Personalized Upgrades

As many of you probably know by this point, my preference is to have the Orioles autographs in my collection personalized to me. I feel as though it adds a personal touch to each autograph, knowing that it was specifically signed for me. It also alleviates some player's concerns that I might try to flip their autograph for a profit, which is not what I do.

I obtain my personalized autographs in a variety of ways, including at Orioles games...

where I was able to get Jason Hammel and Robert Andino to kindly personalize for me,

Orioles Alumni signings...

where I knocked out Dave Ford, Kiko Garcia, Glenn Gulliver, and Jeffrey Hammonds in one shot at a recent signing,

and at minor league games...

where sometimes the instructors like Butch Davis, and players like Rhyne Hughes, are in the O's farm system,

while other times the former O's are members of other team's farm systems, like Scott Erickson and Steve Luebber, who are both pitching coaches in the Hi-A Carolina league.

I have to say thanks to my dad for helping me upgrade the Scott Erickson autograph at a recent Frederick Keys game that we attended together.

The National Has Officially Arrived in Baltimore

And I'm happier than Kiko Garcia in 1979

I spent a few hours at the show yesterday and found a number of autographs that I needed for my collection, including a few deceased players and some others who are still alive but never sign, thus making them almost as difficult to get as those players who have passed away.  But seriously, there are like a thousand dealers at the show.  I've never seen anything like it and plan on spending another day or two there.

Interesting note- Kiko was once traded to the Astros for Chris Bourjos, who never appeared for the Orioles, but is the father of current Angels CF and top prospect, Peter Bourjos, who made his MLB debut against the Orioles on Tuesday and collected his first Big League hit against the O's yesterday.  Weird right?  Where else are you going to read something like that?