Category: TTM

Be My Valentine!

Today I received three items to add to my autograph collection.  The first was the Bobby Valentine regional Sports Illustrated magazine.  I sent it to Scott S (the SI King) for a private signing he was doing.  It turned out great!

I also received a baseball I sent to a player who only played one game in the Major Leagues, John Paciorek.  He signed the baseball about his game and what he has done since his baseball career finished.  It is a neat baseball!

Lastly I received an Andy Pettitte baseball I bought from Justin M (jwm202 on SCN).

A HUGE Spring in my step!

If you have read any of these posts on this lame blog, you will have noticed I have a number of friends who share the same passion as autograph collecting as I do and they are scattered around the country.  Having so many contacts like this allows me to really add to my collection spring spring training.  I have a few guys who live in Florida or Arizona and others who travel there for a week or two or even longer pursuing autographs for themselves as well as myself.  Today I received a really nice pile of packages with items signed during spring training.  They are all really nice additions to the collection!

Paul C lives in the Fort Myers, Florida area and works the teams there as well as the rookie leagues.  Today I received the following baseballs:
Jake Odorizzi
Hak-Ju Lee
Jackie Bradley Jr
Mike Napoli

Matt W (invctrl on SCN) worked the Nationals and Astros spring training sites and hooked me up with the following:
Denard Span 2012 Topps Heritage Update
Jose Altuve ML Debut ticket
Lucas Harrell ML Debut ticket with ML Debut
Stephen Strasburg Sports Illustrated magazine

Last but not least, I got the remaining items from Arizona from Kent B (doggle3 on SCN).  Kent and Noah worked the Arizona spring training sites just about all spring long.  They did a great job getting me a bunch of autographs at really reasonable prices.  Kent works the Kansas City Royals as well as their opponents for me during the regular season and does a great job.  From these guys I received the following:
Tommy Hanson 1st Win ticket
Derek Norris ML Debut ticket
Todd Frazier ML Debut ticket
Wade Miley ML Debut ticket
Mark Trumbo ML Debut ticket
Paul Goldschmidt ML Debut ticket
Gordon Beckham ML Debut ticket
Nice Punto @ 2 baseball cards
Chad Billingsly OMLB
Wade Miley OMLB
Paul Goldschmidt OMLB
Jorge Soler OMLB
Kyle Seager OMLB
Josh Tomlin OMLB
Ryan Madson Sports Illustrated
Matt Williams, Eddie Rodriguez and Rod Barajas on the Diamondbacks Sports Illustrated
and the best Joey Votto Sports Illustrated

I am really fortunate to know these guys and I thank them a ton for their efforts and great work.

I also received a package I sent to Wade Boggs.  I had a Sports Illustrated magazine that commemorates Fenway Park and had him sign that and a Hall of Fame postcard for a donation.

Tune the Piano

Ok.  I admit it.  The title for this post is weak but if you bear with me, you will make the connection.  Jerry Trupiano (Piano) is a radio broadcaster (tune in the channel?) for the Boston Red Sox.  He was behind the microphone on 10/17/2004 for 2004 ALCS Game 4 when the Red Sox faced the Yankees.  The Yankees were up three games to none and no team, in any sport, ever came back in a seven game series after being down three games to none… until the 2004 Red Sox.  The champagne was on ice ready to be sprayed by the Yankees with the future Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera on the hill protecting a one run lead in the bottom of the ninth.  In one of the most exciting games in any League Championship Series history, the Red Sox scratched together a run off Mariano to force extra innings.  In the bottom of the 12th inning, David Ortiz, Big Papi, hit a two run walk off home run to win the game and the Red Sox continued the momentum all the way to winning the following three games to get to the Fall Classic which they swept the Cardinals.

Jerry Trupiano wrote his call from Ortiz’s walk off home run in game four on my baseball I received today.  That was really cool.  Not only that, he put a note in he donated the money I sent to his church and even returned my pen.  Thank you Jerry for the awesome baseball!