Autographed card of the week 2/22/15: Alfredo Amezaga

Alfredo Amezaga 2009 Topps Florida Marlins baseball card AUTO

I have been seeing a lot of photos of players signing autographs at camp. This was a card I got at Spring Training a few years ago. I am really glad baseball is back I missed it a lot I hope to graph a lot this year more than last year. Thanks for signing Alfredo and I can't wait to graph in AZ soon.

IP Autograph Recap of Sean Lawrence: MLB Pitcher, Pittsburgh Pirates, OPRF Huskie Alum, super cool dude!

From top left to bottom right:
Sean Lawrence 1999 Grandstand Vancouver Canadians baseball card AUTO
Sean Lawrence 1994 Fleer ProCards Salem Buccaneers baseball card AUTO
Sean Lawrence 1994 Fleer ProCards Updates Salem Buccaneers baseball card AUTO
Sean Lawrence 1995 Multi-Ad Lynchburg Hillcats baseball card AUTO
Sean Lawrence 1961 Topps Pittsburgh Pirates custom baseball card AUTO
Sean Lawrence 2011 Gypsy Queen Pittsburgh Pirates custom baseball card AUTO bronze
Sean Lawrence 2011 Gypsy Queen Pittsburgh Pirates custom baseball card AUTO silver
Sean Lawrence 2011 Gypsy Queen Pittsburgh Pirates custom baseball card AUTO gold

 

From top left to bottom right:
Sean Lawrence 1963 Topps OPRF Huskies custom baseball card AUTO
Sean Lawrence 2009 Topps OPRF Huskies custom baseball card AUTO
Sean Lawrence 1962 Topps OPRF Huskies custom baseball card AUTO

 Me and Sean (Sean is holding up one of the cards I made).

This was a super cool experience I got to meet former MLB Pitcher and an Alumni of my high school (Oak Park and River Forest High School) at the place where I work out for baseball. If you are wondering where it is called Strikes Baseball Academy. I wrote Sean a letter to his house in January with a signed custom of me and I told him I wanted to meet him then a few days later I tweeted him on Twitter and since then we have been talking through a DM and time went on and he sent me pictures for customs and I made them and we have been talking and he told me where he could meet me (He takes his son Trent in for lessons at Strikes) and I made the trip over and he was kind enough to sign 11 cards for me and I printed up some extra copies for him to have and I plan to mail him more in the future and I plan to pick up some new cards of him to get signed. Well let me talk about Sean's baseball career: Sean pitched at my High School (OPRF) then collegiality he pitched at Texas A&M and then at the University of Illinois then he ended his collegiate career at St. Francis University where he was Drafted by the pirated in the 6th round of the 1992 Draft and made his way up to the MLB and played in 1998 for the Pirates. Well thanks a ton Sean if you see this and I hope to see you again and thanks for the picture! I also gave Sean some signed customs of me to have!

AFL TTM Success D.J. Peterson

DJ Peterson 1964 Topps Seattle Mariners custom baseball card AUTO

This was a surprising and kind of disappointing one to get back. It is surprising because I hear he is not a good signer in person. He only signed /returned one card out of the four customs I sent. He signed these c/o the Peoria Javelinas of the Arizona Fall League. He also did very well in the AFL which was good. Thanks for signing and remembering me D.J.! 

Autographed card of the week 2/15/15: Brad Ausmus

Brad Ausmus 2009 Topps Los Angeles Dodgers baseball card AUTO

I am sending out a lot of TTM's to Spring Training so I thought I would share one I got a few years back from Brad Ausmus: a veteran MLB Catcher and current manager of the Tigers. I sent this one out in 2010 I think when he was ending his career. I hope to get some back and good luck to all of you collectors with your Spring Training TTM's. Thanks for signing Brad!

AFL TTM Success Kaleb Cowart

A total scan of my Kaleb Cowart cards he signed for me

 Kaleb Cowart 2013 Topps Cook High School Gatorade Player of the year custom baseball card AUTO

 Kaleb Cowart 2012 Grandstand MWL Top Prospects Cedar Rapids Kernels baseball card AUTO

 Kaleb Cowart 2012 Topps AFL Scottsdale Scorpions custom baseball card AUTO

Kaleb Cowart 1982 Topps In Action Cedar Rapids Kernels custom baseball card AUTO

This was a nice one I did not think I would get these back . Kaleb signed 4/4 c/o the Mesa Solar Sox and signed them beautifully. Kaleb was a 1st round pick of the Angels in 2010. He was actually the 18th overall pick. He hasn't really developed much but is very highly thought of. Thanks for signing Kaleb and good luck thanks for sending back.

Philippians 4:13

13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Autographed card of the Week 2/8/15: Brian Bogusevic

Brian Bogusevic 2011 Topps Gypsy Queen RC Houston Astros baseball card AUTO

I can't wait until spring training! This is a card I got signed IP at Spring Training in 2013 when he was with the Cubs. I am making a lot of customs and I am picking up cards to get signed along the way, It is too bad it is not getting warmer here but I can't wait until I feel that nice warm Arizona air and get to put on shorts. Thanks for signing Brian!

Great mailday! Padres' Prospect Nick Schulz sent me his game used bat signed! Really cool!

Wow I got another bat from a player! Padres prospect Nick Schulz sent me his game used bat signed! This is really cool this is a beautiful bat it feels sturdy strong but he is a big guy (6'3" 220 lbs). In exchange for the bat I am sending Nick a stack of custom cards which you can see what they look like here from my TTM Success from him a few weeks ago. Nick, I really appreciate this bat, I love getting stuff like this in my collection. Here are some photos of the bat and a picture of Nick:

A photo of Nick while he was with Fort Wayne last season.

The bat:

 A picture of the bat and the signature

 A close up of the signature

 His name plate (they accidentally misspelled his name)

 A further away picture of the bat with Zinger logo showing

 A picture of the Zinger logo and the indicator to show the grain

the name plate of the bat 34 inches

Thanks again Nick I really love the bat!

IP auto recap from my hitting lesson with Andrew Godbold - OPRF Alum and Los Angeles Dodger!

A total scan of my Andrew Godbold cards he signed for me at our hitting lesson
# of autos signed: 6
From top left to bottom right:
Andrew Godbold 2009 Bowman SELU Lions cutsom baseball card AUTO
Andrew Godbold 2009 Topps Oak Park and River Forest High School custom baseball card AUTO
Andrew Godbold 2007 Bowman SELU Lions custom baseball card AUTO
Andrew Godbold 2013 Topps SELU Lions custom baseball card AUTO
Andrew Godbold 2010 Bowman Oak Park and River Forest High School custom baseball card AUTO
Andrew Godbold 2014 Topps SELU Lions custom baseball card AUTO

I just had a successful hitting instruction with Andrew Godbold. For those of you who follow my blog closely you may remember in September Andrew came over to my house and brought me his signed game used bat and ball and card and signed 12 cards for me well anyways earlier this week I contacted him looking to get a hitting lesson and he got back to me and told me when to do it and I got it done today and it was super fun and helpful! He was all "throw your hands on the ball" and it helped a lot we worked on it for an hour and I feel I have improved a lot and will use what he gave me for my high school season coming up. Thanks for signing my cards and for hitting with me and I hope to do it again. Good luck when you report to AZ in a month.

Autographed card of the Week 2/1/15: Ernie Banks (Mr. Cub)

Ernie Banks 2012 Topps Gold Standard Chicago Cubs Baseball card AUTO

I guess now I am becoming at peace with Ernie passing away it is hard but I will come to peace with it knowing that Ernie will be watching over us every game in the best seat in the house with Ronnie and Harry. Ernie signed this card for me at the 2012 Cubs Convention in the VIP Lounge and I got to talk to him for about 20 minutes and he was super nice but I wish he signed that card when we started talking not when we were 19 minutes and 50 seconds into our conversation but I can't complain it is Ernie. Thanks for all of the memories Ernie! Rest in peace...