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.

Card show purchases #3

Spent $14 on an assorted number of common cards - this was Part III of my purchase, but didn't get to post it. Out of the three purchases posted, this cost the most [$10], though it was more about quantity than quality [it would seem].

At the show I go to, there is a booth with bins filled with random cards bundled up with rubber bands - maybe six or seven years ago, it was 'top heavy' with scrap commons [poor-fair-good] going back from at least the 1960s through whatever there was in the last 30 years or so.

There is still a random mix here and there, but probably less 'vintage' cards - sometimes I've seen 'newer' brands of cards [within the last couple of years] put together.

It is typically 10-15 cards of the same brand, featuring base cards/commons. I took a chance picking up 10 random stacks of cards [$10] - I thought I might find a card you might be able to get autographed randomly [my bread and butter] in-person or through the mail.

2006 Topps '52 - could have done without these. No matter how you flip through them, they all feel like repacked 1987 Topps to me, with lots of cards of guys I could care less about.

#246 Dan Uggla
#62 Ruddy Lugo
#25 Chris Roberson
#73 Cody Ross
#165 Joel Guzman
#37 Jeff Karstens
#109 Jason Kubel
#238 Bartolome Fortunato
#226 Bernie Castro
#202 Franklin Gutierrez

2006 Topps '52 - I'm doubting this purchase
#257 Zach Jackson
#90 Tyler Johnson
#245 Tom Gorzelanny
#234 Scott Dunn
#244 Alexis Gomez
#258 Charlton Jimerson
#105 Chris Resop
#267 Paul McAnulty
#247 Jeremy Guthrie

2006 Topps '52 - no one really good
#139 Carlos Ruiz
#159 Colter Bean
#189 Kevin Barry
#161 Kevin Reese
#97 Macay McBride
#131 Matt Albers
#147 Martin Prado
#123 Davis Romero - look about 40 on his card
#273 Ronny Paulino
#229 Roy Corcoran

2006 Topps '52 - no one really good
#173 Taylor Tankersley
#249 Brendan Harris
#145 Jason Bergmann
#25 Chris Roberson
#208 John Hattig
#80 Joe Nelson
#152 Joe Inglett
#243 Justin Germano
#228 Doug Clark
#219 Ron Flores

2006 Topps '52 - no one really good / these were pretty much drecks
#15 Norris Hopper
#27 Kevin Frandsen
#3 Chuck James
#37 Jeff Karstens
#109 Jason Kubel
#145 Jason Bergmann
#80 Joe Nelson
#85 Yurendell De Caster
#260 Mitch Jones
#232 Rajai Davis

2006 Bowman Heritage - it seems like the guy bundled up 20-25 cards instead of 10-15.
#189 Jorge Cantu
3 of 3 Checklist
#187 Jose Castillo
#184 Juan Encarnacion
#179 Kevin Youkilis
#171 Coco Crisp
#166 CC Sabathia
#163 David DeJesus
#159 Jose Lopez
#135 Curtis Granderson
#125 Derrek Lee
#124 Erik Bedard
#121 Joe Crede
#118 Eric Byrnes
#113 Chad Cordero
#112 Bronson Arroyo
#104 Juan Uribe
#98 Bengie Molina
#95 Robinson Cano
#78 Adam LaRoche
#76 A.J. Pierzynski x2
#62 Gary Matthews Jr.
#57 Ty Wigginton
#49 Mark Kotsay
#39 Eric Chavez
#34 Doug Davis
#22 Dan Haren
#279 Jered Weaver
#18 Mark Mulder
#14 Michael Cuddyer

2006 Bowman Heritage
#6 Jake Peavy
2 of 3 Checklist
BHP 95 Chad Huffman
BHP 94 Brad Furnish
BHP 93 Brooks Brown
BHP 88 Billy Rowell - he is supposed to be some sort of top prospect, but I have heard nothing really positive about his development as a professional.
BHP 85 Clayton Kershaw - now, here is a nice $2-$3 first-year card.
BHP 81 Chad Tracy
BHP 80 Dustin Evans
BHP 75 Kyle McCulloch
BHP 68 Jose Campusano
BHP 65 Adam Coe
BHP 68 Dale Thayer
BHP 57 Brian Horwitz
BHP 54 Steve Kelly
BHP 53 Andrew Kown

2006 Bowman Heritage - I was thinking of buying a box of this stuff, but I see why I probably shouldn't.
BHP 49 Landon Jacobsen
2 of 3 Checklist
BHP 35 John Bannister
BHP 59 Diory Hernandez
BHP 31 Brandon Moss
BHP 29 Welinson Baez
BHP 28 Chris Dickerson
BHP 25 Brent Dlugach
BHP 22 Radhamez Liz
BHP 16 Nate Gold
BHP 9 Yung-Chi Chen
BHP 8 Nick Adenhart
BHP 7 Ben Copeland
BHP 5 Garrett Mock
#46 Carlos Zambrano
BHP 4 Cameron Maybin - another nice first-year card, though probably only worht about $1.50.
#247 Jeremy Hermida
#246 John Lester
#228 Kevin Thompson
#221 Craig Hansen
#213 Hanley Ramirez
#203 Matt Kemp
#194 Mark Buehrle
#192 Adrian Gonzalez

2007 Topps Allen and Ginter
#106 CC Sabathia
#324 Ian Kinsler
#305 Jeremy Bonderman
#216 Rickie Weeks
#151 Bob Wickman
#70 Jermaine Dye
#347 Anibal Sanchez
#268 Washington Monument#176 Bronson Arroyo - needed
#222 Rocco Baldelli - needed

2007 Topps Allen and Ginter
#347 Anibal Sanchez
#63 Bengie Molina
#247 Dave Roberts
#342 Chad Cordero
#190 Scott Kazmir
#341 Adrian Gonzalez
#264 Aaron Rowand
#203 Justin Verlander - needed
#81 Mike Sweeney

Featured card:
2006 Topps Allen & Ginter Casey Kotchman through the mail autograph - as an Angels’ fan, I’ve really been impressed by the way you play defense.

Whether it is tracking down pop flies in foul territory or snatching errant throws from infielders or deftly catching line drives hit towards your way - you have basically evolved as the quarterback of the Angels’ infield.

I enjoy watching you best as a defender, when you field a batted ball towards first base. You have the quickest feet, racing the base runner who running down the line, to see who is going to get to the bag first. You seem to take some pride in being able to call off the pitcher running over to cover the bag.

Besides your defensive prowess, you have the ability to do a little bit of everything at the plate. You have shown the ability hit the ball for a little power and average, but also maintaining good plate discipline and bat control.

Hopefully, you can build upon the promise you’ve shown and get an opportunity to pursue your championship dreams with one of the best organizations in baseball.

Sincerely,

Laurens

PS: This is most of the actual letter I wrote to Kotchman for a TTM autograph request two weeks ago - he and minor leaguer Stephen Marek was traded to the Atlanta Braves on July 29 for slugger Mark Teixeira.

The LAA Angels are going for it right now and even if Teixeira is a three-month rental at best - they have Kendry Morales stuck in AAA to play first base in 2009. Losing Kotchman is a bummer, but it seemed to make the most sense to add another legitimate power threat, in order to be able to go further in the playoffs.

Featured card:
2008 Topps Allen & Ginter Abraham Lincoln DNA relic - this auction lists one of the 'big hit' pulls out of this year's Allen & Ginter product and while the card is aesthetically underwhelming, it is interesting to see where modern cards like this one will end up. I wonder if Keith Olbermann is interested in this piece of history.