I got a really cool TTM success from former closer Billy Wagner recently. I had seen that he was signing, but I was still surprised when these cards came back signed. The above 1998 Topps was the cards I really wanted to add to the album. That set is really underrated, and has some nice shots of players on some of the cards. Take a look at the Vladimir Guerrero card in the 1998 Topps set, and you will see what I mean.
I used the request to Wagner to be able to add a couple years of Topps that I had very few of to my album. I can't remember the last time I was able to add a 2000 Topps. It turned out that I sent a few of them out all at once, though, due to there being several subjects in the boxes at my LCS. I also added a 2008 Topps, which is no longer the set I have the fewest of in the Topps Autograph Project (2001 and 2009 are really lacking at this point).
Finally, this 2000 Pacific Private Stock was a nice card to get signed. I had a few cards from this set in my collection, but none of them signed.
Wagner (b. 1971) played in the majors from 1995 to 2010 for the Astros, Phillies, Mets, Red SOx and Braves. He had a career record of 47-40 with 1,196 strike outs and an ERA of 2.31. His 422 saves are 6th all-time. He was a 7-time All Star (1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2010). His best finishes for the Cy Young Award (4th) and NL MVP (16th) both came during the 1999 season where he went 4-1 with a 1.57 ERA and 39 saves.
Wagner has appeared on two Hall of Fame ballots (2016 - 10.0%; 2017 - 10.2%) and many sports commentators feel he has a strong case to receive more votes over time when the glut of names on the ballot is reduced somewhat.
I mailed to Wagner on March 20 and got the cards back on April 5, for a 16-day TAT.
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