TTM Success - Will Banfield

A TTM success from Will Banfield came in recently that I had forgotten that I had sent out.  The above 2019 Topps Pro Debut turned out pretty well. 

I also got a 2018 Bowman Draft and a 2018 Bowman base signed.

Banfield (b. 1999) was a second round pick by the Marlins in the 2018 June Amateur Draft out of Brookwood High School in Georgia.  He has played in the Marins system since 2018, reaching AA.  He has 244 hits, 29 home runs and a .207 batting average. 

I mailed to Banfield on February 3, 2022, and got the cards back on January 27, 2023, for a 358-day TAT.

Autograph Care Package From Nick

With my TTM stack shrinking to a more manageable size, I can now try to get some signed cards that were from trades, care packages and 50/50s scanned and into my album.  The first one of these that I wanted to move was a small package of cards from fellow 1987 Topps set builder, Nick.  He needed some of the cards that I had (it may have even been a signed 86 Topps), and sent me these that he had gotten.  I love the above 2017 Bowman Trevor Rogers.  I had gotten him TTM, but that card was personalized.

Nick sent five 2017 Bowmans and three 2018s.  I am glad to add these to the autograph album.

With all of the cards that I am set to scan and post, I am going to fill up an album pretty fast.  I need to change my closet around to house all of these albums.  That may be another project that I do while I am off, if I am unable to travel where I want to this weekend.

Thank you so much for the cards, Nick.  I hope you like the one I sent you.

TTM Success - Simeon Woods-Richardson

Simeon Woods-Richardson doesn't have much of an autograph, but that didn't keep me from sending two cards to him TTM and being excited when they came back.  The above 2020 Topps Heritage Minors looks great, as all of them tend to do.

The 2018 Bowman Draft looks pretty nice, also.  I just wish there was more to his signature than what is shown here.

Woods-Richardson (b. 2000) was a 2nd round pick by the Mets in the 2018 June Amateur Draft out of Kempner High School in Sugar Land, Texas.  He has pitched in the Mets and Blue Jays systems since 2018 (missing 2020).  He has reached AA ball so far.  He has a record of 9-14 with 219 strike outs and a 4.09 ERA.

I mailed to Woods-Richardson on January 19 and got the cards back on March 8, for a 48-day TAT.

A Little Graphing Done By Andrew L

I got a message on Instagram earlier in the year from a guy named Andrew, who does some 50/50s with me during the minor league season.  I can't remember where he was going (I think he went to Spring Training) and got me a few cards signed.  This was really nice, it turns out, because I wasn't able to do hardly any 50/50s due to the pandemic.  So, Andrew got me a few cards signed by Alex McKenna.  I had pulled McKenna's cards, since I thought he might have ended up at Fayetteville this year, so his stuff was easy to find.

I had pulled Zach Kirtley because I was going to try him at Spring Training, so his stuff was all in one spot, as well.  I was glad to get a 2017 Bowman out of my box, as getting those signed has slowed down big time, since the cards are getting older now.

Finally, Andrew got me a few Korry Howell cards done.  Again, these were all in one place, because I had them pulled for the upcoming Mudcats season.

I'll have to do some major reorganizing of my boxes before next season (if there is one), because a lot of things will be changing on the minor league landscape.  Hopefully, graphing won't change all that much, but that remains to be seen.

TTM Success - Adam Wolf

I got a couple 2018 Bowman cards out of my box when I got this TTM success back from Adam Wolf.  I had his chrome refractor and base cards and he signed both.

Wolf (b. 1996) was a fifth round pick by the Tigers in the 2018 June Amateur Draft out of the University of Louisville.  He has reached the Tigers Single A affiliate in West Michigan, so far.  His overall record in the minors (2 seasons) is 5-11 with 102 strike outs and a 4.93 ERA.

I mailed to Wolf on April 22 and got the cards back on May 19, for a 27-day TAT.

TTM Success - Jeremy Eierman

I was able to take a couple cards that I had sent out for 50/50s that didn't get signed out of my box of shame and into my album by sending them TTM to Jeremy Eierman.  I can't remember who I sent them to for 50/50, but the person didn't see Eierman and the cards came back to me unsigned.  I saw that he was signing TTM, so I took a couple of the missed cards and sent them on their way.

Eierman (b. 1996) was a second round pick by the A's in the 2018 June Amateur Draft out of Missouri State University.  He has played two seasons in the A's system, reaching High A Stockton last year.  So far, he has 162 hits, 21 home runs and a .217 batting average.

I mailed to Eierman on September 26 and got the cards back on February 14, for a 141-day TAT.

TTM Success - Carlos Cortes

I have been trying to add some more prospect cards to my autograph albums and this TTM success from Carlos Cortes was one that came in successfully recently.

The above 2019 Pro Debut gold is numbered 40/50 and turned out really well.  Cortes signed with a silver Sharpie, and I think it was a nice touch.

I also sent this 2018 Bowman Chrome refractor.  The silver Sharpie really looks good on this one, especially in person.

Cortes (b. 1997) was a 3rd round pick by the Mets in the 2018 June Amateur Draft out of the University of South Carolina.  So far, through two minor league seasons, Cortes has 164 hits, 15 home runs and a .258 batting average.  He is likely to move to Single A Columbia this season, right down the street from where he played college ball.

I mailed to Cortes on October 25 and got the cards back on December 5, for a 41-day TAT.

Some 50/50s From Vince

I sent a few cards off to my friend, Vince in Illinois, toward the end of the MiLB season.  He got a few of the cards signed for me, but wasn't able to see all of the teams that he thought he would have.

Still, a few of the cards got done, and turned out well.

I had bought a Midwest League All Star set because I knew some of the guys would come up through the Carolina League, and Vince told me he would try to get some of the guys that I might not see.  He got these 4 cards done, and they look great.

He also got these two Freudis Nova cards done.  Nova is likely to come through Fayetteville next season,  but it was nice to go ahead and get these two cards signed.

Thanks for taking the 50/50s, Vince!

Some California League 50/50s

I got a DM on Instagram earlier this season from a guy in California who watched me bust my 2019 Pro Debut boxes on my livestream.  He took a couple cards of a guy in that set, and got a 50/50 done for me.  He, then, offered to get me some cards signed by some of the guys in the California League (mostly), so I sent a bunch of cards his way.

He was only able to get a few of the cards done for me, but it was definitely quality over quantity.  He pushed the above Austin Beck shimmer refractor to the front of the line when I was able to cross JP Martinez off of his want list for his 2019 Pro Debut set.  The Beck turned out great, and I was super excited to get it back signed.

These 4 cards were the only other ones that he was able to get done for me.  I was disappointed, mainly because he had promised to get a Heliot Ramos done for me, but it didn't get signed, and didn't even make it back in the package.  My feelings aren't really hurt by that or anything, because stuff happens, but the thing I dislike the most is spending a ton of time searching for cards, then having to go and put it all back in the box.

Anyway, I'm glad I got what I got.  We'll see if I do another 50/50, or maybe if I do one, it might be on a much smaller scale.

Some 50/50s From Dylan

My friend, Dylan, lives in Connecticut and graphs the Connecticut Tigers.  This season, he took a few 50/50s for me and helped me get a couple cards out of my box.

I was especially happy he took this Bryant Packard and got it signed for me, since I only had the one card.  Packard formerly went to ECU, but I have never tried to graph there.  I have heard it is pretty easy, but I didn't try, and ended up sending this out after Packard was drafted by the Tigers.

Dylan also sent these three cards back.  I always enjoy getting the older stuff out of my boxes.  I've become a bit of a card hoarder, and it really helps to be able to move some of the older stuff.  One of these days, I'll do another show and unload some stuff.  In the meantime, I will reduce my boxes card by card as I get stuff signed.

Thanks for the 50/50s, Dylan!

TTM Success - Brusdar Graterol

Another Spring Training TTM success added these two prospect cards to my collection.  I had heard that my friend, Dugan, was going to send to Brusdar Graterol, so I found a couple cards and sent a few, myself.  They didn't take too long to come back, which was nice.

I got Graterol on a 2018 Heritage Minors and a 2018 Bowman Draft.

Graterol (b. 1998) has been in the Twins system since he was 16.  He played for the Dominican Summer League in 2015, then moved up to Rookie League in 2017 (he didn't play in 2016), A and High A in 2018, and AA this season.  Overall, he is 13-6 with 179 strike outs and a 2.59 ERA.

I mailed to Graterol on February 27, and got the cards back on March 14, for a 15-day TAT.  I mailed to him via Twins Spring Training.

TTM Success - Mike Siani

I added another prospect's autograph to my collection with this TTM success from Mike Siani.  I saw that he was signing when 2018 Bowman Draft came in, so I sent the two cards that I had.  They came back looking really nice.

This one was really cool.  I saw that Jonathan India was signing prior to Spring Training, but I didn't get this card out to him in time.  I may see if he is signing during the season and try to complete this dual.

Siani (b. 1999) was a 4th round pick by the Reds in the 2018 June Amateur Draft.  He played in 46 games in the Appalachian League (rookie level) and had 53 hits, 2 home runs and a .288 batting average.

I mailed to Siani on January 14 and got the cards back on February 22, for a 39-day TAT.

TTM Success - Devin Mann

I added a couple 2018 Bowman cards to my autograph album with this TTM success from Devin Mann.  He was in 2018 Bowman Draft, and I saw that he was signing, so I sent this 2018 Bowman Draft Chrome and also a paper version.

Mann (b. 1997) was a 5th round draft pick by the Dodgers out of University of Louisville during the 2018 June Amateur Draft.  He played most of last season at A ball for Great Lakes (63 games).  He also played in 2 games with the AZL Dodgers.  Overall, across 65 games last season, he had 55 hits, 2 home runs and a .240 batting average.

I mailed to Mann on January 5 and got the cards back on January 31, for a 26-day TAT.