September 16, 2025, Graphing of the High Point Rockers

My last opportunity to graph this season came and went on Tuesday when I saw High Point for the last time.  I didn't even bother with trying to get the opposing team (Charleston) this time around.

The biggest reason I wanted to see High Point one more time was to see David Hess.  Hess, a former Oriole, is a two-time cancer survivor and all-around great guy.  I bought the above 2019 Topps Chrome orange refractor for the potential trip.  The card is numbered to 25.  He signed the card, along g with a 2019 Topps base card for my friend, Ryan.

Frank Viola was great, as usual.  I'm running out of different Viola cards to get signed.  I do still have a ton overall, though.

I was looking through boxes for some cards to send to Max, and found a bunch of Alex Dickerson 2011 Bowmans.  I got those done, along with a few others.

I got several High Point team set cards signed.  George Greer was surprised that I wanted his autograph, so he signed my team set card, told me to hold on and brought me the Cardinals card from the clubhouse.  I thought that was really cool.

The 2017 Bowman sky blue refractor of Luis Gonzales was found in a bargain bin at the National.  I got most of the cards I found there signed.  I enjoyed finding the various parallels at the show and getting them into the album. 

I went to the fame with my brother, Andy.  I miss how we went to Wood Ducks games back when he was here for college.  It was good to get together and spend some time with each other.

In all, I got the following autographs: Alex Dickerson x 9, Ryan Dull x 1, Luis Gonzalez x 2, George Greer x 2, David Hess x 2, Jamie Keefe x 1, Drew Mendoza x 2 and Frank Viola x 9 (28 autographs).

Week of May 9-14 Graphing of Shorebirds at Wood Ducks

With the arrival of 2023 Bowman, I have some fresh product that I was happy to get into my book and get signed during this week's series against the Delmarva Shorebirds.  I could have easily skipped this series, since the Orioles sent Jackson Holliday up to Aberdeen, but I went ahead and caught the entire series, with the exception of the Wednesday early game.  Those darn education days...

I was glad to get the above Spotlight insert of Anthony Gutierrez signed; the card looks sharp!

I took some 50/50s for my friend, Aidan, so I got a couple 2023 Bowman First Editions into the album.  One was the above Gleider Figueroa, and the other was the Andres Mesa, below.

I pulled the Andres Mesa 2023 Bowman Chrome gold parallel numbered to 50 out of one of the boxes that I opened.  The card got signed immediately.  It turned out amazing.

I took some 50/50s for a guy named Ryan recently, and as a gift, he sent me the 2021 Bowman Draft chrome green refractor of Cam Cauley, above.  That card looks awesome.  I'm trying not to ask Cam much anymore, now that I have gotten his stack down to nothing.  I made the mistake of getting Dylan MacLean on the Panini Prizm tiger stripe parallel.  It was supposed to be a gift from my friend, Gerard, to Dylan, but I forgot the memo, so I got it signed.  I let Dylan know, and he told me not to worry about it.

We sat in front of Brock Porter's parents during the Saturday game, and found out that he had told his parents about us.  All good things, from what we were told, so that was cool.

Now that Jackson Holliday is gone from Delmarva, Luis Gonzalez is the only guy on the team that I had cards for, with the exception of pitching coach, Adam Bleday.  I got Gonzalez on everything I had, which was good.

I tried to get Gonzalez to sign one of the extra 2022 Heritage Minors cards with my friend, Matt's orange paint pen, but I didn't prime the pen enough, and the auto didn't come out as nicely as I had hoped it would.  Still, it is a bit of a novelty, and it will go into my album anyway.

In all, I got the following autographs: Cam Cauley x 20, Danyer Cueva x 20, Gleider Figueroa x 12, Anthony Gutierrez x 28, Dylan MacLean x 3, Carlos Maldonaldo x 1, Andres Mesa x 11, Ian Moller x 13, Brock Porter x 5 and Luis Gonzalez x 15, Yeison Morrobel x 18, Adam Bleday x 2 (148 total autographs).

Another TTM Success From Luis Gonzalez

There were a bunch of times I would go through my boxes and see these Luis Gonzalez cards.  I had meant to send them a couple years ago, but ith COVID messing with the 2020 season, I didn't want to take the chance, in case Gonzo wasn't with the Diamondbacks like normal.  I waited until this season and finally dropped these cards in the mail.  Thankfully, they came back signed, and look great.

I am really excited to add the above 2002 Donruss Studio Stars card to the album.  I enjoyed the 1995 Studio set that looked like credit cards; it was, and still is, a very unique set.  I have a few of those signed, and this Gonzo was the first of the 2002 variety.

This 2002 Topps didn't scan too well, but the sentiment of the card was captured.  I was glad to get one of these signed and into my album, as well.

Finally, I have a 2002 Fleer Authentix, 200 Upper Deck SPX and a 2017 Topps Memorable Moments insert; all of the cards look great.

I mailed to Gonzalez on March 23, via the Dioamondbacks, and got the cards back on April 9, for a 17-day TAT.

Chris is Getting Some TTMs

My son, Chris, has been sending out TTMs here and there, and has gotten a couple back so far.  He was going to send to Luis Gonzlez, so I added a couple cards to his mailer.  I wanted him to have a few more options that the two cards he had found.  He ended up getting five cards back and let me keep these two.

The cards turned out well, and Chris didn't have to wait the two years that I had to, to get my cards back.

He wants to do more, but he doesn't want to put in the work of searching for cards.  Maybe he will start doing that more, and can get more of a return.

TTM Success - Luis Gonzalez

It took quite a long time, but I got these cards back signed from Luis Gonzalez.  He was among the earliest rounds of players I sent to, way back in the day.  I thought these cards were all gone,

Thankfully, I got them all back, and forgot that I sent an extra 1992 Triple Play (that he signed).

Gonzalez (b. 1967) played in the majors from 1990 to 2008 for the Astros, Cubs, Tigers, Diamondbacks, Dodgers and Marlins.  He had 2,591 hits, 354 home runs and a .283 batting average.  He was a 5-time All Star (1999, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2005) and finished a career-best 3rd in the 2001 NL MVP voting.  He won the World Series with the Diamondbacks in 2001.

I mailed to Gonzalez on March 1, 2016 and got the cards back on June 21, 2018, for an 842-day TAT.