My Topps Yankees Project...is ALIVE!

I thought I had no shot at continuing my Topps Yankees Project for 2020, but out of nowhere a few days ago, this showed up:

Let me take a step back. For those not familiar, my Topps Yankees Project is a collecting project I started in 2011. The project consists of one signed Yankees Topps card from every year since 1951. All autographs were obtained by me through the mail (TTM), and there are no repeating players. 

I sent a batch of cards out at spring training for 2020, and none came back. Then COVID-19 and stuff. And I did stop sending TTMs during that time, except I sent three requests to Yankee Stadium once Series 2 came out. I know, hypocrite!

After hearing nothing, I assumed I was going to have to try again next spring, but luckily Mr. Mike Ford came through for me and I can check 2020 off the list.

I am due to once again scan the entire project. For now, I'll link back to the last time I did that in 2017 here.

Ford drives in

One of the very few spring training TTM requests I sent this year found its way back to me last week.

I only sent six or seven requests, as spring training TTMs are no longer a source for a high success rate. That's a trend that's really been happening the last ten years or so. I've limited it to trying to send the latest Topps flagship issues for my project, and then one or two others. No sense in wasting stamps.

One of the players I did send to was Mike Ford, a rookie last year who finally made it to the Bronx after signing as an undrafted free agent in 2013. He was both the hitter and pitcher of the year for the 2013 Ivy League season while at Princeton, which is certainly a pretty cool feat.

Ford slowly but surely made his way through the minors. Never a shiny prospect, his rise was steady with a combo of power and OBP.

Finally, he made his debut last season, and was very good, hitting 12 homers at the big league level with a .350 OBP. He had an OPS+ of 137.

He was kind enough to sign my card just as the Yankees were heading to Summer Camp. I like it because it's his Update RC. He is also a part of 2020 Series 2, so I may need to send a request his way again as I try and knock of 2020 for my Topps Yankees Project.

Built Ford Tough

Last night, Yankees rookie Mike Ford hit his first career big league home run.

Ford's story is pretty awesome. He was an undrafted free agent out of Princeton, where won Ivy League Hitter AND Pitcher of the Year in 2013. The Yankees scooped him up after the draft for some organizational depth.

Since then, all he has done is hit and climb the organizational ladder, and was pressed into service at the big league level as the Yankees legitimately have an All-Star roster on the IL. Ford seems like a very likable player, so it's great to see him make an impact right away.

Several years ago, Ford was kind enough to respond to a TTM request of mine, where he sent me three signed cards of his own, as well as a nice note.

Things like this make it even easier to root for a guy like Ford. I wish him the bets of luck!

TTM Success: Mike Ford

It's been a while since I've gotten a TTM success, but that changed today with an awesome return from Yankees prospect Mike Ford. I know I sent it out early in last season because the mail was forward from my old address.

Sadly, I don't have access to my TTM records from the past 5 years or so. I foolishly kept it on my work computer, and forgot to bring it with me when I left for a new company in June. So dumb! I lost the tracking of 400+ TTM success, send dates, return dates, what I sent, etc. I should have kept it in a Google Doc or on Drop Box, but I was stupid and kept it on my personal drive in only one Excel file at my previous employer. Huge regret.

Anyways, I know for a fact that I didn't have a Mike Ford card to send. I am certain I sent either an index card or a generic Yankees card (like of the Stadium or logo).

Well, Mr. Ford was nice enough to send me three signed cards! He added "4 HRs" to one of them, as he hit 4 HRs in a minor league game on May 24, 2014.

He also included a really nice hand-written note. He actually apologized for the delay, which is crazy talk! No athlete should ever apologize for a delayed response. He doesn't owe it to me or anyone else. It just shows what a classy guy Mike Ford is.

Ford is a super interesting player. He was signed as an undrafted free agent after winning Ivy League Hitter AND Pitcher of the Year in 2013. That's nuts! He went on to have a monster 2014 in the Yanks system, spending time in Charleston and Tampa. In all, he hit .292/.383/.458 with 13 HRs. In 2015, he spent the entire season in High-A Tampa, slashing .268/.340/.368. His power was down a bit, but he's universally praised for his focus and work ethic.

I'm really hoping he gets the bump to Trenton in 2016, as he's from NJ and I'm sure would be a thrill for him to play in front of family and friends. I love his story, and I'll be pulling for him to make it with the Yanks. In the mean time, I thank him for his letter and the signed cards.