Featured autograph - Xavier Nady

New York Yankees' left fielder Xavier Nady returned the card [on Jan. 27] I sent to him personalized and signed in blue ink - I either sent it out some times in 2007 or some time in 2008 when he was still with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

I think there were one or two other cards I sent, though I don't remember - I was just surprised at getting Nady back, thinking I was going to get a more recent request back in a SASE I found in my mailbox. The SASE was postmarked from San Diego and I was wondering who I'd written to down there in recent months.

I always like saying his first name and thought he was going to be star when he was drafted by the San Diego Padres back in 2000 - it sort of took a while for Nady to establish himself in the Major Leagues with the Padres, then he bounced around with the New York Mets and the Pittsburgh Pirates.

In 2008, he had a breakthrough season split between the Pirates and the New York Yankees - he played in 148 games and in 555 at-bats, hit 25 home runs, drove 97 runs and hit .305. He also posted an on-base percentage of .357 and he slugged .510.

At times you will get athletes who insist on personalizing items presented to them in-person - and sometimes they will do so on their own, when you send something for them to sign in the mail.

These days, athletes personalize because they literally want to protect the value of their name - if they are not going to personalize something, both the athlete and his agent feel like they should be getting paid.

I personally would prefer any card or item autographed, not personalized- though I find personalizations are unique and do not mind them. I figure I have many autographs in my collection that aren't personalized and I'm fine with the odd card or item that is made out with my name.