First Returns of Spring Training: 4 TTM Returns!

My spring training returns started to trickle in yesterday. I've received back the following so far:

• Jeremy Sowers 1/2- Signed a Classic Combos card already signed by Aaron Laffey, but kept his base card from the '09 Topps set. At least he kept the one that wasn't already signed by somebody else. Sent 2/13 (10 days)
• Mike Gonzalez 2/2- Mike signed his '09 Topps and '09 UD cards. Hopefully he can stop the bleeding for an Orioles bullpen that always seems to be in trouble. Sent 2/12 (11 days)
• Aaron Harang 2/2- I tried sending to Aaron during the last few weeks of last season, but my letter was RTS'ed. I was glad to get his '09 Topps and '09 UD cards done on the second try. Sent 2/11 (13 days)
• Chris Perez 2/2- Chris signed an '09 Topps and '09 Heritage card for my collection. Sent 2/13 (11 days)

So far, it's been a good start to the spring training mail. I still have 40 letters out in transit right now, and I'll be sending more over the next few weeks, so hopefully I'll have many more days like these.

Spring Training Success Rate: 4/44 (9.1%)

Jim Thome

Today I received a 2008 Goudey card signed by Jim Thome last year while he was with the White Sox. It's great that a future Hall of Famer that has had such a great career still takes the time to sign what is probably an overwhelming amount of fan mail. This return was just 4 days short of my longest return record, set by Jed Lowrie at 240 days. Sent 6/24 (236 Days)

Ed Asner: My New Favorite TTM Success

This is by far the coolest TTM return I've gotten back. Mr. Asner signed and personalized a promotional card from UP, as well as the dvd cover of the film. The inscription on the dvd cover is awesome, and it only took about 2 weeks to come back. Sent 2/4 (15 days)

In addition to providing his vocal talents to the role of Carl Fredericksen in UP, Mr. Asner also played the voice of Hoggish Greedly in one of my favorite childhood cartoons, Captain Planet.

If only Al Gore had blue skin and green hair, maybe then he could get the kids to pay attention to his cause...

2009 Topps: Mike Mussina

Moose signed a 2009 Topps card for my set in just over 3 months. Very nice signature from an incredibly reliable and consistent TTM signer. Sent 11/5 (101 days)

2009 Topps Set: 54/660 (8.1%)

My Take on Upper Deck 2010: FAIL.

I don't really do product reviews on here, but I bought a pack of 2010 Upper Deck at Target tonight because they were out of '10 Topps, and I figured I'd see how they've adapted by not having official MLB logos. The base cards aren't particularly bad, but I wanted to share the non-regular cards that I pulled in this pack.

1. Chipper Jones and Kenshin Kawakami checklist card- I guess they've just never seen eye to eye. Kind of a strange composition for this card.
2. Josh Johnson "Supreme" insert card- I guess this takes the place of the Starquest cards from the past few years, but there doesn't seem to be much improvement. The metallic foil card hearkens back to the days of late 90's Fleer products that went by the formula "Shiny Things Is Good!"
3. Evan Longoria "Biography" insert- Did you like the 2008 Documentary set? No? Well too bad, because now it's an insert set! This card has no shiny to speak of at all, and has a much less interesting look than the base cards.
4. Mariah Carey/??? Celebrity Predictors- I will never buy another pack of Upper Deck 2010 as a result of pulling this card. The card is perforated down the middle, so I guess you're supposed to tear them apart and collect them as mini's? I don't know who is actually on this card, because they couldn't even get the rights to these celebrities' names. The back of the guy's mini card has the following brilliant nugget of information:

"This talented rapper/actor/comedian fell down the rabbit hole in 2008 when he met and married his larger than life queen. How will the fantasy end? Will the rabbit lead him to his wonderland or will the cat distract him with her glittering eyes and drive him mad as a hatter?"

What? Fail.

If the Celebrity Predictor card is a preview of what's to come, I can only assume that next year's baseball cards will be completely void of team names, player names, or statistics, and will just be caricatures of various players.

But seriously, who doesn't want a card of Prince Fielder in a sailors' outfit juggling chickens while riding a unicycle?

TTM Return: Oscar Nunez

Anyone that follows The Office knows that Oscar plays the accountant by his own namesake, sharing desks with Kevin and Angela. Mr. Nunez signed and personalized 2 index cards for me in silver sharpie. Very cool return from an actor/writer on one of the funniest shows on TV. Sent 2/1 (10 days)

2009 Topps: Jeff Samardzija

Today I received 2 cards signed and personalized from Cubs pitcher Jeff Samardzija. Jeff was a two-sport athlete at Notre Dame, but fortunately picked baseball over football. Sent 1/19 (16 days)

Overall TTM Success Rate: 5/10 (50%)

2009 Topps Set: 53/660 (8.0%)