Category: Caden

2019 Twins Hall of Fame Breakfast

Today was the annual Twins Hall of Fame breakfast where we celebrated the induction of Joe Nathan and Jerry Bell into the Twins team Hall of Fame. I went to this even last year and enjoyed it so much I decided to go again. Last year the kids could not make it so I brought Caden’s buddy Noah. We had a great time and Noah wanted to go again this year and said he would get me the autographs if I got the ticket so I did. The four of us had a great time. Torii and TK were really funny. Joe Nathan was extremely happy to be included in the HOF. After the breakfast and speeches were completed, there was an autograph event. They were pretty strict at the one autograph per person and since I had four people, I did ok. I brought items for all the people in the Twins HOF not knowing who would be there for the autographs. I was caught off guard last year but not this year! I also helped out a buddy from Washington with some autographs of the guys I did not need. Tom Kelly saw my 1987 Twins Report showing all the front office guys and himself and made a comment of a motley crew and they all looked like they should be in a police lineup. Brad Radke shook my hand and when I mentioned I sat next to him at last year’s breakfast he said he remembered me. I doubt it but it was still cool. When I asked Michael Cuddyer to sign my ticket from his debut game, I asked him if I recall correctly that Bob Casey announced him as ‘Michael Cudd-yer’ rather than ‘Cud-dyer’ and he laughed and said “Probably!” Joe Nathan signed my 300th Save ticket and I asked him “Wasn’t that last pitch a little outside?” He laughed and said “Nope! It was a strike all the way!” It was pretty neat. Here is what I got with the help of Caden, Cami, and Noah…
Tom Kelly- Metrodome #10 Seatback, Oversize card for 1,000th Win, Twins Report magazine from 1987, 1987 Topps (for Greg)
Brad Radke- 1997 Topps, 2003 Topps (for Greg), 2004 Topps (for Greg), 2000 Victory (for Greg)
Michael Cuddyer- 2 ML Debut ticket with “MLB Debut” inscription, 2003 Topps already signed by Michael Restovich, 2012 A&G (for Greg)
Torii Hunter- Cami finished her photo already signed by Buxton and Rosario, 2016 Topps variation, 2019 A&G, 2003 UD Vintage (for Greg)
Johan Santana- 2008 Topps Heritage, 2009 Topps Strikeout Leaders, 2006 Topps Strikeout Leaders, 2006 Topps
Joe Nathan- 2 300th Save tickets/ 1 with “300th Save”, 2015 A&G (for Greg), 1999 Revolution (for Greg)
John Gordon- Legendary Voices card with “Touch ’em all!”
It was a fun few hours and I cannot wait for next year’s event!

Private Signing…

Today I was able to add a couple items to my collection as part of a signing for season ticket holders. Willians Astudillo, Taylor Rogers, and Blake Parker were signers at Target Field. Caden and I got to the ballpark right at 1 when it was to start so we were able to walk right in. When Caden handed Willians the short print of him pitching he laughed at it and showed it to Taylor Rogers and they both had a laugh. Willians seemed very engaged and loved the fan attention. Taylor was his typical serious, but friendly, self and Blake was really outgoing and friendly. It was a fun time! The items I got signed were:
Willians Austudillo- 2019 Topps Heritage Rookies (already signed by Kohl Stewart), 2019 Topps Now Future ROY, 2019 Topps, 2019 Topps short print
Taylor Rogers- 2019 Topps, OMLB
Blake Parker- 2019 Topps Target Field card, OMLB
Thanks for helping me Caden!

2019 Twinsfest- Day 3

Today started the final day of Twinfest. Cami was not able to go because she had a volleyball tournament and since Caden stayed overnight at a hotel with his buddies, I could get there whenever I wanted to. I took my time getting there and ended up arriving around 9:30. I did not need anything from the first set of stations so I went to drop off a Mauer final game ticket and some photos for Tony S and headed to the Royce Lewis line. Everyone there was in line for Royce whereas my main goals were the other guys at his station. I got Jason Castro, Fernando Romero, Gabriel Moya, and Royce Lewis all on cards. Royce finished off a cool Bowman Chrome card that I had gotten signed by Brent Rooker last Twinsfest. Royce commented that it is pretty cool that I finished the card. I then skipped over to the other line and got Rooker, Kohl Stewart, LaMonte Wade, Akil Baddoo, and Stephen Gonsalves. Gonsalves signed a Major League debut ticket and I asked him to inscribe it. He asked if I wanted 1.1 as well. He caught me off guard and I did not know how to react. After he signed it he smiled at me and I laughed back at him and smiled. It was pretty funny. He ended up lasting only 1.1 innings in his debut game. It was a hilarious moment. After that I sent to the Byron Buxton line. I got Buxton, Nick Gordon, and Jim Kaat. I then got back in line at the same station for the final group which was Michael Pineda, Max Kepler, CJ Cron, and Nelson Cruz. I asked Tony’s son Spencer if he wanted to get in line for me and get Kepler on a couple cards and he could have the other guys. He was excited to do that and waited in line with me. He is such a good kid. He got me a couple cards of Kepler and I Kepler on cards, Buxton on a 3 HR ticket (he said he could not inscribe), Pineda on a couple cards, and Cron on his first home run ticket. I asked him if he remembered who he hit it off of and he said “J. A. Happ”. Pretty cool. After that Spencer and I walked back to Tony’s table and Tony had gotten the artist who painted the painting of the Joe Mauer print they handed out to sign three copies of it for me. I said my goodbyes to Tony and Spencer and met up with Caden and headed home. Twinsfest 2019 was a ton of fun and spending it with Shane yesterday and experiencing different parts of it made it even more fun. I was able to knock off a bunch of items I needed ink for the collection with great help from the kids and other people. My tally of items for my collection from today include:
Jason Castro 9/12/17 Topps Now
Fernando Romero 2018 Topps Heritage, 2018 Topps
Gabriel Moya generic Twins signature card
Royce Lewis Bowman Chrome Recommended Viewing card
Max Kepler 2018 Topps team card, 2018 Opening Day Topps Now, 2018 Topps, 4/11/18 Topps Now
Michael Pineda 2018 Topps Heritage
Nick Gordon 2018 Topps Debut, 2018 Topps Heritage Minors
Brent Rooker 2018 Topps Debut
Alex Kiriloff 2017 Topps Heritage Minors
Kohl Stewart Ticket w/”First MLB Win”, Ticket w/”MLB Debut”, 2017 Topps Heritage Minors, 2017 Bowman
Stephen Gonsalves Ticket w/”MLB Debut”, 2018 Topps Debut, 2017 Bowman
Ryan Jeffers 2018 Bowman
Akil Baddoo OMLB, 2017 Topps Pro Debut, 2017 Topps Heritage Minors
Nelson Cruz OMLB
Mitch Garver 2018 Topps Heritage, 2018 Topps
Zach Littell 2018 Topps Debut, 2018 Topps
Byron Buxton 3 HR ticket
CJ Cron Ticket w/”1st ML HR”
Aldaberto Mejia Ticket from his debut game