Spring TTM 2014 - A Payoff Pitch!

For the first time in two years, the excitement of spring training and another baseball season inspired me to send off some TTM autograph requests to various players & coaches from numerous teams as they all gathered to kick off the 2014 season.

About 33 went out, by my recollection, which isn't too shabby.   I had plans for many more but I am trying to be smarter about my hobby pursuits.   I had to cut costs this year, so I neglected to purchase my usual packs of "Signature Cards".   I considered sending some cards from my collection but I have a dream that one day I will turn some of my autographs into beautifully mounted & framed auto/picture combination pieces.   Cards don't work so well for that but plain index cards do - and plain index cards are cheap!   So, planning was going well.   I was under budget at about $1.05 per request and I was on time.

Here's the catch - I went for the gusto.   Typically, you have to make a strategic decision as a "TTM-er".   Do you want to target younger and lesser-known players with the hopes that they will have smaller fan mail requests to dig through/select from or do you want to target "stars"?

I opted for a mix this spring, with a slight and uncharacteristic bias towards some big names.   Was I throwing money down the drain?   Statistically?   Definitely.   But I'm cursed as an eternal optimist and in a weird way, I love writing those letters to those favorite players.   You see, when I'm putting down my thoughts and praise and best wishes (with a small request at the end!), I imagine every single one coming back.   It's tantalizing and requires a heavy dose of imagination/wishful thinking - but it sure helps to push my weary hand along as I use valuable time towards what might be some very unproductive results.

So the letters went out and time just kept on tickin'.......I timed my mailings to coincide with pitcher & catcher arrivals, my attempt to try and be at the proverbial "head of the TTM line".   This date varied for every team, so I planned accordingly with a staggered approach.

Nothing.

All teams had reported and then full squads began workouts....

Nothing.

The spring games started.

Nothing.

And then SOMETHING.   Yesterday.

A small envelope with my own handwriting scribbled across the front showed up in my mailbox with a postage stamp from Arizona.....an instant smile rolled across my face and I carefully sliced open the envelope, being sure not to bring harm to anything that might be inside.   There was my index card!

BLANK.

I flipped it over in my hands since I had purposely used two-sided blank cards to avoid any line issues.....

BLANK.  

Crap.   But wait!   There was more in the envelope.....a......card?!

Hell yes.   A card.   THIS card, to be exact:

The $30M Man himself, Clayton Kershaw.   Some consider him to be the best pitcher in baseball right now.   I know I do - and he really doesn't have a lot of love in my collection.   A few base cards here and there, but no relics or rookies and certainly no autographs.

Consider that hole plugged.

This card is from that Hobby Ice Age that occurred between my Collecting Periods I and II.   It's a Goudey throw-back, I suppose?   The Kid makes an appearance at the bottom.   Strange, but I don't care.   Kershaw's "22" inscription is a bit difficult to make out on top of the glove.....but again, couldn't care less.

Will any more of my requests from this year find their way back home?   Hey, if they do - bonus.   I couldn't be more content.

Clayton Kershaw was kind enough to send me this card and sign it before he dropped it in the envelope.   Thank you, Mr. Kershaw!   So far, this has been your BEST delivery of the year for me!

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend -

Ryan

First Return for the 1st Annual Spring TTM Experiment

I knew it.

I just had a feeling that there would be one of those glorious little SASE's waiting for me on the counter when I got home from work today.   An inkling, perhaps?.....(cheesy pun TOTALLY intended)

And there it was...

Don't worry - I was the animal that caused THAT tear!

Who could it be?   Probably one of the lesser-known players, right?   Somebody who might have had a little more time, maybe a bit more patience or excitement about receiving TTM requests in the first few days of their first or second time at camp.

I let the cards inside gently slide out into my hands.

"My God..."  I whispered to no one in particular.   Here's what dropped out:

500 Saves is SO 100 Saves Ago

My Kind of Art

                



















Thank you, Mr. Rivera!

That's right - the most successful closer of all time spent a few moments to sign my cards.   This wasn't supposed to happen.   I focused most of my efforts on preparing requests for the more 'probable' responders off of the Bombers' and others' spring rosters.   I had sent to Rivera before, during the off season in late 2007.   I had mailed off a Game Program from Yankee Stadium that I had held on to since my first and still ONLY visit to the Bronx in 2000-ish.   Mo was on the cover - it was going to look AWESOME.

It never came back.

That's okay.   I knew Rivera was a 'big name' and that the volumes of mail he probably received would be working against me.   So it was that I finished his letter a few weeks ago, with that "...might as well, because you never know" eternal optimism that I seem to be cursed/blessed with.   The cards I chose were kind of random, as you can see.   My choices were slim as I hadn't been back in the hobby long enough to amass too many Mo's for the collection.   But I liked the layout, background and balance of the Peak Performance card from 2010.   It marked a pretty solid milestone and it would look pretty cool with a signature across the front.

Same thing for the Gypsy Queen green-border parallel.   I am normally indifferent to parallels but I was enamored with almost all aspects of the GQ release last year, these greenies included.   This Rivera was beautiful to me as an artsy rendition of his classic delivery with a border and background color scheme that just worked.   It too would look fairly solid with some ink across the middle......if I ever even saw these cards again, that is.

But here they are, and I think they turned out beautifully!   These are my first autographs of Mariano Rivera.

This might very well be Mo's last season in the game he has dominated so effortlessly.  Ironically, he might be handing the reigns of Yankee Closer to my latest favorite player and PC quest - David Robertson - or somebody else, at the end of this year.   So this might have been the last shot before years of potential chance run-ins at shows or auctions.   How poetic!

Thank you, Mr. Rivera.   Thank you for your contributions to the team I live and die with every season.   Thank you for your contributions to the game of baseball and all of those epic moments in your career that are memories for me.   Let's make a few more!

Okay....I'm done with my drama  :)

The first return for STTM1 is in the books, ladies and gentlemen!   Who will be next?

Stay tuned and thanks for reading!    

Do You Smell That?

It's almost here.

That time of the year when we all receive some fresh hope, some warmer temps and maybe get the hankerin' for some sunflower seeds as we maneuver our way through the peculiarities of Flagship Series 1.

Spring Training!

I know that the Marlins kicked off early - but if my memory serves me right, I believe pitchers and catchers for most clubs are set to report in about 6 days or so......

So what does that mean?

Time for Ryan's 1st Annual Spring Through The Mail (STTM1).

Better make 'em "forever" stamps - just in case!

I've always been a huge fan of TTM autograph seeking.   I discovered this joy in 2007 and have been going at it from time to time ever since.   I've had some amazing returns and crushing non-responses.   $450, Willie?   Really?   I can't wait to share some of those stories here.

But it's always a good time for a new crop.   As my beautiful wife always says, "MORE baseballs and autographs?"

Yes, babe.   MORE.

What exactly is STTM1?   I'm not quite sure yet.   But it's going to be epic, of course.   Success or failure?   THAT is the question.  

More details to follow but I'm starting to get ready around here.   It's time to get writing and time to get stamping.

And the occasional, early offering to Jobu for a little luck never hurts.

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Here goes nothing.   Thanks for reading!