December TTMs

McCade Brown

Signed 1/1

Sent c/o AFL

46 days

Tim Stoddard

Signed 2/2

Sent c/o Home address

18 days

David Hulse

Signed 2/2

Sent c/o Home address

326 days

August TTMs

Bob Kipper

Signed 2/2

Sent c/o Home address

12 days

Andrew Heaney

Signed 2/2

Sent c/o Texas Rangers

17 days

Todd Zeile

Signed 2/2

Sent c/o Home address

350 days

 

July TTMs

Mike Smithson
Signed 2/2
Sent c/o Home address
9 days

Doug Simons

Signed 2/2

Sent c/o Home address

154 days

Jerry Browne

Signed 4/4

Sent c/o Home address

19 days

Milt Thompson

Signed 3/3

Sent c/o Home address

210 days

Ron Guidry

Signed 1/1

Sent c/o Home address

29 days

May TTMs

Donald Harris

Signed 3/3 

Sent c/o Home address

90 days

Jeff Criswell

Signed 2/2

Sent c/o Home address

11 days

Jeff Kunkel

Signed 2/2

Sent c/o Home address

9 days

Mike Dunne

Signed 2/2

Sent c/o Home adress

15 days

Jonah Heim

Signed 1/2 (sent second card back unsigned)

c/o Texas Rangers

35 days

April TTMs

Kyle Cody
Signed 2/2
Sent c/o Rangers ST
43 days 

Johnny Ray

Signed 2/2

Sent c/o Home address

9 days

Fred Stanley 

Signed 2/2

Sent c/o Home address

32 days

This week's mail

This week's mail is exciting because these all happen to be people who I have sent requests to and wrote off my first attempt, and tried again and succeeded!

Juan Gonzalez
Signed 2/2
Sent c/o Home address
16 days

Mitch Maier
Signed 2/2
Sent c/o Kansas City Royals
15 days

Will Clark
Signed 1/2 (didn't return other card)
Sent c/o San Francisco Giants
66 days

A week's worth of PWE

I have taken on a new TTM strategy for this baseball season.  Instead of waiting to get a bunch back before I sent out more, I have decided that once a week, I'll send out three envelopes...one to a MLB player, one to a MiLB player, and the final one will be to a former player.  My early evaluation of this new strategy has been positive.  It's been nice to see at least one or two PWEs a week.  I may reevaluate soon and maybe send out six instead of three, but we'll see.

Brian Dayett is a former Cub.  I have known he was a pretty good TTM signer, but I have never owned enough of his cards to send a request out until now!

Brian Dayett
Signed 2/2
Sent c/o Home address
11 days

Jack Daugherty is a former MLB baseball player who played with several teams, but was probably known for his time with the Rangers, which he spent the longest time with them.

Jack Daugherty
Signed 3/3
Sent c/o Home address
7 days

The last envelope is quite exciting.  I got this back from Nick Kingham, who recently was called up by the Pirates and had an amazing MLB debut.  

Nick Kingham

Signed 1/1

Sent c/o Indianapolis Indians

19 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

Josh Hamilton

I sent another request to Josh Hamilton last season.  I really wanted to get a Lineage card signed from him, and he helped me out.  Josh has signed a minor league contract with the Rangers going into Spring Training.  I wish him the best of luck!

Josh Hamilton
Signed 1/1
Sent c/o Texas Rangers
306 days

Bob Brower

Remember when Bob Brower was "the rookie" to collect?  I have quite a few of his cards still in my collection, so I decided to send a few off for a TTM request.  I have always appreciated the 1988 Fleer and Topps designs from that year.

Bob Brower
Signed 3/3
Sent c/o Home address
282 days

A few TTM returns

I got two responses last week, however I was only 50% in those responses.  First, the good 50%...I got mail back from Cody Buckel.  I was originally going to send him mail during the 2013 season, however control issues derailed his season, and he almost walked away from baseball.  I'm glad he didn't!  He started and finished the season in Myrtle Beach for the Rangers minor league club.

Cody Buckel
Signed 2/2
Sent Myrtle Beach Pelicans
147 days

Now, the bad 50%.  I sent a request to Duane Underwood.  He's currently a pitcher for the Cubs minor league affiliate, Kane County.  I got a big ole

This was disappointing.  I was hoping to add some more Cubs autos to my binder.  Better luck next time, I guess.

TTM from Spring Training 2013!?!?

Mike Napoli sent this back to me last week.  I had forgotten about it, but I am excited to have it back.  He must have been signing his mail; I saw several other people had gotten him back recently.  I picked this particular card because it was from the All Star Game that was here in Kansas City in 2012.  Great memories for me.

Mike Napoli
Signed 1/1
Sent c/o Red Sox ST
365 days

Craig Lefferts

Craig Lefferts is currently the pitching coach for Vermont Lake Monsters, Class A short season affiliate of the Oakland A's.  He signed 3 of my 4 cards for me!

Craig Lefferts
Signed 3/4
Sent c/o Vermont Lake Monsters
50 days

TTM from Catchers!

I was excited to get some TTM catcher cards back last week.  I needed the John Russell Rangers card for my collection!

John Russell is currently the bench coach for the Orioles.  I really love those old Phillies uni's.

John Russell
Signed 3/3
Sent c/o Baltimore Orioles
29 days

Matt Merullo is the manager of the Aberdeen IronBirds, Class A short season affiliate of the Orioles.

Matt Merullo
Signed 2/2
Sent c/o Aberdeen IronBirds
17 days

Gary Pettis

Another TTM return this week from Gary Pettis.  He got a lot of work this weekend as Third base coach for the Rangers, sending runners home while kicking the Royals butts.

Gary Pettis
Signed 2/2
Sent c/o Texas Rangers
41 days

David Murphy

Another return from this weekend was from David Murphy.  I just got done watching his team kick the Royals butts all weekend.  The only day the Royals won was the day I was working and couldn't watch the game.

David Murphy
Signed 1/2
Sent c/o Texas Rangers
37 days

Koji Uehara

I also got another return from Koji Uehara.  He's currently in Boston's bullpen.  I was worried about sending the Cognac card; I wasn't sure if the autograph would take or not, but it looks great!

Pete Incaviglia

Pete Incaviglia was a huge prospect for the rangers back in the 80's.   He is one of the few players that plays in a MLB game without spending any time in the minors.  He played his college ball at Oklahoma State.

Pete Incaviglia

Signed 3/3

Sent c/o Home address

59 days

First 2013 Spring Training TTM back

WOW!  I am excited to get my first signed card back from spring training.  And, to top it off, it's the probably the most popular player I sent to!  The Texas Rangers have always been good about signing cards, and I have to thank Mr. Beltre for making my snowy day today!

Adrian Beltre
Signed 1/1
Sent c/o Rangers Spring Training
6 days

Behind on my TTMs, part 1

Again, I have been out of town quite a bit, without a computer, so I am forced to cut back on my cards and TTMs.  The only plus to this is a big blog post!

Now, to the good stuff...Chris Hammond was someone i was targeting because he's a former Marlin.  I was lucky enough that he signed all three, including the 2 Upper Deck cards.

Chris Hammond
Signed 3/3
Sent c/o Home address
18 days

Dean Palmer was a former Ranger, and former Royal.  I didn't have any cards of him in a KC uniform, but I still enjoyed getting my cards back signed.

Dean Palmer
Signed 2/2
Sent c/o Home address
14 days

This next letter was odd.  Gary Roenicke signed all 4 of my cards, however, he included the letter I sent to him in the SASE when I got my cards back.  ??

Gary Roenicke
Signed 4/4
Sent c/o Home address
19 days

Another return from a player on one of my favorite teams, from Pete Schourek.

Pete Schourek
Signed 2/2
Sent c/o Home address
14 days