Saturday was Day 2 of the MLB Fanfest. This time I got there a little earlier so I would not miss the 10am auto sessions. I already have all of the HOFer's that are scheduled to appear. This allows me to get more of the other players since there lines are usually alot shorter.
I have alot of Mookie autographs and I can Buddy Harrelson anytime I go to a Ducks game, So, the first line I got on was for Edgardo Alfonso. I already have a few of his autographs. But, I had one of those Pinnacle Snap shots I wanted signed. I only waited 30 minutes or so. Was not to bad.
Added to the schedule was to be 2 of the Future stars. Nobody seemed to know who. But, there were not scheduled till 2pm. With some time to kill I headed over to the XM booth to see who was scheduled. The only one on the schedule worth getting was Cliff Floyd and I had gotten him the day before. So, now I head over to the MLB TV stage and ask who was to appear and I'm told Jack Morris and Frank Thomas would be doing the first session in about 20 mins. I had gotten Morris the day before. But, wanted "The Big Hurt" at this point others had gotten the word and were hanging around also. Some of us tried to get Thomas before he got on stage. But, was denied by him.
We were told that the Morris and Thomas would be doing a 2 hours show. I hung around the stage for about 30 mins and figured I had plenty of time to come back and try one more time for Thomas. So, I walked around alittle and then notice that a line had formed behind the MLB TV stage were Morris and Thomas was doing the show. I walked over and asked and was told that they would both be signing when done with the TV thing. So, I waited probably 45 minutes before the line started to move and was told by someone who had gotten him already that he was leaving soon. I got lucky, the line was cut off about 10 people behind me.
One strange thing is Thomas did not SS for everyone. I had been online with 2 of my fellow graphers that I knew from doing Ducks games and neither of them had gotten Thomas on the SS. The autograph does not look like much. But, I looked on ebay to see what his certified stuff looks like and its about the same,
By the time I had gotten Thomas there was 1 hour till the Futures signings was to start. The rumor the day before was Byron Buxton and Jesse Biddle or Brando Nimmo and Noah Syndergaard would be signing.
We had gotten online and was told that we where on the standby line for the Futures signing and also found out it was Buxton and Biddle signing. I had gotten Biddle on a ball when he pitched in Lakewood. So, I was getting him on a card. Byron Buxton was a the Twins 1st rd pick (2nd overall )in 2012. Baseball America had him ranked #10 amongst prospects before the season started. MLB had him ranked #13 and is currently playing in Advanced A Fort Myers
Jesse Biddle was the Phillies 1st rd pick (27th overall) in 2010. Biddle is ranked #89 by Baseball America before the season and he is currently pitching in AA Reading. I was able to get a 2nd card done by Biddle with some help.
After getting the Biddle and Buxton I was told that Cal Ripken was doing a clinic on one of the diamonds. He was signing for the kids inside and then started to sign for people around the perimeter. Well Chaos took over. Everyone was pushing and shoving. He may have signed for about 30-40 people and then left. He was escorted by a number of guards and left. I wish I could say I got him. But, I did NOT.
I had picked up a All-Star program that featured Mets prospect Brandom Nimmo on the cover and he was doing a signing. But, was only signing the Program. I have enough of Nimmo's autographs already. I was not looking for more autographs.
The nexted scheduled signing I wanted was Rafael Santana. I picked up a nice original B/W wire photo of him earlier in the day for $5. His line went pretty quick.
Not sure if I had mentioned the others day. But, a few of the older players opened a booth where they where selling autographs. The players sat at the table and signed everything in front of the crowd. I picked up a Phil Neikro 8x10 for $30.
At sompoint during the day Brandon Nimmo, Jesse Biddle and Byron Buxton went to the Topps booth and started busting boxes of 2013 Bowman. Nimmo was the only one of the 3 not to have a card in the set. Whenever a card was found featuring the players it was handed off to someone in the crowd around them. I did not get a card.
My day was over around 5:30 and headed to the Starbucks again hoping to run into another former player. Today all I got was a coffee.
On Sunday I graphed the Futures game and I will write about that soon. I will tell you it was disappointing for me. But, that is the way graphing could be
Thanks for Reading and Check Back Soon!!!!
I have alot of Mookie autographs and I can Buddy Harrelson anytime I go to a Ducks game, So, the first line I got on was for Edgardo Alfonso. I already have a few of his autographs. But, I had one of those Pinnacle Snap shots I wanted signed. I only waited 30 minutes or so. Was not to bad.
Added to the schedule was to be 2 of the Future stars. Nobody seemed to know who. But, there were not scheduled till 2pm. With some time to kill I headed over to the XM booth to see who was scheduled. The only one on the schedule worth getting was Cliff Floyd and I had gotten him the day before. So, now I head over to the MLB TV stage and ask who was to appear and I'm told Jack Morris and Frank Thomas would be doing the first session in about 20 mins. I had gotten Morris the day before. But, wanted "The Big Hurt" at this point others had gotten the word and were hanging around also. Some of us tried to get Thomas before he got on stage. But, was denied by him.
We were told that the Morris and Thomas would be doing a 2 hours show. I hung around the stage for about 30 mins and figured I had plenty of time to come back and try one more time for Thomas. So, I walked around alittle and then notice that a line had formed behind the MLB TV stage were Morris and Thomas was doing the show. I walked over and asked and was told that they would both be signing when done with the TV thing. So, I waited probably 45 minutes before the line started to move and was told by someone who had gotten him already that he was leaving soon. I got lucky, the line was cut off about 10 people behind me.
By the time I had gotten Thomas there was 1 hour till the Futures signings was to start. The rumor the day before was Byron Buxton and Jesse Biddle or Brando Nimmo and Noah Syndergaard would be signing.
We had gotten online and was told that we where on the standby line for the Futures signing and also found out it was Buxton and Biddle signing. I had gotten Biddle on a ball when he pitched in Lakewood. So, I was getting him on a card. Byron Buxton was a the Twins 1st rd pick (2nd overall )in 2012. Baseball America had him ranked #10 amongst prospects before the season started. MLB had him ranked #13 and is currently playing in Advanced A Fort Myers
Jesse Biddle was the Phillies 1st rd pick (27th overall) in 2010. Biddle is ranked #89 by Baseball America before the season and he is currently pitching in AA Reading. I was able to get a 2nd card done by Biddle with some help.
After getting the Biddle and Buxton I was told that Cal Ripken was doing a clinic on one of the diamonds. He was signing for the kids inside and then started to sign for people around the perimeter. Well Chaos took over. Everyone was pushing and shoving. He may have signed for about 30-40 people and then left. He was escorted by a number of guards and left. I wish I could say I got him. But, I did NOT.
I had picked up a All-Star program that featured Mets prospect Brandom Nimmo on the cover and he was doing a signing. But, was only signing the Program. I have enough of Nimmo's autographs already. I was not looking for more autographs.
The nexted scheduled signing I wanted was Rafael Santana. I picked up a nice original B/W wire photo of him earlier in the day for $5. His line went pretty quick.
Not sure if I had mentioned the others day. But, a few of the older players opened a booth where they where selling autographs. The players sat at the table and signed everything in front of the crowd. I picked up a Phil Neikro 8x10 for $30.
At sompoint during the day Brandon Nimmo, Jesse Biddle and Byron Buxton went to the Topps booth and started busting boxes of 2013 Bowman. Nimmo was the only one of the 3 not to have a card in the set. Whenever a card was found featuring the players it was handed off to someone in the crowd around them. I did not get a card.
My day was over around 5:30 and headed to the Starbucks again hoping to run into another former player. Today all I got was a coffee.
On Sunday I graphed the Futures game and I will write about that soon. I will tell you it was disappointing for me. But, that is the way graphing could be
Thanks for Reading and Check Back Soon!!!!
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