Autograph request through the mail received: Bill Buckner

Bill Buckner c/o home - signed two cards in blue ink and one of the penny sleeves used to hold the cards I sent him.

Despite my worry about sending $10 to Buckner in order to sign my cards, this autograph request was otherwise successful - particularly when I had to get my penny sleeve signed for my set.

Right now, I think I'm looking to put together autograph requests I'm sending out to spring training sites - I'm hoping to get an initial 20 out this week and maybe an additional 20-30 the following week, just so the requests are 'out there' with a chance I might actually get something in the mail box.

Featured autograph - Erin Andrews

At the 2010 Futures Game in Anaheim - she scrawled out her autograph quickly on one of those white, thick filler decoy cards. I saw her again signing along the railing before the Futures Game and got her to sign a random International League baseball that I got during BP at an Angels game.

Recently I was leafing through Athlon Sports Baseball 2011, one of the baseball fantasy/preview/guides - there was a blurb about one-time independent league and current Boston Red Sox outfielder Daniel Nava always leaving tickets for Andrews in the minor leagues.

It isn't a new story, just adds to Nava's feel-good rookie year in 2010 - I'm not going to say it is disturbing at all, Andrews has been all over the place [good and bad] in the last couple of years and she's a fantastic gal to look at.

The blurb was pretty straightforward, but image used in the magazine blurb just struck a certain cord - I may have no life, but I was compelled to pick up the magazine for $8 and clip the blurb out with Andrews all glammed up and wearing an outfit highlighting her best assets.

Instead I saved my $8 and found full-size images online, making me very happy - I cropped one of the images I thought was probably the most similar to the one I saw in the magazine.

Edit: Added the first image, which definitely was the one used in the magazine. 4/2/11

Autograph request through the mail received: Gary Payton

Gary Payton c/o home address - I received one signed card in black Sharpie in about seven days, though my other card was kept.

I don't usually send non-baseball autograph requests anymore - but as the most casual NBA fan over the last 15-20 years, I sent a request to Payton when I saw the former NBA star was apparently signing stuff sent to him.

I assume the autograph was actually signed by Payton - looking at the autograph up-close, there are just a couple of imperfections.

2010 Bowman Draft Value Pack recap and personal retail report

2010 Bowman Draft Value Pack [$4.99 x1 at a Walmart] - I really wanted to get a 2011 Topps blaster box, but went to Walmart first and got a Value Pack of 2010 Bowman Draft.

There were 2011 Topps blasters at Walmart for $19.98, but I prefer the Target Throwback variations - since the Walmart cards are mostly 'blacked out' except for the image, which makes any particular card worthless to be autographed in-person / through the mail.

There was a 72-card box of 2011 Topps for around $10 - which I was tempted to get since I hadn't seen the packaging [it kind of resembles a box used for gaming cards and it isn't the 'cereal boxes' used in previous years] used in baseball before.

It maybe just random, but the two Targets I went to didn't have any 2011 Topps blaster boxes - all I found at the Target closest to my home was a pack molester doing the deed with some Upper Deck hockey packs; guy was focused on getting to second base with multiple packs and was otherwise oblivious by my presence. I was actually more uncomfortable seeing what he was doing than he was in seeing me.

There was a Toys R'Us next door to the Target which had Jumbo Packs and blaster boxes of 2011 Topps - but I don't think the Toys R'Us blasters have either the Walmart black variation or the Target Throwback variation. Also for some reason, their rack packs are priced a dollar higher at $5.99 and their blaster boxes are actually priced at $23.99.

My one Value Pack of 2010 Bowman Draft - I picked up a complete set, but perhaps having extra cards from some of the players from this set will give me an opportunity to get those players on multiple cards.

Bottom
#BDP 91 Mitch Moreland Chrome
#BDP 28 Vance Worley Chrome
#BDPP 92 Chris Sale Chrome - though a lefty, he's been compared to Tim Lincecum because he is a rather smallish guy with a rocket for an arm.
#BDP 33 Travis Wood Gold parallel

Top
#BDP 94 Sergio Santos
#BDP 31 Drew Storen
#BDP 43 Josh Donaldson
#BDPP 74 Aaron Sanchez
#BDPP 96 Ryan Burr
#BDPP 80 Manny Machado
#BDPP 62 Zack Cox
#BPA-GH Graham Hicks autograph - he's a minor leaguer who was traded to the Chicago Cubs from the Washington Nationals with Michael Burgess and A.J. Morris in exchange for Tom Gorzelanny.

Autograph request through the mail received: Dustin Hermanson

Dustin Hermanson c/o home - he signed my three cards in blue Sharpie in about a month, including a 2004 Upper Deck Team USA 25th Anniversary card for my set.

Originally the No. 3 overall pick by the San Diego Padres in the 1994 Amateur Draft - Hermanson was an OK starting pitcher for the Montreal Expos and St. Louis Cardinals from the late 1990s through early 2000s before it looks like injuries derailed his ability to be a full-time starter.

However, in his final full season in the Major Leagues - Hermanson did record a 34 save season for the 2005 World Champion Chicago White Sox.

Collecting topics - bonus babies / cameos

Collecting topics cards are usually common cards with unique characteristics - I collect at least 10-15 of them, including ones that seem to be 'popular' with other like minded bloggers; facial hair, play at the plate, pitchers hitting, etc.

My favorite one or the one that got me started in this whole mess were cards featuring 'bonus babies,' like I read in a 1997 Beckett Magazine story - where notable players would be making 'cameos' on otherwise common players' cards.

It is fun to look for bonus babies/cameos/collecting topics cards because there is no set checklist, no real guide - when digging through a bunch of commons cards, it is fun to think of all the themes/collecting topics in my head and seeing if I can add one, two or more cards to the mix.

Autograph request through the mail received: Jon Garland

Jon Garland c/o Chicago White Sox - signed a 2007 Topps Heritage card in blue Sharpie and returned the 2006 Topps Allen and Ginter unsigned; like the Reed success, this was mailed back in 2007; received back on 2/11/11.

By coincidence, I had a card of Garland in my little box of cards I'm going to try to mail out - also looking for any non-spring training baseball in-person autograph action, I was just checking out a YouTube video of Garland signing at the San Diego Padres' Fan Fest in 2010.

Autograph request through the mail received: Adam LaRoche

Adam LaRoche c/o home address - signed one card in black Sharpie, returned the 2006 Topps unsigned and kept the 2006 Bowman Heritage.

LaRoche is an OK player who might be considered below average when looking closer at the numbers - he has the ability to hit for power though doesn't walk enough to justify striking out a lot.

Nothing else really stands out except he is part of a baseball family - brother Andy was once a top prospect with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but has bounced around a little bit and is now in the Oakland A's organization while their father Dave was a serviceable Major League pitcher.

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.

Featured autographs - Peter Tago and Gary Brown

I picked these 2010 Bowman Sterling cards up for about $4 each plus s/h on eBay - Tago was the No. 47 overall pick in 2010 by the Colorado Rockies and Brown was the No. 24 overall pick by the San Francisco Giants.

Tago doesn't have the best autograph, though perhaps being a teenager just out of high school can explain that just a little bit - while Brown, drafted as a college player from Cal State Fullerton has a little better looking autograph.

It is going to be interesting to see how these guys' pro careers will develop and where these guys are going to be playing in a couple of years - Tago supposedly has electric stuff and Brown is supposed to be a good leadoff prospect who perhaps is comparable to Eric Byrnes perhaps, though with less pop.

Random 2011 Topps thoughts

I picked up three $4.99 jumbo packs of 2011 Topps at Target - flagship Topps is always refreshing to rip when they first come out.

I like the white bordered base cards on this Topps' fare for the masses and it seems like the images on this year's cards really sharp - the images are bright and clear, instead of being dull, uninspiring and gloppy.

I was keeping my eyes peeled for any Diamond Sparkle variation, thinking I was going to find at least one out of my racks - but these short print parallels maybe harder to find than I had hoped.

I think like everyone else, the Platinum Diamond variations are pretty sweet looking - collecting them all is not realistic, but they are 'prettier' and much easier to pull than the cards with a doctored sparkle on them. I normally wouldn't care about the 2010 NL Wins Leaders card [#11] I pulled, but the Platinum Diamond treatment makes enhances the card's aesthetics.
I pulled an Kimball Champions Albert Pujols insert, which was nice - but these mini cards look sort of homemade.

I pulled other inserts, which I didn't really find all that interesting I guess - all I know is I probably don't need a reprint of a 2004 Topps Mark Teixeira [#60YOT-53] or a reprint of a 1999 Topps card of Mike Piazza, Ivan Rodriguez and Jason Kendall [#60YOT-48].

2010 Bowman Chrome Aroldis Chapman autograph

I got a replacement for a 2010 Bowman Chrome autograph of Aroldis Chapman - it sort of ends the initial saga that started when I impulsively bought a box of 2010 Bowman Chrome for $39.99 shipped, when I clicked the a link to the eBay auction on Atlanta Sports Cards on Black Friday.

After sending payment and eventually getting my box, I ended up pulling the Cuban Missile's autograph - unfortunately everything stopped when I realized the autograph on the card wasn't just streaked, but it looked like the autograph had just beaded up.

I ended up sending the card back [along with a base cards of Vladimir Guerrero and Cesar Valdez that suffered some surface damage] to Topps late in December - I was worried about getting a positive response because I was told [through a trading card forum I frequent] to send the cards and a letter in without all the rigmarole Topps has apparently had collectors go through in recent years.

There is also a Bowman Chrome wrapper redemption program going on - so I couldn't send in the wrappers I had in-hand in case Topps had needed it as proof of purchase or whatever.

Perhaps my letter explaining my situation and the cards I sent in would go into someone's circular file - maybe I'd get an explanation it was too late to send the damaged card in or there was no more replacement Chapman Bowman Chrome autographs. I dreaded the idea I'd get an Anthony Bass or a Ehire Adrianza autograph for my impulse box purchase.

There was a note from the post office in the mailbox on Thursday saying I had to sign for a certified mail package and if I didn't get it by last Saturday, it was going to be sent back to the sender - I assumed it was for me, because the sender was listed as 'Topps.'

I took a trip to the post office last Saturday and had to sign for my certified mail package at least three times [including writing out my name and address at least once] - I opened the mailer sent to me and inside was my replacement cards in individual top loaders, but not in penny sleeves. There was no letter or anything else, just my cards.

I want to say I don't know if the replacement Chapman card was in better condition that the one I originally pulled - however, the autograph on the card was definitely cleaner, so that is what counts for me.

Autograph request sent - Bill Buckner

Perhaps consider these as a 'preview' of things I'm probably going to blog about, but when I finally got hold of a loose $10 I deemed I could spend - I finally decided to fire off an autograph request to Bill Buckner c/o his home address, hoping he will sign the 1970 Topps rookie card and a 1984 Fleer I enclosed.

Usually when someone requests a fee to sign something through the mail, though not really as part of a bigger, organized signing - perhaps there is a risk even though I assume some care will be taken as far as the cards being autographed and returned safely in the self-addressed stamped envelope I enclosed.

I was looking forward to perhaps meandering to my local retail Target store to pick off a couple of $4.99 Value Packs / rack of 2011 Topps - though I'm trying to not be a lemming, especially when I know I'll end up busting some 2011 Topps one way or the other.

Besides, the novelty of new base Topps wears off [for me] pretty quickly - when these cards will be everywhere.

Autograph request through the mail received: Matt Williams

Matt Williams c/o home address - signed my cards in blue Sharpie.

This autograph request took about two weeks or so - Williams is currently a coach with the Arizona Diamondbacks and while he wasn't as good [.317 on-base percentage drags down his career a little bit] of a hitter as an active player, he was a five-time All-Star who earned four Silver Sluggers and was also a four time Gold Glove winner.

Autograph request through the mail received: Jeff D'Amico

Jeff D'Amico c/o home address - signed my 2001 Fleer Tradition card in blue Sharpie along with three other cards.

This autograph request took about two weeks or so - I don't remember D'Amico for any particular reason except he was supposed to be a top pitching prospect for the Milwaukee Brewers in the mid 1990s, but got hurt a lot so his Major League career didn't really take off as expected.

I do remember another Jeff D'Amico who pitched one season with the Kansas City Royals in 2000 - I was butchering the pronounciation of 'D'Amico' and Ricky Bottalico, who I think was signing for me before an Angels / Royals game was calling me out for not being able to say 'D'Amico' right.

2010 Topps Million Card Giveaway delivery?

I only had 14 card in my Topps Million account and I'm thinking about taking delivery of the eight listed above - cards I'm leaving behind include a 1980 Topps Ken Brett, 1985 Topps Orlando Mercado, 1985 Topps Bob Forsch, 1986 Topps Gary Carter, 2002 Topps Rico Brogna and a 2005 Topps Sean Casey.

Autograph request through the mail received: Casey Kotchman

Casey Kotchman c/o home address - signed my 2009 Topps Allen and Ginter card in blue ink along with two other cards.

This autograph request took about two weeks or so - Kotchman's status as an Angels' top prospect in the minors seems a long time ago and even the early comparisons to 'slick hitting,' but power challenged first basemen like Keith Hernandez and Mark Grace doesn't apply to Kotchman these days.

Having signed a minor league deal with the Tampa Bay Rays recently - perhaps Kotchman can revive his Major League career, though it seems like he has a lot of hurdles to overcome.

Autograph request through the mail received: Jameson Taillon

Jameson Taillon c/o home address - signed two cards in blue Sharpie [the 2009 Upper Deck USA base card came back smeared] and kept the third card I sent [2010 Bowman Draft Chrome].

When it comes to through the mail requests, I try to send only one or two cards - sometimes the players who respond to my request may keep the cards I'd really like to get signed instead of the extras I may enclose to try and get an extra signed card or two.

It isn't the responsibility of athletes who receive something in the mail to be autographed - sometimes however, the more cards are sent, the more likely the athletes are going to rush through signing and putting the cards back into the SASE, where they aren't too keen on letting the ink dry on the cards they just signed.

Taillon was the No. 2 overall pick in 2010 for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the hard throwing righthander was ranked - No. 18 among MLB.com's Top 50 prospects for 2011.

Autograph request through the mail received: John olerud

John Olerud c/o home address - signed three cards in blue ink and sent a personal testimony card unsigned in about three weeks.

Olerud seems to be one of the most consistent signers TTM over the last several years - I have read about successes where he has signed two out of three and signed the personal testimony card. I prefer just getting the cards I sent all signed.

Autograph request through the mail received: Walt Williams

Walt 'No Neck' Williams c/o home address - signed my 1976 Topps card in black ink and looks like he traced or wrote over the 'W' in Walt.

This autograph request took about a week or so - I'd read about Williams in a book of cult baseball players years ago before finally sending out an autograph request to him just this year.

Williams also played in Japan for a couple of years - though I didn't get a response from 'No Neck' about his time spent playing there, like my previous through the mail success with Ken Aspromonte.