TTM Success - Ben McDonald

The above 1995 Upper Deck Collectors Choice SEgold signature parallel has been in my collection since I pulled it from a pack back in 1995. I found it recently in my Orioles box and put it aside for a potential private signing.  One came up not too long after that, and now the card can be placed in the autograph album. 

The signing fee was cheap enough that I went ahead and sent off the above 1991 Crown Orioles card to be signed, as well.  It also turned out nicely. 

McDonald (b. 1967) played in the majors from 1989 to 1997 for the Orioles and Brewers.  He had a record of 78-70 with 894 strike outs and a 3.91 ERA.  He finished 8th in the 1990 AL Rookie of the Year voting. 

I mailed to the signing on February 6 and got the cards back on March 9, for a 31-day TAT. 

Another TTM Success From Mark Clark

Usually, I have a pretty good idea who I sent TTM to.  I didn't realize that I had previously gotten Mark Clark in 2018, so here are two additional cards that I got in recently.

I like the 199 Collector's Choice SE set.  When it came out, it was a cheap price point, and I could afford boxes of these.  I probably hand collated a set back in the day, but who knows where it is now.  Still, there are nice cards in the set, and I enjoy adding signed ones to my album every now and then.

I also added this 1993 Topps.  I have these cards coming out of my ears, so any time I can get some out of that box, well, that's a win.

I mailed to Clark on February 3 and got the cards back on March 4, for a 29-day TAT.

Some Signed Jack McDowells From Dugan

I met up with my buddy, Dugan, while on my way to Winston last week and picked up some cards that he had gotten signed for me by Burlington Sock Puppets manager, Jack McDowell. Yes, the former Burlington Royals are now the Sock Puppets.

Burlington is part of the new collegiate wood bat league set up by MLB when they changed the minors around.  Dugan has been to a couple Buington games now and seems to have enjoyed himself.  I do want a Sock Puppets hat...

Dugan got me a bunch of McDowell cards signed.  I had gotten him TTM and also as a free signer at the National.  I think I'm pretty much out of McDowell cards now. 

Thanks so much for getting these signed for me, Dugan!

TTM Success - Russ Davis

Here are some nice 90s cards that I was able to get signed TTM by Russ Davis.  Ok, some 90s and one 2000.  Anyway, the above 1995 Collectors Choice SE turned out pretty great, I think.

I had a ton of Davis cards, and had to narrow it down to just 4 to send to him, so I went with cards and sets that were underrepresented in my albums.  Not bad choices, I think.

Davis (b. 1969) played in the majors from 1994 to 2001 for the Yankees, Mariners and Giants.  He had 508 hits, 84 home runs and a .257 batting average.

I mailed to Davis on July 20 and got the cards back on July 30, for a 10-day TAT.

TTM Success - Dustin Hermanson

I got some nice cards signed TTM from former pitcher, Dustin Hermanson.  The aboce 1995 Score looked really cool, and will look even better in my album.

I also got a 1995 Collectors Choice SE, 1995 Fleer and 2001 Topps signed by Hermanson.

Hermanson (b. 1972) played in the majors from 1995 to 2006 for the Padres, Expos, Cardinals, Red Sox, Giants and White Sox.  He had a career record of 73-78 with 874 strike outs and a 4.21 ERA.  He won the World Series in 2005 with the White Sox.

I mailed to Hermanson on April 21 and got the cards back on April 30, for a 9-day TAT.

TTM Success - Zane Smith

There are a lot of things I like about guys who sign huge lots of cards.  One of them is that I get a nice variety in my return, and aother is that when I finally get around to posting the cards, my 'to be blogged' stack goes down more.

This TTM success from Zane Smith was a long time in the making.  I kept meaning to send to him, but other stuff kept getting put in front of his cards.  By the time I did send to him, I had a huge stack of cards to choose from because I kept pulling every card of hims that I saw.

This 1995 Collector's Choice SE is probably my favorite of the bunch.  The blue borders are really nice, and paired with the Pirates yellow, the card is pretty sharp.

Here is the requisite assortment of Topps cards.  The bottom right is actually a 1995 Topps Rookies and Traded that I pulled out of a $1.00 pack I found at the Raleigh card show right before I mailed to Smith.  I had to add in the 1987, of course, and I included the 1992 and 1993 because I don't have many versions of those in the album compared to other Topps sets.  The 1995 beat out Smith's rookie card from 1986 since I had a bunch of that set signed already by other players.

Finally, here are two horizontal Smiths from 1991 and 1993 Stadium Club to round out the success.  When you want a nice signed card, Stadium Club is always a great choice.  Both of these turned out great.  Smith has a really nice signature, and these two really showcase it.

Smith (b. 1960) played in the majors from 1984 to 1996 for the Braves, Expos, Pirates and Red Sox.  He had a career record of 100-115 with 1,011 strike outs and an ERA of 3.74.

I mailed to Smith on February 20 and got the cards back on February 27, for a 7-day TAT.

TTM Succes - Jon Lieber

I was able to get some nice 90s cards back from Jon Lieber not too long ago. The above 1995 Collector's Choice SE turned out much better than I had expected.  This was a product that I got a ton of when I was growing up.  This card probably is a holdover from that era in my collection, most likely. I had so many of these cards, but unfortunately, lots of them were destroyed due to sticking together from the over-gloss.  Thankfully, this one will live on in my autograph binder.

Here is an assortment of other cards I got from Lieber.  The top left 1995 Donruss looked really nice.  That was a set that I completed a while back, long after I started collating it in 1995.  I didn't love the set more than any other at the time, I just opened a ton of it and thought it would be cool to assemble the set.  The rest of the above cards are some Topps versions.  The blue 2003 Topps is one of only 4 2003s that I have been able to get signed so far.  I'm leaning toward buying an early 2000s box of Topps and 2003 is on the short list of cards I may pick up.

Finally, here is a card that was victim of the "sticking together" of the overglossed 90s cards.  I was able to pretty much salvage it, but it did take a hit.  I had to include it in the mailing, though, mainly because of the gold foil, but also because there are a few fellow bloggers who love "pitchers at bat".

Lieber (b.1970) played in the majors from 1994 to 2002 and 204 to 2008 for the Pirates, Cubs, Yankees and Phillies.  He had a career record of 131-124 with 1,553 strike outs and an ERA of 4.27.  He had his best season in 2001 when he was 20-6 with a 3.80 ERA for the Cubs.  That season, he finished 4th inthe Cy Young voting and received his only All Star nod.

I mailed to Lieber on January 11 and got the cards back on January 28, for a 17-day TAT.

TTM Success - Matt Mieske

I was able to add some 1990s cards via TTM when I got these back from Matt Mieske.  This 1995 Topps was the first that I was able to add from that set.  This is a really nice one, with it being horizontal, and the cloudy sky in the background.  It really turned out great.

Here are some other 90s staples that I was able to get signed.  Clockwise from top left are: 1991 Bowman RC, 1995 Collectors Choice SE (I always loved this set), 1994 Donruss and 1995 Stadium Club.

Mieske (b. 1968) played in the majors from 1993 to 2000 for the Brewers, Cubs, Mariners, Astros and Diamondbacks.  He had 406 hits, 56 home runs and a .262 batting average.

I mailed to Mieske on April 21 and got the cards back on May 2, for an 11-day TAT.