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

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

Author: Robert Riggs June 26, 2023 Duration: 38:58

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 “The Show.” 

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 Reporter®, 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, “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. 

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.


FOLLOW the True Crime Reporter® Podcast 

SIGN UP FOR my True Crime Newsletter

THANK YOU FOR THE FIVE-STAR REVIEWS ON APPLE Please leave one – it really helps.

TELL ME about a STORY OR SUBJECT  that you want to hear more about


Robert Riggs has spent decades as an investigative reporter, and in True Crime Reporter, he applies that relentless, document-driven approach to the stories that haunt us. This isn't just a retelling of grim headlines; it's a meticulous walk through active case files, historical injustices, and the societal undercurrents that allow crime to flourish. Each episode feels like you're sitting across from Riggs as he lays out his notes, connecting dots between evidence, witness accounts, and the often-overlooked details that change a narrative. You'll hear the tension in the pursuit of truth, the weight of unresolved questions, and the quiet impact on communities and families left in the wake of violence. The podcast moves beyond the sensational to examine the cultural and systemic factors at play, offering a sober, deeply researched perspective. Listen for long-form narratives that build like a detective's board, where every piece of audio, every interview, and every document serves a purpose. It’s for those who want to understand the 'why' and the 'how' as much as the 'who,' presented with the clarity and authority of a seasoned journalist who knows the terrain. This is a journey into real stories, handled with the care they demand, and it naturally becomes an essential listen for anyone fascinated by the intersection of human behavior, justice, and the news.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

True Crime Reporter
Podcast Episodes
Sheriff Parnell McNamara Rides Herd On The Lawless Solving Cold Cases [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:56
Sheriff Parnell McNamara promised his constituents in McLennan County, Texas around Waco that he would actively pursue cold cases. McLennan County Sheriff Parnell McNamara & Reporter Robert Riggs McNamara was elected for…
The High School Gang That Graduated To Cold-Blooded Murder [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:02
Gun-wielding gang members from Houston burst into a rural bank located a hundred miles north of Houston. The high school-age teenagers graduated from burglaries and drive-by shootings to cold-blooded murders that day. Th…
Do Murderous Roots Lie Within Your Family Tree? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:31
It was called the “Ride Murder.” The bullet-riddled body of an unidentified seaman from the Port of Houston, Texas, was found dumped in a ditch a few miles away. HELP US FIND THIS MAN’S FAMILY Two men and a woman used a…
A Sniper In The Tower–The First School Shooting–Why Did He Do It? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:54
Before Columbine. Before Sandy Hook. Before Virginia Tech. There was the Sniper in the Tower at the University of Texas. America’s first mass murder and school shooting unfolded on live television in Austin, Texas, more…
First There Was the Lone Ranger. Now There’s Creed True. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:31
We usually take our fans inside the crime scene tape of real-life crimes. But in this episode, we are testing out a fictional Texas Ranger superhero named Creed True, inspired by real-life cases. The Texas Ranger became…
One Riot, One Ranger Fuels 200-Year Old Legend [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:12
Texas kicked off festivities on Texas Independence Day, to commemorate the 2023 Bicentennial of the Texas Rangers. As the Rangers approach their 200th year of service, their legend is embodied in the following quote. Whe…