How Do You Do TTM?

I'm interested in talking to some other TTM seekers about how they go about their business.

Here's what I do:
-hand write a note, politely requesting their autograph. I keep it short but try to include something specific about them or their playing career.
-include SASE with Forever stamp in case they want to return my request years down the road
-include card in a top loader and penny sleeve to keep it safe
-add a small post-it note on the card, requesting that they personalize to me

How does that compare to what you do? I know that some people have had success with players who have not returned my requests or vice versa.

Before I send anything out, I use Harvey Meiselman's address list and cross check everything on SCN to make sure the address is current and that there is a reasonable chance that the player will return my card.

Overall, 119 of my 164 requests have been signed and returned to me, which is good for a 72% success rate. If you remove the 7 requests I sent out to current players before I used SCN to check the likelihood that my cards would ever come back, my success rate jumps up to 75%, which is pretty solid. You have to figure that some of my requests could have been accidentally misplaced or still could find their way back to me.

TTM is a great, cheap way to add new autographs to your collection. While it's more time-consuming than just buying a signed card, it's nice to add a bit of personal story to your autograph collection. It also reaffirms that there are plenty of former players that are kind enough to still respond to their fans.

Fun with Ebay in June & July

Since I want to build my collection mainly through trades, TTMs, and getting guys to sign for me at games; I try to avoid buying anything. But try as I may, I come across some cards every month that can help my collection and the Ebay listings draw me in either due to their low price or scarcity.

Here are those cards from the last two months:

Stick with me as I am ramping up from the peons to the big guns...

Kris Foster 2001

Here is a guy that I do not remember at all. He pitched 7 games for the 2001 edition of the Birds, and I am really happy the he even has a card in an Orioles uni. He came to the Orioles from the Dodgers on 7/31/01 with Geronimo Gil in exchange for Mike Trombley. And if you're a footnote in the Gil-Trombley blockbuster, I wouldn't say that's a good thing.

Rocky Cherry 2007-08

Beyond having one of the greatest, most ice-cream-sounding names ever, Rocky didn't contribute much else to the Orioles. The Cubs traded him and Scott Moore to the Orioles in exchange for Steve Trachsel at the end of August 2007, presumably so that the human rain delay (Trachsel) could somehow stall for them to make the playoffs. The Mets took him from the O's in the Rule 5 draft after the 08 season and consequently released him after the O's decided they did not need him back. He's currently in the Red Sox system. Do you notice how I avoided telling you about his 0-3 record and 7.02 ERA for the Birds....whoops I was trying to avoid those stats...that's why this card was only fifty cents!

Steve Stone 1979-81

This guy has some interesting stats. If you take away his 1980 Cy Young season (in which he threw more than 50% of his pitches as curveballs, reportedly) he had a sub .500 career record. But somehow, in one magical season, he went 25-7 with a .781 winning percentage and pitched 9 complete games. He is easily the most forgettable O's Cy Young winner, as he was out of baseball a year after he won the award and only pitched for the O's for 2.5 seasons. Sadly, he is also the last Orioles pitcher to win the Cy Young.

He has been a broadcaster for the Cubs and White Sox since his playing career ended and also posed for Playgirl. Now that's a great visual!

Dwight "Dewey" Evans 1991

Dwight is mainly known for his 19 stellar seasons with the Boston Red Sox, during which he won 8 Gold Gloves, appeared on 3 All-Star teams, and finished in the top 11 in MVP votes 5 times. He is the only player to hit at least 20 HR's every season from 1980-89 and hit 256 homers during the '80s, more than any other player. I'm not entirely sure why he left the Sox at the end of his career to play one season with the O's. Does anyone know?

Luis Aparicio 1963-67

Now here is a famous Oriole, one that's in the HOF even!

Luis, a slick-fielding Venezuelan shortstop, had an amazing career that started when he won the 1956 AL ROY with the White Sox. Throughout his 18 season in the Majors that spanned 3 decades, he was a 10 time All Star, a 9 time Gold Glove winner, and received MVP votes 10 times! He also was on the '66 Orioles World Series championship team and was the first player from South America elected into the Hall of Fame.

A few other facts about Luis that jumped out at me were that he led the AL in stolen bases for 9 consecutive seasons to start his career, and when he retired he held records for most games played, assists and double plays as a shortstop. That is quite an amazing career.


So there you have it, from Kris Foster to Luis Aparicio, my recent Ebay acquisitions. That is also the only time in the history of baseball that those two guys will be mentioned in the same sentence.

Cards bought at the show & some new TTMs in!

Due to the request by the ladies at Dinged Corners, I decided to get my most recent cards pics up tonight.
I told you they weren't that exciting. I have current, but not-for long, Oriole Brian Bass and former Oriole Denny Bautista. They were cheap authentic autos so couldn't pass them up. Also, I'm positive there aren't any Bautista Oriole cards and was under that impression about Bass until I discovered an orange and black jersey card tonight.


Also, in the past few days, I got TTMs back from three great guys who all took the time to personalize them too! Thanks to Bob "Rocky" Johnson, Bobby Floyd & Tom Shopay. Floyd looks like he was pretty excited and gave me the full card auto.



And finally, here is the Steve Trachsel auto card that Paul's Random Stuff sent me last week.

Quick Update

I have kept myself busy the past two nights by going to both the Bowie Baysox home opener on Thursday and the Frederick Keys home opener last night. And, oh, how I missed the ease of obtaining Minor Leaguers' autographs! Half of them are actually excited to sign, which is a nice contrast from the pulling of teeth that is the quest to obtain Major Leaguers' signatures.





A third of the O's top 30 prospects are in Frederick and a few are in Bowie so I was able to get a ton of autographs from guys that will hopefully be in the majors at some point. Two guys on the Baysox team, Jim Hoey and Jeff Fiorentino, have already played for the O's and the Hoey was new to me so that was cool.


It was also great getting to meet Brian Matusz (pronounced Matis, the O's 2008 #1 draft pick) in Frederick; he seems like a great guy and said that he was excited to finally be at a home game. Seems like a good guy, now I need to see him pitch!



And Kalina would be mad if I didn't mention that Jake Arrieta was a nice guy and signed some cards for us in Bowie. He is pitching Monday so we are looking forward to finally getting to see him pitch in person!



And I need to thank Paul at Paul's Random Stuff for sending me 4 signed cards; 2 Keith Reeds, a Ryan Minor and a Steve Trachsel. The Trachs was another card for me to check off my list so thanks a million Paul!