TTM Success - Tyler Townsend

Another former Oriole farmhand was added to the autograph album when this 2009 Bowman came back TTM signed by Tyler Townsend. I have very few 2009 Bowmans signed, so this one was a nice addition.

Townsend (b. 1988) was a 3rd round pick by the Orioles in the 2009 June Amateur Draft out of Florida International University. He played in the minors from 2009 to 2012, all in the Orioles system. He reached AA Bowie before retiring. He had 234 hits, 36 home runs and a .272 batting average. 

I mailed to Townsend on December 10 and got the card back on April 6 for a 117-day TAT.

TTM Success - John Parrish

Another former Oriole signed some cards for me TTM. John Parrish signed three cards for me: a 2001 Upper Deck, 2001 Topps and a 2007 Upper Deck. The above 2001 Upper Deck is a really sharp card. I really like this set, and when the cards get signed, they usually turn out great.

Parrish (b. 1977) played in the majors in 2000, 2001, 2003 to 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2010 for the Orioles, Mariners, Blue Jays and Royals. He had a record of 14-14 with 225 strike outs and a 4.51 ERA.

I mailed to Parrish on November 26 and got the cards back on March 5, for a 99-day TAT.

TTM Success - Alejandro Freire

Here is a Spring Training TTM success from this year. I had held onto these Alejandro Freire cards in my to-be-TTMed box for a while once I realized he was a good TTM signer through the Rays. He was among the first batch I sent out to Spring Training this year, and one of the few that came back.

I got a 2006 Upper Deck and a 2006 Topps Rookie 52 signed. He is a firmer Oriole I can add to the autograph album and cross off of the list of former Os.

Freire (b. 1974) played in the majors in 2005 for the Orioles. He had 16 hits, 1 home run and a .246 batting average. 

I mailed to Freire via Rays camp on February 9 and got the cards back on February 27, for an 18-day TAT. 

TTM Success - Jayson Werth

Last night, I showed a TTM success from his father; tonight i show a TTM success from Jayson Werth. I signed up for a private signing on SCN for Werth, so I could get one of my older Orioles Bowmans out of my box. This 1998 Bowman Chrome turned out nicely. It was coincidence that both Werth successes came in on the same day.

Werth (b. 1979) played in the majors from 2002 to 2005 and 2007 to 2017 for the Blue Jays, Dodgers, Phillies and Nationals. He had 1,465 hits, 229 home runs and a .267 betting average. He was an All Star in 2009 and his best MVP finish was 8th (2010, NL). He won the World Series in 2008 with the Phillies. He appeared on the 2023 Hall of Fame ballot, but received no votes.

I mailed to the signing on October 21 and got the card back on February 24, for a 126-day TAT.

Another TTM Success From Tim Nordbrook

Back in 2024, I got Tim Nordbrook to sign a couple cards for me TTM. When I had sent those cards off, I couldn't find two of the cards I had pulled to send to him. Eventually, I did find them, so I sent to him again. One of the cards was the above 1977 SSPC. These are nice cards, and always look good when signed.

I also crossed this 1991 Crown Orioles card off. I'm not sure where I had put the cards, but it was probably "somewhere I would find them". I mean, I did find them.

I mailed to Nordbrook on December 16 and got the cards back on February 23, for a 69-day TAT.

TTM Success - Rick Krivda

An Orioles pitcher that I hadn't gotten TTM until recently was Rick Krivda. I don't know what I had been holding out for, but I finally got a couple cards sent out to him. The above 1997 Topps turned out great.

He also signed this 1996 Topps. I had looked for his Collectors Choice card where he is biting the bat, but I couldn't find it. I have since found it and plan to mail to him again sometime in the not-too-distant future. 

Krivda (b. 1970) played in the majors from 1995 to 1998 for the Orioles, Indians and Reds. He had a record of 11-16 with 165 strike outs and a 5.57 ERA. 

I mailed to him on January 29 and got the cards back on February 13 for a 15-day TAT. 

TTM Success - Allan Ramirez

An Oriole who had eluded me for some time was finally added to the autograph album when I got two cards back signed TTM from Allan Ramirez. The above 1984 Topps turned out great. I had this card pulled for a while, but I missed a signing and had to hold the card and wait for the next one. I saw that Ramirez was signing TTM, so I located the card and sent it out.

I also sent the above 1991 Crown Orioles card out and got it back. 

Ramirez (b. 1957) played in the majors in 1983 for the Orioles. He went 4-4 with 20 strike outs and a 3.47 ERA.

I mailed to Ramirez on December 15 and got the cards back on January 5 for a 21-day TAT. 

Another TTM Success From Don Buford

Another 1991 Crown Orioles card was put into the autograph album when this one came back signed TTM from Don Buford. I originally got Buford to sign TTM back in 2016, well before I bought the Crown set off of Chandy at a card show. Chandy was a good man; i was very sad when he passed away a couple years ago. I'm glad the set was bought from him, since many of the cards from the set will live on in my autograph album. 

I mailed to Buford on December 15 and got the card back on December 27 for a 12-day TAT. I paid his fee of $5.00.

TTM Success - John Pacella

Another TTM success came in from a former Oriole featured in the 1991 Crown Orioles set. John Pacella was also in the 1983 Topps set, so I sent this card off, as well.

It sucks that he isn't shown in an Orioles uniform, but this card is still signed.

Pacella (b. 1956) played in the majors in 1977, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1984 and 1986 for the Mets, Yankees, Twins, Orioles and Tigers. He has a record of 4-10 with 116 strike outs and a 5.73 ERA.

I mailed to Pacella on December 4 and got the cards back on December 17, for a 13-day TAT. 

TTM Success - Kurt Ainsworth

Here is another Oriole added to my autograph album, Kurt Ainsworth. The cards I sent him were some pretty nice ones, like the above 2004 Upper Deck. I have very few of these, so adding this one was great.  I had been waiting for Ainsworth to sign for a while, and the time finally came to send to him.

I also got a 2004 Topps Total and a 2005 Topps Chrome signed.  Both of these had been buried in my Orioles box, and are now in the autograph album. 

Ainsworth (b. 1978) played in the majors from 2001 to 2004 for the Giants and Orioles. He had a record of 6-8 with 90 strike outs and a 5.19 ERA.

I mailed to Ainsworth on October 14 and got the cards back on December 10, for a 57-day TAT.

TTM Success - Ricky Jones

Here is another 1991 Crown Orioles card for the autograph album. This card is signed by Ricky Jones. I had never heard of him before, so it was nice to get this card taken care of.

Jones (b. 1958) played in the majors in 1986 for the Orioles. He had 6 hits, no home runs and a .182 batting average. 

I mailed to Jones on November 13 and got the card back on December 4, for a 21-day TAT. 

TTM Success - Bud Norris

A private signing popped up with a former Oriole that I wanted to add to the autograph album, Bud Norris. I wanted him on an Orioles card, so I chose this 2015 Topps.  I like this set, and it was an easy choice.

Norris (b. 1985) played in the majors from 2009 to 2018 for the Astros, Orioles, Padres, Braves, Dodgers, Angels and Cardinals. He had a record of 67-90 with 1,153 strike outs and a 4.45 ERA.

I mailed to the signing on September 22 and got the card back on December 4, for a 73-day TAT.  I paid a fee of $20.00.

TTM Success - Royle Stillman

My question to knock out another 1991 Crown Orioles card led me to Royle Stillman.  It also helped me add the above 1978 Topps to the autograph album. He signed the card in blue ballpoint, and it turned out nicely.

The signature on the 1991 Crown turned out well, also.  I haven't counted how many of these that I've gotten, or how many I could still add, but they're fun to put in the album. 

Stillman (b. 1951) played in the majors from 1975 to 1977 for the Orioles and White Sox. He had 33 hits, 3 home runs and a .213 batting average. 

I mailed to Stillman on November 5 and got the cards back on December 2, for a 27-day TAT. 

TTM Success - Fred Holdsworth

Another 1991 Crown Orioles card was pulled from my box and sent out TTM.  I've been slowly chipping away at my stack of living Crown Orioles guys, and Fred Holdsworth was the next pull from the box.

Holdsworth (b. 1952) played in the majors from 1972 to 1974, 1976 to 1978 and 1980 for the Tigers, Orioles, Expos and Brewers.  He had a record of 7-10 with 94 strike outs and a 4.40 ERA.

I mailed to Holdsworth on November 14 and got the card back on November 29, for a 15-day TAT. 

TTM Success - Earl Stephenson

As far as my autograph collection goes, I've got a lot of irons in the fire.  I'm still working on the 1987 Topps set. I send off a handful of Bowman Draft every year. I am positioning myself to send a handful to Spring Training (probably less than last year, though). I also try to knock off a few 1991 Crown Orioles when I can.  Again, I have no chance at filling the set, but I can try to get as many of the living former Oriole players as I can.  One that recently came back signed TTM was the above Earl Stephnson. 

Stephenson (b. 1947) played in the majors in 1971, 1972, 1977 and 1978 for the Cubs, Brewers and Orioles.  He had a record of 4-5 with 50 strike outs and a 3.57 ERA.

I mailed to Stephenson on November 10 abd got the card back on November 22 for a 12-day TAT. 

TTM Success - Tony Butler

Tony Butler has a little bit of historical significance in Baltimore.  He is one of the guys who was the return from Seattle in the Erik Bedard trade.  The Mariners sent: Butler, Kam Mickolio, George Sherrill, Chris Tillman and Adam Jones to Baltimore in exchange for Bedard in what turned out to be one of the most lopsided trades in MLB history.  Jones had a great career and became the face of the Orioles; Sherrill and Tillman became All Stars in their own right.  Mickolio pitched 4 seasons in the majors. Bedard only got into 15 games in each of the 2008 and 2009 seasons in Seattle, before missing 2010 entirely. What happened to Butler, though?

Butler (b. 1987) was a third round pick by the Mariners in the 2006 June Amateur Draft out of Oak Creek High School in Wisconsin.  He played in the minors from 2006 to 2011 in the Mariners, Orioles and Brewers systems, reaching single A.  He had a record of 15-25 with 335 strike outs and a 4.60 ERA.

I had the above 2007 Donruss Elite Extra Edition card in my collection since I pulled it from a pack way back when it came out.  It had made its way through my boxes after all this time, until I finally sent it out TTM. He signed my card in blue Sharpie, and it looks pretty great.

I mailed to Butler on November 5 and got the card back on November 17, for a 12-day TAT. 

Another TTM Success From Steve Reed

This 2005 Topps Total of Aaron Rakers and Steve Reed was in one of my Orioles boxes. I pulled it so I could send it out TTM, that way I could have a signed Reed card showing him in an Orioles uniform. 

He's got a great signature.  Rakers doesn't sign much, so I'll probably have to hope for a private signing at some point. I guess I'll have to keep an eye out.

I mailed to Reed on October 22 and got the card back on November 6, for a 15-day TAT. 

TTM Success - Paul Winterling

Another former Oriole was added to the autograph album when this 2008 Bowman Chrome came back signed TTM by Paul Winterling.  I vaguely remember Winterling from back in the day.  I probably saw him with Frederick at a Winston-Salem Warthogs game.  That would likely be the only tome I would have seen him.

Winterling (b. 1983) was an undrafted free agent signed by the Orioles out of Johns Hopkins University. 

He played in the minors from 2005 to 2008, all in the Orioles system.  He would reach high-A Frederick. I probably saw him in 2008 at the same game that I saw Brandon Snyder and Matt Wieters.

Winterling had 153 hits, 21 home runs and a .231 batting average across his 4 mi or league seasons.

I mailed to Winterling on November 20, 2024, and got the card back on October 17 for a 331-day TAT.  The coolest part was the letter that Winterling sent along with the card.  Take some time to check out the letter; you'll have to zoom in, but it's a great read:

TTM Success - Jim Johnson

Another former Oriole was available for a private signing recently when Jim Johnson popped up.  I don't believe I had gotten him before, so I signed up.  I dug this 2012 Topps out of my Orioles box.  It turned out nicely.

Johnson (b. 1983) played in the majors from 2006 to 2018 for the Orioles, A's, Tigers, Braves and Dodgers.  He had a record of 38-46 with 531 strike outs and a 3.79 ERA.  He led the league in saves in 2012 and 2013.  He was an All Star in 2012.  That season he finished 7th in the AL Cy Young Award voting and 14th in the AL MVP race. 

I mailed to the signing on March 21 and got the card back on May 6 for a 46-day TAT.  I paid a $20.00 fee.

TTM Success - Pedro Alvarez

Whoops. I forgot to post last night.  Here is a great TTM success that I got back from Pedro Alvarez.  I got him on this 2017 Topps that shows him in an Orioles uniform. 

I also sent this 2014 Bowman that turned out great.

Alvarez (b. 1987) played in the majors from 2010 to 2018 for the Pirates and Orioles.  He had 704 hits, 162 home runs and a .236 batting average.  He led the NL in home runs (36) in 2013.  That season he was an All Star and won the Silver Slugger Award. 

I mailed to Alvarez on March 22 and got the cards back on April 19 for a 28-day TAT.