Featured autograph - Mark Prior

With a 103 win season in the books, this maybe the year for the Chicago Cubs to smash up their World Series curse, like once upon a time when Prior was a phenom looking to pitch the Cubs into the World Series back in 2003 - of course, it wasn't meant to be and the Cubs are still down-and-out after 108 years.

Prior morphed into a disappointment when his big league pitching career was cut short after parts of five seasons - for the all success he had as a professional, I remember him most for being on the mound for the Steve Bartman incident.

Featured autograph - Tony Oliva

I got this 1971 Topps card signed by the former MLB batting star when he made an appearance at the 2016 All-Star Fan Fest - I probably pulled the card from some card show vendor made vintage repack at least 10-12 years ago.

Featured autograph - Ryan Klesko

I first learned of Klesko as a top prospect with the Atlanta Braves in the early 1990s - the lumbering slugger with a big swing didn't have the all-world numbers like one-time Braves teammate Chipper Jones would have, but had a pretty good MLB career for himself.

Featured autograph - Jairo Beras

Despite receiving a $4.5 million signing bonus in 2012 - Beras is probably still figuring out the nuances of playing the game, so his hitting numbers are underwhelming, particularly in the hitter friendly California League.

I've gotten him to sign just a few times and as a general greeting, he asks how you are doing - maybe the greeting isn't so unique or personal, though I don't usually expect it from foreign born players who might not have a good grasp of the English language.

I do want to say Beras is a Sharpie killer with the way he holds the pen with his knuckles and signs autographs - his 'form' is kind of unique and makes me cringe at the same time.

Featured autograph - Orlando Cepeda

I don't think the Hall of Famer's autograph is rare, but he's old and you typically have to pay to get him to autograph something through a private signing perhaps - so while an outing to get someone's 'free autograph' at MLB All-Star Fan Fest isn't without its expenses, waiting time and other inconveniences, it's kind of a ritual to get something signed in-person as opposed to purchasing an autograph from a memorabilia dealer on eBay or something.

Featured autograph - Chris Cannizzaro

Cannizzaro was in rough shape but managed to sign autographs at MLB All-Star Fan Fest - he first San Diego Padres All-Star and was on both the Padres expansion team in 1969 and the New York Mets expansion team in 1962.

Featured autograph - Randy Ready

I got five cards [all MLB authenticated for what it's worth] signed by the former utility player and longtime coach at the MLB All-Star Fan Fest - Ready played in the middle of the junk wax era so even as a rank-and-file player, he had a lot of cards made.

Maybe my favorite card was this 1984 Topps Traded 'XRC' - I probably dated myself with 'XRC' reference but I think that's what you called the first cards of players included in late season update sets as opposed to just referring to them as rookie cards [that were supposed to come from a nationally distributed card set].

Topps used a cleaner, thinner card stock for the traded set - the backs are brighter as opposed regular 1984 Topps cards.

Featured autograph - Kevin Mitchell

I picked up the 1994 Topps Gold for my 'inking it up' mini-collection and go figure, ended up getting the card signed at the 2016 MLB All-Star Fan Fest - the focus of my 'image based' mini-collections is on the cards and I like the keep the cards unsigned because when a card is autographed, it usually obscures the image on the card.

On the other hand, an autograph signed in a controlled, organized situation - can make a 5-cent card with a unique picture stand out a little more than a similar, unsigned card.

Featured autograph - Jesse Orosco

I've gotten his autograph in recent years, though I didn't see him this year until he made an MLB All-Star Fan Fest appearance - Orosco was a 24-year MLB veteran who appeared in a record 1252 games for 10 teams.

While a nomad after he left the organization - Orosco was a 2-time All-Star in his eight seasons with the New York Mets and closed out Game 7 of 1986 World Series.

Featured autographs - Dodgers prospects

Pitchers Grant Holmes, Josh Sborz and Andrew Sopko maybe just the trade bait needed to land an ace like Chris Sale - who seems an obvious fit for the Dodgers now that Clayton Kershaw could be out for the season.

The trio of Holmes, Sborz and Sopko have each shown they can pitch in the hitter friendly California League - but regardless of their performance or ceiling, the Dodgers maybe less reluctant to deal either one or all three as opposed to Julio Urias, Jose De Leon or Yadier Alvarez.

Sborz and Sopko were drafted out of college, so as long as they are healthy and effective, they may get to the big leagues by some point next year - while a team like the Chicago White Sox can wait for Holmes to make the progression a level at a time.

I really don't ask for inscriptions [particularly on cards], but it's cool to get something a bit more than an autograph [especially when the player has more of a scribble] - if a player is willing to add the inscription and it looks clean.

Featured autograph - Will Clark

The former MLB superstar made an appearance during a minor league game in Lancaster California and I was able to get my 2001 Fleer Tradition set card signed - it was great for me to get his autograph for the first time and knock out a 15-year old set card.

Team staff from the host Lancaster Jethawks were adamant that Clark would signing for a 6:30-8:00 p.m. and with the volume of people who lined up for an autograph - there were no photo ops taken with him and it was strictly one autograph per person.

After the fact, I saw Clark was fairly accommodating, typically putting 'Thrill' inscriptions on non-card items like balls, flats and jerseys - while the team staff was watching over Clark, he would sign multiples if you plopped them down in front of him.

If you attended the signing with a family of people - then you racked up at least one time through the line, if not a second time through.