TTM Success: Hiroki Kuroda

On Saturday, Kenny over at Cervin' Up Cards posted a TTM success from Hiroki Kuroda. I commented that I also had an ask out to Kuroda, and hoped mine would be coming back soon. That it did! I was out of town, but when I returned yesterday, a single, lonely SASE sat in my mailbox (you know, sandwiched between two bubble mailers of cards).

Hiroki Kuroda signed my 2014 Topps card. The signature didn't stick to the card perfectly, but overall, a very nice success from Kuroda. I'm a big fan of his, and really appreciate the time he takes to sign for fans.

TTM Success: Preston Claiborne

Yankees reliever Preston Claiborne kept my nice run of TTM successes alive by returning my 2013 Topps Update card with a great-looking signature. I don't have many horizontal cards signed, so this was a nice chance. The signature looks great and really pops against all the the light colors in the card.

Claiborne had a nice season in 'pen last year, and I look for him to be a key cog in the Yanks' bullpen again this year. Young relievers are very valuable, and while the Yanks are constantly getting knocked for not developing players, they've had a lot of success developing young bullpen arms.

Random TTM: Tim Salmon

I'm having trouble finding the time to do some posts about recent trades and acquisitions. For those who are unaware, my wife and I are expecting baby #2 (a girl!), due on April 28. So between doctor's appointments, prepping for the addition, looking after Joey, work, life, everything else, I've got a huge stack of bubble mailers just waiting to be scanned and written about.

Back in middle school, I used to send out a few TTMs. I'd read about through-the-mail autograph collecting in Beckett or SI for Kids, and once in awhile I'd steal a few stamps from my dad's desk and send out some requests.

One of the better ones I got back at the time was from Tim Salmon of the California Angels. I sent this cool Fleer Ultra insert card, which looks pretty hippy trippy nowadays. It was foily and flashy, and as a middle schooler, there weren't many cards cooler than Fleer Ultra inserts.

 

The signature stuck well and looks great.

Topps Yankees Project: 2014

My Topps Yankees Project. The pride and joy of my collection. One Yankees card signed via TTM for each year Topps has existed. No repeat players. Another new issue crossed off the list.

Since I completed my project a few years ago, I eagerly wait for the Topps Series One checklist each winter. I always hope that Topps includes a few lesser known Yankees into the set, so that I have a great chance of knocking the current year off of my project. This year, I found four players that Topps included in the set that I felt decent about sending to. Finally, after a few weeks waiting, this came back:

Boom! Thank you Mr. Boone Logan. Who cares if you now play for the Rockies? You are pictured and shown as a Yankee, where you pitched from 2010-2013. I’m thrilled to have your black signature scrawled across the card. Into the binder you go!

Here’s a rundown of who else is part of my project. I’m going to rescan all the cards in the coming days and share them once again.

Progress:  63/63

Details:

1951 - Jerry Coleman
1952 - Charlie Silvera

1953 - Irv Noren

1954 - Bob Kuzava

1955 - Steve Kraley

1956 - Bob Turley

1957 - Bobby Shantz
1958 - Gil McDougald
1959 - Virgil Trucks

1960 - Art Ditmar
1961 - Joe DeMaestri

1962 - Bobby Richardson

1963 - Hector Lopez

1964 - Bud Daley

1965- Phil Linz

1966 - Al Downing

1967 - Dooley Womack

1968 - Mike Hegan

1969 - Jake Gibbs

1970 - Jerry Kenney

1971 - Ron Klimkwoski

1972 - Mel Stottlemyre

1973 - Fritz Peterson

1974 - Roy White

1975 - Ron Blomberg

1976 - Ed Herrmann

1977 - Chris Chambliss

1978 - Fred Stanley

1979 - Cliff Johnson

1980 - Jim Beattie

1981 - Greg Nettles

1982 - Bob Watson

1983 - Goose Gossage

1984 - Bert Campaneris

1985 - Clay Christiansen

1986 - Don Baylor

1987 - Bobby Meacham

1988 - Rick Cerone

1989 - Dave Eiland

1990 - Steve Balboni

1991 - Randy Velarde

1992 - Roberto Kelly

1993 - Andy Stankiewicz

1994 - Lee Smith

1995 - Scott Kamieniecki

1996 - Jimmy Key

1997 - Mariano Duncan

1998 - Joe Girardi

1999 - Chuck Knoblauch

2000 - Chili Davis

2001 - Clay Bellinger

2002 - Scott Brosius

2003 - Steve Karsay

2004 - Chris Hammond

2005 - Tony Womack

2006 - Kevin Thompson

2007 - Scott Proctor

2008 - Kei Igawa

2009 - Phil Coke

2010 - Michael Dunn

2011 - Mariano Rivera
2012 - Austin Romine
2013 - David Robertson

2014 - Boone Logan

The nicest '56 Topps I've ever seen

A few days ago, I got an email from Mark Hoyle saying that he had a 1956 Topps Jerry Coleman and 1976 Hostess Catfish Hunter, if I wanted it. Not one to pass up such vintage goodness, I said sure. A few days later, they arrived.

Holy crap, that Colemen's condition is phenomenal. I've never see a 1956 this nice. Very good centering, exquisite color, no creases. The corners might be a litttttle fuzzy, but honestly, it's gorgeous. It's gradable, for sure, although I don't get cards graded.

The Catfish, however, looks like someone cut it out right handed with some lefty scissors. Still very cool though, as this is my first Hostess card from the '70s. Man, I wish Hostess or Drake's or Little Debbie's or whomever would put cards on boxes again.

Mark, thanks for the cards. I love 'em!

Goodbye, Napkin Doon

Today marks the end of Napkin Doon's blogging career. While we can always hope he attempts a Jordanesque comeback (the first comeback!), I'm not so sure we'll see it. Nap has made the respectable decision to leave the card blogging world while he is at the top of his game. He's on to bigger and better things.

I consider Napkin Doon a true friend. Without knowing it, the first time we traded, he picked me up from a dark, dark day in my life. While the details of what happened that day are personal, I got home that night, checked the mail, and my first trade package from Nap was there. See, we had been going back and forth on a few cards he showed me, and at the time, I didn't have enough quality tradebait for everything that Napkin offered. I told him as much, and kindly requested one card, and said that I'd trade for the rest another time. I was truly happy with my end of the deal though.

However, as you darned collectors seem to do, you send more than what was bargained for. Napkin sent all the cards we had discussed, not just the ones we agreed to for our trade. I was floored. I was in a rough place, and while that certainly didn't fix the personal situation I was in, for a moment, it lifted me. He included a note that said, "You'll appreciate these more than I will." He had no idea.


Another moment a few months later sticks out as well. After my son was born, I received the usual array of "congrats" messages. That was all that was needed. Yet, a bubble mailer showed up a few days later. When I opened it, I found some sports-themed burp clothes for the new baby.

We gave each other plenty of grief over the years, but it was all in good fun. We got past the point of formal trades and just send bubble mailers back and forth, each one usually containing a laugh or something that doesn't quite make it to the blogs.

Nap, thanks for keeping us on our toes around here. While I think you always felt like a bit of a black sheep around these parts, please know that your work was always appreciated and enjoyable.

Best of luck, and I hope to see your name pop up in the comments section here and there. You know where to find us.

For good measure, here are a few of the cards Nap sent me over the years. Not all of them will make you drool, although some will surely hurt your eyes.

 

 

 

TTM Success: Ian Clarkin

I've done fairly well with Yankees prospects this spring in terms of returned TTMs. Still waiting on the big leaguers to answer some dang mail. However, hopefully this is from a future big leaguer. Yankees 2013 first round pick, Ian Clarkin, signed and returned my card in about two weeks. It's an insert from 2013 Bowman Draft featuring Clarkin and Aaron Judge, taken by the Yankees with the 32nd and 33rd overall picks this past June.

Clarkin is high ceiling young lefty, something that is a major commodity. From the San Diego area, he has a ton of experience pitching for Team USA junior teams. I like that. Clarkin only tossed a few innings after signing, and will likely spend this season in rookie ball.