My First "1 of 1" Kicks Off a New Player Collection!

It just makes sense!

The Lost Collector and I exchanged spirited tweets and emails during the last MLB draft when the Yanks snagged three great players towards the end of the 1st Round (including the compensatory round).   They kicked things off by taking Eric Jagielo as the 26th player overall.

As you probably know, LC and I share a passion for all things Yankees.   So, the rare opportunity for New York to fill up the farm on young talent three times in the first round was a rare treat.   The Yankees are in a serious period of transition right now, more so than ever before with the recent announcement of Jeter's retirement.   Simply put, the old guard is heading out to pasture and the question of who will replace them is up for consideration.

Short term, the front office has spent some money this off-season, doing their best Dodgers impersonation, by bringing in free-agents Elsbury, Beltran and McCann and then capping it off with a winning bid on Japanese sensation, Masahiro Tanaka.   However, with long-term question marks remaining at third base, shortstop and second base (and perhaps more?!) - it was comforting to see them reel in some young talent.

What you might not know is that I am also a Notre Dame graduate - and while I am always cheering on the likes of former Irish greats Jeff Samardzija and John Axford - they really hadn't captivated me from a collecting standpoint.   Perhaps it is because I hadn't truly re-entered the hobby until after they made it to he Show...who knows.

But all that changed with the talented third baseman, Mr. Jagielo. He was the 2013 Big East player of the year and has already entered the Top 10 list of third base prospects for all of major league baseball.   He is consistently regarded as one of the top prospects in the Yankee system and, with the hot corner uncertainty created by the whole A-Rod mess....the timing JUST SEEMS RIGHT.

A Yankee with Fighting Irish heritage - I'm in! BAM - My latest Player Collection!  

SO, my search began in earnest - and as soon as I found this card for sale, I knew I had to have it:

YES!

My first Eric Jagielo card and I can't imagine a better way to kick off my collection - an autographed card that is one of a kind AND includes a Notre Dame inscription!

Okay, I gotta admit......the fact that I don't get to enjoy the very attractive and colorful Leaf design DOES cross my mind.   I have seen several versions of the printed copy of this card and they work really well - for Jagielo and everyone else.   In fact, I haven't dabbled much in the minor league/prospect/draft pick non-licensed portion of our hobby.   I did like what I saw during my initial searches......

But back to Jagielo!

Sure, his handwriting leaves a little bit to be desired, but I'm slowly coming to terms with the fact that the days of perfect Harmon Killebrew script will be few and far between from here on out.   Regardless, the fact that this inscription marks Eric's time with the Irish baseball team is fantastic!

The card, or printing plate, is thicker and heavier than usual cards.....you know, like a plate.   It feels very foreign in my collecting hands......here is a quick look at the back, with the usual certification lingo:

Sweetness.

- Authentic
- print-used (laugh)
- 1/1 (but just for the cyan version, I guess?)
- there's an inscription
- autographed by THE Eric Jagielo

Some of it makes me laugh, but since this was a real treat for me and it is my first - I'll just set it aside and enjoy.   NO - thank YOU, Leaf.

So, off we go on a new Player Collection adventure!   This officially means, of course, for those of you that have read this far, that I am eager to acquire every single Jagielo card I can.   Let's wheel and deal if you have no need for Eric in your stacks.

Some prospect reports detail Jagielo's long-term value residing as a defensive player with little to no "above average" value at the plate.   I suppose we'll see where it goes and I'll be rooting for him the whole way.   It would be great to see Eric stick with the club and work his way into pinstripes in the Bronx one day.   It's a rare occurrence for Yankee farmhands not to be sold off before they get a shot or shortly thereafter (hey, Jesus)....and with the likes of Yankee old guard system products like Rivera and Jeter leaving, I believe Jagielo's arrival has the chance to be quite poetic.

Here's hoping!   Welcome to the Yankees, Eric Jagielo and welcome to the Favorite Player Hall of the Ryan's Pitch Collection!

Thanks for reading. 

My Rizzo Collection - First Ink, Part One

Yeah, totally a shout-out to those fantastic Rambo movies of my youth with that title.

Happy Friday!   On to baseball cards.....

My last post announced my latest Player Collection (PC), Anthony Rizzo.   A bold move for me as Anthony doesn't play for the Yankees or Braves, my two favorite teams.   Have I betrayed myself?   Some may think so, but that's the great part about our hobby - collect what you like.

And I think Rizzo is pretty damn cool.   So, off I go.....

The collection started with one.

And, then a mini made two.

The next obvious move?   How about some ink on that third card?

YES!

Home Run

From 2013 Gypsy Queen, here's a sharp on-card autograph from the Cubbies' first baseman.   I am not the biggest fan of GQ this year though the 2011 inaugural version is a big part of how my tentative return to the hobby shifted into fifth gear.   Therefore, I still feel some set loyalty.

Rizzo's signature isn't winning any awards from me (I can see Killebrew shaking his head) but it is what it is.   What I DO love about this card is the way the blue ink works with the blue in the Cubs uniform.   It contrasts nicely with the sadly forlorn gray of the '13 GQ border.   AND, IT'S A RIZZO AUTOGRAPH!   For about half the price of a blaster, I was more than happy to scoop it up (30YOC nod).   Here's the back, just for kicks:

Thanks, Topps.

Love it!

Welcome to the collection.

Interesting Note:   Out of all of my official PC's (Mattingly, Freeman, Kimbrel, David Robertson, Rizzo), I lack autographs for the two I've had the longest - Freeman and Mattingly.   For Donnie Baseball, we're talking about 28, 29 years or so.   And while I have autographed cards for both Robertson and Rizzo, this Rizzo is the only CERTIFIED signature.

Funny how that happens.   Hopefully I'll be fortunate enough to remedy the voids soon enough.

But for now, I'm really excited to have a cornerstone for the Rizzo PC.

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

Announcing Anthony Rizzo - My Latest PC (Paisan Collection)

Huge news here at Ryan's Pitch.

I'm collecting any and all cards of Anthony Rizzo!

I only have two cards of Rizzo, so we're definitely on the GROUND floor for this collection.   You read that correctly - TWO.   I pulled his Allen & Ginter card out of pack last summer and then stumbled upon his mini from this year's Gypsy Queen set, also out of a pack:

Didn't dig the whole set, but I dig this card!

Without further ado, let the call ring out - I would love the chance to work out some trades for any Anthony Rizzo cards that you don't need for your collections!   That is all.......

But, as the Talking Heads pondered - how did I get here?  

Call it an epiphany of sorts - I've been following Rizzo's career pretty closely since the beginning of the 2012 season.   By then he had already been through Boston and San Diego before being shipped off to Chicago in exchange (pretty much) for Andrew Cashner.    I began my first season of fantasy baseball last year, so for the first time, I began dabbling in the "goings on" of minor league prospects throughout the majors in an effort to scout out rising talent for my own "team".

And I found Mr. Rizzo.

The Cubbies were hurting, as usual.   Their offense needed a boost and first base wasn't exactly blocked off by a long-standing beloved Windy City veteran.   In fact, the last prominent first basemen that I can recall at Wrigley would have to be from my first collecting period - Mark Grace.   No slouch! 

Uniform = AWESOMENESS

Anthony was called up in late June and had an immediate impact.   He couldn't singlehandedly turn around the Cubs' season but Rizzo proved to be a solid fielding 1B (.995 in 735 chances) with a great eye at the plate and some power to boot (.285 and 15 HRs).

But here is where I really started to feel a connection to the guy - he is of Italian descent, just like yours truly.   In fact, Rizzo can trace his family's roots back to the Sicilian village of Ciminna.   Ciminna is just inland, south of Palermo. 

Il mio connazionale!

One of my grandfathers, whom I mention quite frequently on this blog, was primarily responsible for solidifying my love for the game of baseball.......and he was also a first generation Italian American whose parents traveled to this country from the Sicilian village of Villarosa.   Villaroasa is fairly central to the island, several miles northeast of Caltanissetta.

Hopefully, at some point, I'll be able to travel to Sicily and see where I come from.   And don't THINK I didn't take a look at Rizzo's and my ancestors' location relative to Corleone!   I know.   Ridiculous.   But I couldn't help it.   Perhaps one day, I can hang out with Anthony and these guys, drink some coffee and tell some stories:

How y'all doin?

Fantastic.   I'm looking forward to collecting this guy and following his career.   I'm hopeful he can continue his current trends at the plate and settle in as a reliable part of Chicago's fledgling foundation with fellow infielder, Starlin Castro.   Rizzo recently made some comments about his hopes to be a part of the Cubs organization and that city for many years to come.   It's tough to do these days, but I'll hope along with him (unless he wants to wear pinstripes or tomahawks?).   Here's the back of that Rizzo GQ, by the way:

That's right......since RICK WILKINS! What?

It's almost like a return to my collecting youth in a lot of ways.   So many years ago, it was the love of The Mick shared with me by my Dad that introduced me to the Yankees and everything fell into place for my collecting ways to quickly center around Don Mattingly.   That quest continues today!   Likewise, a family connection and some random geographical coincidence from half way around the globe has now led me to cheer on another southpaw first baseman.

You can check out my PC list here.   More changes may be on the way soon, so stay tuned.

I love this hobby!

Thanks for reading!  

Size Matters with Another 'Spring TTM 2012' Return!!!

Ah, yes.   The large bubble mailer.   This bad boy was waiting for me at home a couple weeks back:

"Through The Mail" autograph requests are one of those parts of life where size really does matter.   Okay, I betcha TTMs aren't exactly the first topic up for debate when the discussion arises, but we're talkin' baseball today, folks!

You see, the size of a TTM matters for several reasons.   There's the cost.   It simply costs more to send more to our favorite athletes.   Yes, thank you Captain Obvious.   But there's also the awkwardness of the large-sized, bulky packages.   Envelopes with cards and letters can be stacked and piled and slipped in lockers rather easily.   It doesn't guarantee anything, but at least the logistics are in your favor.   Our heroes are busy, and toting around large packages from their fans (or asking someone from their entourage to do so) just isn't probably on their list of favorite things to do.   Ever.   And over-sized, over-achieving autograph requests, whether in person or through the mail, can sometime completely backfire and leave a well-intentioned fan empty-handed with a bitter memory of a particular athlete.

I get that.   And I respect that.   And I even fear that when I send a baseball.   But I still try, sometimes!

And sometimes..........you get lucky.   Very lucky.

Earlier this spring, I started a new spring training tradition of TTM quests that I colorfully called: "Spring TTM 2012".   I know........amazingly pithy, yes?!?!   A bunch of cards, in small TTM envelopes, went out to a bunch of players.   A few baseballs went out to a few, select players.    Mostly because the balls simply cost more and so I have to be selective about who I would like to send them to.   After all - they might not come back.   However, they weren't necessarily sent to the most popular players (which is usually a lost cause anyways) but my personal favorites or the ones that would mean the most to me.  

One of them was a ROMLB (previously discussed here) and a couple of cards to my current, favorite player from my favorite team - David Robertson of the New York Yankees.   That's right, a middle reliever.   The Bombers' 8th inning guy.   Mo's set-up man and, right now, heir apparent.   Not the most exciting idea for most collectors, probably - but I was stoked to give David a try.

Yeah.   I just called him David.

I returned to the hobby last year and, admittedly, returned to baseball as well.   I have always tuned in for the post season every year but I had really been a poor excuse for a baseball fan since I left the hobby and the sport for [girls, my HS sports, college, wife, job, family, etc.] back around '94/'95.   It was time for a change early last year though, when I found out I was going to have a son.   A boy's Dad has to know what's going on in baseball, now, come one!   As Homer Simpson would say, "the boy" is now here and so is my addiction to the game.   I tuned in whenever I could to catch a game last season and, as luck and the law$ of marketing would have it, a lot of those games were glorious Yankees games.   And in a lot of those Yankees games that ended with a W for New York, I was mesmerized by the 8th inning pitching machine that is David Robertson.

He often got himself into trouble with a hit there or a walk here......but he always pitched himself out of it, earning the nickname of "Houdini" by many fans.   He earned a spot on the All-Star roster last year where he retired the side in the 2nd inning with, appropriately, one hit and one strikeout.

Ironically, Michael Pineda struck out TWO NL batters in the 3rd inning......but I digress.   Sorry, the "Jay Buhner Part Deux" horror show is still too fresh on my mind!

Back to Mr. Robertson....

I also have a vivid memory of catching an inter-league game between the Rockies and the Yanks and watching Robertson strike out Tulowitzki with runners in scoring position to end the inning.   It was epic!   The guy has a 7-foot stride when he steps towards home plate in his delivery.   This enables him to serve up some strong pitches while minimizing the reaction time for the batters he's facing.

Great stuff.   Good baseball!   Size matters.

Plus.....he sports the 'high socks' look which is just flat out cool.   Even cooler is that Robertson (a University of Alabama alum) set up his charity, "High Socks for Hope" in order to raise money for disaster relief in the tornado-ravaged town of Tuscaloosa, AL.   They were hit pretty hard last year and David wanted to help out.   He also guest-celebrity-bartended at a watering hole in New York City at some point and donated all tips from that night to charity.   A great pitcher for my team and, by all accounts, a great guy.

So, he easily earned a spot on my "Player Collections" roster and has become one of my favorite players.   If you have any Robertson's, especially the parallels that I just can't seem to find.....let me know and I'll be more than happy to work up a swap!

Which brings me to the purpose of the whole post............David responded to my autograph request and was kind enough to sign and return the mementos I had sent!   I couldn't have been more excited to chalk up another success from Spring TTM 2012 with my favorite current Yankee, David Robertson:

I like to think he may have shuffled through my fan mail and some others while sipping a cold brewskie and nursing his bizarre foot injury during spring training.   He seems to have recovered nicely since his apartment-moving mishap though, as he currently sports a 0.00 ERA and 1.12 WHIP with 8 K's in 11 innings pitched.   And I'll certainly be cheering him on during every inning to come.

Thanks for taking the time to respond to my request, Mr. Robertson and good luck as the 2012 season unfolds!

Thanks for reading!