TTM Success - Nick Solak

I hd this 2018 Bowman Chrome purple refractor of Nick Solak and was really glad to see that he signed TTM.  So, I powdered the card and sent a few others to him to get him to sign.  The card looks really nice.

He inscribed each card to me, which was a nice touch.  I was also glad to get my 2018 Topps Heritage Minors signed that shows him in a Biscuits uniform.

Solak (b. 1995) was a second round pick by the Yankees in the 2016 draft out of the University of Louisville.  He was traded to the Rays in a three-team trade also involving the Diamondbacks for Brandon Drury.

So far Solak has 350 hits, 34 home runs and a .296 batting average in 3 minor league seasons.  He has played as high as AA ball.

I mailed to Solak on October 22 and got the cards back on November 19, for a 28-day TAT.

July 30, 2012 Montgomery Biscuits vs. Mississippi Braves

Well, I can knock another Minor League stadium off of the list after taking in a game at Riverwalk Stadium in downtown Montgomery, Alabama this evening.  The ballpark is one of the nicest ones I've been to.  THey incorporated the old train station into the design of the park, and I feel like they did a tremendous job.

The park looks really cool from the outside, as you can see.  It looks even better on the inside.  They have the original wood floors inside.

The staircase seen below looked really cool also.  We saw this as we were escaping the heat.  We sat down in the hallway and enjoyed the interior of the building for a bit while everyone else outside melted in the heat.

The Biscuits (they are the AA affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays) played the Mississippi Braves (the AA affiliate of, you know, the Braves) for a 7:05 (central time) game.

The game started out pretty even, but then got out of hand in the top of the 8th inning when the Braves put up a 7-spot.  The Braves ended up winning 14-5.

Chris enjoyed himself, but by the end he had gotten pretty tired.  He was ready to go, but like the good trooper he is, he stuck it out.  Here, he can be seen after downing a blue sno cone.

I had a great time with my little buddy.  I definitely would go back to a Biscuits game if I ever was in the area.  It sure is a long drive from NC, though...

Birthday Stuff From Mom

I can always count on my mom to remember little things I mention throughout the year and completely forget about when it comes to stuff to get me for my birthday. Max and I spent a good portion of this summer catching as many minor league games as we could. At a Carolina Mudcats game in Zebulon, I bought myself and Max posters which listed all of the minor league teams and logos. He and I both thought that the Montgomery Biscuits was the best/oddest team name/logo out there. I spent a Saturday at the card shop with my little brother Andy looking at different logos and team shops, thinking about, maybe, buying a jersey; or, at the very least, a hat.
Something I did notice on the Biscuits' team shop was a plush biscuit mascot, which Andy and I both thought was AWESOME. I emailed Max a link to the item and he thought it was pretty cool as well. I got to my parents' house that night and showed my mom, and she thought it was cute and even remarked that she wanted one as well...

Well, she got herself one, and one for my birthday! Pretty cool, huh? But wait, that's not all:

Also in the box was a Biscuits jersey!!! Fan-freaking-tastic!!! Max and I WILL make a trip to Montgomery next year, and now, I have a jersey to wear! Pretty sweet. I just think a team called 'The Biscuits' is really cool. I mean, Evan Longoria wore a Biscuits jersey, so you know they're cool, haha.