April 15, 2023, Graphing of IronPigs at Bulls

A day of graphing in Durham can be a lot of work, but can also be a lot of fun.  I had planned to go to Durham this weekend to graph several weeks ago.  That allowed me a lot of time to find cards of guys that I needed, and also take a few from a couple friends to add to my inventory.

There were a couple names on the Lehigh Valley roster that I was interested in getting.  That was mostly because there are several guys on their roster who have been around for a while, and I just haven't had the chance to either meet or finish off their cards.

Jeff Hoffman was one of the players that I hadn't been able to get in person.  I saw Hoffman pitch at ECU, and mentioned ECU to him when he stopped and signed for me on arrival.  He is normally one per, but signed two cards for me then, including the above 2015 Panini Contenders showing Hoffman in his ECU gear,

Since I planned this for a while, I made a day of it.  I got to Durham around 11:30, having left a little early so I could have time to stop and get something to eat.  I know myself, and I would have hung out there waiting for guys to arrive and wouldn't have eaten all day, so I made sure to get that done.  That made me earlier than planned.  I usually like to get to Durham around noon to graph arrival.  Getting there a little early helped; I learned that the Bulls have flip flopped locker rooms and entrances, so I was at the wrong spot for about 30 minutes.  I saw two players going in, and I froze.  I'm pretty sure Kyle Manzardo was one of the guys I missed.

Finally getting to the right spot, I broke the ice with former Oriole, Luis Ortiz.  I recognized him, and he finished off the last few cards of him that I could find in my collection.  We talked for a few minutes.  He's a really nice guy, and it looks like he is doing a lot better after leaving Baltimore.

John Hicks helped get some older cards out of my boxes.  I was glad to add a couple 2011 Bowmans to the autograph book  and get them signed.  Adding these to the book is getting rarer and rarer, so it was a nice treat to get a couple of them done.

Speaking of getting cards out of boxes, I have a box of cards of guys who should have or did come through the Carolina League, and I missed.  Hans Crouse never got to Kinston, having skipped over the team and missing time due to injuries and the COVID season.  He was finally traded away from the Rangers, so I had a bunch of his stuff that I had stockpiled and never got signed.

Crouse saw me standing there and walked right up to me with his wife and son.  He signed for me and talked to me for a bit as the other two watched on.  His wife thought it was cool to point out to his son that his dada had cards (his son looks to be a little over 1 or so).  The little guy is adorable.  Crouse was super nice and signed all of the cards I brought with me.  That made a huge dent in the stockpile I had created.

Jeff Hoffman was really nice, as well.  He was glad to finally be playing back in NC.  I got him on arrival, inside, and post game.

There were a bunch of people there to see Scott Kingery, and I was glad to get him on these two cards.  He signed for me inside pre-game.  Outside post-game, he saw me and asked if he had signed for me before, and I said yes and yielded to everyone else.  He signed a second time for Pete (if you have ever graphed in Durham, you know who he is), so I got one of the other graphers there to take my Archives card (the pink one) and she got it done for me.  I thanked her several times, even though I think she had no idea why I had asked her for her help.  She had Phillies gear on, so of course he signed for her twice.  My Wichita Turbo Tubs jersey was a bit too flashy, I guess.

Francisco Morales was good for one per, which after Arrival and pre-game, left me with one last unsigned card of him.  I missed him post-game, so that card will go in the box of shame.  

I was really happy to take Aramis Garcia out of the box of shame and get some of his cards signed, finally.  I had pulled him years ago for Richmond graphing and never got him, so those cards have sat around for a long time.  That was pre-box of shame stuff.

Ben Bowden hit every card I had in one shot, which was nice.  I liked getting the gold foil 2021 Topps Update taken care of.

Simon Muzziotti was good for 3-per each time I saw him (pre-game and post-game).  Heath Hembree was the only guy I was able to get during BP, but that was probably a good thing.  Once I got him, I went down the street and got something to eat and drink, since I had been out there a good 4 hours by then.

I was glad to add a 2023 Topps to the book and get it signed by Jonathan Aranda.  That's the first IP auto on a 2023 Topps for me, which was cool.  I was able to get a couple Oslevis Basabe cards back signed from my friends Carson and Gerard from Spring Training, so these two were the last ones I had.

My good friend, Max hooked me up with several Ran Buchter and Heath Hembree cards, so I didn't have to hit my older Topps boxes too hard to find stuff.  I did find my own Buchter, so that one got done, as well.

I had Cesar Ramos pulled to try him TTM a while back, and I had never sent them.  I knew exactly where they were (rare) and they are all done now.

Max also provided some 2015 Topps Update Ranos cards,  I got all but 3 of those done.  We missed him outside post-game.

TJ Zeuch was another of the guys that I really wanted to get.  He signed only one card, but this 2020 Panini Select is finally signed.  I had sent it to someone for 50/50s in 2021, they missed him, and the cards of his have been in the box of same since then.  Max sent some Zeuch cards as well, but with him only doing one outside post-game, the Select was the one that got signed.

Finally, I got Kam Misner on a few cards.  I had some help with a fellow grapher outside post-game, so he got me a few extra Misner, Garcia and Nico Hulziser.  All it took was an extra Jeff Hoffman ECU card.

The 2002 Topps Total Brian Reith card is just a random card from a random set that I had seen in my boxes during a recent pass through them to find other stuff.  When I remembered that I had it, and that he was a coach with Durham, I went through 4 boxes to finally find it.  I'm glad I did, but going through 4 boxes to find one card kind of sucks.  Had I not gotten it signed, I probably would have been irritated.  Thankfully, it is done and it looks good.

This was only the second time I have tried a day in Durham by myself.  I have to start getting used to that, since Chris is working now, and all of my graphing friends have gotten jobs that make Saturday (or any, for that matter) graphing impossible.  Still, I had a good time, and enjoyed the beautiful weather at a ballpark that I have come to really love.

In all, I got the following autographs: Ben Bowden x 4, Ryan Buchter x 5, Hans Crouse x 16, Aramis Garcia x 9, John Hicks x 8, Jeff Hoffman x 4, Scott Kingery x 2, Francisco Morales x 2, Simon Muzziotti x 6, Luis Ortoz x 4, Esteban Quiroz x 1, Cesar Ramos x 7, TJ Zeuch x 1, Jonathan Aranda x 2, Oslevis Basabe x 2, Cooper Criswell x 1, Heath Hembree x 6, Niko Hulsizer x 4, Curtis Mead x 1, Kam Misner x 5, Luis Patino x 1 and Brian Reith x 1 (92 total autographs).

TTM Success - Luis Ortiz

I took a chance sending out these cards to former Oriole, Luis Ortiz, and was happy with what I was able to get back.  The above 2016 Bowman Chrome orange shimmer was the reason I sent in the first place, and it looks amazing.  I really love the shimmer and color chromes from 2016 Bowman.  They just look great.

I also sent a 2015 Panini USA and a 2019 Panini Donruss foil, and both of these look really nice, too.

Ortiz (b. 1995) played in the majors in 2018 and 2019 for the Orioles.  He went 0-2 with 3 strike outs and a 12.71 ERA.  He was a former first round draft pick (30th overall) by the Rangers in the 2014 June Amateur Draft out of high school.

I mailed to Ortiz on May 22 and got the cards back on December 11, for a 203-day TAT.

2019 Orioles Fan Fest Recap

Another Orioles Fan Fest is in the books, and as far as sheer number of autographs go, I did better than any other Fan Fest.

I had paid for 6 autograph sessions, and was able to get items done in each that I was really happy about.  Chris hit up the kids line several times, and this year was the first year where he had some cards that he strictly wanted to get done for himself.  He and I were accompanied by my good friend, Ryan, and the three of us had a really good time.  The above dual 2018 Topps Update Hess/Araujo was one of the many cards I was able to get signed that I was really excited about.

Dylan Bundy was really cool this year, and he pretty much asked me why I wasn't planning on going down to Sarasota for Spring Training.  Man, I wish I could, but that is something I really need to plan, and push for sometime in the future.

I got a ton of cards signed that I have had for a while.  I picked up the Diamond Kings Anthony Santander (above left) from the card shop last year, thinking that I would be able to get him.  Chris took care of that during the final kids session.

Luis Ortiz was really nice; probably the nicest of all of the players I met.  I was talking to Jimmy Yacabonis about my Wood Ducks hat, and Ortiz remarked that he was almost a Wood Duck.  I told him that I actually knew that, and that was why I ended up with so many of his cards.  We had him at that session, and saw him later on as we were walking around.  He signed everything Ryan and I handed him.

It was nice meeting former Orioles #1 pick, DL Hall.  I think he will be with Frederick this season, so I may be able to get him on some more cards later on.  He did strictly 2-per for Chris and I during our session.

I ran out of Keegan Akin cards, which was fine.  He was pretty nice, even though I overheard him telling one of the handlers that he wasn't having the best time.  I talked to him anyway about the weather, and he seemed to open up some.  He turned out to be a pretty nice guy.

Jonathan Villar signed everyting I handed him, which was nice.  All of these cards are either card show or card shop pickups.

I was surprised that I still had Ryan McKenna cards left, but I purchased the Carolina League Top Prospects set at the end of last season, and needed him on that.  I found the black shimmer 2015 Bowman Chrome at the National last year, and was glad to get it signed.  It sucks that he had a dead Sharpie, though.

We had Renato Nunez in a signing session, and Chris also got him as he was out on the floor, so I got most of what I wanted done of his completed.  I missed the 87 Topps insert from a couple years ago, though.  Maybe next time on that one.

Chris got Chance Sisco during his first trip through the kids line, which helped me go ahead and get the high priority cards signed (see below).  He also was able to get him as he passed by us on the floor, which even further helped our cause.  Finally, in the paid session we had with him, Chris got two of Ryan's cards done, and I finished up a couple of the Bowman parallels shown above.

This Bowman Chrome Talent Pipeline was the highest priority card that I wanted Sisco to sign.  I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to finish it, but it turned out really well.

The Rule V picks were at the event, and I actually had a few cards of each.  Chris wasn't paying attention when he got these signed in the kids line, and smeared the Bowman Chromes that I had.  Oh well, they have a good story, now, as I got one of the smeared ones, and Chris took the other.

Richie Martin was pretty cool, and I got all of the cards I had of him signed.

I an mow out of Joey Rickard cards, as I had two paid session with him in them.  I had to take some cards from Ryan so I would have enough for each session.

I was able to get Tanner Scott on this Aberdeen set card, which has been hanging out in my box for a while.

Normally, I would have fixed this scan where the Scott McGregor slid under my Richard Bleier, but I was over scanning by the time I saw it.  It'll just have to stay this way.  I was really happy about getting the 2013 Pro Debut Rio Ruiz signed, because of the small handful of cards from that set, I did, indeed, have the Ruiz in my box.  It would have languished there forever, so I'm glad I got it done.

I had a multitude of horizontal cards that I got signed.  Another Talent Pipeline card that I can work on completing at some point.  I had a couple generic Orioles cards that helped with some guys I didn't have in my box, Donnie Hart on my 1994 Score, and Jimmy Yacabonis on my 2017 Topps.

I liked what I had for Rick Dempsey.  The 2004 Topps World Series Programs card of the 1983 World Series was a nice touch.

I got to talk to Boog Powell about horseradish again, which is always fun.  He's probably tired of my story by now, but he is a super nice guy, and the cards that I had turned out well.

The 1970 and 1971 Topps cards that I had of Boog were beat all to hell, but they were the last of what I had that I wanted to get signed.  They turned out nicely, and will have a home in my album.

I laid a page of 4 cards down for Jim Palmer, and he signed this Upper Deck Masterpieces.  I'm glad he chose this card, because they really are nice, and the autographs show up well.

Fan Fest was plagued by an overselling of sessions for Eddie Murray and Brooks Robinson.  My Brooks session was refunded, and so was one session with Eddie Murray.  I had my friend, Rae, also picking up an Eddie session, which went through.  I used my opportunity to meet Eddie again by helping out a friend with his set that he is working on, since he helped me with my 87 set (by getting Tim Raines).  My good friend, Jacob, was surprised to find out that I was able to get his 1991 Studio Murray signed, and it will be sent to him shortly.  I also let Chris pick out a Murray that he liked, and that was what he got signed.

We all had a really good time at Fan Fest, but it did feel like it was missing something, which Ryan and I discussed on the way home.  This was the first Fan Fest that I didn't spend a dime.  I didn't get a chance to look through any game-used items, but I didn't have a whole lot of time.  Ryan said that he looked, and there really wasn't anything that really jumped out.  The normal pile of used jerseys wasn't there, which was a bummer.

Oh well.  I came away with 115 autographs one all was said and done, so that was pretty nice.  Ryan and I made a couple of trades, and I have some stuff that I can send to Max and Gerard for all of their help with their Fan Fests.  I also am really happy that I was able to help Jacob with a major piece for his Studio set.