September 13, 2023, Graphing of Redbirds at Tides

The next stop on my birthday week trip was up in Norfolk to try to get denied by Jackson Holliday again.  My friend, Jordan, accompanied me on the trip.  We did arrival in Norfolk, and did really well. I finally got this 2019 Bowman Chrome atomic refractor of Daz Cameron signed.  It turned out great.

For the longest time on arrival, the Tides one perred me to death.  Mike Baumann broke that streak, though, and signed everything i had.  I finally got all of the team set cards if his that i had done.

I picked up a team set inside during the game, so I got some of those signed post game outside.

The biggest names i was able to get were Coby Mayo and Connor Norby.  Norby signed everything I had, which was great.

Austin Voth also signed everything I had.  He was super nice and seemed genuinely happy that Jordan and I were out there talking with him.  Tyler Wells was also really nice.

I had brought this one 2019 Topps Orioles team card with me and got Wells to sign that, also.

This shimmer parallel from 2022 Topps that I got signed by Bruce Zimmermann was a pickup from the National, and it turned out great. Jordan pointed out that Zimmermann played at Mount Olive College, so we talked to Zimmermann about that, briefly.

Most of our trip was concentrated on Norfolk, but our seats were by the Memphis Redbirds dugout.  I knew the Norfolk side would be a mess, so I brought a little bit of stuff for Memphis.  We also got to see Thomas Saggese, who used to be a Wood Duck.  He was nice enough to pose for a picture and asked about Chris.  He remembered us.

Of course, we didn't see Jackson Holliday on arrival.  Post game, outside, he went to the other side of the barricade, skipping Jordan and I (along with the other folks on our side), so, of course, I missed him again.

In all, I got the following autographs: Mike Baumann x 7, Anthony Bemboom x 1, Buck Britton x 1, Daz Cameron x 3, Lewin Diaz x 2, Kyle Dowdy x 1, Maverick Handley x 3, Josh Lester x 1, Chayce McDermott x 3, Coby Mayo x 2, Connor Norby x 6, Kyle Stowers x 1, Austin Voth x 8, Ryan Watson x 1, Tyler Wells x 4, Bruce Zimmermann x 1, Cesar Prieto x 1, Mike Siani x 1 and Juan Yepez x 2 (49 total autographs). 

Lots and Lots of Cards From Gerard

I received a Christmas gift from my friend, Gerard, and realized that I still had a bunch of stuff that he had gotten signed for me that had yet to be scanned.  So, I combined everything into this one post.

He got me a bunch of autos during Pawtucket Red Sox games, and one of the coaches was Rich Gedman.  He had gotten me Gedman's 87 Topps before, and also the above 1987 Red Sox team card.  Still, I'm going to keep this one on hand, in case I am able to get Tom Seaver at some point.  It'll make this easy to find.

I needed the Carolina League Top Prospects card signed by Travis Lakins.  The other Bowman cards came from the National.

I think I sent this Luis Sardinas card to Gerard because he was going to see Norfolk toward the end of the year.  A lot of the cards he got signed, I gave him in person when we met up in Boston.

Here are some nice Sam Travis cards that he got done.  I'm pretty sure I sent him the 14 Bowman.  The others are probably from the National.

These are some 2017 Topps Update cards that he was able to get done.  Adam Lind is a pretty big sig for me.  I sent to him TTM, but didn't get anything back.

These two are just extra autos he sent along with other packages.  I think he pulled the Tyler Mahle while we were sitting in the park in Boston.

One of the cards he sent for Christmas was this signed 1987 Topps Ed Romero for my set.

He got me all of these PawSox team cards signed.

There were also some Orioles cards that I can try to get signed at Fan Fest.

I'm pretty sure he found these Nolan Reimolds while he was at a recent card show.

I really liked this 2018 Bowman Mike Baumann auto that he sent.  Baumann was really good for Frederick this season, and is a bright prospect to watch for the Orioles.  He was also really nice when we met him this season.

Finally, Gerard knocked this 2012 Bowman Red Ice Nick Markakis off of my wishlist.  Except, my friend Jackson had also bought this cards for me.  Jackson kept telling me this season that he had the card in his card on COMC, but had kept forgetting to send it.  I should have crossed it off of my list, but I also kept forgetting.

Thank you so much for all of the cards, Gerard.  I really appreciate it.

May 25-27, 2018 Graphing of Keys at Wood Ducks

I had a visit from my good friend, Michael this past weekend, and used that time with him to see three games between the Frederick Keys and Down East Wood Ducks.  I knocked out a bunch of cards while we were there, from both the Keys and Wood Ducks.

I finished all of the custom cards that Rangersautos made of the Wood Ducks, and I completed his 50/50s.  It was nice to get one out of the way.

I also knocked out a bunch of 50/50s for Gerard, including a couple of the above 3-way cards that include Eric Jeknins, and I also had last year's bat boy and now clubbie, Matt sign the Wood Ducks team card.  Matt stops and talks with Chris and I at every game, so I felt it was right to get him on a card.

I also finished off all of my Walker Weickels, and also Gerard's Wood Ducks team set.

I added a few new Anthony Gose, coming from a 50/50 from Gerard.  I was also glad to get the Hickory team set card of Spike Owen done.

I had ordered this 2016 Anthony Gose from COMC, but it didn't come in time.  Luckily, Gerard let me keep this one as part of the 50/50.

Gerard also let me keep this 2013 Topps Mini Gose.

I finally remembered to add the DEWD disc card to my autograph book and get it signed.  It may be goofy, but I thought it was cool to get him to sign it, especially since he couldn't see the card and signed my book instead.

Since the Keys don't come to town often, I made sure to knock out as much as I could.  I had been waiting for Jomar Reyes for a long time, since he was injured when the Keys came last year.

I finished off almost everything I had of Reyes.  I think I only had 2 cards left when the series ended.

I also used up every card I had of Ryan Minor.  I may try to get the triple rookie done, if one of my Texas buddies can get Adrian Beltre for me.

I also was lucky enough to get cards signed by Ryan McKenna.  He only would sign 2-per, and as the weekend went on, he kept refusing to sign for me, but would sign for Chris and Michael.  It was weird, but I guess it was because I was older.  It's ok, though, I have only 3 cards of him left.  The 2015 Bowman paper was a Christmas gift from my good friend, Anthony, and is numbered to 5.

I was able to get a couple of the regular Wood Duck fans that I see at every game to help me get my other McKennas signed.  The didn't mind, and I was able to add these to my album, as well.

Michael and I went to the card shop on Saturday, and I bought a pack of 2017 Elite Extra Edition.  The first card in the pack was the above Michael Baumann.  I prepped the card and got it into my book for that night's game.  I was also happy to add Alex Wells.  He was pretty nice, even though I only got to see him one time.

I also was able to get three cards done from my 2017 South Atlantic League All Star set done.  I picked this set up in Columbia a couple weeks ago, and three of the guys ended up being with the Keys.

It was also nice being able to knock out a bunch of the Ironbirds team set cards that I got at the end of the season last year.

One of the cool things about the Keys was that Preston Palmeiro (son of Rafael) was playing.  I got to speak to him, and had him sign a Carolina League ball, as well as the above team set card.

 I got a lot of this team set done.  Some of the autos didn't turn out too great, but I figured it out early, and prepped the rest.

In all, Chris, Michael and I had fun.  I hate that McKenna kept denying me, but that's what happens with graphing sometimes.