June TTMs

Greg Harris

Signed 3/3

Sent c/o Home address

12 days

Blake Hunt

 I had forgotten I sent this card to the AFL this year.  Nice to have it back!

Blake Hunt
Signed 1/1
Sent c/o Mesa Solar Sox
53 days

More TTM's!

 The current TTM's I have sent out have come back very quickly, which is very exciting!  I'm in the process of getting ready to decorate my office, and my TTM display will have some new cards now.  

Kevin McReynolds
Signed 2/2
Sent c/o Home address
15 days

This next one was long written off.  In fact, when we moved this summer, I extended my mail being forwarded for a year, just in case I had some tardy TTMs coming my way.  I'm trying to decide if I should do one more year; that would take me into 2023.  We will see how many TTMs I get back in the next 10 months or so.  Unfortunately, the Heritage came back with a ding in the top right corner.  

Logan Forsythe

Signed 2/2

Sent c/o Tampa Bay Rays

2139 days

Ryan Weathers

 I was just in the process of writing this one off, but a nice return from Ryan Weathers.  He spent most of the year at the Padres alternate training site, but did get into 1 game with the big league team this year.

Ryan Weathers
Signed 1/1
Sent c/o Fort Wayne Tin Caps
428 days

R.J. Alvarez

I was excited to see a TTM envelope back from Spring Training.  This one is from former Padre and Athletic R.J. Alvarez.  I sent this to the Marlins ST, and he's currently with the Marlins AAA team, New Orleans Baby Cakes.

R.J. Alvarez
Signed 2/2
Sent c/o Marlins ST
73 days

Weekly TTM's

It's about time some little white envelopes started coming in.  I have been sending out quite a bit of requests lately, and they were coming in at a regular rate, but now, they've slowed way down.  

Brad Brach is currently with the Orioles.  He's their closer, and he was an All Star in 2016.

Brad Brach

Signed 2/2

Sent c/o Baltimore Orioles

42 days

This next one was a request from last year.  Corey Spangenberg is currently with the Padres.  He was sent to the minors briefly this year, but currently serves as a bench player for the Padres.

Corey Spangenberg

Signed 2/2

Sent c/o San Diego Padres

262 days

Anthony Bass

I was starting to get a little nervous, as I've seen fellow TTM'ers start to get mail back.  Finally, my day was yesterday, and I got the one I sent to Cubs spring training camp.  Anthony Bass is a non-roster invitee to Cubs camp.  So far in spring training, he's pitched 4 innings, and has struck out 5 batters.

Anthony Bass
Signed 2/2
Sent c/o Chicago Cubs ST
13 days

Cal Quantrill

Another PWE in this week, this one from Cal Quantrill.  He's in the Padres system and did receive an invitation to Spring Training with the Padres.  I sent two yellow Bowman cards, however, he only returned one.

Cal Quantrill
Signed 1/2
Sent c/o San Antonio Missions
178 days

TTM week

As some of my TCDB friends know, I had my third surgery in less than 10 years on my ankle last week.  I will be down and out for anywhere from 2-6 weeks.  You'd think this would be a great time to get caught up on trades and sorting, but I am non-weight bearing, so getting downstairs to do cards is not an option.  However, I did some surgery pre-prepping to keep me a little busy.  First, I found some cards for spring training TTM requests.  This weekend, I spent my time writing my letters, addressing them and preping my cards.  Other hobby related things that will keep me a little busy are entering my set needs from my "needs binder" into TCDB and continuing to enter my junk wax cards into TCDB and Zistle.

The one thing I can't do is trade!  I have been trying to be good about notifying any trade proposals on TCDB that I can't do it right now, and everyone's been pretty cool about it.

On a good note, I had several TTM PWE come back this week.  Since I can't get downstairs, I downloaded a scanner app to scan my cards.  It's an ok app, but it may be due to the multiple errors of the user!  I'm getting better with it, though.  It will have to do, for now.

Gerald Alexander spend his entire career, although short, with the Texas Rangers.  The Score card I got as part of a repack, so I thought it would make a good TTM request, and, of course, who could pass up a Rated Rookie card.

Gerald Alexander
Signed 2/2
Sent c/o Home address
188 days

Jace Peterson is currently in spring training with the Yankees, as a non-roster invitee.  He spent last year with the Braves.  I love the look of the 2012 Bowman gold cards, but they are thick, which makes them back to send as a TTM.  I have done another TTM request with a 2012 Bowman gold, and the same thing happened...creases.  

Jace Peterson

Signed 2/2

Sent c/o Atlanta Braves

145 days

Finally, Walker Buehler sent these cards back.  He spent most of last year with Oklahoma City, however did get a late season call up, where he pitched in 8 games and was 1-0.  He figures to be in competition for a starting position with the Dodgers this year.

Walker Buehler

Signed 2/2

Sent c/o Oklahoma City Dodgers

172 days

Second longest wait ever

My #1 TTM of 2016 was the longest I have ever waited to get a card back.  This week, I got one back this week that is my second place for longest ever return.  I, of course, had written these cards off long ago, but I am ecstatic to have them back, as one of them is a TTM Cubs card (even though it is badly photoshopped by Topps)!

Bob Tewksbury
Signed 2/2
Sent c/o Home address
1, 857 days

Another return this week from the minors, was from Austin Hedges, a catcher in the Padres system.  I sent this at the beginning of the year to El Paso, and he spent most of the year there, then got the call up to the Padres.  He figures to be the starting catcher in San Diego this year.

Austin Hedges
Signed 1/1
Sent c/o El Paso Chihuahuas
271 days

Finally, one back from the Arizona Fall League!

After a long absence, I'm back...and hopefully consistently back as far as my blogging, autographs, and trading is concerned.  First, I wanted to start off with the only TTM I got back from the Arizona Fall League this year.

Jake Bauers
Signed 1/1
Sent c/o Mesa Solar Sox
44 days

Mark Grant

Mark Grant is currently a broadcaster for the Padres.  I had written these cards off long ago, but I am excited to have them back.  For some reason, I appreciate the '88 Donruss and how the autograph looks on those cards.

Mark Grant
Signed 3/3
Sent c/o San Diego Padres
854 days

Kurt Stillwell

The third TTM I got back in December was from Kurt Stillwell.  This is a great addition to my Royals autograph collection!  At 322 days, I was about ready to write this one off!

Kurt Stillwell
Signed 3/3
Sent c/o Home address
322 days

Tommy Medica

Tommy Medica currently plays for the San Diego Padres.  He spent a little time in the minors this year, but has spent most of the year in San Diego.

Tommy Medica
Signed 2/2
Sent c/o San Diego Padres
14 days

Bud Black again!

I sent another TTM to Bud Black, this time though, I wanted to get his manager card autographed.  I already have a player card autographed.  I might have to send him mail again next year, and try to get a Royals card autographed!

Bud Black
Signed 1/2 (didn't return other card)
Sent c/o San Diego Padres
26 days

Randy Ready

Randy Ready is currently the manager of the Gwinnett Braves, the AAA team of the Atlanta Braves.

Randy Ready
Signed 3/3
Sent c/o Gwinnett Braves
120 days

Finally, some TTMs back!

I felt like I had been in a TTM drought, although, I haven't had the time to send many out lately.

Ricky Bones is currently the bullpen coach for the Mets. 

Ricky Bones
Signed 2/3 (didn't return third card)
Sent c/o New York Mets
58 days

I also got a return to sender from Rich Camarillo, former punter for the New England Patriots, as well as many other teams.

Greg Booker and Travis Ishikawa

To finish up my pretty successful week, I got my first 2013 minor league signature.

Travis Ishikawa is currently in the Orioles minor league system, after playing at the major league level with the Giants and the Brewers.  He won a World Series ring in 2010 with the Giants!

Travis Ishikawa
Signed 1/1
Sent c/o Norfolk Tides
10 days

Next up, Greg Booker.  He's currently the pitching coach for the Syracuse Chiefs, AAA team of the Nationals.  He played his MLB ball with the Padres, Twins, and Giants. 

Greg Booker

Signed 4/4

Sent c/o Syracuse Chiefs

10 days

Pat Neshek and Buck Showalter

I've had a pretty big week of TTMs this week, getting back a total of 6 letters!  I'm going to spread them out over several posts. 

First one back this week is from Pat Neshek.  He currently pitches for the A's, and he is a huge autograph collector, as well.  I follow his website and his Twitter account.   He is currently working on getting the 1985 Topps set signed.  He needs are on his website.  I can't remember how I found Pat's web page, but it helped inspire me to doing TTM autographs again!

Pat Neshek
Signed 2/2 (plus threw in a bunch of 2013 Topps cards)
Sent c/o Oakland A's
6 days

Next up is Buck Showalter.  He's been doing an excellent job up in Baltimore.  I can't wait until they come to KC.  Hopefully, I'll be able to catch a game when they're in town!

Buck Showalter
Signed 1/1
Sent c/o Baltimore Orioles
13 days

A couple of TTMs and a couple of trades

I have a lot of good stuff to report for this week!  Let's get to it!

First up, my favorite return, but, at the same time, my most disappointing return.  If you pay any attention at all to my blog, the Cubs are my favorite team.  When I got this back, I was super excited, but then when I looked at the cards, the signature did not come off well, on either card, with the Pro Debut card looking like it was hardly signed at all!  :(  It's probably my own fault; I only prepped the area of the card where players usually sign, not the top of the card (ie the Pro Debut card).  You can hardly see the signature on the Pro Debut, but it's up by his elbow.  The signature on the 2011 Topps also didn't come off great; I'm really surprised because, again, I prepped both cards.

Wellington Castillo
Signed 2/2
Sent c/o Chicago Cubs
??? days

Next up, Walt Terrell.  I targeted Mr. Terrell because I don't have many Yankee TTMs.  I know Walt Terrell is not someone who you automatically associate with the Yankees, but it helps fill up the page in my TTM book!

Walt Terrell
 Signed 4/4
Sent c/o Home address
 ??? days

This next return was a nice surprise; I thought it was long gone!  Scott Coolbaugh is currently the hitting coach for the Rangers!

Scott Coolbaugh
Signed 3/3
Sent c/o Texas Rangers
140 days

My first trade came via this blog.  Thanks to Tom from The Angels, In Order for hooking me up with some of the 2012 Bowman Platinum I needed.  I still need quite a few, and they are listed on the right of this post, if anyone has any dups they want to trade!  I was able to hook Tom up with some cards he needed from his want lists, as well as a few I hope were a nice addition to his collection.

 

These three cards are a sample of what I received.  I love the  Mets rookie, especially the "KID 8" patch the Mets wore this year!  I also have a soft spot for Jarrod Parker; he helped lead my fantasy baseball team to an almost playoff birth, but team Sponge Babe fell a game or two short.  Lastly, I couldn't overlook Pablo Sandoval; he must be a very talented player to be able to blow a bubble and bunt all at the same time, something I know I could not do!

Second trade came via Zistle, and it helped fill some of my player collections.  Thank you to Rosenort for helping me out!  Check out his blog at:  http://condition-sensitive.blogspot.com/.  This was the first time I had send cards to Canada!