Hawaii Winter League Autographs

Here are all of the cards that I have signed from the Hawaii Winter League/Honolulu Sharks team set. My boy Matt Wieters is also in the set, and was part of the reason that I bought it, but I don't know if I will get that one signed or not.

This is Ryohei's only card that I am aware of, and his inclusion was the other reason why I bought the set. Teams in the Hawaiian Winter League are mainly made up of American and Asian players, and Tanaka was a member of the Sharks on behalf of the Chiba Lotte Marines, his team in Japan's Pacific League. He just happened to be placed on the team with the Orioles prospects, with no way of knowing that they would be his future teammates. Pretty cool stuff.


It looks like Ouellette also had the "honor" to wear the lei and the accompanying unsure look on his face for picture day.


I like Chad Thall's card because it features the Shark's purple uniform. It's something different, and I guess that's why I like it. I'm not really sure.


Miggy Abreu's card isn't a different color, I just edited it incorrectly. He got a little wild with his autograph, as his M leapt off the bottom edge of the card. I like to think that he was just excited to see this card and couldn't contain his autograph excitement. I'm probably wrong.


Brett Bordes is the only member of the O's organization in this set that is still with hi-A Frederick. Everyone else is in Bowie, Norfolk, or Baltimore.


I've shown this B-Snyd card before, back when I was previewing the Minor League member's of the O's 40-man roster, but here it is again. He signed this for me in Spring Training.


And I just posted this card last week, but I promised to display all my autographs from this set, so here it is again. Phillip Britton was VERY excited to see this card and talked to me about it for a few minutes.

A Sunday game in Bowie-my first time seeing Josh Bell & Steve Johnson

This past Sunday was the first time that I got to see the two players that the O's got in return for my boy, George Sherrill.

Steve Johnson, former Orioles pitcher & current broadcaster Dave Johnson's son, did not start but was nice enough to sign autographs and even posed for a picture with me. He seemed like a very cool guy and is excited to be pitching in the O's organization and hopefully one day for his hometown team.




Josh Bell started at third base and did not disappoint; he hit a HR in his second at bat of the game.

This is him coming back to the dugout and greeting his new teammates after his no-doubter.


Josh was really good about signing, and took time with the fans both before and after the game.


Here is a another picture of Josh on the left, warming up with Miguel Abreu on the right.



Tim Bascom was finally not starting a game that I went to, so I was able to get him to sign. For some reason my luck with silver sharpies isn't great. Does anyone have any advice for me?



Zach Clark always alludes me too. It's not that he doesn't sign, I just always seem to miss out. He was just sent down to Frederick today, but had a solid relief outing for Bowie on Sunday.



Brandon Erbe is pitching in Bowie again, after injuring himself earlier this season.



I always have to have to get one of the Figueroa brothers to sign for me. This time it was Danny. And a funny note: I saw him & Paco taking pictures of each other and they then had the trainer take pictures of them together near the clubhouse before warm-ups. I don't really know why, but wanted to share my observation.



John Mariotti's hand was in a cast, and he is on the DL. I don't have anything else on that point either but again, what I see is what you will read about.


Ryan Oullette signed before the game and got the save to finish things off for the Baysox win.


Chad Thall was brought in after Clark and before Ouellette and added some uncomfortable outs for the Baysox fans.


Jason White has been around Frederick and Bowie the past few seasons but I don't recall seeing him play before Sunday. He was the Baysox starting shortstop and had some slick fielding plays. But he should probably do something about his hairstyle.

Can you find Jason White?


Brad Komminsk signed for a few fans as he typically does, but I got Larry McCall for the first time all season. I thought that he might have something to say about my throwback Keys card but he doesn't interact too much with the fans.

I do have to give McCall major points on his autograph though. You can clearly see every single letter of his name. It's like the anti-Komminsk!

A few more autos from Bowie

And here are the rest of the forgotten Bowie autographs...


Joe Nowicki hit a walk off HR at the last Baysox game we attended.



Ryan has been one of my favorite minor-leaguers for the past two season, starting last season in Frederick. This is partially because of his last name that I fail at pronouncing correctly (Kalina always reminds me that it is OH-let, not OH-lay or EW-let), and also due to the fact that he normally is rocking a sweet mustache and is thusly nicknamed "the Stache".



Wilfrido is another favorite; he has always been nice to fans and autograph seekers alike and he pitches really well for a little guy. I wouldn't be surprised to see Willy in Balitmore in the next few seasons if he can stay healthy.



Josh was a member of the Harrisburg Senators last season and my dad got me his autograph on a Senators card, so when I found out that he was on the Baysox this season I said "I already have his autograph." Weird coincidence I suppose. But now I have his autograph on a Baysox card, which is good since he is now pitching at Norfolk, which is much farther away from me than Bowie.



G-Rod has been relegated to backup catching duties but also DHs so he keeps busy. He dominated my silver sharpie on his autograph here.



Chad Thall is another of the Baysox jokesters. We have seen him chew many pieces of Dubble Bubble during warm-ups and throw it on the field near where the first base umpire stands during the game. I bet that umpire stepped in 15 pieces of gum throughout the game; that would be fun to scrape off your shoes. This is another one of the sweet 2006 I-birds cards that I now have signed.



"Scrappy" Tucker is one of those guys who you can't help but root for to make it to the Majors one day. He has a great attitude and has played all over the field on an effort to improve his chances of getting promoted. He also comes to the plate to Jay-Z's "Say Hello to the Bad Guy" which is not something that seems to fit him very well.



This is one of the strangest pictures I have ever seen used on a minor league card. Valido's eyes are closed and you can't really tell if he made the out or not. But I'll give the photographer credit for going for something a little different than the norm.