50-50 Returns From Joshua

A couple more 50/50 packages came in this past week, and I have added a bunch of cards to my album.  This one came in from a guy named Joshua that I had talked to off and on on Instagram for a few years.  Joshua and his friend came down to the Wood Ducks this past season and graphed as part of a long road trip.  I admire the commitment, as I also enjoy a good graphing road trip.  Joshua told me that I could send him some cards for some of the teams he saw (mainly Harrisburg), so I sent a small 50/50 package his way.  He got some other teams as well, including the above 2019 Pro Debut of Josh Breaux.  I had seen Breaux when I was in Augusta a couple years ago.  I think he was with Charleston at the time, when they were Low A.

Joshua knocked out a few cards of guys that I had missed when they came through with the Potomac Nationals.  That made sending him a 50/50 package easy, as I already had these cards aside.  Next season, I hope to send him some more, since I will have more time to search and prepare.

The best part was getting these Carolina League Top Proespects cards signed.  I had missed them, like I said, so getting them out of the box was a plus.

Thanks for the cards, Jushua!

May 2019 Graphing of Potomac Nationals at Down East Wood Ducks

Last week, the Potomac Nationals came to Kinston for the first and only time this season.  Luckily, I finished off most everything that I had for them.  KJ Harrison limited to 2 per, so I had a fvew of his cards leftover, but they were all the same kind of card, so it was ok to miss him there.

I got a bunch of his stuff done, regardless of him putting up a limit.  I helped my friend, Gerard out with a few for 50/50s as well.

I finihed off Nick Banks and Nick Raquet, and I feel like those two will have moved up be the time I see Potomac next season.  Maybe the Nationals will get some good prospects in to take their place.

My COMC order came in before this series started, so I was able to get Kenny Holmberg on his bat boy card from 1993 Classic, and also a 2011 Bowman orange parallel.

I also got a couple 2019 Bowman JP Martinez inserts done, and they turned out really well.  I had to run him down, since he went under the bleachers, but the cards got done.

TTM Success - Tyler Mapes

I needed Tyler Mapes for my 2018 Carolina League All Star set, but he was promoted before the game was held.  Luckily, my good friend, Gerard, reached out to him on Instagram and asked if he would sign some cards TTM.  When Gerard told me that Mapes had agreed, I mailed this (and Chris's card) to Harrisburg.

Mapes (b. 1991) was a 30th round pick in the 2014 Amateur Draft by the Nationals out of Tulane University.  He has a career minor league record of 27-17 with a 2.66 ERA and 255 strike outs.  He split this season with High A Potomac and Double A Harrisburg.

I mailed to Mapes on July 9 and got the card back on July 23, for a 14-day TAT.

Aug 18, 2018 Graphing of Nationals at Mudcats

I went on the road a few Saturdays ago to Zebulon, NC to catch the Nationals at Mudcats to polish off a few cards that were left hanging out after both teams finished up with the Wood Ducks.  I had found the one Nick Banks (bottom left) in one of my boxes, and then I saw that Luis Garcia and Brigham Hill had been called up to the Nats.  My son, Chris and my brother, Andy came with me.  We braved some storms, and two bats mating on the field, but we had a great time.  No, there weren't baseball bats mating on the field, they were the flying mammal bats.  It was an odd sight.

Also at this game, I got to talking with a fellow Wood Duck grapher, Ben, his hit it off (even more than we already had).  We ended up graphing a bunch of Wood Ducks games together to close out the season (to be continued).

June 25 Graphing of Potomac Nationals at Down East Wood Ducks

Chris and I embarked on a four-stadium two-state tour that began on Monday night, June 25 with a stop to see our friends, the Wood Ducks take on the Potomac Nationals.  I missed the Nationals last season, so I was glad that I had a shot to see them this year before we left for our trip.  I took some 50/50s for Gerard, and I was able to get everyone that I had come to see.

I had a ton of Jakson Reetz cards put aside that I was finally able to get signed.  He was really nice, and signed everything that we had.  The 2014 Bowman Ice (top left) and 2014 Bowman Green (top middle) parallels really turned out well.  The green parallel is numbered 33/75.

I was able to get several team set cards done, like the above South Atlantic League All Star cards, and the Hickory Crawdad cards.

I also knocked off two of the cards I needed for my 2018 Carolina League All Star set.

Will Crowe and Nick Raquet were really nice, and I was able to get some 2017 Bowman done.  I powdered them all and they turned out great.

I was really excited to get the Stars and Stripes Nick Banks done because I kept seeing it in my minors box.  I also found a few of his Bowman and got those taken care of.

Carlos Maldonado has left the Wood Ducks to manage Spokane now that their season has started.  Guilder Rodriguez has been added to the staff and I found his 2015 Topps base and chrome to get signed.

Finally, I got this Rhett Wiseman done in a 50/50 for Gerard.  He had sent them last year, and I finally got them signed for him.

After the game, Chris and I headed to Raleigh to fly out the next morning to Texas.  Stay tuned for the next leg of that trip, Globe Life Stadium.