May 31-June 2, 2024 Graphing of the Nationals at Wood Ducks

After missing Tuesday through Thursday last week due to a work trip, I went into the weekend with lowered expectations about how I would do with graphing the Fredericksburg Nationals at Wood Ducks. Couple that with my main helpers all pretty much being unavailable for the bulk of the series, I definitely didn't knock out what I normally would have.  Thankfully, Jesse and I planned ahead for my time away, and he helped me knock out a few cards.  He wasn't here this weekend; Chris also went without me on Wednesday and also helped knock some stuff out.  I'm glad they could help!

Jesse hit two of the guys I didnt get at all in Armando Cruz and Christian Vaquero.  Neither of those guys stopped for me at all between Friday and Sunday, so these three cards from Jesse were special. 

Brenner Cox was very consistent while I was there; he did one per every time he stopped, so with a little help from my friend, Josh, along with Chris, we got a few of Cox's cards handled.

Mason Denaburg signed the four cards i had on Friday, but refused to stop for us the rest of the weekend. I had one card remaining, and had hoped that he'd sign for Chris on Sunday.  He didn't. Oh well, no big deal, i just wanted to get the card out of my box.

Jake Lowery's body language told a story about how he didn't seem to want to be in Kinston.  He just kind of shuffled down the line as he made his way to his dugout each game.  When he stopped to sign, he didn't say much at all.  Jarlin Susana was cool, though.  He signed every time I asked, which was nice enough. 

Roismar Quintana stopped every time we asked, and signed every card we had, so he was the best of the bunch.  

After being refused again by Vaquero and Cruz as they exited the field on Sunday, I decided it wasn't worth trying to get either outside after the game.  I dumped their cards into the Box Of Shame, and probably won't pursue them again.  Oh well.  It doesn't hurt my feelings.

I was able to knock out a few more Wood Ducks team set cards in Michael Thiele, Bryan Magdaleno and David Davalillo.  I'm down to injured guys, demoted guys and a couple Hickory guys to finish off this set.

With all the annoyances of Nationals guys who didn't care to stop at all, I have to mention one of my favorite guys I've come across at the Wood Ducks; Rangers roving instructor, Kenny Holmberg. He is such a great guy.  He made up for the Nats guys being turds.  He talked with me for a whole inning about some scouting reports on guys in the organization and also asked me a lot of collecting questions, which was cool. I'm going to miss seeing him when the Woodies leave after this season. 

It ended up being a decent series; in all, I got the following autographs (this doesn't include the stuff Chris and Jesse got for me while I was gone): David Davalillo x 3, Kenny Holmberg x 2, Bryan Magdaleno x 3, Michael Thiele x 3, Brenner Cox x 10, Mason Denaburg x 4, Elijah Green x 5, Jake Lowery x 2, Roismar Quintana x 10, Jarlin Susana x 20, Travis Syorka x 3 and Samuel Vasquez x 1 (66 total autographs). 

May 2019 Graphing of Potomac Nationals at Down East Wood Ducks

Last week, the Potomac Nationals came to Kinston for the first and only time this season.  Luckily, I finished off most everything that I had for them.  KJ Harrison limited to 2 per, so I had a fvew of his cards leftover, but they were all the same kind of card, so it was ok to miss him there.

I got a bunch of his stuff done, regardless of him putting up a limit.  I helped my friend, Gerard out with a few for 50/50s as well.

I finihed off Nick Banks and Nick Raquet, and I feel like those two will have moved up be the time I see Potomac next season.  Maybe the Nationals will get some good prospects in to take their place.

My COMC order came in before this series started, so I was able to get Kenny Holmberg on his bat boy card from 1993 Classic, and also a 2011 Bowman orange parallel.

I also got a couple 2019 Bowman JP Martinez inserts done, and they turned out really well.  I had to run him down, since he went under the bleachers, but the cards got done.

May 2019 Graphing of Dash at Wood Ducks

The Winston-Salem Dash came to Grainger Stadium in Kinston for the first time this season this past weekend.  Last year, they were stacked with players who had cards.  This season, Nick Madrigal remains on the roster, with a couple other players who have something they can sign.  Madrigal limits to 2 per, but he stopped for us before and after each game, with the exception of the first game of the series (he was late coming onto the field due to giving an interview).

I had a bunch of Madrigal cards that I had hoarded over the winter, and got each one signed.  The Bowmans Best at the bottom right was given to me by my friend, Ben.

I really like Panini Contenders, and they turn out really well when signed.  I prepped both of the cards, just to be safe, and they turned out nice.

John Ely is one of the Dash coaches.  I used to have a ton of his cards, but I gave most of them away years ago to a friend who was a Dodger fan.  I ended up ordering some more Ely cards off of COMC, but their shipping is so slow, I missed getting them signed this series.

I got a few random cards signed that I had found.  The George Timke is a leftover from last season, after having been given to me by my friend, Kolby.

With all of the 2017 Bowman that I opened, I'm surprised that the chrome refractor on the top right is the only Jameson Fisher that I had.

I got more of my Spokane Indians set cards signed with some new players on the Wood Ducks roster.  I also saw that I had missed a Kenny Holmberg card from that set, so I got it taken care of.

Joe Kuzia is really nice.  He stopped and talked to Chris a few times during the series, but we got our Hickory cards signed.

Sam Huff was also called up to the Wood Ducks, after mashing 15 home runs for Hickory in the first month of the season.

Leody stopped for us during this series, so I whittled down my total of his cards to, I think, 8 cards remaining.  I would like to finish them all off, but in the end, it doesn't really matter.  I have what I want done, and if the rest don't get signed, that's ok, too.

Finally, our friend, Scott, will be leaving the Wood Ducks soon.  Chris and I met him as we walked in the stadium for the first ever Wood Ducks practice, back in 2017.  He has stopped and talked to us every time we have seen him at the games.  He is about to leave to go into the Army, so when he told me, and gave me this signed photo, he and I got a bit emotional.  I wish him the best, and I know we will keep in touch!

May 2019 Graphing of the Pelicans at Wood Ducks

The Wood Ducks returned from a long road trip for a brief three-game series at home this past week against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans.  This was the last time that the Pelicans would come to Kinston this season, so I was eager to finish off what I had of them.  I had recently gotten my boxes of Bowman in, and pulled the above atomic refractor of Miguel Amaya.  The card is numbered 65/150, and looks really great signed.

I got all of the Aramis Ademan and Miguel Amaya that I had signed.  Ademan has such a nice signature, and it looks great on some 2019 Bowman.

I was glad to finally find some Steve Lerud cards.  I found them the day after the Pelicans left the last time, and got them into my book.  I also saw that Jake Stinnett was on the Pelicans roster for a rehab assignment, but realized that I had sent all of my Stinnett cards on to Max in Chicago.  Luckily, I had missed one, so I was able to get this 2014 Prizm signed.

There was a huge Rangers contingent on-hand during this series, so I was able to get a few rover cards signed.  I missed Dwayne Murphy last season because I had forgotten to put him in my book.  This year, I had him in there from Day One, and was able to get this 1979 Topps done, and also the A's Leaders card form 1986 Topps, below.

In addition to Murphy, Kenny Holmberg and Rick Strickland were on hand.  They had been here late last month, so I was able to Fins Holmberg's 2008 Bowman in my box, and I had found the above 1988 Cape Cod League card of Strickland on Ebay.  He was impressed that I had found the card and remarked that the card was "several pounds ago".  He also joked about how tight his pants were in the photo on the card.

I got a chrome 2019 Bowman done of JP Martinez, and this custom card of Bubba Thompson that my friend, John, sent me.

The Wood Ducks are on the road again, and will return home next weekend.