I just returned from my first trip to Phoenix, Arizona, for Cactus League spring training. I attended six games, including one World Baseball Classic game (USA v. Mexico). Fantastic and I truly hope to make this an annual trip. In my following posts I will break down each stadium I visited and what my in person autograph experiences were like. Below is the games I attended:
Kansas City Royals Surprise Stadium
Los Angeles Angels Tempe Diablo Stadium
Colorado Rockies Salt River Fields at Talking Stick
Cincinnati Reds Goodyear Ballpark
Chicago White Sox Camelback Ranch
I also attended the Los Angeles Dodgers and Kansas City Royals practices at their respective ballparks.
I learned a lot from my trip, especially the fact that Cactus League team's are much better signers than the Grapefruit League. The Colorado Rockies was definitely the highest quantity, plus their stadium is the best stadium in all of Spring Training.
If you've never been to Phoenix I highly recommend the trip. It is well worth the money. The weather was fantastic. The people were exetremely nice. The baseball was great. I love my Grapefruit League, but Arizona is the place to be!
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Monday, January 7, 2013
Preparing for Spring Training 2013
Now that we have survived the new year it's time to start preparing for Spring Training. My first purchase was actually on Black Friday where Sports Authority had all of their balls on sale for 50% off, including ROMLB! They had a limit of 6 per customer, so I made every relative with me buy 6 until I had bought the store out. Each ROMLB was contained in the plastic display case and ended up costing $8.99 per ball and case. Seriously you can't beat that anywhere! My advice to those who missed the sale, please make a note and remember next Black Friday where I truly hope they run the same sale.
My next step in preparation was to begin locating high definition 8x10 photos of current players to print. I have just about every Grapefruit League 40 man roster done, and a few Cactus League teams to finish up. In addition to printing 8x10 photos, I finally printed the 40 man rosters for every team, including the non-roster invitees, and coaches. I try to wait till mid January because free agents are still being signed; however, I plan to reprint and revise my master lists closer to Spring Training start date.
Currently, I'm trying to organize my cards by team. I try to bring at least 2 cards of every player and coach listed to Spring Training games and practices. Ebay is a good way to find individual players I may be missing.
Please let me know what everyone else is doing in preparation for this Spring Training season!
My next step in preparation was to begin locating high definition 8x10 photos of current players to print. I have just about every Grapefruit League 40 man roster done, and a few Cactus League teams to finish up. In addition to printing 8x10 photos, I finally printed the 40 man rosters for every team, including the non-roster invitees, and coaches. I try to wait till mid January because free agents are still being signed; however, I plan to reprint and revise my master lists closer to Spring Training start date.
Currently, I'm trying to organize my cards by team. I try to bring at least 2 cards of every player and coach listed to Spring Training games and practices. Ebay is a good way to find individual players I may be missing.
Please let me know what everyone else is doing in preparation for this Spring Training season!
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Rawlings Outlet Store
I am lucky enough to live within 15 minutes of the Rawlings Outlet store in Orlando near Disney World. I have never visited the store before, but will be later this week. From what I have heard it is a fantastic place to stock up on Rawlings Official Major League Baseballs (ROLMB). People I've spoken to say they've been able to grab individual balls for about $11, which is a great price per ball. Also the Rawlings Autograph bat generally runs about $20 at the outlet.
I try to stock up on items I want autographed throughout the year because as you get closer to Spring Training expenses start to pile up. Between, tickets, hotels, and gas, I try to spread out my other expenses during the off season.
I will post next week what great goodies at great prices I can find!
I try to stock up on items I want autographed throughout the year because as you get closer to Spring Training expenses start to pile up. Between, tickets, hotels, and gas, I try to spread out my other expenses during the off season.
I will post next week what great goodies at great prices I can find!
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Who is that?
Many times I am asked how I know every single player at Spring Training...spoiler - I don't! I do have a knack with names and pretty much know the 40 man rosters for all the Major League teams; however, I don't always recognize faces. When graphing a Spring Training game fans realize players don't always have their names on their jerseys. Also, if a player is walking towards you, you can't see their jersey number either. What should a fan do? Ignore the autograph opportunity?!
First, when I can't identify a player I obviously can't pull their cards from my stack. Second, I don't want to use a Rawlings Official Major League Baseball, because they are expensive. I always carry mini ice cream baseball helmets of the teams playing. They don't have the highest value but personally I love the way they look. I use the metallic sharpies and they almost never smudge. The helmets are fairly inexpensive and easy to carry with you. Of course, the best part is not missing out on an autograph opportunity just because you haven't memorized the faces of thousands of players invited to Spring Training!
First, when I can't identify a player I obviously can't pull their cards from my stack. Second, I don't want to use a Rawlings Official Major League Baseball, because they are expensive. I always carry mini ice cream baseball helmets of the teams playing. They don't have the highest value but personally I love the way they look. I use the metallic sharpies and they almost never smudge. The helmets are fairly inexpensive and easy to carry with you. Of course, the best part is not missing out on an autograph opportunity just because you haven't memorized the faces of thousands of players invited to Spring Training!
Monday, August 6, 2012
Record TTM Success!
On today's date I set a new personal record for most successful TTM returns with 16! They are as follows:
1. Ian Stewart c/o Chicago Cubs 115 days
2. Lucas May c/o Kansas City Royals 104 days
3. Dan Plesac c/o MLB Network 18 days
4. Rob Picciolo c/o Home 18 days
5. Craig Monroe c/o FSN Detroit 13 days
6. Gary Lucas c/o Beloit Snappers 13 days
7. Dave West c/o Memphis Baseball Academy 12 days
8. Al Pedrique c/o Home 12 days
9. Bobby Valentine c/o Boston Red Sox 12 days
10. Jeff Reardon c/o Home 7 days
11. Jerry Reed c/o Home 7 days
12. Fredi Gonzalez c/o Atlanta Braves 7 days
13. Billy Beane c/o Oakland A's 7 days
14. Jimmy Key c/o Home 7 days
15. Doug Rader c/o Home 7 days
16. Bill Landrum c/o Home 7 days
I have sent approximately 300 TTM requests since April 12, 2012. I still have quite a few still floating out there and hope I can break my record set today!
1. Ian Stewart c/o Chicago Cubs 115 days
2. Lucas May c/o Kansas City Royals 104 days
3. Dan Plesac c/o MLB Network 18 days
4. Rob Picciolo c/o Home 18 days
5. Craig Monroe c/o FSN Detroit 13 days
6. Gary Lucas c/o Beloit Snappers 13 days
7. Dave West c/o Memphis Baseball Academy 12 days
8. Al Pedrique c/o Home 12 days
9. Bobby Valentine c/o Boston Red Sox 12 days
10. Jeff Reardon c/o Home 7 days
11. Jerry Reed c/o Home 7 days
12. Fredi Gonzalez c/o Atlanta Braves 7 days
13. Billy Beane c/o Oakland A's 7 days
14. Jimmy Key c/o Home 7 days
15. Doug Rader c/o Home 7 days
16. Bill Landrum c/o Home 7 days
I have sent approximately 300 TTM requests since April 12, 2012. I still have quite a few still floating out there and hope I can break my record set today!
Monday, July 23, 2012
First HOF Success TTM
At the end of this past Spring Training season I had a few unsigned ROMLB. I had never sent a baseball through the mail due to my fear of it being a failure and thus being out $16 on a ball. With this in mind I decided to send my first baseball TTM to Mr. Automatic, Hall of Famer, Bobby Doerr. The turnaround was 12 days. He truly is a class act. Very rarely will you find a HOF who still signs for free. I highly recommended newcomers to the TTM world to send a ball to Bobby Doerr. Not only is he a great way to get your feet wet in this hobby, but also one of the greatest players of all time.
Thank you Bobby Doerr!
Thank you Bobby Doerr!
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Best Cards to Use for TTM
A big debate amongst the TTM community is which cards should be used for autograph requests.
Factor #1: Can you say goodbye?
The first factor every collector needs to consider is whether they are prepared to lose a card forever. There really is no player with a 100% success rate for signing and returning TTM requests. Therefore it is important for the collector to choose a card they are willing to part with forever.
Factor #2: Money, Money, Money!
The second factor, which ties into the first factor, is the value of a card. In theory, when a player signs a card it destroys the card and therefore leaves it worthless. Don't fret, the value of a signed card is not the card itself but the player's autograph. Therefore, it is my opinion, collectors should use low value cards.
Factor #3: Type of Card
The third factor to consider is the face of the card. Some cards smudge very easily. It is important to choose a card that will have a nice clean finish without bubbling or smudging. Topps and Bowman Chrome cards are some of the worst due to their glossy finish. Allen & Ginter is used by many TTM collector's because they are cardboard and sharpie ink works well on this type of finish.
My personal preference:
Drum roll please...the card I use most often that works perfectly with all three factors is the Topps Opening Day series. For starters these cards are fairly cheap. Between buying cards, envelopes, and stamps, the TTM hobby can get a little pricey. Dave and Adam's Card World currently has 2011 Topps Opening Day cards on clearance. Because they are inexpensive they do not carry very much value. This is perfect for autographs TTM! You never have to worry about destroying the value of a card. Obtaining a player's autograph can only increase the value of the card. Not only are they inexpensive, but they have little or no gloss. Not one of my opening day cards are smudged and blue sharpie looks very nice against the player's photo.
I hope this post helps all those TTM collector's out there! I would love to hear what other collector's like to use and why!
Factor #1: Can you say goodbye?
The first factor every collector needs to consider is whether they are prepared to lose a card forever. There really is no player with a 100% success rate for signing and returning TTM requests. Therefore it is important for the collector to choose a card they are willing to part with forever.
Factor #2: Money, Money, Money!
The second factor, which ties into the first factor, is the value of a card. In theory, when a player signs a card it destroys the card and therefore leaves it worthless. Don't fret, the value of a signed card is not the card itself but the player's autograph. Therefore, it is my opinion, collectors should use low value cards.
Factor #3: Type of Card
The third factor to consider is the face of the card. Some cards smudge very easily. It is important to choose a card that will have a nice clean finish without bubbling or smudging. Topps and Bowman Chrome cards are some of the worst due to their glossy finish. Allen & Ginter is used by many TTM collector's because they are cardboard and sharpie ink works well on this type of finish.
My personal preference:
Drum roll please...the card I use most often that works perfectly with all three factors is the Topps Opening Day series. For starters these cards are fairly cheap. Between buying cards, envelopes, and stamps, the TTM hobby can get a little pricey. Dave and Adam's Card World currently has 2011 Topps Opening Day cards on clearance. Because they are inexpensive they do not carry very much value. This is perfect for autographs TTM! You never have to worry about destroying the value of a card. Obtaining a player's autograph can only increase the value of the card. Not only are they inexpensive, but they have little or no gloss. Not one of my opening day cards are smudged and blue sharpie looks very nice against the player's photo.
I hope this post helps all those TTM collector's out there! I would love to hear what other collector's like to use and why!
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Friday, March 9, 2012
Tampa Bay Rays Spring Training
I attended the March 5, 2012 spring training game in Port Charlotte featuring the Rays versus the Orioles. When my friend and I arrived we were alerted to the fact that you are not allowed to bring baseball bats into the stadium for autographs. A few days before we were in Kissimmee for an Astros game and bats were allowed, so if you collect bats check with stadium policies before showing up. I brought with me a stack of cards, 5 Rawlings baseballs, and 6 mini replica helmets. The biggest signers of the day were Matt Joyce and Ben Zobrist, both of which signed cards for me. I was sitting in the second row of the section directly behind first base. I found that the best place for graphing was either on the grass berm down the right field line and at the dugout. The Orioles also exit down the right field line and several Orioles players stopped and signed as well, the biggest being Josh Bell.
The stadium is very fan friendly. I found the boardwalk and tiki area to be great places to take in the game. There was also a large variety of food and found the quality to be much better than at the Astros. The team store was large, but as expected very expensive. There is a playground for kids on the first base side.
In the end I loved the stadium, and not because the Rays are my team, but because it really encompasses, and then some, of what you would expect from spring training baseball. I definitely enjoyed a beer, hot dog, sun, baseball, and of course snagging some sigs from my team.
A bonus to our day was that the Baseball Tonight crew was there filming.
Next week I'll be heading to Sarasota for an Orioles game! We'll see how Ed Smith Stadium compares!
The stadium is very fan friendly. I found the boardwalk and tiki area to be great places to take in the game. There was also a large variety of food and found the quality to be much better than at the Astros. The team store was large, but as expected very expensive. There is a playground for kids on the first base side.
In the end I loved the stadium, and not because the Rays are my team, but because it really encompasses, and then some, of what you would expect from spring training baseball. I definitely enjoyed a beer, hot dog, sun, baseball, and of course snagging some sigs from my team.
A bonus to our day was that the Baseball Tonight crew was there filming.
Next week I'll be heading to Sarasota for an Orioles game! We'll see how Ed Smith Stadium compares!
Sunday, February 26, 2012
BLUE JAYS SPRING TRAINING
I attended the Blue Jays Spring Training today in Dunedin, Florida. It was freezing and super windy. There were about 20 - 30 fans. I was able to get really close to the players and coaches and it was very intimate. In the end not a single player signed. NO ONE!!! From what I have heard this is very very odd. The Blue Jays are known for being one of the better signing teams of spring. I was extremely disappointed but I will give them the benefit of the doubt and head back there later this week. We'll see what happens!
I attended the Blue Jays Spring Training today in Dunedin, Florida. It was freezing and super windy. There were about 20 - 30 fans. I was able to get really close to the players and coaches and it was very intimate. In the end not a single player signed. NO ONE!!! From what I have heard this is very very odd. The Blue Jays are known for being one of the better signing teams of spring. I was extremely disappointed but I will give them the benefit of the doubt and head back there later this week. We'll see what happens!
TIGERS SPRING TRAINING!!!
Yesterday I attended Tigers Spring Training at Tigertown in Lakeland, Florida. It was amazing! The staff and fans were super nice and friendly. There were about 150 to 200 fans. By far Prince Fielder was the best signer. He signed for everyone...yes everyone. He even signed multiple items for people and took pictures too. He did not leave until everyone was satisfied. Total class act and was fantastic with the kids. Brandon Inge was amazing too. Signed multiples and took pictures. In the end I got about 17 different players to sign. I would highly recommend attending Tigers camp!
Yesterday I attended Tigers Spring Training at Tigertown in Lakeland, Florida. It was amazing! The staff and fans were super nice and friendly. There were about 150 to 200 fans. By far Prince Fielder was the best signer. He signed for everyone...yes everyone. He even signed multiple items for people and took pictures too. He did not leave until everyone was satisfied. Total class act and was fantastic with the kids. Brandon Inge was amazing too. Signed multiples and took pictures. In the end I got about 17 different players to sign. I would highly recommend attending Tigers camp!
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
First Success!!!
Today was my very first autograph through the mail success. I received three Mike Cameron cards signed in blue sharpie in 7 days. Great signer and super fast turn around. Can't wait to check the mail tomorrow!
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Day 1: February 5, 2012
Today is my very first day of preparing to send out cards to be signed! I'm sending only to retired players to their home addresses. Hopefully in a week or so I'll be sending out cards to Spring Training teams. I'm looking for a very interactive experience from any of you who view my site! Please post as much as possible and ask any question you may have! I will post my successes and failures as quickly as possible in order to help others out there who collect autographs through the mail! Wish me luck and keep checking back with my site with updates!
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