Today was an awesome day. After Caden and his teammates played in their tournament, three families from his team decided to drive down to Kansas City to see the Twins play the Royals.
The morning started with all three families going to the Negro Leagues Museum. From there, Cayden H and I decided to head to the ballpark to see if we can get some autographs before the game. We got to Kauffman Stadium around 11am or so and were the second and third people there to wait for autographs. I have never done in person autograph seeking this way but it was fun. The players can really only enter in three places and two of those are easily accessed by fans. We waited about an hour or so and the players and coaches started trickling in. The first player I got was Lorenzo Cain. He showed up on his own and I got him to sign a baseball at location A. Location A seemed to be the place to be where players who took cabs showed up and B is where the buses showed up to drop the players off. A little while later some coaches showed up. Eddie Guardado stopped to sign for someone and I said “Everyday Eddie! I watched you close out many games at the Metrodome!” He looked at me and smiled and said “Cool man!” and put his hand out to shake my hand. That was pretty cool.
There were a number of players that came by that I did not have anything for, like Eddie, but was just enjoying being so close to the players.
Jason Vargas, the Royals’ starting pitcher for the night, showed up at point A and was pretty cool to stop to sign for people. I got a baseball signed by him.
Around 2pm the first Twins bus showed up at location B. I was able to get Phil Hughes to sign his Topps Now Road to Opening Day card. Just after the bus showed up, the other two families showed up and dropped off lunch and Cami. The rest went to one of the family’s hotel to go swimming. Cami was really excited to be there. Shortly after she arrived, Byron Buxton showed up at location A and I got a 2017 Gypsy Queen card signed. Cami got her 2016 Topps Heritage “Twin Terrors” card that featured Buxton and Miguel Sano signed. We were pretty excited to add Buxton to our collections but the day was just starting!
Shortly after that Miguel Sano got dropped off at location A and he signed one per person who was there. I got my Topps Now Road to Opening Day card signed and Cami got her “Twin Terrors” card signed. She has a beautifully signed card by Buxton and Sano! The second team bus showed up around 3:30pm and that carried most of the players. I saw Cory Provus get off the bus and I said hi to him. He stopped and came over and I introduced myself to him as the person he was signing the Call Balls for and thanked him personally. We shook hands and he told me that it was a really neat idea and asked how many I had. I thanked him again and he entered. The only player to stop and sign out of the second bus was Brian Dozier. Dozier signed a 2017 Gypsy Queen card for me and a card for Cami. She was on Cloud Nine she was so excited as Dozier is probably her favorite Twin player. That was pretty much it outside. I purchased early admission tickets for the three of us and we were able to enter the park about an hour before everyone else. Cami went to the Royals side above the dugout while Cayden and I went to just above the Twins dugout at location C. While there I was able to get Eduardo Escobar on the 2017 Topps Twins team card. He signed it real small over himself which is awesome so I can now get others on it too. Eduardo also tossed Cayden and I each a baseball and I saw him give a kid his batting gloves he used for batting practice. While on the other side, Cami got a ball tossed to her too as well as having Ned Yost stop to sign and she got a ball signed by her.
I was expecting a fun game with Ervin Santana facing Jason Vargas but Ervin had an early throwing error to second base which opened the floodgates and the Twins got smoked. There were a couple fun Royals fans sitting around us so they enjoyed friendly banter about the game.
It was a lot of fun and I really look forward to the next time I get to KC for a game now that I know where to go for autographs!
Category: IP
Florida in Nebraska
As part of Caden’s baseball tournament, we were able to attend a game for the College World Series and the game the team went to was Game 1 of the final series which had the University of Florida vs LSU. I brought one baseball there hoping to get a particular player to sign it and watched him from the moment I walked in until I found success.
Alex Faedo was the 16th player chosen in the MLB draft a couple weeks earlier and he played for Florida. Cami, Cayden H, and I walked to be above the tunnel over the Gators’ dugout waiting for him to come in from the field. When he did, we asked him to sign but he kept on going. Cayden H then went to the LSU side to try to get a player from that team he wanted. Cami and I followed Alex to the bullpen and tried to get him there. He signed for someone but we were too late for him and just missed him. We then stood by the railing out front of the bullpen and after the pitchers warmed up, he came over when Cami asked him to and signed her program and a baseball for me. It was awesome. He even posed for a picture with Cami. I wish Alex much success and good health in his career.
Two Players and a Bear
Cami and I went to the Twins game today. As is the Twins Sunday tradition, two players sign autographs for kids. We got to the ballpark and Cami got in line. She got Tyler Duffey to sign his 2017 Topps card and Drew Rucinski to sign her team ball. Later in the game, it was announced that TC was signing autographs in the Digital Clubhouse so she took her TC card that we got walking into the ballpark and got him to sign it. It was a fun day at the ballpark until the 9th inning when the Red Sox scored 10 and buried the Twins.
Wild Thing!
Today I attended an event I never thought in a million years I would go to. The Wizard World Comic Con is in town and Charlie Sheen was appearing to sign autographs. I was not going to go to this but had a 5″x7″ card that Topps put out a few years ago as part of their 25 Year Anniversary set for Major League. I posted on SportsCollectors.net that I was looking for someone to get the card signed for me. I received a message from Chriss P (bigpog on SCN) that Charlie was going to be in the Twin Cities and he had a couple Major League movie posters he needed signed and asked if he paid for my autograph and admission ticket and his two tickets if I would get them signed for him. I had nothing planned today so I went. I have to say that Charlie was one of the coolest people I have ever met in that situation. He noticed I was a little nervous that I did not want things to get messed up and looked at me and smiled and said “Man, I don’t bite!”. I explained I was a little excited and that Major League was one of my most favorite movies and he replied “Thank you! That is very kind of you to say that.” Once he was done he shook my hand and thanked me. I really don’t drink but I bet he would be a blast to hang out with over a beer or two. I am excited to add his signature to my baseball collection.