Thursday, September 30, 2010

TTM Return: Max Scherzer


  • Max Scherzer 1/1- Max personalized his 09 Topps card from Detroit in about 3 months. I'm hoping that I can still hit the 150-card mark for this set by the end of the year. Only 10 more to go! Sent 7/3 (87 days)

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

TTM Return: Ryan Church


  • Ryan Church 3/3- The well-traveled outfielder from the Diamondbacks signed cards from the 09 Topps, Updates & Highlights, and Upper Deck sets. Sent 9/21 (8 days)

Sunday, September 26, 2010

TTM Return: Nick Green

It's been a pretty long drought from TTM returns, but I finished off the week with a nice return on Saturday:

  • Nick Green 2/2- The former Red Sox utilityman signed cards from the 09 Topps Updates & Highlights and Topps Heritage sets. I sent these cards to the Albuquerque Isotopes back in April when Nick was playing for the Dodgers' AAA farm team. The envelope was postmarked from Georgia where he lives during the offseason. He was always a very friendly guy in person when he was with the Sox, it's too bad he didn't catch on at the major league level this year. Sent 4/26 (149 days)

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Orioles @ Red Sox, 9/21 & 9/22


My last two games of the season were Tuesday and Wednesday. It's disappointing how the season turned out for the Sox, but it was nice to see them win with a Papi home run last night. I picked up a few autographs inside the stadium.

Tuesday:
  • Robert Andino- 08 Topps
  • Ken Burns- blank card
  • Jake Fox- 09 Topps Updates & Highlights
Wednesday:
  • Brandon Snyder- Orioles team card
  • Josh Bell- Orioles checklist
  • Brian Roberts- 09 Topps

Friday, September 17, 2010

Topps 206 Pack Update

TTM returns have been nonexistent this week, so I figured I'd review a few more packs of 206.

Pack 1:
  • Carl Crawford
  • Magglio Ordonez
  • Carlos Beltran
  • Alice Stebbins Wells mini, World's 1st female cop in 1910
  • Aaron Harang gold- Zombie face! Getting ready for Halloween early this year
  • Josh Johnson
  • Adrian Beltre
  • Pablo Sandoval
  • David Price
Pack 2:
  • Shin-Soo Choo
  • Geovany Soto
  • Josh Johnson mini- Polar Bear back
  • Bengie Molina
  • Roy Oswalt
  • Howie Kendrick
  • Matt Cain
  • Prince Fielder
  • Mike Pelfrey
Do the last 4 cards in that pack look familiar? I pulled the exact same 4 cards in the exact same order of a pack I reviewed last week. Topps doesn't seem to be a big fan of quality collation.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

TTM Return: Adam LaRoche

  • Adam LaRoche 1/1- Mr. LaRoche signed his card from the 09 Topps set. I'm unsure when I sent this card, but I think it was sometime towards the end of spring training.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Hats Off to 206! Pack Breaks/Review


I've purchased several packs of the new Topps 206 recently, and decided to review my packs here. For those of you that haven't seen them, almost every player is pictured with their hat off in the tradition of the original 206 cards.

Pack 1:
  • Tommy Hanson
  • Pedro Feliz
  • John Maine mini- Baseball Caramels back
  • Glen Perkins gold
  • Howie Kendrick
  • Matt Cain
  • Prince Fielder
  • Mike Pelfrey
Pack 2 (Rangers Crazy!):
  • Jose Lopez
  • Josh Hamilton
  • Ian Kinsler
  • Julio Borbon- only player I've seen in the set with a hat on
  • Babe Ruth mini- Baseball Caramels back
  • Tommy Manzella RC gold
  • Cole Hamels
  • Justin Morneau
  • Johnny Evers
Pack 3:
  • Vladimir Guerrero
  • Kyle Blanks
  • Joba Chamerblain gold
  • Chipper Jones
  • Tommy Hanson mini- Gold Chrome #28/50
  • Adam Wainwright
  • Rick Ankiel
  • Scott Sizemore RC
  • Alexei Ramirez
Pack 4:
  • Wade Davis RC
  • Joe Mauer
  • Alex Rodriguez mini- Piedmont back
  • Barry Zito gold
  • Daniel Murphy
  • Kevin Kouzmanoff
  • Adrian Gonzalez
  • Chris Iannetta
  • Drew Stubbs RC
Pack 5:
  • Cliff Lee
  • Jacoby Ellsbury
  • Neftali Feliz mini- Baseball Caramels back
  • Travis Snider gold
  • Kosuke Fukudome
  • Ian Desmond RC
  • Andre Dawson
  • Travis Hafner
  • Matt Garza
Pack 6:
  • Josh Beckett
  • Carlos Zambrano
  • Gordon Beckham
  • Jeff Franis gold
  • Rick Porcello mini- Old Mill back
  • Justin Verlander
  • Cody Ross
  • Hunter Pence
  • Chase Utley

The Hanson gold mini is a really pretty card, the scan doesn't do it justice. At the same price per hobby pack as Allen & Ginter, you get one more card per pack and less random cards of ancient Greek gods and animals. Some of the backgrounds on the cards are plain solid colors, but others have great postcard-like pictures of historic building and stadium structures that stay true to the traditional roots of the T206 cards.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Rays @ Red Sox, 9/8



I took a half day at work to go for autographs before the game yesterday. The crowds weren't as bad as Monday, but there was still a decent crowd waiting for the Rays. Here's how I did outside the stadium:

  • Chad Qualls- 09 Topps
  • Brad Hawpe- 10 National Chicle
  • Wade Davis- 10 Topps
  • Ben Zobrist- 09 Topps U&H, 09 Topps U&H All-Stars, and personalized bible card
As I was walking back towards the Kenmore T station to go home, I saw a couple with an extra ticket and bought a grandstand seat for $20. I hadn't scored any big names during the series and was determined to get someone inside. It was definitely worth buying the ticket to the game, as I received the following autographs:

  • Desmond Jennings- team baseball
  • Evan Longoria- 09 Topps Postseason Highlights


I love that Longoria continues to sign consistently inside the stadium, as I got him around this time last year as well. Zobrist is also very generous and friendly to anyone that stops to say hello. The season's winding down, but fortunately I made the most of this Rays series and plan to do the same for the Yankees at the beginning of October.

3 TTM Returns: Chris Tillman, John Russell, & Mike Sweeney



Great mail day today:

  • Mike Sweeney 1/2- Mike kept my 09 Topps Heritage and signed his 09 Updates & Highlights. Sent 8/30 (9 days)
  • John Russell 1/1- Mr. Russell signed his 09 Topps card. Sent 7/16 (53 days)
  • Chris Tillman 2/2- The young Orioles pitcher signed his 09 Topps U&H and 10 Topps and personalized both. Sent 7/28 (41 days)

Monday, September 6, 2010

Rays @ Red Sox, 9/6


There was a huge crowd outside of Fenway for the Rays today. I missed out on a few big pitchers, so I might try again Wednesday afternoon. Here's how I did:

  • John Jaso- 09 Topps Finest
  • Joe Maddon- 09 Topps
  • Dan Wheeler- 08 Upper Deck
  • Brad Hawpe- 09 Topps
  • Dustin Richardson- 2010 Topps Allen & Ginter
  • Rocco Baldelli- 09 Topps
Pretty good day, managed to get 3 cards done for my set. The season's gone by way too fast, but I'm still hopeful I can reach 150 signed cards for the 09 Topps set by the end of this year.

White Sox @ Red Sox, 9/4


I was originally going to go for autographs outside the stadium before the night game on Saturday, but Hurricane Earl postponed Friday's game and turned Saturday into a day-night doubleheader. Since I had to work in the morning, my only shot was to get autographs inside pre-game. I only managed to get one, but it was a good one:

  • Omar Vizquel- 09 Topps Updates & Highlights, still a great signer and very fan-friendly, I hope he makes it to the Hall if he ever decides to retire.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

TTM Return: Chad Billingsley


  • Chad Billingsley 3/3- I've been looking forward to getting this one back ever since I sent it out last month. Chad signed cards from the '09 Topps, Updates & Highlights, and Heritage sets in just over a month. Sent 8/2 (32 days)

Friday, September 3, 2010

TTM Return: Joe Martinez

  • Joe Martinez 1/1- Joe signed his rookie card from the 09 Topps set in one week from the Indianapolis Indians organization. Sent 8/26 (7 days)

Thursday, September 2, 2010

TTM Return: Justin Masterson


  • Justin Masterson 2/2- Justin signed his cards from the 09 Updates & Highlights and T206 sets in just over 2 months. Sent 6/28 (65 days)