TTM Success - Hideki Okajima

Another TTM success came back from Japan, this one being from former Red Sox pitcher, Hideki Okajima.  I got some nice cards signed, like the above 2007 Topps Rookie 52.

This 2008 Upper Deck First Edition turned out well, also.

Okajima (b. 1975) played in the majors from 2007 to 2011 and 2013 for the Red Sox and A's.  He had a record of 17-8 with 216 strike outs and a 3.09 ERA. He won the World Series in 2007 with the Red Sox.

I mailed to Okajima (to Japan) on February 20 and got the cards back on April 26, for a 65-day TAT.  I sent $3 to cover return postage.

TTM Success - Josh Geer

I took a couple cards out of my old rookies box that I had and sent them out for signatures.  These cards of Josh Geer turned out fairly well.  I liked the above 2009 O Pee Chee.  I don't know why Upper Deck brought back the O Pee Chee brand in the late 2000s, but they did.  It was a cheap alternative to Topps Total, I suppose.  Still, the design was nice, and the card looks good signed.

This 2009 Bowman also turned out well.

Geer (b. 1983) played in the majors in 2008 and 2009 for the Padres.  He had a record of 3-8 with 70 strike outs and a 5.28 ERA.

I mailed to Geer on May 14 and got the cards back on June 12, for a 29-day TAT.

TTM Success - Jeremy Sowers

In my efforts to add some more recent cards to my autograph album, I saw that Jeremy Sowers was signing TTM.  I was able to get some late 2000s cards done, like the above 2007 Topps CoSigners.  I don't think I had any signed cards from this set in my album, so it provided a little something different.

I also got a 2006 Topps Rookie 52 and a 2009 O Pee Chee signed.  He kept two of the cards that I sent.

Sowers (b. 1983) played in the majors from 2006 to 2009 for the Indians.  He was a 1st round pick (6th overall) in the 2004 June Amateur Draft.  He had a career record of 18-30 with 174 strike outs and a 5.18 ERA.

I mailed to Sowers on September 30 and got the cards back on October 16, for a 16-day TAT.

TTM Success - Chris Volstad

I have been working on finding some guys who sign TTM from the mid-to-late 2000s, so I can move some of those cards out of my boxes.  I found a handful of guys, and sent out a ton of cards.  I was glad to get these cards back from former pitcher, Chris Volstad.

The above 2008 Topps Heritage rookie card looks pretty great.  I love the 1959 Topps design, and this one looks good.  The only thing that could make it better would have been a higher quality Sharpie.

Volstad also signed these four cards: 2005 Topps Update, 2008 Topps Update, 2009 Allen & Ginter and a 2009 O Pee Chee.

Volstad (b. 1986) played in the majors from 2008 to 2013, 2015 and 2017 to 2018 for the Marlins, Cubs, Rockies, Pirates and White Sox.  He had a career record of 37-58 with 481 strike outs and a 5.00 ERA.

I mailed to Volstad on September 30 and got the cards back on October 8, for an 8-day TAT.

With these five cards being added to my album, I have now filled 11 albums with autographed baseball cards.  Not too bad, since I started the albums in 2016.  Additionally, that does not include my signed 1987 Topps album.

Cards From Andrew - In Person Package

I have had this team bag of cards on my desk for a while now.  Two months, almost.  Andrew handed me these cards upon our meeting in person this summer, and I have been waiting to post the cards, for no apparent reason, except to have something to talk about on a rainy day.  Well, it is raining, and I figured I have waited long enough, so here we go.

Both of the cards I am showing come from 2009, and I hadn't noticed before, but the 2009 O Pee Chee card is actually from a game between the Rangers and Orioles, before Orange Crush was sent to Baltimore.  It's a small world.

The O Pee Chee set was forgettable, like O Pee Chee offerings always are.  Not a bad looking card, really.  It's just, I don't know, O Pee Chee.  Cool thing is, I didn't have it in my collection, and as always, Andrew hooked me up.

Another forgotten set was Topps Ticket to Stardom.  I actually liked Ticket to Stardom when it came out.  I opened quite a few packs and pulled a few nice autos, even an auto and piece of ticket for some player (can't remember who it was, but I held onto it).

Thanks for the cards, Andrew!  As always, I appreciate it, and I almost have a package ready for you.

A Package From Weston

I got a nice package from Weston over at "Fantastic Catch" recently.  He put in a bunch of Orioles and some Panini Cooperstown cards.  I really liked the 2009 O Pee Chee Chris Davis (above), which I didn't have for some reason.

Weston also included this Cal Ripken that I didn't have yet.  Speaking of Cal, he turned 53 today.  Wow, I'm feelig old.

Thanks for the package, Weston!  I really enjoyed the cards!