TTM autograph received: Todd Greene

The former big league catcher signed my cards in about a month - Greene might be another scratched off my 'mythical' TTM back log where there is a never ending list of guys who have signed in the mail for others.

I'm probably not as dedicated in systematically sending out unsigned cards to see if I can get ink on them - to feel like I'm still doing something to get some cheap thrills back in the mail box, I am up for sending to random subjects here and there.

I don't know remember if Greene was ever hyped up as a top prospect, but as a catcher, he put up big slugging numbers in the Angels' minor league system through the mid 1990s - he showed some power potential as a stocky righthanded hitter, but was never really able to establish himself longterm with the Angels and ended up being backup catcher for five other teams in an 11-year big league career.

TTM autographs received: Bobby Witt

The former Major League pitcher signed my cards in a couple of weeks and returned a lone card unsigned - as a collector of random scribbles, I like my cards autographed in the standard blue Sharpie.

However, unless I send someone I'm writing a request to a spare Sharpie - I can't control what pen a person has in his possession.

Unfortunately, the pen used to sign these cards seemed a little irregular - where the autographs came out really light as opposed to bold and legible.

Featured autograph - Spike Owen

I have no real recollection of Owen as a MLB player, much less a one-time Angel, except as a junk wax guy - who generally fit the stereotype of a 'good field, no hit' shortstop at various points in his professional baseball career.

In 82 games during the strike shortened 1994 season, Owen had his best year with the bat - hitting .310 with 17 doubles, 2 triples and 3 home runs in 268 official at-bats.

Autograph request through the mail received: Jody Reed

Jody Reed c/o Gulf Coast Yankees - signed my four cards in blue Sharpie.

This autograph request took about three years or so and showed up in my mailbox with a $0.41 stamp on 2/10/11 - I knew I'd sent to Reed at some point long ago, though the actual record of what was sent, where and when was probably scratched out on some loose piece of paper long discarded.

I actually found the Word document with my letter to Reed however - the letter was dated July 11, 2007, so I assume that is around the time when I sent the letter.

Reed was a second baseman with the Boston Red Sox who came up in 1987 and spent five full seasons in Boston - before bouncing around with several other teams for the rest of his 11 year Major League career.

For this upcoming season, he was named the manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers' Arizona League team - the postmark on my SASE was from Denver, Colorado and apparently that is where Reed and his family currently lives.