TTM Success - Sam Horn

My friend Gerard helped me get a few Sam Horn cards signed a while back.  When he did, I hadn't picked up my 1991 Crown Orioles set.  I saw a signing for Horn and went ahead and sent this card in to g a f signed.

Horn (b. 1963) played in the majors from 1987 to 1993 and 1995 for the Red Sox, Orioles, Indians and Rangers.  He had 250 hits, 62 home runs and a .240 batting average. 

I mailed to the signing on March 21 and got the card back on April 11 for a 21-day TAT.  I paid the fee of $10.00/card.

Another Care Package From Drake

My friend Drake sent me another scare package recently.  He sent me some really nice cards, some of which I'd never have been able to get myself.  The above 2019 Bowman of Ryan Costello is a really nice autograph.  Costello passed away a few years ago while playing in Australia; I never got to see him play.  My buddy Jackson was on that tour of Australia when Costello passed, along with former Wood Ducks manager, Steven Mintz.

In this batch of cards, Drake sent signed cards of Anthony Vizcaya, Brandon Winokur, Tanner Hall, Charlee Soto, Jaime Ferrer, Billy Amick, Byron Chourio and Kaelen Culpepper.  Drake gets down to Fort Myers at times and helped me by taking a 50/50 of some Twins prospects.  I don't think the Byron Chourio was originally mine.  I don't remember having a blue parallel, so it may have been part of the gift Drake paired with sending back my 50/50s.

Here are signed cards of Joshua Baez, Zach Levenson, Triston Casas, Ed Howard, Alex Binelas, Brett Baty, Ezequiel Pagan and Bobby Wahl.  I do know that the pink Joshua Baez was mine.  Drake saw Springfield and got some cards signed for me there.  The rest are extras he had gotten in the past.

Here are Thomas Jones, Justin Lavey, Hunter Mink, Blake Loubier, Kyle Gaedele and Sam Coonrod.  Drake is close to one of the Frontier League teams and also can see a few teams in the American Association.  He took some Sam Coonrod cards for me, along with a couple Kyle Gaedele.

These are a few landscape-oriented cards of Sam Coonrod and Brandon Winokur.  I know these are a few that I sent for 50/50s.

Drake also sent cards like this Jose Rondon 2015 Bowman Chrome mini purple shimmer.  He said that someone owed him cards and finally paid up.  He sent me some of the extras from that deal, I believe.

Finally, Drake sent some great surprises in the package like CC Sabathia, Allen Craig, Desmond Jennings, Miguel Olivo, WIll Venable, Tyler Glasnow, Marcus Thames and Carlos Rodon.  All of these are guys I wouldn't normally get to see.  I did see Typer Glasnow back when he was on rehab in Durham.  The Sabathia was a definite surprise.

Drake hooks me up more often than not.  I really appreciate the autographs and look forward to the next care package.  Thanks so much, Drake!

Some Autographs From AJ

My buddy AJ recently sent me a few autographs because he felt that they'd be in a better place in my autograph album as opposed to his closet.  I was amazed when I opened the package and saw the cards inside.  He told me ahead of time that he would be sending me a few IP autos that he had gotten but didn't tell me who had signed the cards.  When I saw this 1990 Topps Roger Clemens, I was very surprised. 

AJ also sent me a 2006 Fleer Jeff Francis, 2019 Bowman Draft Christian Cairo and 2019 Bowman Draft Brett Baty.  I hadn't gotten these three guys before, so that was cool.

Finally, here is a 2019 Topps Stadium Club Adam Jones.  This is a really nice card.  Im disappointed that I didnt get a return from Jones during Spring Training. 

I feel really bad because I opened the package from AJ when it came in, was super excited to get the cards, then I put them aside to scan for a later post.  In that time, I completely forgot that it was AJ who sent them to me.  He reminded me when I posted on Instagram that he had sent them.  AJ, again, I'm sorry that I forgot.  Thank you so much for the cards.

Cody Freeman to the Show

The 2021 Down East Wood Ducks season was a special one.  That team was amazing, and Chris and I followed the team to the championship series in Charleston.  That was the season where I also found a connection with one of their players, Cody Freeman.  Cody was always the first player out of the clubhouse that season, and would always walk up to us before each game and ask us how we were doing.  The second game of the season, he walked over and asked if we would be coming to every game; he had seen us the day before at the first game.  We said yes, and he introduced himself.

Months later, Cody spotted me in the Greenville airport as I was on my way to the National.  He was on his way to rehab an injury in Arizona.  He sat beside me in the airplane to Charlotte (ugh those masks!) and we bonded.  Cody was and is such an awesome guy.  Today, as I was eating dinner and watching a movie, I got a text from Jesse telling me that Cody had been called up to the Show!  I have been waiting for this day since 2021.  Cody is MY GUY and I can say that I have followed his career since Low A.

He got the call to the Show.  I'm not crying, you're crying.  I am so happy to see him make it.  It couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.  I am really proud to be a fan!  Go get em, Cody!!!!

Latest Stacks of Autos From Gerard

My friend Gerard has sent me a few packages of signed cards lately.  I combined them so I could try to catch up a bit on posts.  He went to the Cape Cod League over the last few weeks and got a few cards signed for me.  He told me in advance that he would see Rintaro Sasaki, so I bought two Leaf Metal cards and sent them along.  I got this numbered one back signed, and Gerard kept the base card.  It helped him have some stuff to take with him to the games and it got me a sweet card for the autograph album. 

Gerard added some Jarrod Saltalamacchia cards to the album, along with some Dennis Cook cards.  The Team USA cards also are great.  I finally added some 2025 Stars and Stripes to the album with a Derrick Smith and Alex Sosa.  The Matthew Dallas came from a pair of cards that I had prepped for graphing early in the Bird Dawgs season for one of their opponents only to find out that was the wrong Matthew Dallas.

Gerard finished off all of the Jake Sanford cards that I had.  

Not to mention, he finished off all of the Saltalamacchia cards, as well.  As far as I know, at least.  He also made a deal with someone to get Mason McCoy to sign the above 2024 Topps Update that I started when I got Chandler Seagle earlier in the year.

He took some Carolina Mudcats cards from me when we met up in Durham a month or so ago.  He got Chandler Welch and Luis Pena for me.

Finally, Gerard had this beat up 2012 Topps Allen Craig that he had gotten signed.  He gave it to me for the album, probably because I sent him so many Craig cards over the years.  Who knows why it is so beat up.

Thanks for the autographs, Gerard!

July 12, 2025, Graphing of the Nationals at Mudcats

While sitting at the Bird Dawgs game on Friday, I was sent an Instagram post from my good friend Jackson asking if anyone was going to Saturday's Mudcats game.  The Mudcats were giving away a water tower bobble head, and Jackson is in Arizona at the moment.  I had seen the ad for the giveaway earlier in the season, but honestly thought it was during the week.  I had forgotten, then came the post.  The giveaway was Saturday, and i had already gotten all of the autographs I could get from the Bird Dawgs series.  Plus, gates would open at 4pm for the Mudcats and the Bird Dawgs game was at 7.  We had time to get the bobble head and do a little graphing before we had to leave and go to the Bird Dawgs.  The Bird Dawgs were giving away jerseys.

To get Jackson's bobble head, I had to recruit an extra pair of hands, so my new coworker, Hunter, came along to help out.  He had never graphed before, but was eager to give it a shot.  He did pretty well for his first time.

Hunter, Jesse and I knocked out a bunch of Cristhian Vaquero cards that got missed last year.  Vaquero came over when asked but said he only had time for one card but would come back after he stretched.  He did come back and did two per for the three of us.

Finally, I was cleaned out of Randal Diaz cards.

The bobble head is really cool.  I'm a huge fan of bobble heads, and this is a cool one to add to the cabinet.  I was especially thankful that Hunter was willing to give up his to help Jackson out.

In all, we got the following autographs: Randal Diaz x 4, Roismar Quintana x 1 and Cristian Vaquero x 6 (11 autographs).

July 11-13, 2025, Graphing of the Boulders at Bird Dawgs

When we got back from our road trip, we had a three-game series in Kinston between the Bird Dawgs and New York Boulders.  There weren't many guys on the team with cards.  The cards that I was able to find were quality.  I got another 2019 Midwest League All Star Card signed by Austin Dennis.  I saw someone recently finished the set.  I doubt mine will get finished, but it is nice to run into someone from the set.

I knocked out a couple 2010 Topps Pro Debut during this series, which was great.  It is getting harder and harder to get cards from that set signed, and I have gotten three of the guys this year in the Frontier League.  Finally, I got Alfredo Marte on his 2013 Topps, as well.  I thought I had a lot more Marte cards, but only found four.  I also could have sworn that I had more Tyler Vail, but nope.  I only had his 2010 Pro Debut.

I also got an 8 x 10 with the two Bird Dawgs All Stars signed.  My buddy Jesse made the custom photo of Steven DiTomasso and Brandon Kaminer.  I've already put it away for safe-keeping.

In all, I got the following autographs: Austin Dennis x 1, Alfredo Marte x 4, Tyler Vail x 1, Steve DiTomasso x 1 and Brandon Kaminer x 1 (8 autographs).