May 4, 2024, Graphing of Revolution at Rockers

This past weekend, Jesse and I made the trip to High Point so Jesse could knock another stadium off of his list.  He also had never been to an independent league game, so that was new to him also.  Jesse turned me onto the above 1993-95 Cardtoons of "Frankie Violin".  I didn't recall seeing this card before, so when he showed me, I bought one to take to High Point to get signed.

Viola signed everything we had right before the game was set to start.  Once he hit the last card on Jesse's page, the rain started to fall.

We got the game in, though.  Viola ended up being ejected when the Umpires heard some chirping coming from the Rockers dugout.  Unable to identify who it was, he tossed Viola.  It was a bit of extra entertainment added to an already entertaining game.

I knocked out 10 cards (including the Viola) from my 2023 High Point set.  I missed Jeremy Rhoades, but he did start the game, so if would have been tough anyway. I forgot to look for him post-game outside.

We were lucky to get Kyle Barraclough.  He was picked up by the Rangers today.  I finally got the two Ryan Meisinger cards shown above signed.  I had been waiting to get them done for a while. I had been waiting longer to get Peter Solomon, though.  His 2018 Carolina League top prospects card had floated around my boxes since that season.

My friend, Gerard, sent some supplemental cards that I couldn't get in a pinch like the above 2019 Bowman green parallel of Evan Edwards.

Colin Moran was signed to High Point last Thursday, so I was able to find 8 of his cards before I pulled out of the driveway on Friday.  He signed for us twice, doing one per each time.

Jamari Baylor was the only York guy that I was able to get.  I missed Ethan Lindow and Will Stewart.  I'll try to get them sometime later this season. 

In all, we got the following autographs: Ben Aklinski x 1, Kyle Barraclough x 4, DJ Burt x 1, Evan Edwards x 4, Ryan Grotjohn x 1, Jamie Keefe x 1, Ryan Meisinger x 3, Colin Moran x 4, Neil Ramirex x 4, Austin Ross x 1 Peter Solomon x 8, Frank Viola x 17, Ryan Weiss x 1, Zander Wiel x 1 and Jamari Baylor x 8 (59 total autographs).

TTM Success - Danny Hultzen

Slowly, some past Spring Training TTM requests are trickling in, like this one from Danny Hultzen.  The above 2020 Topps Fire was a nice card to get back signed.

I also got a 2013 Bowman Chrome mini refractor.  Hultzen kept my 2020 Topps.

Hultzen (b. 1989) played in the majors in 2019 for the Cubs.  He got into 6 games for 3.1 innings and allowed no runs with 5 strike outs.  He didn't register any wins or losses.  He was the second overall pick by the Mariners in the 2011 June Amateur Draft out of the University of Virginia. 

I mailed to Hultzen on February 9, 2021, and got the cards back on May 2, 2024, for a 1,178-day TAT.

TTM Success - Dylan Bundy

This return from a private signing with Dylan Bundy helped me get two cards that I tried getting signed in Durham finally added to the autograph album.  Last season, I walked around with this 2012 Bowman Sterling for two days trying to get Bundy to sign, but got ignored both days.  The card looks great.  

This 2013 Topps short print was another one that i had hoped to get signed. I had a couple copies of this one, so it was nice to get one of them signed.  It would have been better had he stopped for us in Durham, but it's all good.  I had gotten Bundy in person myself several times.  

Bundy (b. 1992) played in the majors in 2012 and from 2016 to 2022 for the Orioles, Angels and Twins.  He had a record of 54-65 with 852 strike outs and a 4.74 ERA.  He finished 9th in the 2020 AL Cy Young Award voting.

I mailed to the signing on January 31 and got the cards back on May 1, for a 91-day TAT.  I paid a fee of $15/card.

TTM Success - Joe West

Before I paid for the signed Joe West ball that Gerard sent me, I had signed up for a private signing to get the above 2022 Topps Allen and Ginter Chrome signed.  The card turned out nicely.  I now have a card and a ball signed by West.  I hope that he makes it into the Hall of Fame soon.  He just missed it during the most recent veterans committee voting.  I believe he has to wait three years for the next voting for his category.

I mailed to the signing on February 2 and got the card back today (May 1) for an 89-day TAT. I paid a fee of $30.00.

TTM Success - Felipe Alou

These Felipe Alou cards have been waiting a long time to get signed.  I had a couple that I sent off TTM to Spring Training a while back, but they haven't come in.  Alou usually serves as a guest instructor at Giants Spring Training, but hasn't been there the last couple of years.  So, I'm not sure those sill come back.  I sent the above 1964 Topps and below 1974 Topps to a private signing a d got them back signed.  They turned out great.

Alou (b. 1935) played in the majors from 1958 to 1974 for the Giants, Braves (Milwaukee and Atlanta), A's, Yankees, Expos and Brewers.  He had 2,101 hits, 206 home runs and a .286 batting average.  He had over 200 hits twice in his career (1966 and 1968).  He was a 3-time All Star (1962, 1966 and 1968).  His best MVP finish was 5th (NL, 1966).  He appeared on the 1980 Hall of Fame ballot, but received only 0.8% of the vote.

Alou managed the Expos from 1992 to 2001 and the Giants from 2003 to 2006.  His managerial record was 1,033-1,021 (.503 win %).  He was the 1994 NL Mmager of the Year.

I mailed to the signing on March 26 and got the cards back on April 29, for a 34-day TAT.  I paid a fee of $25/card.

TTM Success - Joe Azcue

While I was out of town graphing in Richmond, one TTM came back on Saturday.  I had sent two Joe Azcue cards that I pulled from Conrads boxes, the above 1964 Topps and the below 1971 Topps.

Both of the cards turned out great.  I was glad to get a couple vintage cards back signed; I only have a small ha full left of stuff that I had pulled from Conrad's boxes, sk I need to get them out. 

Azcue (b. 1939) played in the majors in 1960, from  1962 to 1970 and 1972 for the Reds, A's (Kansas City), Indians, Red Sox, Angels and Brewers.  He had 712 hits, 50 home runs and a .252 batting average.  He was an All Star in 1968.

I mailed to Azcue on March 25 and got the cards back on April 27, for a 33-day TAT. I paid Azcue's fee of $5/card.

April 27-28, 2024, Graphing of Baysox at Flying Squirrels

This weekend, Chris and I went to Richmond and met up with Ryan to graph two games between the Baysox and Flying Squirrels.  I had been looking forward to this series since I pulled the above magenta lunar crater chrome parallel of Samuel Basallo's 2023 Bowman Draft.  Basallo was one of only two autographs I got on Saturday.

Basallo hit his paper Bowman Draft as well.  He was really nice, and had a great game on Sunday, hitting two homers.

Bowie was pretty tough on Saturday, like I said.  Sunday was much better, as the three of us, along with my friend Charlie, who showed up toward the end of Sunday's game, hit Bowie outside the stadium as they were boarding the buses.

I was able to get almost all of the guys I needed, missing Kade Strowd and Silas Ardoin completely.  Still, I got a good amount out of the boxes and into the album. 

Pregame Sunday, I concentrated on the Richmond side of the stadium for the first time.  Ryan and Chris hung back and tried Bowie.  I got Reggie Crawford first, which was really cool.  I was able to feed my book under the netting and Crawford did two of the three cards I had.

I was told ahead of time that Hunter Bishop would be one per, so I pulled this lime green parallel out of the book and fed it under the net when Bishop finally came over.  He ignored me at first as he went to stretch, then I made eye contact with him and signaled a request to sign.  He gestured that he would come over after he finished, but walked by afterward.  I had put the card up, only to see Bishop coming back.  I hastily found the card and was able to get it signed.  This 2021 Bowman has some miles on it, as it went out for a couple missed 50/50s.  It finally rests in the album with some ink on it.

The rest of the Flying Squirrels were really nice.  Each of Jimmy Glowenke, Grant McCray, Ryan Murphy and Will Wilson struck up conversations as they were signing.  I was glad to finally get a few if these guys, and feel like I did pretty well over on the Richmond side.

Post-game was when we did the best on Bowie.  Most of the guys we called over by the buses came over and signed a few cards.  We must have missed Ardoin, as we didn't see him get on the bus, but he must have when we were distracted by getting someone else to sign.

In all, I got the following autographs: Samuel Basallo x 4, Dylan Beavers x 5, Kyle Brnovich x 1, Jud Fabian x 2, Seth Johnson x 1, John Rhodes x 4, Anthony Servideo x 3, Hunter Bishop x 1, Reggie Crawford x 2, Jimmy Glowenke x 3, Grant McCray x 3, Ryan Murphy x 3 and Will Wilson x 3 (35 total autographs).