Cardboard Legends

My 2012 Topps Review

2012-02-03T16:07:00.001-08:00

I didn't realize this year's edition of Topps was already out until I saw a box break from moe on his 2008 Topps Blog earlier this week. I stopped by Kenmore Collectibles after work today and picked up two regular packs and one jumbo. Here's my take on the first baseball product of 2012 (Scroll to the bottom to see my Fresh Find):

The base card design is nothing earth-shattering, but they did bring back one small detail from the 09 Topps that has been lacking from the previous two years' cards: a colored border. It definitely makes the cards a little more colorful. The most noticeable omission from the front of the card is the player's position, the first time since 2008 that Topps has done that.

Unfortunately, Topps' collation issues are just as rampant now as they were in years past. In a grand total of three packs, I pulled 8 dupes. Out of the 8 dupes, 6 of them were in identical order in the packs they were pulled from.

The shiny/sparkly/golden cards are back, and it looks like it's just one color, at least for now. I'm sure by the time the Update series rolls out, we'll have champagne, cognac, gin, and whiskey parallel colors as well. I didn't pull any gold-bordered cards, but I did get a black-bordered Dustin Ackley numbered 54/61. I've pulled a few of these out of each Topps set for the past few years, and I'm dieing to get some of them signed in silver sharpie.

The mini cards this year, for me, are much more appealing than last year's offering. They're identical to the 1987 Topps design, and match the old time cardboard-ey feel of the Heritage product. My uncle bought me a box set of the 87 Topps when I was a kid, and it was one of the few full sets I had growing up. I'm looking forward to 25 years from now when there will be a full-sized set of these if Topps Heritage is still around in 2037.

I pulled a "Home Run Legends #2" redemption card, which is sponsored by the Prime 9 show on MLB Network. The card is only valid for the week of 2/20-2/26, and I have to bring it to a Topps HTA shop to get the card redeemed. I'll let you know in a few weeks how it turns out.

I still think Topps makes way too many insert sets for retired players. It's nice to give younger kids a history lesson on the legends of the game, but I'm less than thrilled to pull a "Golden Moments" card highlighting a catch made by a hobbled Paul O'Neill in a 1996 World Series game.

It's also clear that Topps is giving minimal effort when it comes to naming these insert sets, as 4 of the 6 insert cards I pulled were called "Gold Futures", "Gold Standard", "Golden Greats", and "Golden Moments". It would be one thing if Topps was celebrating its' 50th anniversary, but this is year number 61 for them. The Gold Futures cards have a nice design that look like they could be their own premium Topps brand, but the other insert types seem to have quite a bit of dead space.

I've always enjoyed alliteration when it comes to baseball cards, and Topps delivered with the other 2 insert sets I pulled cards from. The first is "Timeless Talents" , with a card featuring Stan Musial and Lance Berkman. While Berkman has had a pretty talented career, I don't know if he's worthy of sharing a card with Stan the Man. This brings me to my other alliteration insert, which I am giving the inaugural title of...

FenwayFrank's Fresh Find:

Nolan Ryan "Retired Rings" #653/736

This card is an absolute beast; it's as thick as 12 regular cards. The jumbo packs are supposed to have 50 cards, but with this monster, I counted only 36. The card contains a brass-colored badge of sorts embedded into the cardboard, designed to resemble the top of a ring. The ring prominently features Nolan's number 34, which according to the back of the card, was retired by the Astros on September 29th, 1996. If you participated in the Diamond Giveaway online last year, it looks similar to the virtual rings you could collect on the website after redeeming one of the codes on the giveaway cards. I'm going to have a tough time finding a top loader thick enough for it, but it's definitely my favorite card from the packs.

My First IP Auto of 2012: Sean Casey

2012-01-31T18:22:00.000-08:00

I was riding home from work yesterday on the T and remembered that tickets for most Red Sox games went on sale this past Saturday, so I stopped by the stadium to get tickets for the Marlins, Braves, and Angels series. When I was walking from Fenway to Kenmore, I saw Sean Casey coming up the street with a few other guys. I didn't realize the Hot Stove Cool Music fundraiser was that night, so I wasn't sure if it was even him.

Fortunately, I had been using an index card as a bookmark in the book I was reading, but I had no writing utensil. I ran down to the bank in Kenmore Square where my friend works, and I interrupted him to grab a sharpie off his desk. I raced back up the street and caught Sean in front of Cask & Flagon. He was his usual friendly and talkative self, explaining that he was in town for Theo's charity event.

It was a great surprise to run into one of the nicest (former) players in the game, and I really wish I still had MLB Network so I could see him on a nightly basis. Good first IP auto of the year!

Spring Training TTM: Brett Anderson

2012-01-14T08:27:00.001-08:00

Brett Anderson 1/1- Almost one year after I sent this one out, I received Brett's rookie card from the 09 Topps set sigjned in blue sharpie. Sent 2/12 (332 days)

Year-End Totals for 2011

2012-01-14T08:25:00.000-08:00

Here are my final totals for 2011:

103 TTM Returns

273 Signed Cards

307 Autographs

I'll be breaking out my cards soon in preparation for Spring Training, only 36 days until pitchers and catchers report!

Spring Training TTM: Adam Lind

2012-01-14T08:17:00.000-08:00

Adam Lind 1/1- My first TTM of the new year came in last week, as Adam signed a 2009 Topps that I sent out last year during Spring Training. The card came back in a folded piece of flower stationary with a smiley face snowflake on the envelope, which makes me wonder if it was actually signed by him. Sent 3/9 (297 days)

The Last Auto of 2011: Dicky Barrett (Mighty Mighty Bosstones)

2012-01-06T17:11:00.000-08:00

It's been quite a slow time for autographs in this neck of the woods, but I got to meet a big personality in the ska/punk music world last week at a meet-and-greet in downtown Boston. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones have a series of "Hometown Throwdown" shows each year around Christmas time, but I still haven't had the chance to see them live. I decided to swing by McGreevy's (a bar owned by fellow Boston rockers the Dropkick Murphys) after work last Friday, and arrived to a packed bar with what vaguely resembled a line inching towards the back of the room. I waited in "line" for over 45 minutes, and it didn't seem like there was any sort of movement or progress. Some of the band members had already left for the venue for the show that night by the time I got to the front, but I still managed to get frontman Dicky Barrett on the CD cover of their newest album. I was hoping he'd sign the front of the album in blue sharpie, but he used his own black marker and signed it on the inside cover. My camera was dead so I didn't get a picture with him, but he didn't seem all that friendly anyways. A graph's a graph, I guess.

Here's to hoping for a year filled with autographs in 2012!

TTM Return: Josh Hamilton

2011-12-12T15:18:00.000-08:00

Josh Hamilton 1/2- I just picked up my first few games of Red Sox tickets from the box office at Fenway tonight, and it was a nice surprise to find a few TTM returns waiting at home. One of the games I bought was against the defending A.L. Champions, the Texas Rangers. Hopefully this year I'll have a chance to get an in-person auto of Hamilton. Last year I only got to go for Rangers autographs on a Sunday, which is the one day of the week he'll never sign. For now, I'm happy to add this card to my 09 Topps collection. It might be a little more challenging to get Cabrera and Morneau on there as well. Sent 9/12 (90 days)

Spring Training (2010!) TTM: Randy Wolf

2011-12-12T15:13:00.001-08:00

Randy Wolf 1/2- This was the longest wait I've had for a return to date. I sent out 2 cards to Randy during Spring Training of last season when he was first signed with the Brewers. He signed his 09 Topps and returned his 08 Topps unsigned. Sent 2/13/10 (668 days)

Pack Pull Auto: Jon Jay

2011-12-10T16:05:00.000-08:00

The second autographed card I pulled today was of Jon Jay, and came from a jumbo pack of 2011 Topps. I haven't found the Topps 60 insert set all that interesting, but it was nice to get another auto version of one of these cards. I pulled a similar card of Chris Getz when Series 1 came out at the beginning of the season. Jon is featured on this card for having the top batting average in the National League in July 2010.

Pack Pull Auto: Kolbrin Vitek

2011-12-10T15:58:00.000-08:00

Today I went to a card shop north of Boston that I hadn't been to in a while, and I picked up a jumbo pack of 2011 Topps and a regular pack of 2011 Bowman. I lucked out and pulled an autograph in each pack, though neither was quite as impressive as the one I got last month. In the pack of Bowman, I found an auto card of Red Sox prospect Kolbrin Vitek. I saw Kolbrin play in Lowell with the Single-A Spinners team last season and had him sign a few programs at that time. He was a First Round Draft Pick last year, so hopefully he will find his way to the majors after a few more seasons.

Pedro Martinez

2011-12-03T19:47:00.000-08:00

Today I went shopping at the Home Goods in Bedford, MA. I walked up and down the aisles, looking for a great deal....

Dishware,
Furniture,
Lamps,
Cy Young Winners.

The best deal in the greater Boston area this weekend was definitely at this special event on Saturday, where Pedro Martinez hosted a charity toy drive to benefit cancer patients at the Dana Farber Institute and underprivileged children in the Dominican Republic. By donating two toys, you could receive an autograph from Pedro on anything you wanted.

I saw some pretty impressive pieces, including a full stadium seat from Busch Stadium where the Sox reversed the curse in 2004. It seemed like most of the attendees had been waiting for years to get Pedro on some team-signed items, but I didn't really have anything in particular I needed signed.

Still, the prospect of getting a Red Sox legend and future Hall of Famer like Pedro for a few toys was a steal. It also gave me an excuse to patrol the toy aisles at Target to see how much cooler Lego's and action figures have become since I was a kid.

The line moved fairly slowly, but fortunately the store was very strict about one autograph per person. It seemed like Pedro signed inscriptions when requested, which may have attributed to the slow moving line. I was very happy to get cards from the 2008 Allen & Ginter and 09 Topps sets signed with some help.

It was great to get a few autographs and help out some needy kids during the holiday season, and I couldn't have done it without the help of my sweet, charitable, and kind fiancee', who will no doubt be watching this blog post closely for me to thank her for standing out in the cold with me for four hours. Without her help, I wouldn't have been able to get the nice looking Allen & Ginter signed that you see above.

When I came home tonight, I was surprised to see a headline stating that Pedro would be officially announcing his retirement in the next few days. If he truly does decide to retire now, then today's event seemed like a fitting farewell for the local crowd after so many memorable years in Boston.

TTM Return: Fred Lewis

2011-11-20T14:39:00.000-08:00

Fred Lewis 2/2- Fred signed cards from the 07 and 09 Topps sets from his home in Mississippi. My 300th autograph of the year! Sent 5/25 (174 days)

2008 Topps Box Break: The Greatest Pull of My Life

2011-11-18T17:30:00.000-08:00

Every Friday, I stop by Kenmore Collectibles around the corner from Fenway Park, and I usually pick up a few packs of whatever's new in baseball. This week they were very limited on their offerings, so I grabbed a few packs from their clearance table. On the way out, I noticed a box of 2008 Topps Series 2 sitting on the table for $27. I took a few steps outside, then figured it would be fun to rip a box for a reasonable price, so I stepped back in and grabbed it.

I usually only buy one box each year, and I was planning on waiting until the Black Friday deals on blowoutcards.com. I'm really glad I didn't let someone else grab that box of 08 Topps, because it was well worth the $27. Here's the coup de grace, the grand finale, the piece de resistance!

Randor Bierd gold border RC #1255/2008!

It was quite an achievement, I was already on cloud nine, when suddenly:

ALBERT PUJOLS Autograph/Game-Used Jersey #1/25!!!

I think it's time for me to stop buying packs, I've peaked. I'm sure plenty of people on here have had better pulls, but for somebody that only buys one box a year I was pretty stoked. This is by far the best card I've ever pulled from a pack.

AFL Return: Brandon Crawford

2011-11-18T15:29:00.000-08:00

Brandon Crawford 1/1- The second return of the day came from the Giants rookie, who made his major league debut on May 27th this year. Brandon signed a card from the 2011 Topps Update set. This was my 100th return of the year! Sadly, I don't think there will be too many more coming my way for a while. Sent 10/27 (22 days)

AFL Return: Jedd Gyorko

2011-11-18T15:27:00.001-08:00

In addition to a dreaded RTS envelope from Yasmani Grandal, I received 2 good returns from the Arizona Fall League today.

Jedd Gyorko 1/1- The Padres prospect signed a Bowman's Brightest insert from the 2011 Bowman set. Sent 10/27 (22 days)

TTM Return: Juan Pierre

2011-11-09T15:39:00.000-08:00

Juan Pierre 2/2- The speedy Chicago outfielder signed cards from the 08 and 11 Allen & Ginter sets, including a jersey number and Psalm on each. Sent 8/24 (75 days)

Fun Fact: Juan was named after Hall of Fame pitcher Juan Marichal.

AFL Return: Adam Eaton

2011-11-09T15:37:00.000-08:00

Adam Eaton 2/1- Adam signed the 2011 Topps Heritage minors card I sent him and threw in an extra one as well. Sent 10/27 (11 days)

AFL Return: Scooter Gennett

2011-11-04T18:55:00.000-07:00

Scooter Gennett 1/1- After several weeks of no mail action, I sent out minor league cards to players in the Arizona Fall League last week and received my first return today. Scooter signed his 11 Topps Heritage minors card in blue sharpie. Sent 10/27 (8 days)

Spring Training Return: Brandon Morrow

2011-10-17T15:38:00.000-07:00

Brandon Morrow 3/3- It's nice to get a few more offseason returns rolling in as the World Series approaches. Brandon signed cards from the 09, 10, and 10 U&H Topps sets from Blue Jays spring training. Sent 2/12 (245 days)

TTM Return: Brian Roberts

2011-10-15T12:57:00.001-07:00

Brian Roberts 1/1- Since Brian spent most of the year on the disabled list, I sent him a card from the 08 Goudey set during the summer and received it back today. Sent 6/27 (112 days)

TTM Return: Joe Blanton

2011-10-15T12:54:00.000-07:00

Joe Blanton 1/1- I sent Joe his card from the 09 Topps set way back in July of last year, and just received it back postmarked from Tampa. Sent 7/16 (454 days)

Spring Training Return: Kevin Frandsen

2011-10-14T16:16:00.000-07:00

Kevin Frandsen 2/2- I originally sent cards to Kevin at the Padres' spring training camp, but he ended up in the Phillies' farm system this year. He signed 09 and 10 Topps cards with a postmark from Phoenix, Arizona. Sent 3/8 (216 days)

TTM Return: Troy Percival

2011-10-12T16:11:00.000-07:00

Troy Percival 1/1- A member of the 300 Saves Club, Troy signed his 09 Topps card from his home address in blue sharpie. With this card, I finally achieved my goal of getting to 220 cards for my set by the end of the year! Sent 6/3 (129 days)

Hockey TTM: Nicklas Backstrom

2011-10-11T16:40:00.000-07:00

Nicklas Backstrom 3/2- The Capitals' center signed cards from the 09-10 Victory and Score sets, as well as one of the protective index cards I included with my request. Sent 1/20 (261 days)

Bruins Fanfest

2011-10-06T16:12:00.000-07:00

I couldn't afford tickets to tonight's game, but I did head to the Garden for the pre-game festivities. While game 7 of last year's Stanley Cup Final played on a big screen along the outside wall of the arena, various carnival games and freebies stretched out alongside the North Station terminal. Finally, the cup was paraded down Canal Street atop a Boston Ladder 1 fire truck. This was followed by a procession through military and police officers, arms outstretched with white hockey sticks to form a tunnel leading into the Garden.

The NHL Network had a booth set up with two Bruins alumni, so I got a few free photos. It was a good way to start what should be another great season of hockey.

Reggie Lemelin- personalized 8X10
Ken Linseman- personalized 8X10

TTM Return: Jason Grilli

2011-10-04T17:36:00.000-07:00

Jason Grilli 2/2- Jason must have taken his mail on the road with him, signing his 09 Topps U&H and 2000 Finest cards with the envelope postmarked from Milwaukee, where the Pirates ended their season. Sent 9/12 (21 days)

Spring Training Return: Jeff Karstens

2011-09-29T12:18:00.000-07:00

Jeff Karstens 1/1- I don't remember seeing this card or sending it out during ST, but after a long wait I received it back signed in black sharpie. This return finally puts me at a 50% success rate for spring training sendouts, and puts me just one card away from my goal for the 09 Topps set for this year. Sent 2/12 (227 days)

Orioles @ Red Sox, 9/21

2011-09-23T16:43:00.000-07:00

My final Sox game of the regular season was also the last one at Fenway this year, so I took advantage of the extra day of vacation I had after my Ireland trip and went for some autos outside and inside the stadium. It was nice to get a few cards signed by Wieters before the season ended. Hopefully the Red Sox can hold on and make it into the playoffs to extend my autograph season for a few more weeks.

Outside the stadium:

Matt Wieters- 08 Razor, 07 Tristar Pro Debut
Jeremy Guthrie- 10 Topps
Nolan Reimold- 09 Topps U&H RC Gold

Inside the stadium:

Josh Bell- custom Orioles logo card
Larry Lucchino- blank card
Chris Davis- 09 Allen & Ginter, 09 Topps

TTM Return: Sean Casey

2011-09-23T16:14:00.001-07:00

Sean Casey 2/2- The Mayor signed cards from the 08 Topps and 02 Fleer Platinum sets from the MLB Network studios. My cards were returned in an envelope with the network's logo on it. Sent 5/25 (115 days)

Frank Turner

2011-09-22T18:15:00.000-07:00

While I was in Ireland, I went to see Frank Turner (acoustic folk/punk artist from the UK) at a show in Cork. I talked to him for a few minutes at the bar after his set, took a picture with him, and had him sign the cover art from his first album.

Here's a link to one of my favorite songs of his if you're interested:
Try This At Home- Frank Turner

Mobile update: Zdeno Chara at Logan International!

2011-09-12T17:22:00.001-07:00

It's always good to carry a sharpie no matter where you go. Just met Chara at the airport and he signed my Bruins championship hat. My flight to Ireland was delayed by 3 hours, but if it had been on time I wouldn't have got the auto. Good start to the trip!

TTM Return: Hideki Matsui

2011-09-12T13:20:00.000-07:00

Hideki Matsui 1/1- This was a nice surprise to find in the mail today. Hideki signed his 09 Topps from Oakland for my set. Now I only need 3 more cards to reach my goal for the year! Sent 8/2 (41 days)

TTM Return: Heath Bell

2011-09-12T13:19:00.000-07:00

Heath Bell 2/2- San Diego's closer signed 2011 Allen & Ginter and 2009 Upper Deck cards in blue sharpie. Sent 8/22 (21 days)

TTM Return: Orlando Hudson

2011-09-10T12:59:00.000-07:00

Orlando Hudson 2/2- One of the fan friendliest players around signed cards from the 2010 Topps Chrome and 2011 Allen & Ginter sets. Sent 8/27 (14 days)

TTM Return: Jeremy Guthrie

2011-09-09T17:17:00.001-07:00

Jeremy Guthrie 1/1- This was my 4th attempt trying to get this card knocked out for my set, and Jeremy finally came through with what I needed, personalizing his 09 Topps card in blue sharpie. The envelope was postmarked from Tampa, where the Orioles played over the weekend, so I guess Jeremy takes his mail along on road trips. Sent 7/13 (56 days)

TTM Return: Graham Taylor

2011-09-09T17:14:00.000-07:00

Graham Taylor 1/1- The Marlins pitching prospect signed his rookie card from the 09 Topps U&H set. Sent 8/31 (9 days)

TTM Return: Eric Sogard

2011-09-06T16:37:00.000-07:00

Eric Sogard 2/2- Oakland's young infielder signed rookie cards from the 2011 Heritage and Allen & Ginter sets in just under a week. Sent 8/31 (6 days)

Rangers @ Red Sox, 9/3 & 9/4

2011-09-04T10:53:00.001-07:00

With my trip to Ireland just a week away, I tried to get some graphing in over the past couple days. By the time I get back, I'll only have a series with Baltimore to get more autographs before the regular season ends. Yesterday I didn't realize the game time had changed until the early afternoon, so I didn't have time to catch players coming into the park. Today the area was swamped with dealers so I wasn't too successful.

Some of the dealers in the Boston area have gotten really aggressive and rude, shouting profanities at players when they don't sign. I wish there were more people that still just did this for fun and didn't take things so seriously, it reflects really poorly on the graphing community as a whole when certain individuals decide to act like idiots because they didn't get the chance to profit off of any of the big stars.

Saturday 9/3, Inside the stadium pre-game:

David Murphy- 2011 Gypsy Queen
Ron Washington- 1987 Topps
Derek Holland- 09 Topps U&H RC, 09 Topps Ticket to Stardom RC

Sunday 9/4, Outside the stadium:

Ron Washington- 2011 Heritage Rangers team card
Yorvit Torrealba- 2010 Topps

TTM Return: Chris Perez

2011-09-03T19:10:00.000-07:00

Chris Perez 2/2- The Indians closer signed cards from the 2011 Heritage and Allen & Ginter sets. My returns had started to slow down, so I started sending to sure bets like Chris who sign reliably and quickly. Sent 8/27 (7 days)

TTM Return: Pedro Feliz

2011-08-31T15:16:00.001-07:00

Pedro Feliz 1/1- The former Phil signed his 09 Topps card from the Padres' AAA affiliate in Tucson. Sent 8/12 (19 days)

TTM Return: Cory Luebke

2011-08-29T15:16:00.000-07:00

Cory Luebke 2/2- San Diego's rookie lefty signed cards from the 2011 Topps and Heritage sets in blue sharpie. Sent 6/27 (62 days)

The returns keep rolling in. What started out as a really slow month has turned into my busiest since Spring Training.

Athletics @ Red Sox, 8/27

2011-08-27T13:01:00.000-07:00

Had to get a little bit of graphing in before the crazy weather hit. I got free tickets to the second game of today's doubleheader, but that game looks like it's in serious jeopardy right now. I went down to Fenway this morning and didn't have much luck with the A's, just like last time. You can tell by the picture why I like the 09 Topps and not last year's, I don't use baby powder to prep my cards and for some reason the 2010 set always bubbles up on me.

Brandon McCarthy- 09 Topps U&H
Darnell McDonald- 10 Topps
Andrew Miller- 09 Topps

TTM Return: Carl Pavano

2011-08-27T11:44:00.000-07:00

Carl Pavano 1/1- The steady returns continued this week with a signed 09 Topps from the Twins starter. The signature is a little smudged, but I was happy to get this one back. Sent 7/12 (45 days)

TTM Return: Jason Motte

2011-08-26T16:11:00.000-07:00

Jason Motte 2/2- The Cardinals reliever signed his 09 Topps rookie card, as well as a 2011 Topps. Sent 8/15 (11 days)

TTM Return: Amanda Beard

2011-08-26T16:10:00.001-07:00

Amanda Beard 1/1- The former Olympic swimmer and Playboy Playmate signed a 2011 Goodwin Champions card from home. The envelope was postmarked from Gayle Beard, her mother perhaps? Sent 7/13 (43 days)

TTM Return: Randy Wells

2011-08-25T16:05:00.000-07:00

Randy Wells 2/2- The Cubs righty signed his 09 Topps U&H card, as well as a gold parallel from the same set. Sent 7/28 (27 days)

Spring Training Return: Tom Gorzelanny

2011-08-24T16:27:00.000-07:00

Tom Gorzelanny 2/2- This is my second return from a Nationals pitcher in the past week. Tom signed 09 Topps U&H and 08 Allen & Ginter cards in black sharpie. I didn't realize he had a card in the 09 Topps base set until after I sent this out, so I'll have to re-send to him sometime next season. Sent 2/12 (192 days)

TTM Return: Jordan Zimmermann

2011-08-20T17:19:00.000-07:00

Jordan Zimmermann 1/1- The young Nationals righty signed his 09 Topps Updates & Highlights rookie card. This was my second time sending this card to Jordan, as he kept the first one I sent during spring training. Sent 8/10 (10 days)

New York-Penn League All-Star Game in Lowell, MA

2011-08-17T15:27:00.000-07:00

Last night the Lowell Spinners hosted the All-Star game for the short season single A league. I arrived late, so I missed the National League's signing and only managed to get the pitchers from the American League's signing. I don't do much minor league graphing, so I only had a few cards to get signed. I got most of the guys inside a free program that featured each of the all-stars from both leagues.

They gave out nice commemorative tickets, ticketholders, and posters after the game, and it was definitely the best weather I've had all summer to watch a baseball game. I was hoping that a few old timers would be floating around, but the only memorable person I noticed was Sergeant Mickey O'Keefe of "The Fighter", who happens to be a real cop in the Lowell area.

Rich Gedman- 1988 Topps
Garin Cecchini- 2011 Bowman
American League All-Stars- 11 players in the All-Star program

TTM Return: Matt Harrison

2011-08-15T15:21:00.000-07:00

Matt Harrison 2/2- After almost a full month without any TTM returns, I finally broke the streak with a return from the Rangers pitcher. Matt signed his 2009 and 2010 Topps cards in black sharpie. Sent 7/28 (18 days)

Fenway Park Can Drive, 8/6

2011-08-09T17:17:00.000-07:00

I've gone through a bit of an autograph drought both TTM and IP recently, so on Saturday I decided to stock up on some canned goods and stop by Fenway to donate as part of their annual charity event. For 10 cans, you can pick a 5X7 photo card signed by a player on the team.

When I got there, a decent line had already formed. There are 3 booths set up around the stadium, but I got just enough cans for 2 photos. Last year, myself and many others bulked up on ramen noodles that counted as 1 item, but this year they caught on to our thriftiness and required 30 ramen packages for one auto, so I cut back on what I brought this year. I had my hopes set on getting Jacoby Ellsbury and Adrian Gonzalez. Last year I got J.D. Drew, Dustin Pedroia, and Josh Beckett.

Pictures of Gonzalez were already gone by the time I got to the front of the line, but I was still able to get autographs of Ellsbury and Youkilis. I hadn't gotten autos from either of those guys since I lived in Maryland a few years ago, so it was nice to add a few more to my collection.

Royals @ Red Sox, 7/27

2011-07-27T15:19:00.001-07:00

Today didn't turn out quite as good as yesterday, but I still had a solid outing with the Kansas City Royals. Here's how I did:

Aaron Crow- 10 Topps Royals team card
Jeff Francis- 08 Allen & Ginter
Brayan Pena- 09 Topps U&H
Jeff Francoeur- 08 Allen & Ginter, 06 Bowman Chrome
Tim Collins- 11 Topps RC (X2, one available for trade)
Mike Aviles- 09 Topps, 09 Topps Heritage

My goal for this year has been to get to the 220-card mark for the 09 Topps (1/3 total of the set). Only 10 more to go this season!

Royals @ Red Sox, 7/26

2011-07-26T14:47:00.000-07:00

I always look forward to small-market teams visiting Fenway, because they usually draw smaller crowds and the players are more willing to sign. Today went just as I expected, and despite arriving late after a few Royals had already gone in, it still turned out to be a great day. In addition to getting my first Adrian Gonzalez autograph, I also managed to get 5 cards for my 09 Topps set completed. I'll be back again for the full afternoon tomorrow to hopefully fill in who I missed today. Brayan Pena just seemed to scribble on each card he signed in order to hurry up and get inside. I didn't see anyone refuse to sign, and Jeff Franceour was particularly friendly.

Matt Treanor- 09 Topps
Luke Hochevar- 08 Goudey RC
Melky Cabrera- 09 Topps
Bruce Chen- 99 UD Encore
Jeff Francoeur- 09 Topps, 09 Topps U&H
Jeff Francis- 10 T206
Alex Gordon- 09 Topps
Brayan Pena- 10 Topps Royals team card
Adrian Gonzalez- 09 Topps

Mariners @ Red Sox, 7/23

2011-07-23T15:39:00.000-07:00

Stopped by Fenway after work today, only to find out that the majority of the players had already come in before 2:00. I waited up front for about an hour and a half with no cabs whatsoever, then Chone Figgins and Brendan Ryan came together around 3:30. Luckily I was able to get each of them, but nobody else came through. I'm glad I watched most of the game last night, as Ryan was easily recognizable after seeing his mustache on TV.

Chone Figgins- 08 Allen & Ginter
Brendan Ryan- 09 Topps

Pack Break: 2011 Topps Allen & Ginter

2011-07-22T15:42:00.000-07:00

This is always the product I look forward to during the summer time. There aren't too many other baseball products that come out this time, so I can focus my money on this one while it's still fresh and interesting and I've tired of the Topps jumbo packs. I picked up 5 packs at $4 each today from Kenmore Collectibles. Each hobby pack has 8 cards as the standard has been over the past few years. I thought they were a few dollars more last year, but I'm sure the market demand will dictate price changes in the upcoming weeks.

I've never been a huge fan of the non-sports inserts from this brand, but I didn't get stuck with too many this time around. The only non-baseball base cards are pulled were of Peter Gammons and Stan Lee, both pretty cool old guys in their own right. The Ascent of Man inserts actually look pretty nice because they take up the entire face of the card with vibrant, full-color pictures.

I'm pretty happy they brought back the hometown cards with the Hometown Heroes insert set. Last year's set opted for a "This Date in History" set that didn't seem as interesting. I'm trying to get the Mark Teixeira card from this set since my girlfriend's from Severna Park, MD and I lived there for a while as well, so somebody let me know if they have it for trade.

Here are the highlights:

Rookie Cards: Ozzie Martinez, Eric Sogard, Brian Bogusevic, Brandon Snyder
Regular Mini Cards: Jim Thome, Alcides Escobar
Hawaiian Monk Seal- Animals in Peril mini
"Fire Breathing" Step Right Up Mini (Looks more like Fire Barfing)
Jason Kubel- No Number Mini (Only 50 of each card last year)
Hometown Heroes: Uggla, Pavano, Sabathia, Oswalt
Florence Nightingale- Minds That Made the Future
Ascent of Man: Ostracoderms, Catarrhini
Neftali Feliz- Game-used jersey card
David Ortiz- Game-used jersey card

TTM Return: A.J. Pierzynski

2011-07-19T16:27:00.000-07:00

A.J. Pierzynski 1/1- There's nothing worse than having a two week TTM drought broken by a card that you already have signed. I had A.J. sign his 09 Topps card when the White Sox came to visit a few weeks back, impatiently ignoring that I had sent out this card back in May. The sigs have the same tornado-like features, but it looks like he took a little bit more time with this auto through the mail. For comparison, I've placed the IP version of his signature on the right. Sent 5/3 (76 days)

Orioles @ Red Sox, 7/9

2011-07-09T14:44:00.001-07:00

Summer is finally here to stay in Boston, but luckily there was a slight breeze to cool things down this afternoon. Adam Jones took the team bus, and I never saw Derek Lee, Vlad, or Nick Markakis come in. Hendrickson must have been a last minute call-up, because he wasn't on the roster this morning. Even after the bench-clearing "brawl" last night, it seemed like most of the players were still in a decent mood, the exception of course being Kevin Gregg.

Matt Wieters- Camden Yards postcard
Nolan Reimold- 09 Topps U&H RC
Jim Johnson- 09 Upper Deck
Mike Flanagan- custom Orioles logo card
J.J. Hardy- 09 Topps
Jeremy Guthrie- 11 Topps
Mark Hendrickson- 2010 Orioles team schedule
Brad Bergesen- 11 Topps

Boog Powell

2011-07-09T14:40:00.000-07:00

Boog Powell 1/1- After spending the afternoon getting Orioles autographs at Fenway, it was nice to find an old-timer waiting in the mail when I got home. I bought this card at an antique show last month, thinking that it would be an easy TTM autograph to get. Unfortunately, it looks like Boog stopped signing through the mail a while back, so I sent it to a friend back home to get signed at his BBQ pit at Camden Yards. Thanks for the help Jen!

TTM Return: Jameson Taillon

2011-07-05T16:22:00.000-07:00

Jameson Taillon 1/1- The top pitching prospect for the Pirates signed his card from the 2011 Bowman Topps 100 set in blue sharpie. Sent 6/4 (31 days)

TTM Return: Bobby Doerr

2011-07-05T16:19:00.001-07:00

Bobby Doerr 4/2- The Hall of Fame second baseman for the Red Sox signed two tickets from Sox games featuring his likeness on the tickets, as well as two index cards. Everything includes the 1986 HOF inscription. I really like that the Red Sox decided to pay tribute to some of their legends this year by putting their pictures on the tickets, and I plan on sending a few out to Bill Lee next. As always, Doerr goes above and beyond when responding to fan mail. Sent 6/27 (8 days)

Pack Break: 2011 Upper Deck Goodwin Champions

2011-07-01T19:10:00.001-07:00

Thank you, Dennis Rodman.

You're the only familiar (and still unsettling) face in this pack of multi-sport cards that I mistakenly bought for $4. I wasn't paying attention when I bought it and assumed it was a continuation of the baseball series from two years ago. I had heard of Amanda Beard and knew she was a Playboy cover model, but couldn't tell you what sport she was involved in. Fortunately, she signs through the mail, which is a little more difficult with two of the other athletes in this pack that have been dead for over half a century. Can you guess which ones they are? (Hint: They're not wearing 10 gallon cowboy hats.)

It was nice to get a jersey card, but I wish my knowledge of hockey was a little bit deeper so I'd know who Eric Lindros was. The artwork on the cards is nice enough, but the continued lack of team logos of any sort is disappointing. Lindros' jersey doesn't even have numbers on it, so it looks like something that would be worn in a Pee-Wee scrimmage.

There are supposed to be 5 cards per pack, but I had 6 in this one. Usually when you pull something thick like a memorabilia card, there's one card less per pack, but somehow I ended up with one extra.

And that means one less Dennis Rodman for someone else.

Padres @ Red Sox, 6/20

2011-06-21T18:40:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another Interleague edition of Cardboard Legends! Scans from the Milwaukee series have been posted below this post.

After seeing the Brewers the day before, last night I got to see the Padres play at Fenway for the first time in seven years. There weren't many graphers so it was easy to roam around the park, but it wasn't quite as successful as the Brewers series. It was great to get two instrumental pieces of the 04 championship Sox team in Dave Roberts and Terry Francona. Now the first base coach of the Padres, Roberts received a standing ovation during the 6th inning and tipped his cap to the crowd after highlights of "The Steal" and the 2004 ALCS were played on the HD board.

Chris Denorfia- 06 Fleer Tradition RC
Dave Roberts- 09 Topps (available for trade)
Terry Francona- 09 Topps
Chase Headley- 10 Allen & Ginter

Spring Training Return: Koyie Hill

2011-06-21T16:14:00.001-07:00

Koyie Hill 2/2- The Cubs catcher signed an 09 Topps U&H and 2010 Topps from Spring Training camp. Both cards smeared pretty badly. Sent 2/12 (128 days)

Brewers @ Red Sox, 6/18 & 6/19: Fielder, Braun, & The (Bru) Crew!

2011-06-19T15:33:00.000-07:00

This weekend was bedlam in Boston as the Bruins held their rolling rally parade on Saturday, then came through Fenway with a mini-parade, driving 4 duck boats packed with players into the ballpark. After circling the warning track, the team stepped off in the outfield and walked to the mound as the Red Sox formed a wall of players at home plate. The B's threw in a line to their baseball brethren in an awesome combination of two sports. In addition to getting some great autos today, I caught a squishy puck thrown into the crowds from the duck boats with a commemorative championship logo on it. Here's how I did:

Saturday (all outside the stadium):

Shaun Marcum- 09 Topps
Nyjer Morgan- 11 Topps
Ryan Braun- 09 Topps (My 200th signed card of the set!)
Prince Fielder- 09 Topps

I had read about how much of a character Nyjer AKA "Tony Plush" could be, but you can't really understand it until you see it firsthand. Somebody tried to hand him a Nationals card and he said "sorry man I don't do Nationals stuff I hate those f*ckers." Inside the stadium today somebody else tried to hand him a Nats card, but being mindful of the young kids nearby, simply said "Washington hated on me man".

When he got out of his cab today, I thought he was yelling at one of the graphers that was right at the cab door when he got out. Turns out the person getting the brunt of it was the cab driver, who apparently was rushing Morgan to pay him. After he paid the cabbie he told him to have a better day. When I asked him about it inside later on, he started to laugh and said "Man I don't know what was up with that dude, somebody must have pissed in his corn flakes this morning." Regardless of what kind of trouble he got himself into with the Pirates and Nationals organizations, you have to respect a guy like Tony Plush for telling it like it is.

Sunday:

Outside the stadium:

John Axford- 11 Topps
Mark Kotsay- 01 Upper Deck MVP
Sergio Mitre- Brewers custom logo card
Casey McGehee- 09 Topps U&H
Prince Fielder- 09 Topps U&H Home Run Derby + photo op

Inside the stadium:

Clay Buchholz- 08 Allen & Ginter
Nyjer Morgan- Brewers logo card
Casey McGehee- 10 Allen & Ginter

Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder have to be two of the fan-friendliest stars in the game right now. Braun didn't sign today, but yesterday he took the time to sign for everybody and take pictures as well. Prince signed for everybody yesterday when there were about 10-15 people waiting for him. Today there were quite a few more people waiting for him, but even in a suit and carrying luggage, he took the time to sign for everyone and take pictures with anyone that had a camera. I was amazed at how great he was to us both days, and he's definitely picked up a new fan in the process.

Spring Training Return: Steve Pearce

2011-06-19T15:23:00.000-07:00

Steve Pearce 1/2- Steve signed his 09 Topps card and kept another card, I believe it was a 2010 Topps. TTM has been slow this month, but I've had my hands full with the celebrations going on up here for the Bruins. Sent 3/8 (98 days)

Jose Reyes: 2011 Topps Series 2 Diamond Die-Cut Redemption

2011-06-17T15:51:00.001-07:00

The card isn't as scratched up as it looks in the scan, it came in a thick top loader and is really shiny. The diamond at the top looks really cool. Got this shipped from Topps in about a week.

TTM Return: Mike Moustakas

2011-06-13T15:55:00.000-07:00

Mike Moustakas 1/1- The Royals' most recent call-up signed a "Topps of the Class" insert from this year's Bowman set in just 10 days from his AAA team in Omaha. I'm glad I sent this out when I did, as Mike was called up and made his major league debut this past Friday. The signature bubbled a bit, but I'm still happy to get this one back with perfect timing. Sent 6/3 (10 days)

TTM Return: Luis Gonzalez

2011-06-11T14:08:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I sent to any retired players, but returns have been slow so I had to find a way to get more cards back in my mail box.

Luis Gonzalez 3/3- The hero of the 2001 World Series signed cards from the 08 Allen & Ginter, 09 Upper Deck, and 06 Topps sets in black sharpie. Sent 6/4 (7 days)

Pack Break: 2011 Topps Series 2 Jumbo

2011-06-10T16:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I got a newsletter from my favorite local shop, Kenmore Collectibles, letting me know that 2011 Topps Series 2 had arrived. I stopped by today to pick up 2 jumbo packs. $12 for 50 cards is a great deal, especially if you're looking for less popular players to send cards to through the mail.

When I first opened each pack, I split the cards and looked straight in the middle for all the inserts that came with it. Most of the inserts from Series 2 are carryovers from Series 1, including the Diamond Duos, Kimball Champions, and Topps 60 sets. Each pack had an assortment of 6-8 inserts from various sets, as well as Diamond Giveaway cards to redeem online. At first glance, I was satisfied to find a Mike Cameron black border parallel numbered 37/60. Cam's a good signer in person and through the mail, and this card will really pop with a silver sharpie. I didn't notice anything else significant while walking to the T, with the exception of a Kelly Johnson card that had a small twinkle effect on one of his jersey buttons.

When I got home, I realized there were a few more hidden gems in these packs than I thought. (Like my jewel pun? Topps has successfully brainwashed me with their diamond-related gimmickry.)

I did a little research on the Johnson twinkly card and found out that it was part of an SP set that Topps put out. There were never official odds given for the cards, but they've been reportedly falling at an average of one per case.

That's why I was surprised when I was looking through the common cards from the other back, and noticed a nice little twinkly spot on Domonic Brown's helmet as well. Neither of these guys are big stars, but I was pretty surprised to find these special cards in back-to-back packs like that.

The final surprise came when I was redeeming the Diamond Giveaway cards online. In the past, I've redeemed them for such world-renowned cards as a 1995 Benji Gil, 1991 Carmello Castillo, and 1974 Burt Hooton. This time, my luck was a little better, as I received a Jose Reyes Diamond Die-cuts insert. It'll cost me $3 to get the physical card shipped to me, but I can't wait to see what it looks like when it arrives.

All in all, two packs that turned out to be much more than what I thought at first glance. Now, it's time to go watch the Bruins put another beating on Roberto Luongo and the Sedin Sisters!

Spring Training Return: Jorge Cantu

2011-06-10T16:19:00.000-07:00

Jorge Cantu 2/2- The Padres recently played a series against the Astros in Houston, and it looks like Jorge stopped back home to catch up on some mail while he was down there. He signed a 2009 Topps and 2010 National Chicle, with the envelope postmarked from his hometown of McAllen, Texas. The further the season goes along, the more exciting it is to get back an occasional spring training send-out like this one. Sent 2/22 (108 days)

Athletics @ Red Sox, 6/4

2011-06-04T08:32:00.000-07:00

Nobody was at the stadium today, so I thought I'd try my luck with the Sox coming in. I had Pedroia one on one walking in and he denied me. Gonzalez drove all the way in so I had no chance with him. Tommy Hottovy, who was called up last night and made his major league debut, signed a card for me. Later on, Saltalamacchia came out to test drive a Maserati. After he took the car for a spin, he came over and signed for the 10-15 people that were around.

Tommy Hottovy- 07 Bowman
Jarrod Saltalamacchia- 08 Allen & Ginter

Spring Training Return: Matt Antonelli

2011-05-31T15:47:00.000-07:00

Matt Antonelli 2/2- The Peabody, MA native and frequent blogger signed his rookie cards from the 09 Topps and Heritage sets from Syracuse, where he's currently playing for the AAA affiliate of the Nationals. Sent 2/16 (105 days)

Matt has a great blog at http://www.matthewantonelli.com/ that he keeps up with regularly. It's a neat look inside the travel and schedule arrangements that minor leaguers have to endure. Good luck to Matt on his climb back to the majors!

White Sox @ Red Sox, 5/30

2011-05-30T14:24:00.001-07:00

After about a month of nothing but rain, it was nice to have a clear weekend for graphing. I got all of these outside of Fenway today:

Brent Lillibridge- 07 Justifiable (thanks for the card Alex)
Gavin Floyd- 09 Topps
Matt Thornton- 10 Topps, 10 Topps All-Star (forgot to prep so it bubbled), 09 Upper Deck
A.J. Pierzynski- o9 Topps
Ramon Castro- 09 Topps
Gordon Beckham- 09 Topps 206

Pack Pull Auto: David DeJesus

2011-05-27T16:11:00.000-07:00

I haven't bought too many packs of Gypsy Queen, but I definitely get my money's worth when I do buy them. I've probably bought 8-10 hobby packs and pulled 2 jersey cards already, and today I pulled my first auto. The signature isn't that great, but the on-card auto looks very nice with the Gypsy Queen design.

TTM Return: Xavier Nady

2011-05-27T16:02:00.000-07:00

Xavier Nady 1/1- The well-traveled first baseman of the Diamondbacks signed his 09 Topps card from Arizona in three weeks. Sent 5/6 (21 days)

Trade List

2011-05-26T16:12:00.001-07:00

At the request of a few other bloggers, I've made a list of cards I'd be willing to trade. The list will be accessible from the right hand side of my blog under my 09 Topps checklist. The list is pretty short right now and I'm not sure if that will change anytime soon, but I'm willing to trade for 09 Topps cards that I don't already have.

My Trade List

Cubs @ Red Sox, 5/21

2011-05-22T17:59:00.000-07:00

I went for autographs outside and inside the stadium on Saturday, then outside the stadium for a few hours on Sunday. I didn't get anything inside the stadium Saturday, but here's how I did outside:

Sean Marshall- 09 Topps U&H
Wellington Castillo- custom Cubs card
Jeff Baker- 09 Topps
Doug Davis- 09 Topps
Blake Dewitt- 09 Topps, 09 Topps Heritage

The extra Dewitt card was the only one I got signed on Sunday since I could only be there for a couple of hours. Hopefully it won't be another 93 years until I get a chance to get more Cubs autographs.

Tigers @ Red Sox, 5/18: Verlander, Cabrera & More!

2011-05-19T16:50:00.000-07:00

Rain isn't always a bad thing! When I got to the park, the tarp was on the field, but the pitchers went out to warm up in the outfield. Porcello signed down the entire line, then Penny saw a friend and got him to start signing while he was talking to his friend. Benoit was signing by the dugout for a while with a big smile on his face the whole time, talking to fans in the stands. It was tough to keep the cards dry, so there were a few smudges on the Porcello and Benoit cards. Jackson signed along the 3rd base line for everybody, then the rain picked up so I decided to go down the tunnel to dry out a little bit.

When I got to the bottom of the tunnel, I noticed a big crowd near the visitors' entrance and saw Verlander talking to Dan Kelly and a few other people. A Tigers fan with his young son asked if they could borrow my sharpie to try to get his kid's hat signed, so I obliged and the kid's dad took my card for me and waited for Verlander to finish talking, then got him to start signing. And signing. I think he signed for at least 20-30 people. The rain subsided about a half hour before game time, and most of the team took the field for stretching.

Cabrera came out and motioned to someone in the crowd that he'd come over in a minute to sign. He stayed true to his word and started to sign for a few minutes, then as I was handing him my card, the PA announcer asked for everyone to rise for a moment of silence for Harmon Killebrew. Cabrera rushed it and basically just signed his initials, then handed it back to me and rushed back to the field to stand alongside his teammates. V-Mart came over after the anthem and signed for everyone down there, capping off a rainy but productive night at Fenway.

TTM Return: Fausto Carmona

2011-05-16T18:14:00.000-07:00

After a long, rainy weekend at Acadia National Park, I returned to one envelope waiting in the mail for me...

Fausto Carmona 2/2- The Indians starting pitcher signed cards from the 08 Allen & Ginter and 09 Topps sets. This is my 185th card from the Topps set. I'm hoping to get to 220 cards (one-third of the base set) by the end of the year. Sent 5/5 (11 days)

Pack Break: 2011 Gypsy Queen (Part 2)

2011-05-13T17:01:00.000-07:00

I picked up 2 more packs of Gypsy Queen at my local shop today. The price went up from $6.50 to $7.00/pack since the last time I was in there, but with both the quantity and quality of cards in these packs, I don't mind paying a little bit extra. For my initial review of the 2011 Gypsy Queen, click here. Here's how I did this time around:

Pack 1:

Joe Mauer
Scott Rolen
Carl Yastrzemski
Chris Volstad
Colby Lewis
Torii Hunter mini
Barry Zito
J.A. Happ SP
Paul Maholm
Jose Tabata- "Future Stars"
Jon Lester- Paper Frame #412/999

Pack 2:

Clayton Kershaw
David Price
George Sisler
Bobby Abreu
Delmon Young
Phil Hughes
Roger Maris- Sepia mini #37/99
Jason Bay
Carlos Zambrano
Kosuke Fukudome- Game-used jersey card

Hockey TTM: Ville Leino

2011-05-13T15:37:00.000-07:00

Ville Leino 1/1- The Flyers left wing must have some free time on his hands thanks to the sweep by the Bruins! Leino signed a 2010-11 Score Playoff Heroes insert with a very tiny signature in blue sharpie. Sent 1/20 (113 days)

Twins @ Red Sox, 5/8

2011-05-08T17:59:00.001-07:00

Today wasn't quite as good as yesterday, as the crowds outside the stadium were much larger for the Twins coming in. I stuck to the Red Sox side and ended up with a few Twins anyways.

Matt Capps- 10 Topps
Brian Duensing- 09 Topps RC (available for trade)
Ron Gardenhire- 06 Topps
Daniel Bard- 09 Topps U&H RC (available for trade)
Jose Mijares- Twins custom card

I got everything outside the stadium with the exception of Mijares. Over the two days I was there for the Twins, I got more than half the team, so it was a good series. After the game today, fans were invited to walk the warning track around the park, which was something that I hadn't done before. I wish they'd bring this element back into the Fenway Park tour, as I heard they used to several years ago.

Twins @ Red Sox, 5/7: Liriano-no & Co.

2011-05-07T14:16:00.000-07:00

Today I went for Twins autographs outside the stadium and had my best day in a while. The weather was nice and surprisingly warm in the morning, and it felt good to have my daily dose of graphing finished by 10:30 AM. I'm going back tomorrow for the game and hopefully I'll have a chance at Morneau at some point. Here's how I did today:

Jason Kubel- 10 National Chicle
Alex Burnett- 10 Topps RC
Scott Baker- 09 Topps
Denard Span- 11 Gypsy Queen
Drew Butera- 10 Topps RC
Joe Nathan- 11 Heritage
Michael Cuddyer- 08 Allen & Ginter
Luke Hughes- 10 Topps RC
Francisco Liriano- 09 Topps

Angels @ Red Sox, 5/4

2011-05-05T09:21:00.000-07:00

Last night was perhaps the most unique baseball game I've been to, and I didn't even stay for the entire game. The rain delay started at the top of the 5th inning. Ervin Santana had already thrown 4 hitless innings, so I didn't want to leave early in case he had the chance to continue pitching something momentous.

During the 2 1/2 hour rain delay, I got to see the final period of the Bruins game on the nice new HD board out in center field. I had a $12 bleacher ticket, but spent the entire game 3 rows from the field on the 3rd base line because of the constant rain. Once the delay finally let up, the atmosphere was transformed into a late-night minor league game.

Less than 5,000 fans left in the park. Every taunt and jeer could be heard in the stands and on the field. Everyone was offered a complimentary Dunkin Donuts' coffee or hot chocolate. The clock struck midnight. Was I really still at Fenway Park?

It was a pretty surreal experience.

I had to leave in the top of the 7th to catch the last train home, and by the time I got home the game was in the bottom of the 9th. I stayed up to watch all the way to the 13th inning, barely able to keep my eyes open. They showed shots of the crowd and I saw the girl that had been sitting next to me the entire time, at 2:30 AM, still watching the game as intently as she was seven hours prior.

Since it was raining when I got to the stadium, everyone took BP inside, so autographs were tough. I did see Torii Hunter sign a few near the dugout after the rain delay was over, but I couldn't get down there in time. I managed to get two rookie cards done, however.

Mark Trumbo- 2011 Topps, got this one near the visiting team's door underneath the grandstand on the third base side.

Peter Bourjos- 2010 Topps, got him to sign one near the dugout as the rain started to pick up again, so the signature bubbled quite a bit.

2 TTM Returns: Tony LaRussa & Fredi Gonzalez

2011-05-02T15:37:00.001-07:00

Today I received 2 managerial returns that I sent out on the same day:

Tony LaRussa 1/1- The longtime Cardinals skipper signed a 2009 Topps U&H that was previously signed by Jim Leyland, completing the card. Sent 4/20 (12 days)

Fredi Gonzalez 1/1- The new manager of the Braves signed his 09 Topps card. I got Fredi's autograph back when he was the Braves' AAA manager about a decade ago, so it's nice to see him taking over the major league role for Bobby Cox this year. Sent 4/20 (12 days)

Just for comparison's sake, let's see how the three managers on these cards stack up:

Jim Leyland: 2011: 12-16, 2010: 81-81, Career: 1505-1534 (.495)
Tony LaRussa: 2011: 16-12, 2010: 86-76, Career: 2654-2305 (.535)
Fredi Gonzalez: 2011: 14-15, 2010: 34-36, Career: 290-294 (.497)

I was surprised to find out that as talented as Leyland is as a manager, his lifetime win percentage is less than .500 and slightly less than that of Fredi Gonzalez.

Hockey TTM: Bobby Hull

2011-05-01T08:48:00.001-07:00

Bobby Hull 3/1- The Hall of Fame left winger of the Blackhawks signed a 2010-11 O-Pee-Chee from Chicago. He also signed two protective index cards, inscribing one with "HOF 1983", and the other with "The Golden Jet". Great return during the second season. Sent 1/10 (110 days)

Mariners @ Red Sox, 4/30

2011-05-01T08:43:00.000-07:00

No luck inside the stadium before the game, but I manged to get 2 cards done outside:

Justin Smoak- custom Mariners card (My 100th autograph of the year!)
Chone Figgins- 2009 Topps

After getting Figgins once through the mail and one other time in person on different cards, it was nice to finally get this set card completed. Up next will be the Angels on Wednesday and Twins next Sunday for Mother's Day.

Pack Break: 2011 Gypsy Queen

2011-04-29T16:36:00.000-07:00

What better way to celebrate the royal wedding day than with a few packs of Gypsy Queen? I bought 4 packs at $6.50 each, and here are the highlights:

Carlos Pena mini- Black border/back
Robinson Tejada mini- Gypsy Queen back
Mickey Mantle- The Great Ones
Trevor Cahill- Future Stars
Manny Ramirez-Home Run Heroes
Alfonso Soriano- SP
Evan Longoria- Game-used jersey card
Albert Pujols- Paper Frame #524/999
Johnny Bench- Red Sox logo on the back of the card?

Gypsy Queen has a nice mix of current and former players, with less of the randomness that Allen & Ginter is known for (I'm looking at you, American Bald Eagle and Francisco Pizarro). There is a series of actual "gypsy" cards in the set, but I dodged the bullet on that one. It's nice to get a few extra cards per pack (10 per), considering the price point is a dollar or two higher than similar products. The Longoria card is slightly damaged on the bottom, but I'm not sure if it would qualify for a return from Topps, especially if I run the risk of getting a lesser player in return.

Spring Training Return: Joel Hanrahan

2011-04-28T15:25:00.000-07:00

Joel Hanrahan 1.5/3- Joel signed his 08 Topps Heritage nicely and kept my 09 Topps U&H. The third card I sent to him, a 2010 Topps, was signed so quickly that most of the ink ended up on the inside of the return envelope. The inverse signature on the inside of the envelope stayed intact pretty well, so I might keep it just for kicks. Sent 2/14 (74 days)

Spring Training Return: Charlie Manuel

2011-04-22T15:30:00.000-07:00

Charlie Manuel 1/1- The Phillies skipper signed his 09 Topps card from spring training, postmarked from New Jersey. This was a nice surprise, as I thought he typically sends pre-signed postcards after the first few weeks of spring training. Sent 2/28 (52 days)

Spring Training Return: Trey Hillman

2011-04-18T15:50:00.000-07:00

Trey Hillman 1/1- The former Royals manager and current Dodgers bench coach signed his 09 Topps card from spring training in just over a month. I really like when players/coaches take the time to sign their full name like Hillman did on this card. Sent 3/14 (34 days)

Rays @ Red Sox, 4/12

2011-04-13T17:02:00.000-07:00

Another game, another loss for the Red Sox. I only got one autograph last night, but it was exactly who I wanted. Johnny Damon signed his 09 Topps card near the dugout right before game time. I thanked him for '04 and he chuckled.

Note for anyone planning to go to Fenway this year: The gates open 1 1/2 hours before game time, shortened from 2 hours last season. By the time the gates are open, the Red Sox bullpen is already in the clubhouse so there's no chance of getting autographs from them out on the field.

Johnny Damon- 2009 Topps

Thrice as Nice with David Price: Rays @ Red Sox, 4/11

2011-04-11T19:55:00.001-07:00

This was a pretty lousy performance by the Sox yet again, mostly courtesy of Dice-K. I shook hands with Milan Lucic as he was walking from the field up into the stands. I didn't have any Bruins items with me or I would've tried to get an auto from him. I managed to get David Price on three cards in one night. I've tried to get him both TTM and in person over the past few years and haven't had any luck, so it was nice to finally get him. Price makes an appearance on 3 different cards from the 09 Topps set, and I got him to sign each one. I'll be at tomorrow night's game as well, so I'll upload scans on Wednesday.

Matt Joyce- 2009 Topps U&H
David Price- 2009 Topps #'s 22, 35, & 321

Yankees @ Red Sox, 4/9: Good Karma Pays Off

2011-04-09T15:54:00.000-07:00

This morning I tried to get Yankees autographs before the game outside Fenway, but to no avail. Even worse, the Red Sox lost yet again.

Luckily, I was able to get some good karma going during batting practice.

When the gates opened, I immediately headed down the first place line in hopes of seeing the full Boston bullpen working out. Unfortunately, the Yankees had already taken the field for batting practice, and there wasn't a single Red Sox player in sight. Robinson Cano was tossing balls to the sparse crowd from the infield, and I missed the first one thrown towards me, crushing a plastic card case in my pocket in the process. A few minutes later, a little boy on crutches came up next to me, and I immediately thought, "this kid should have a ball."

At this point I noticed Jon Lester doing an interview with Ken Rosenthal for Fox Sports along the first baseline. Cano continued to throw balls into the crowd, but to the far left and right of me. The last ball he threw went straight to me, and I immediately gave it to the kid next to me. At that point I decided I'd have no luck going for Sox autographs, so I started walking towards the other side of the park. As I was about to leave the area, Lester finished his interview and started signing up a storm right as I walked to the end of the dugout.

I was lucky enough to get Lester to sign a card, and I like to think it was good karma from giving the little boy a ball since he's not the easiest autograph to get these days. It made me feel even better about doing a nice thing for a little kid and getting something unexpectedly good in return. Has anyone else had a similar experience?

Jon Lester- 2009 Topps

Opening Day 2011: My First IP Successes of the Season!

2011-04-08T17:01:00.001-07:00

I had to work today for the Red Sox Opening Day, but I went down to the stadium after work to take in the post-game atmosphere. I managed to get there at the end of the 8th, and I started to walk down Landsdowne, the Dropkick Murphy's "Shipping Up to Boston" started playing, and it gave me goosebumps. After a particularly brutal New England winter, baseball has finally returned to Fenway, and everything in the world feels right again.

After wandering through a sea of fans leaving the game, I hung out by the NESN broadcast booth on Yawkey Way to see if any players would walk by. Recent call-up Alfredo Aceves popped out from the stadium for a minute, so I had him sign a card for my first IP autograph of the year. He has a pretty interesting signature, and an even more interesting signing technique, holding the pen awkwardly with his thumb, middle, and ring fingers. I waited around for the TV broadcast to end a few minutes later, and I got Dennis Eckersley to sign a card as well. It's always a good start to the season when you can get a Hall of Famer on day one.

Alfredo Aceves- 2009 Topps (available for trade)
Dennis Eckersley- 2010 National Chicle (Bazooka Back)

TTM Return: John Olerud

2011-04-08T16:49:00.000-07:00

John Olerud 2/4- Two-time All-Star and World Series champion John Olerud signed two cards for me from his home in Washington. He also included a letter about The Jordan Fund, a charity created for his daughter with special needs. Sent 1/20 (79 days)

Mystery Sig Revealed!

2011-04-06T17:15:00.000-07:00

Do you know whose signature this is? I sure didn't when I got it. When I got this player's autograph last summer at Fenway, all I knew was that he played for the Orioles and didn't want to stop walking to sign my blank card, so I had to hold the card for him as he walked.

Luckily, Ryan over at The Great Orioles Autograph Project was able to shed some light on the subject, and was able to identify the sig as Garrett Atkins. Thanks for the help Ryan!

2 Spring Training Returns: Javier Vazquez & Gaby Sanchez

2011-04-04T16:08:00.001-07:00

Two returns from the Fish in the mail today, after a miserable Opening Weekend from the Sox...

Gaby Sanchez 1/3- The Marlins first basemen signed his 09 Topps rookie card and returned the other two cards I sent him unsigned. Gaby was nice enough to personalize the one card that he did sign. Sent 2/16 (47 days)

Javier Vazquez 2/2- Vazquez signed 09 Topps and U&H cards from Florida. Now that he's returned to the National League, hopefully he will have a much better season than he did last year with the Yankees. Sent 3/4 (31 days)

Hockey TTM: Joe Pavelski

2011-03-31T15:55:00.000-07:00

Joe Pavelski 1/1- When I received an envelope postmarked from San Jose today, I couldn't think of what it could be, as I knew it wasn't a spring training return and there aren't any baseball teams from there. I forgot all about this one, as it was my very first hockey sendout back in October. Joe signed his 2010-11 Victory card from the Sharks' stadium in just over five months. Sent 10/22/10 (159 days)

Spring Training Return: Kevin Kouzmanoff

2011-03-30T15:17:00.001-07:00

Kevin Kouzmanoff 2/2- I recently picked up a hand-collated base set of 2008 Allen & Ginter on ebay for $12 as a secondary set to work on in addition to the 09 Topps. Kevin signed his 08 and 09 A&G cards in blue sharpie from A's spring training. Sent 2/28 (30 days)