express.

The Minor League team’s owner, Reid Ryan, the son of Hall of Fame legend Nolan Ryan, hired Puffer.

Now, Puffer coaches youth and high school baseball players on how to play college and pro ball at GPSLegends, located in Central Texas near Round Rock and Georgetown.

I’ve placed a link to it in the show notes.

**Robert Riggs**

In closing, here’s my reporter’s recap and reflections.

No matter what walk of life they came from, most of the convicted felons that I have interviewed did not comprehend that their actions had consequences.

To quote Puffer, ā€œthe longer we try to ignore or run from those consequences, the more they will grow like a cancer that starts small, but eventually takes over the whole body if ignored.

You’ve been listening to the True Crime Reporter Podcast: Stay True. Stay Safe. And Stay Tuned for more stories from inside the crime scene tape.

This is Robert Riggs Reporting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Major League team did Puffer play for?

The script says he pitched for the Boston Red Sox when they won the World Series in 2004.

What sentence did Puffer receive?

It says a Texas jury sentenced him to five years in prison in 2008.

What was Puffer’s first job after prison?

The script says he helped take out trash, clean aisles, and maintain the Round Rock Express baseball field.

What does Puffer do now, according to the script?

It says he coaches youth and high-school players pursuing college and professional baseball at GPSLegends in Central Texas.