August 18-23, 2026, Graphing of the Aigles at Bird Dawgs

The Bird Dawgs season is quickly coming to a close. I missed a month of baseball at Grainger Stadium due to two big trips overlapping the Bird Dawgs home schedule, so when I got back from the National, there were only two home series left. Trois-Rivieres came to town on August 18, and Ibwas excited to get former Yankee, Greg Bird on a ton of cards. Except, he didn't travel with the team. I did get Evan Rutckyj to sign his 2013 Bowman. I was glad I had one of them in the box.

I also got Lizandro Rodriguez to sign some cards of his that I had left over from when I saw him with Columbia a couple years ago. Then, I had new Bird Dawg, Wes Albert on a Tri City team set card. I have accepted the sad fact that the Bird Dawgs won't have a team set again this year. Boo.

In all, I got the following autographs: Wes Albert x 2, Evan Rutckyj x 1, Lizandro Rodriguez x 7. (10 total autographs).

April 11, 2026, Charleston Riverdogs at Fayetteville Woodpeckers

Yesterday was a solo trip to Fayetteville to get some cards signed. I worked this past week to prep for the trip. Chris had a memorial service to go to, and Jesse was out of town.

I got into the stadium late due to the long line, missing the free jersey they were giving out. I wasn't too late to get most of the guys I needed, though.

I messed up and included coach Kevin Randel with Fayetteville's stuff, but the former Marlins lifer is coaching with Charleston.

Fayetteville doesn't have a whole lot of guys with cards, not like Charleston does. Still, Anthony Huezo racked for me. Camilo Diaz and Xavier Neyens wouldn't sign at the ramp. I had to walk over to the other side of the dugout to get Diaz. I got Neyens outside after the game.

I got almost every Riverdog that I needed by the ramp, pregame. Caden Bodine was already on the field whenI got in, so i had to get him coming off of the field post game. Mason Auer signed everything I had in my book, which was cool.

Dylan Lesko also signed everything I had. The only players who limited were Camilo Diaz, Caden Bodine and Danny Mendick. It didn't mess anything up, though.

I didn't cone home with very many leftovers to put back in my boxes, so that's always a plus.

In all, I got the following autographs: Mason Auer x 5, Caden Bodine x 2, Cooper Flemming x 2, Dominic Fritton x 1, Taitn Gray x 1, Nate Knowles x 3, Dylan Lesko x 9, Danny Mendick x 3, Dean Moss x 3, Camilo Diaz x 3, Kenni Gomez x 1, Anthony Huezo x 5, Xavier Neuens x 2, German Ramirez x 1 and Kevil Randel x 1 (42 total autographs). 

TTM Success - Cole Phillips

Cole Phillips is a guy who I had hoped I would have seen with Augusta when they came through Kinston. I never got to see him there, so I sent out a couple of his cards TTM to try to add him to my autograph album that way. The above 2023 Panini Chronicles turned out nicely, I think. I have no idea where I found that card, but it is unique, and looks good in its slot in the album. 

I also sent this 2023 Topps Pro Debut, which turned out ok. The marker looks like it is dying, or maybe I didn't prep the card well enough. Still, it's signed, and not taking up space in one of my boxes.

Phillips (b. 2003) was a 2nd round pick by the Braves in the 2022 July Amateur Draft out of Boerne High School in Texas. Interestingly, he had no professional stats. He is listed now in the Brewers organization, but is on their 60-day IL. In 2023, he was sent, along with Jackson Kowar, to the Mariners for Marco Gonzales, Jarred Kelenic and Evan White. He was then picked up by the Brewers in the AAA phase of the Rule V draft this past offseason. He has been injured since the 2024 season.

I mailed to Phillips on December 13 and got the cards back on January 10, for a 28-day TAT. 

August 30, 2025, Graphing of the WooSox at Bulls

A graphing trip to Durham with Jesse was in the cards (pardon the pun) not too long ago. I had gathered cards for the trip for some time now and it paid off with a nice haul.

It's hard to tell, but the above 2024 Topps Holiday relic card is signed by Kyle Harrison.  Harrison signed almost everything I had but each card was signed at the very bottom of each one.

See?  Still, he signed a good bit for me.  I had some really good stuff, like the 2024 Topps Heritage purple chrome (bottom right).

We got most everyone we needed inside pregame.  There was a funny kid who ran up right when I was getting Vaughn Grissom.  He talked with us a good bit and helped me get the 2016 Topps Chrome speckle refractor of Trayce Thompson signed (middle, right).

The kid proceeded to tell us how much he hated the Dodgers and all of their players.  The little guy next to him looked at him, puzzled and said "even Betts?" And the kid said "Yeah! Oh, wait..." (he was wearing a Mookie Betts Red Sox jersey).

I had sent my Jhostynxon Garcia Bowmans to Gerard since he had been sent up to Boston.  I didn't get the cards back in time for thos trip, so I got him on the 1994 Score Fenway Park card.

Jesse and I tried to graph Durham outside postgame, but there was only one other grapher there.  That guy hadn't been to Durham in a long time, so the three of us struggled to identify players.  We did identify Richie Palacios, so I got my 2025 Topps signed.

We also got a couple cards from the team set taken care of.  We had a great time at the game and got some good autographs.

In all, I got the following autographs: Max Ferguson x 10, Jhostynxon Garcia x 1, Rich Gedman x 1, Vaughn Grissom x 2, Kyle Harrison x 10, Mikey Romero x 2, Trayce Thompson x 3, Abraham Toro x 2, Seby Zavala x 2, Garrett Acton x 1, Kenny Hook x 1, Kevin Kelly x 1, Coco Montes x 1, Tanner Murray x 1 and Richie Palacios x 1 (39 autographs).

Final 2024 50-50 Returns From Logan

My friend Logan in Wichita got ky signed cards back to me at the end of the season.  He definitely sent quality cards like the above 2023 Topps Pro Debut Tanner Schobel parallel.  Man that card looks great. 

Former Wood Duck AJ Alexy signed the Stadium Club Chrome; Link Hencs signed my Panini Select. 

Logan got a bunch of my Austin Beck cards signed before Beck retired.  It is a shame Beck has hung it up.  I'm glad I got a lot of these cards done and out of the prospects boxes.  The 2022 Pro Debut Diego Cartaya is nice, as well as the 2023 Topps Brendon Davis. Davis is a former Wood Duck, so it was nice getting one of his cards signed. 

These Yeiner Fernandez 2023 Bowmans are nice.  The Jose Leger is from a 2016 Columbia Fireflies team set that my brother Adam gave me.  There are also a couple Dalton Rushing and a few Kendall Williams.

Finally, here are: a 2020 Topps Pro Debut Kendall Williams, a 2019 Hickory team set Grant Wolfram, a Panini Select Aaron Zavala parallel and a 2022 Topps Heritage Minors Zavala showing him in a Wood Ducks uniform.

Thanks for helping me get these cards signed, Logan!