Another TTM Success From Jeff Conine

1993 Upper Deck has some nice cards, many of them the team checklists. I finally completed the 1993 Upper Deck Florida Marlins Inaugural Catch card. Jeff Conine was the last player that I needed. I started with a Bret Barberie private signing in 2024. I added Orestes Destrade and Dave Magadan afterward. It came down to Conine, and a private signing on SCN finished the job.

I mailed to the signing on May 20 and got the card back on July 12, for a 53-day TAT. I paid a fee of $15.00.

TTM Success - Ian Bladergroen

A nice 2005 Topps came back signed TTM from Ian Bladergroen. The card turned out well. I don't have many 2005 Topps anymore, so adding one was pretty nice.

Bladergroen (b. 1983) was a 44th round pick by the Mets in the 2002 June Amateur Draft out of Lamar Community College in Lamar, Colorado. He played in the minors from 2003 to 2006 in the Mets system and in 2009 in the Mariners system. He reached high A. He had 415 hits, 44 home runs and a .272 batting average. 

I mailed to Bladergroen on Match 13, 2024, and got the card back on June 24, 2026, for an 833-day TAT.

TTM Success - Paul DeJong

A really nice 2020 Topps Chrome blue refractor came back signed TTM by Paul DeJong recently. I had forgotten I had sent this, but was pleasantly surprised when it came in.

DeJong (b. 1993) played in the majors from 2017 to 2025 for the Cardinals, Blue Jays, White Sox, Royals and Nationals. He had 723 hits, 146 home runs and a .229 batting average. He was an All Star in 2019 and finished second in the 2017 NL Rookie of the Year voting. 

I mailed to DeJong on February 22, 2021, via Cardinals Spring Training and got the card back signed on June 20, 2026, for a 1,944-day TAT.

TTM Success - Sheng-En Lin

Another current player that I was able to get to sign TTM recently was Reds prospect. Sheng-En Lin. He signed my 2024 Bowman Draft (above) and my 2025 Topps Pro Debut chrome and base cards (below).

I had his blue foil parallel, but had misplaced it. Of course I found it after I sent these off. Typical of me.

Lin (b. 2005) was an international signing by the Reds out of Taiwan. He has played in the Reds system since 2023 when he was 17. He has reached A ball, but spent this whole season on the IL. He has 74 hits, 3 home runs and a .258 batting average. 

I mailed to Lin on May 18 via Daytona, and got the cards back on June 18, for a 31-day TAT. 

TTM Success - Whit Merrifield

A private signing I had been hoping for popped up recently. I had been trying to get Whit Merrifield on some cards since my dad poured his driveway back in 2021. My brother took some cards for me, but didn't see Merrifield after that. Since then, I pulled a couple nice parallels, which were the ones that I ended up sending out. Above is an awesome blue shimmer foil from 2024 Topps.

This one is a blue foil from 2025 Topps. In person, it is a darker shade of blue. My scanner kind of brightened it.

Merrifield (b. 1989) played in the majors from 2016 to 2024 for the Royals, Blue Jays, Phillies and Braves. He had 1,249 hits, 94 home runs and a .280 batting average. He led the league in hits in 2018 and 2019. He was an All Star three times (2019, 2021 and 2023). He finished 17th in the 2018 AL MVP race.

I mailed to the signing on May 2 and got the cards back on June 11, for a 37-day TAT. I paid a fee of $25/card.

TTM Success - Cam Eden

Another recent player that I found had been signing TTM was Cam Eden. Chris and I had met him when we were in Buffalo a couple years ago, but at that time, he had no cards. Fast forward a bit, and he got into some update sets.

I sent Eden a 2024 Topps Heritage High Number (top) and a 2024 Topps Update (above) for the TTM request, and they both look great.

Eden (b. 1998) played in the majors in 2023 for the Blue Jays. He had 1 hit, no home runs and a .167 batting average. 

I mailed to Eden on March 21 and got the cards back on June 5, for a 76-day TAT.

TTM Success - Cade Smith

An actual current player has been signing TTM recently. I was told that Cade Smith was signing, so I pulled a few cards and sent them to him via the Guardians. He signed the above 2025 Topps Heritage. That design looks really good, and even better in my autograph album. 

He also signed a 2024 Topps Heritage High Number and a 2024 Topps Update.

Smith (b. 1999) has played in the majors since 2024, for the Guardians. He has a record of 20-7 with 314 strike outs and a 2.26 ERA. He led the AL in saves this season with 41. He was an All Star this year. He finished 9th in the 2024 Cy Young Award voting and 5th in the AL Rookie of the Year race.

I mailed to Smith on May 18 and got the cards back on June 5, for an 18-day TAT.