Another TTM Success From Ed Hearn

The above 1989 Triple A All Star Game card of Ed Hearn drove me to send to him TTM again so this card could live in my autograph album. The request was another success and the card can now be stored away among the rest of my autographs.

I decided to thin out some of the 80s boxes and sent the above 1987 Donruss, 1988 Score and 1989 Donruss to Hearn as well.  All four cards I sent turned out great.  I also have just a little bit more room in that 80s box.

I mailed to Hearn on December 18 and got the cards back on March 3 for a 75-day TAT.

Some Storm Davis Autos From Michael

My friend, Michael, took some Orioles cards from.me recently to try to get signed, but they weren't delivered in time. I was disappointed, since USPS said they'd be there.  He ended up getting some Storm Davis cards signed anyway, so these were added to the autograph album. 

Michael sent me a 1991 Crown Orioles card, a 1986 Topps and a 1987 Donruss.

Thanks for sending these to me, Michael!

TTM Success - Mike Trujillo

Here are some nice mid-80s, Junk Wax Era cards that I got signed TTM by Mike Trujillo.  The above 1986 Topps turned out nicely.  This has always been an underrated set.  I think it may be due to the only big rookie card in the (base) set is Ozzie Guillen.  I don't count Traded, but there is a Bonds and Bo Jackson in that one, which pumps that up just a bit.

I also got a 1987 Donruss and a 1988 Topps signed during this TTM request, and both cards turned out well.

Trujillo (b. 1960) played in the majors from 1985 to 1989 for the Red Sox, Mariners and Tigers.  He had a record of 12-12 with 96 strike outs and a 5.02 ERA.

I mailed to Trujillo on November 7 and got the cards back on January 9, for a 63-day TAT.

2021 National Free Signer - Tim Stoddard

Tim Stoddard was the last free signer for this year's National, and is the last free signer I am posting, thus wrapping up the bulk of my 2021 National posts.  I had amassed a ton of Stoddard vouchers, as most folks weren't sticking around til 2pm on Sunday to get him.  I was short on cards, so Max came in and helped me out with what I needed to match up with each voucher, save for one.  I rushed to a table near the signing area and found this 1984 Donruss Stoddard, which I ended up having him inscribe with 1983 WS Champs.  I don't have many 84 Donruss at all in my albums, so adding this one is pretty cool.

I had also pulled my 1991 Crown Orioles Stoddard to send along, and got it done.

Max hooked it up with a ton of Stoddard Topps cards; his 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1988 getting signed.

I also had gotten his 1984 and 1987 Fleer, as well as his 1987 Donruss taken care of.

This just about wraps up my 2021 National posts.  I'll be back with a Wood Ducks recap, an in-person signing going on tonight and lots more TTM posts.  Hopefully you enjoyed my look at the 2021 National Sports Collectors Convention; there may be one or two more posts sprinkled in there, but the bulk of what I saw and did have been summarized.  Thanks for reading.  Also, I do see your comments, but Blogger doesn't allow direct replies, so if you truly want an answer to something, shoot me an email.

TTM Success - Von Hayes

I sent to him before, but didn't get the cards back.  I saw that he has a fee, so I tried again, and got two cards back signed from Von Hayes.  The above 1987 Donruss Diamond Kings turned out really well.  I was going to send him one of these regardless of my 1987 Topps set pursuit.  I really like the Diamond Kings, and am happy to get this one signed.

I did get an 87 Topps signed.  This card turned out nicely, as well.  I forgot Hayes was on the Phillies Leaders card, so I will be sending that one out sometime soon.

Hayes (b. 1958) played in the majors from 1981 to 1992 for the Phillies and Angels.  He had 1,402 hits, 143 home runs and a .267 batting average.  He was an All Star in 1989.  His best finish in the NL MVP voting was 8th in 1986.

I mailed to Hayes on June 3 and got the cards back on June 16, for a 13-day TAT.  I paid his fee of $5.00/card.

TTM Success - Mike Laga

I already had him in my 1987 set, but I saw that Mike Laga was signing TTM finally, so I got one of my own cards signed to take the place of the one I bought a while back at the National.  I also got the above 1986 Topps Traded signed, which turned out well.

The 87 turned out well, as did the 1987 Donruss that I sent.

Laga (b. 1960) played in the majors from 1982 to 1990 for the Tigers, Cardinals and Giants.  He had 84 hits, 16 home runs and a .199 batting average.

I mailed to Laga on January 28 and got the cards back on February 7, for a 10-day TAT.

TTM Success - John Stefero

I thought I had John Stefero for my 87 set already but for some reason I didn't.  So, I went ahead and sent to him TTM since he wasn't at Fan Fest this year.  I also included this 1987 Donruss to go with my 87 Topps.

Here's the 87 Topps that he signed for me as well.

Stefero (b. 1959) played in the majors in 1983 and 1986 to 1987 for the Orioles and Expos.  He had 44 hits, 3 home runs and a .235 batting average.

I mailed to Stefero on January 28 and got the cards back on February 4, for a 7-day TAT.

TTM Success - Bryan Oelkers

I added another card to my 1987 set with this TTM success from Bryan Oelkers.  I also sent along this 1987 Donruss, since it was easy to find.

The 87 turned out well, as usual.  His Sharpie looks like it is dying, but the signature still turned out ok.

Oeklers (b. 1961) played in the majors in 1983 with the Twins and 1986 with the Indians.  He had a 3-8 record with 46 strike outs and a 6.01 ERA.

I mailed to Oelkers on October 1 and got the cards back on October 19, for an 18-day TAT.

TTM Success - Cliff Speck

More cards are being knocked off of my 1987 checklist.  This time it was Cliff Speck who was crossed off.

I also had his 1987 Donruss that I got signed.  Both cards look good with his signature.

Speck (b. 1956) played in the majors in 1986 for the Braves.  He had a 2-1 record with 21 strike outs and a 4.13 ERA.

I mailed to Speck on September 19 and got the cards back on October 1, for a 12-day TAT.

TTM Success - Mike Birkbeck

Here are some more late 80s cards for my album in this TTM success from Mike Birkbeck.  I enjoyed this 1989 Topps, which turned out well.

In addition to my card for my 1987 Topps set, I also sent a couple late 80s Donruss cards.  They look pretty good, and I like both of those sets' designs.

Birkbeck (b. 1961) played in the majors from 1986 to 1989, 1992 and 1995 for the Brewers and Mets.  He had a career record of 12-19 with 149 strike outs and a 4.86 ERA.

I mailed to Birkbeck on March 16 and got the cards back on April 9, for a 24-day TAT.

TTM Success - Bill Dawley

Here is one of the many TTM successes I received lately that was mainly driven by my need for signed cards in the 1987 Topps set.  I was able to cross Bill Dawley off of the list, and the card turned out really well.

I also sent him a 1984 Topps, 1985 Topps and a 1988 Topps.  They all turned out pretty nice, as well.

He signs a bunch of cards for folks, so I also added two Donruss cards; a 1986 and a 1987.

Dawley (b. 1958) played in the majors from 1983 to 1989 for the Astros, White Sox, Cardinals, Phillies and A's.  He had a career record of 27-30 with 292 strike outs and an ERA of 3.42.  He was an All Star in 1983.

I mailed to Dawley on January 18 and got the cards back on January 29, for an 11-day TAT.

TTM Success - Tim Pyznarski

Here is another in a line of 1987 Topps TTM successes; this one from Tim Pyznarski.  I liked adding a Future Stars card to the album, and this one turned out really well.

Pyznarski doesn't have a whole lot of cards available, so I was glad I could find this 1987 Donruss to send along.

Pyznarski (b. 1960) played in the majors in 1986 for the Padres.  He had 10 hits, no home runs and a .238 batting average.

I mailed to Pyznarski on January 8 and got the cards back on January 27, for a 19-day TAT.

TTM Success - Mike Loynd

I was able to knock off another 1987 Topps card with this success from former pitcher, Mike Loynd.  I thought that was the only card of him that I had, until I found this 1987 Donruss, and the below 1988 Topps.  I always liked 87 Donruss, so I was happy to add another to the album.

All of the cards I sent turned out really nicely, and I was glad to continue to add to the 1987 set.

Loynd (b. 1964) played in the majors in 1986 and 1987 for the Rangers.  He had a career record of 3-7 with a 5.82 ERA and 81 strike outs.

I mailed to Loynd on October 20 and got the cards back on November 20, for a 31-day TAT.

TTM Success - Ray Soff

I put some cards to use that had been hanging in a box for a long time.  The above 1990 CMC AAA card of Ray Soff was in a box of cards that my mom found in the attic.  I was happy to see one of these come back signed.

Normally, I send off Topps cards, but it is nice to get a few cards from some other sets signed.  These two 1987 cards (Fleer and Donruss) turned out really nice.  I like both of these sets, and I seem to have a decent amount of bulk cards, so I may be able to get some more signed.

Finally, here is yet another 1987 Topps that I was able to get signed.  The card isn't really this bad off-center, but it scanned crooked.  Instead of scanning it again, I just straightened it and went with it.  Yes, I'm lazy!  I have over 30 different 1987 Topps signed.  I don't plan on pushing for the entire set, but I will select an 87 before I go with another year, if I have a choice.

Soff (b. 1958) played in the majors in 1986 and 1987 for the Cardinals.  He had a record of 5-2 with 31 strike outs and a 4.19 ERA.

I mailed to Soff on January 12 and got the cards back on January 21, for a 9-day TAT.

TTM Success - Ken Oberkfell

Here is a nice TTM success from a guy who had been floating around my TTM box for a long time.  So much so, I ended up with a huge stack of cards to choose from for my TTM submission.  I got 7 cards back, five of them being Topps cards.  The above 1981 Topps is probably my favorite of the bunch.  I like the color combination, and the card really pops.

Here are the other Topps cards that I sent, a 1983, 1985, 1988 and 1991.  I think I made good choices with these, as they all look good.

Finally, here are a couple non-Topps cards that I was able to pick up.  I have a soft spot for 1987 Donruss (the card on the right).  His old Braves uniform looks really cool, I think.

Oberkfell (b. 1956) played in the majors from 1977 to 1992 for the Cardinals, Braves, Pirates, Giants, Astros and Angels.  He had 1,354 hits, 29 home runs and a .278 batting average.  He won the World Series in 1982 with the Cardinals.

I mailed to Oberkfell on November 16 and got the cards back on December 23, for a 37-day TAT.

TTM Success - Eric Bell

I received a TTM success on March 29 from an Oriole pitcher that I often forget about.  Of course, when he was pitching for the Orioles, I hadn't yet discovered them.  Eric Bell (b. 1963) played in the majors in 1985, 1986 and 1987 for the Orioles; 1991 and 1992 for the Indians, and 1993 for the Astros.  He had a career record of 15-18 with an ERA of 5.18 and 152 strike outs.

He was slotted into the Orioles rotation in 1987 along with Scott McGregor, Mike Flanagan, Jeff Ballard and Mike Boddicker.  The pitching staff that season was pretty brutal, as the O's would finish 67-95.  The team ERA that season was 5.01.  That's pretty terrible.  Bell would go 10-13 with a 5.45 ERA and would not be seen again in the majors until 1991.  The Orioles pitching wasn't any better in 1988, so one has to wonder why Bell didn't get another shot with the O's.  Maybe he was hurt.

I mailed to Bell on March 21 and got the cards back signed on March 29 for an 8-day TAT.  Bell has a really nice signature, and it looks really good on the 1987 Topps Traded.  The 1987 Donruss looks nice, as well.  I thought I had more of his cards, but I couldn't find them when I was getting ready to send the TTM request out.

What a Joke

To say I was disappointed in today's lack of a Hall of Fame announcement is quite the understatement.  I look forward to the HOF vote each and every year and now, for the second time I can remember, no one was elected to the Hall by the BBWAA.  Now, don't get me wrong, the steroid cloud over the game has cast a heck of a shadow, but you can't tell me that not one single former player on the list was not worthy of election.  Some supposed sportswriters used their privilege to vote as a means to make some half-assed statement about something.  Well, I am curious as to how many of these folks were more than happy to follow Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire around during the great Home Run Chase of 1998?  I bet you they sold a heck of a lot of copies of their magazines and/or newspapers late that summer.  Are those folks going to give back the money that they earned when they, too, cashed in on the 'Steroid Era?'  I'm not saying what those players who used PEDs were in the right, I'm just saying that these guys who are putting themselves out there as making statements with their ballots need not be the morality police. 

We were all guilty during that era.  I paid my money to see games played by some of those players.  I knew who the greatest players in the game were and I was more than willing to pay to see them.  The Owners were guilty for allowing it.  Bud Selig was guilty for not doing something about it sooner.  Other players were guilty for knowing about it and not reporting it.  Hell, Buck Weaver was banned from baseball for knowing about the 'fix' in 1919 and not reporting it.  So, for some reporters to act like they are bigger than the history of the game and make statements by not voting for other worthy players, well, they really should be ashamed.

Rafael Palmeiro was one of my favorite players growing up, but his positive test for Stanozol has made it impossible for a player with 3,000+ hits and 500+ home runs to be enshrined.  Palmeiro has blamed a tainted B-12 shot given to him by Miguel Tejada as the culprit.  Palmeiro passed several tests before and after the infamous positive test.  He was found not guilty of lying to Congress when he vehemently denied using Steroids prior to that 2005 season.  Tejada, on the other hand, was the only player (not Bonds, not Clemens, not Raffy) who was found guilty of lying.  I'm not saying Palmeiro didn't do it, I'm just presenting what has come out in the last several years.  If I had to guess right now, my guess would be that Palmeiro never gets in.

Mike Piazza was the most prolific offensive catcher in the history of the game.  One sportswriter stated that they knew Piazza took PEDs because they saw him without a shirt on and pock marks and back hair on Piazza's body proved his guilt.  He never failed a drug test.  Must be guilt by association.

Craig Biggio's 3,000+ hits weren't enough to get him in.  Mainly because when folks look at him "He just doesn't seem like he is a 'first ballot' Hall of Famer."  In my opinion, you either ARE or ARE NOT a Hall of Famer, and I have always felt like Biggio is a Hall of Famer.

One of the most compelling cases is that of Jeff Bagwell.  Bagwell was a great player in his era, even winning the 1994 NL MVP award.  He broke down at the very end of his career due to a degenerative shoulder.  Bagwell never tested positive for Steroids and was never linked.  Many writers are 'suspicious', so that means he must have done them, right?  I'm so glad people in this country are guilty until proven innocent.

Finally, there is Jack Morris.  The winningest pitcher of the 1980s.  Morris' overall numbers fall just short of the average Hall of Fame pitcher.  He was clutch in many big moments, none moreso than Game 7 of the 1991 World Series.  If there was a fine line written on a sidewalk somewhere as far as being Hall worthy goes, Morris would be dancing on that line.  He is the definition of borderline.  Where does the border stop?  I don't know.  I think Morris was amazing.  I think he gets in.  Does that cheapen the hall if he does?  I don't think so.  There are far less deserving players in the Hall than Morris.  He will get in sooner or later.  Same with Dale Murphy, who failed to get in in his 15th year on the ballot.  I think the Veterans Committee will put him in at some point.  And the world will not end.