2021 National Signer - Mike Piazza

The signers list this year at the National was kind of light.  I think it was because they weren't sure about the event even happening until June 1, then Tristar had to scramble to get guys lined up.  Even past free signers like Marty Cordova were on the paid list this year.  Still, there were a few guys I needed for my Hall of Fame collection.  Speaking of, the collection has been neglected lately with the signed 1987 Topps set taking up a lot of my time.  I picked a couple guys off of the list who I still needed; and I missed one that I thought I had (Larry Walker).

I paid the fee to meet Mike Piazza, and got him on this baseball Saturday at the show.  He was really cool; we talked about him getting in trouble with Axl Rose years ago when Piazza leaked some new GNR music to an LA radio station.  I had asked Piazza if he had any new ones he could leak for me, since I'm a huge fan, and he said "Man, I got into so much trouble over that..."  I said "With who, Axl?  Did you make him angry?" and Mike replied "Well, when is he not angry?"  That was a cool shared moment right there, albeit brief, since we were moving through the line quickly.

Piazza (b. 1968) played in the majors from 1992 to 2007 for the Dodgers, Marlins, Mets, Padres and A's.  He had 2,172 hits, 427 home runs and a .308 batting average.  He was the 1993 NL Rookie of the Year and a 12-time All Star (1993 to 2002, 2004 and 2005).  His best MVP finish was 2nd (NL, 1996 and 1997).  He was a 10-time Silver Slugger Award winner, as well.  Remarkable, he hit over .300 9 times in his career.  His .308 batting average ranks 126th all-time and his home runs rank 51st.

Piazza was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2016, his 4th time on the ballot.  He is my 152nd Hall of Famer on a baseball, and the first that I have added since October of 2020.  Glad to cross a new name off of the list.

TTM Success - Morgan Cooper

Here are a couple 2017 Bowmans that I was able to get signed TTM by Morgan Cooper.  Both cards (2017 Bowman and 2017 Bowman Chrome) turned out really nicely.

Cooper (b. 1994) was a 2nd round pick by the Dodgers in the 2017 June Amateur Draft out of the University of Texas - Austin.  He has played in the Dodgers system, only one season (this year) at the High A level.  He has a record of 0-1 with 6 strike outs and a 10.13 ERA.

I mailed to Cooper on January 7 and got the cards back on February 4, for a 28-day TAT.

TTM Success - Greg Mayberry

Some of these 1987 Topps team leaders cards are going to be impossible for me to complete.  Others, like this one of the Dodgers, can be completed, but it takes a lot of praying that the card comes back ok and signed at all.

I had seen that Greg Mayberry was signing, so I jumped all over sending before he changed his mind.  Thankfully he signed my card and I can now file it away in my album.  I just wish he had signed it in blue.  Oh well, I can't afford to be too picky.

Mayberry (b. 1965) was drafted in the first round (13th overall) of the January1984 draft by the Red Sox, but didn't sign, and was then drafted by the Dodgers in the first round (second overall) by the Dodgers in the June 1984 draft.  I'm guessing the draft was set up differently back then.

He played in the Dodgers system from 1984 to 1990, reaching AAA.  He had a minor league record of 39-38 with 454 strike outs and a 3.98 ERA.

I mailed to Mayberry on December 5 and got the card back on December 22, for a 17-day TAT.

TTM Success - Bill Russell

I had bought a Bill Russell signed 1987 Topps for my set at the National back in 2019 at a really good price.  A private signing came up recently, so I decided to go ahead and send one of my own Russells in and get it signed.  It came back, and looks great, so the other one will be used as trade bait later on.

Russell (b. 1948) played in the majors from 1969 to 1986 for the Dodgers.  He had 1,926 hits, 46 home runs and a .263 batting average.  He was an All Star in 1973, 1976 and 1980.  He received MVP votes in 1973 that placed him 32nd.  He won the World Series in 1981 with the Dodgers.  He appeared on the Hall of Fame ballot in 1992, but received only 0.7% of the vote.

I sent to the signing on August 10 and got the card back on November 3, for an 85-day TAT.  I paid a fee of $20.00.

Another TTM Success From Alex Trevino

I saw that Alex Trevino was signing through a private signing recently, so I pulled my 1987 Topps Dodgers Leaders card out of my binder, so I could add Trevino to the card that had already been signed by Ron Perranoski.  Perranoski passed away a couple months ago, so I was worried about getting the card back safely.  The card did come back, and it is now in the mail to former minor league pitcher, Greg Mayberry.  Mayberry has picked up signing recently, so I hope and pray that the card comes back from him signed.  If not, I'll be in the market for another Perranoski signed 87 Topps.

I sent to the Trevino private signing on July 30 and got the card back on October 1, for a 63-day TAT.  I paid a fee of $25.00.

TTM Success - Manny Mota

 I saw that Manny Mota signed TTM, so I grabbed several of his cards and got them mailed out.  He has a pretty cool signature.  I was surprised I had the extra 1970 Topps; I have only a handful of loose 70 Topps in my boxes, and most were of people who don't sign.  It has been a while since I have added one of them to my autograph album.

I also had Mota sign a 1973 Topps and two 1980 Topps.  One of the 80s was his 1979 Highlights, which depicted him breaking the pinch hit record.  I believe that has since been topped.

Mota (b. 1938) played in the majors from 1962 to 1980 and 1982 for the Giants, Pirates, Expos and Dodgers.  He had 1,149 hits, 31 home runs and a .304 batting average.  He was an All Star in 1973 and his best MVP finish was 23rd in 1972 (NL).  He appeared on two Hall of Fame ballots between 1988 and 1989, but the most support he received was 4.2% of the vote.

I mailed to Mota on August 12 and got the cards back on August 19, for a 7-day TAT.

TTM Success - Kody Hoese

Getting 2020 cards signed has been tough this year with no IP graphing happening.  I've been limited to getting guys TTM.  There have been only a handful of guys in any of the 2020 sets that I have been able to get, and Kody Hoese was one of them.  The above 2020 Bowman Chrome mojo that I got at a card show was the nicest of the bunch.

Above are the other cards that Hoese signed.  He signed a 2020 Bowman Chrome, 2020 Pro Debut blue parallel and a 2019 Bowman Draft.

Hoese (b. 1997) was a first round pick (25th overall) by the Dodgers in the 2019 June Amateur Draft out of Tulane.

He got into 41 games in the minors last season where he had 44 hits, 5 home runs and a .299 batting average.

I mailed to Hoese on June 29 and got the cards back on July 13, for a 14-day TAT.

TTM Success - Jimmy Lewis

I got a couple cards from 2019 Bowman Draft signed with this TTM success from Jimmy Lewis.  He has a really cool signature, and it pops really well with the design of 2019 Bowman.

Lewis (b. 2000) was a second round pick by the Dodgers in the 2019 June Amateur Draft out of Lake Travis High School in Texas.  He has yet to make his professional debut.

I mailed to Lewis on June 10 and got the cards back on June 29, for a 19-day TAT.

TTM Success - Chris Taylor

I sent Chris Taylor a 2013 Donruss Elite Extra Edition and a 2020 Topps Heritage, and he swapped those out with this 2018 Topps Fire.  Normally, I would be a little annoyed when my cards are swapped out, but this Topps Fire is a cool card, and I am glad to have it.

Taylor (b. 1990) has played in the majors since 2014 for the Dodgers and Mariners.  He has 491 hits, 57 home runs and a .263 batting average.  He was the NLCS MVP in 2017.

June 1 and got the card back signed on June 26, for a 25-day TAT.

TTM Success - Will Smith

I added a cool card to my autograph album with this TTM success from Will Smith.  Not that Will Smith.  The Will Smith pictured on the card.  Duh.

He signed the card with a silver Sharpie, and it shows up a lot better in person.

Smith (b. 1995) made his Major League debut last season with the Dodgers.  He had 43 hits, 15 home runs and a .253 batting average.  He was a 1st Round (32nd overall) pick by the Dodgers in the 2016 June Amateur Draft out of the University of Louisville.

I mailed to Smith via the Oklahoma City Dodgers on May 22, 2019 and got the card back on March 20, 2020, for a 303-day TAT.  I sent three cards, and he signed one.

TTM Success - Pedro Guerrero

I had heard sometime last year, that Pedro Guerrero has a health scare.  So, I was surprised to see that his name popped up as part of a private signing a couple months ago.  I was also surprised to see that I had no Pedro Guerrero cards in my 5,000-count box of 1987 Topps.  So, I had to find one online and send the card that I had in my 87 set, so I could get it to the signing in time.  Also, I didn't see the signing until something like 10 days out, so I was really worried that the card wouldn't get there in time.  Luckily, it did, and I was able to replace the Guerrero for my set.  This auto looks really awesome, and I am glad I can add this to the 87 album.

Guerrero (b. 1956) played in the majors from 1978 to 1992 for the Dodgers and Cardinals.  He had 1,618 hits, 215 home runs and a .300 career batting average.  He won the 1981 World Series, in which he was also crowned the World Series MVP.  He was a 5-time All Star (1981, 1983, 1985, 1987 and 1989).  His best MVP finish was 3rd (1982 and 1985).  He appeared on the 1998 Hall of Fame ballot, but received only 1.3% of the vote.

I mailed to the private signing on February 18 and got the card back on March 2, for a 13-day TAT.  I paid a fee of $10.00.

TTM Success - Jeren Kendall

I had sent a bunch of cards out for 50/50s this past season, but there were several guys I had pulled that folks just weren't able to get to sign for me.  So, I went through the cards and tried to see if I could send a few of the cards out for TTMs, as opposed to putting the cards back in my box.  I was able to get a couple of them back, Jeren Kendall being one of them.

Kendall's signature isn't much, but the cards are signed.  They'll still go in my album, and not have to go back in my box.

Kendall (b. 1996) was a 1st round pick (23rd overall) by the Dodgers in the 2017 June Amateur Draft.  He played college ball at Vanderbilt.  He has played 3 seasons of Minor League ball, advancing as high as High A (Rancho Cucamonga).  SO far, he has 212 hits, 34 home runs and a .223 batting average.

I mailed to Kendall on September 26 and got the cards back on November 12, for a 47-day TAT.

TTM Success - Alejandro Pena

Another SCN private signing has helped me land another autograph for my 1987 Topps set.  I had sent to Alejandro Pena a while back, and never got a return, so I went ahead and took advantage of the low fee for this signing, and crossed the card off of my list.

Pena (b. 1959) played in the majors from 1981 to 1992 and 1994 to 1996 for the Dodgers, Mets, Braves, Pirates, Red Sox and Marlins.  He had a career record of 56-52 with 839 strike outs and a 3.11 ERA.  He was the NL ERA leader in 1984 (2.48) and won the World Series with the Dodgers in 1981 and 1988, and the Braves in 1995.

I mailed to the signing on September 14 and got the card back signed on October 5, for a 21-day TAT.

TTM Success - Rick Honeycutt

While this autograph request was out to Rick Honeycutt, I ended up getting an 87 Topps for my set.  This one finally came in, so I will take a look at the one I had, and see if this one looks any better.

I had sent to Dodgers Spring Training to try to get Honeycutt on my cards, and they finally did come back.  The above 1990 Topps turned out really well.  I didn't realize how off-centered my card was, but it still looks nice.

Here is the 87, along with a 1992.  Both look sharp.

Honeycutt (b. 1954) played in the majors from 1977 to 1997 for the Mariners, Rangers, Dodgers, A's, Yankees and Cardinals.  He had a career record of 109-143, with 1,038 strike outs and a 3.72 ERA.  He was an All Star in 1980 and 1983, and won the World Series with the A's in 1989.  He appeared on the 2003 Hall of Fame ballot, and received 0.4% of the vote.

I mailed to Honeycutt on February 5 and got the cards back on September 10, for a 217-day TAT.

2019 National Free Signer - Jim Lefebvre

I didn't go through his line, because I was waiting on Jim Perry, but I was able to get this Jim Lefebvre card signed by either Michael or his uncle.  They were kind enough to get my stuff done while I waited on Perry.  I was glad to get this 1971 Topps Buyback card done.  I won't count it toward my Topps total, since it has the Topps Stamp, but it was really cool to get it done.

Lefebvre (b. 1942) played in the majors from 1965 to 1972 for the Dodgers.  He had 756 hits, 74 home runs and a .251 batting average.  He was the 1965 NL Rookie of the Year and an All Star in 1966.  His best career finish in the NL MVP voting was 18th in 1966.  He won the World Series with the Dodgers in 1965.

Lefebvre managed the Mariners from 1989 to 1991; the Cubs from 1992 to 1993 and the Brewers for part of 1999.  His career managerial record is 233-253 (.485%).

TTM Success - George Lombard

I got another TTM success back from the batch I sent to Spring Training, this one being from Dodgers camp.  I had some nice late 90s, early 2000s cards of Lombard that I sent off, but he ended up keeping two of the better cards that I sent.

The ones I got back turned out well, so I can't complain.  I just wish I had gotten the other two cards back, because they would have looked cool.

Lombard (b. 1975) is exactly 5 years older than I am.  It isn't often that I find a player with whom I share a birthday, but it is cool that Lombard and I do.  He played in the majors from 1998 to 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2006 for the Braves, Tigers, Devil Rays and Nationals.  He had 77 hits, 8 home runs and a .220 batting average.

I mailed to Lombard via Dodgers Spring Training on February 5 and got the cards back on June 22, for a 137-day TAT.

TTM Success - Steve Sax

I was informed recently of a private signing that wasn't listed on SCN.  A friend of the blog (thanks, Rich), told me that he had heard Steve Sax was signing as a promotion for an orthodontist's office in California.  Rich wasn't sure if they accepted mail-ins, so I emailed the person promoting the event, and yes, they did take mail-in requests.

So, I sent the two 1987 Topps cards that Sax had in the set, and sent them off for $25/each.  I had to get a money order for the signing, which is something I haven't had to purchase in years.

Sax (b. 1960) played in the majors from 1981 to 1994 for the Dodgers, Yankees, White Sox and A's.  He had 1,949 hits, 54 home runs and a .281 batting average.  He was the 1982 NL Rookie of the Year and was an All Star five times (1982, 1983, 1986, 1989 and 1990).  He finished a career-best 13th in the NL MVP voting in 1986, and appeared on two other MVP ballots (1988 and 1989).  He won the World Series in 1981 and 1988 with the Dodgers.

Sax appeared on the 2000 Hall of Fame ballot, but received only 0.4% of the vote.

I mailed to the private signing on January 19, and got the cards back on February 7, for a 19-day TAT.

Ebay Pickup - 1987 Topps Ken Howell For The Set

I got an email from Ebay saying that I had some Ebay bucks, so I used them as a coupon on another 1987 Topps that I needed for my set.  I icked this Ken Howelll, since he recently passed away.

Howell (b. 1960 - d. 2018) played in the majors from 1984 to 1990 for the Dodgers and Phillies.  He had a career record of 38-48 with 549 strike outs and a 3.95 ERA.

Ethan With a Huge Addition For My Set

My friend, Ethan, promised me a while back that he would try to get me Mike Scioscia for my 1987 Topps set.  He ended up coming through, and the card finally arrived today.  I think this was one of my cards that I sent to him back during Spring Training, but I don't remember.

Scioscia (b. 1958) played in the majors from 1980 to 1992 for the Dodgers.  He had 1,131 hits, 68 home runs and a .259 batting average.  He was an All Star in 1989 and 1990 and finished 18th in the NL MVP voting in 1985.  He won the World Series with the Dodgers in 1981 and 1988.

As a manager, he led the Angels from 2000 to 2018.  His managerial record was 1,650-1,428 (.536 %).  He won the World Series in 2002.  He was the AL Manager of the Year in 2002 and 2009.

Thanks so much for getting this done for me, Ethan!

TTM Success - Alex Trevino

The private signings on sportscollectors.net are really helping me add some good autos to my 1987 set.  This Alex Trevino turned out really well, and only cost me $20.

Trevino (b. 1957) played in the majors from 1978 to 1990 for the Mets, Reds, Braves, Giants, Dodgers and Astros.  He had 604 hits, 23 home runs and a .249 batting average.

I mailed to the private signing on June 2, and got the card back on June 23, for a 21-day TAT.