Who's on first?

Why, it's the young Lost Collector during tee ball.

Jedi Jeff over at 2x3 Heroes is holding a contest to make a custom card using a picture of yourself from your childhood, preferably on a baseball field. Well, this cool cat wearing teal Chuck Taylors and a red, white, and blue wristband is yours truly, probably around the age of 5.

This is a legendary picture in my family. As you can probably see, my hand is, uhhh, touching myself. Apparently I did this every time I got on base, so my grandmother decided to snap a picture so that it lives in infamy. I felt like a late '80s Score design was appropriate. Shout out to the Rookies App for making dweebs like me easily make and print customs.

Now whenever my four-year-old has a little bout of touching himself and my wife complains, I show her the picture and say that it runs in the family.

I have very fond memories of tee ball. I was able to play on the same field my older brother played at during little league, so I thought that was cool. At the end of each game, they'd move the tee to a few few from the outfield fence and we'd have a HR derby. The winner would get a pack of Topps. I remember winning a couple of times and opening the cards and chomping on the gum before I got back to my mom and she made me spit it out.

TTM Success: Blake Rutherford

I feel very lucky on this one.

When Yankees 2016 1^st Rounder Blake Rutherford debuted with the GCL Yankees shortly after signing, I quickly sent out a TTM request. But then something he happened. He was promoted after just 8 games. Damn you and your advanced approach, Blake. Knowing that probably meant my TTM request was a lost cause, I quickly sent out another request to him in Pulaski, where he was bumped up. I will say that I was fortunate to have two of the exact same card, as P-Town Tom sent them to me – one for TTM, one for me. Then I used both for TTM. Oops. I can’t be trusted, Tom.

Luckily, the one from Pulaski made it back! I denoted on the PWE with a little P to know it was the Pulaski version I sent. Either way, I was ecstatic to get this, as Rutherford autos are a bit pricey since we was expected to be a top-5 pick, then was snatched by the Yankees a little after that. That, my friends, makes prices go up. I figure once he appears in Bowman Draft some of the USA Baseball stuff will go down, but still, I didn’t want to wait for that.

Rutherford had a fantastic start to his career, hitting .351/.415/.570 in 33 games between the CGL Yankees and Pulaski. Just the kind of start you’d hope to see from a highly touted pick. I can’t wait to see him next year, as he’s got all the tools to be a high end prospect, and if it weren’t for the July trades and influx of prospects, would likely be in the running for Yankees top prospect already. Next September, he certainly may own that distinction.

Listen to my voice on Beckett Radio

Here’s a bit of a shameless plus, but today I was interviewed for a few minutes on the Beckett Radio podcast. If you have a few minutes, please check it out. My segment only lasts 10 minutes or so, but the whole show is well worth it, as these guys do a great job talking about new products and relevant hobby topics. I had a great time chatting with hosts Eric and Paul.

Listen here or download in iTunes: THE LOST COLLECTOR INTERVIEW

I know there are plenty of bloggers out there who do this better than me, both from a TTM and blogging standpoint. Hopefully I represented both card bloggers and TTMers alike in a positive way.

Special thanks to Eric and Paul at Beckett for giving me a few minutes to talk TTMs, which is probably my favorite part of the hobby. Thanks goes out to the blogger formerly known as Napkin Doon for connecting me with the Beckett guys.

I think it’s clear I don’t have a future in the “on air” business. I said “you know” at least 400 times by my unofficial count. I had no clue I was doing it. Some people have a lot of “ums” or “ahhs”, but I clearly have an issue with “you know.” I hope I don’t use it that much when I’m speaking in-person, you know? (Ooops)

Regardless, it was a lot of fun and I appreciate the opportunity. Thanks for taking a listen!

How to send a TTM autograph request

I know that others have written about this exact topic, but figured I should have a post like this on my blog as well.

There seems to be more and more card bloggers getting into Though The Mail (TTM) autograph collecting. Being perhaps my favorite part of collecting, I love seeing this. As a result, it's also piquing the interest of other collectors who are less familiar with TTM autograph collecting.

This post will serve as a quick 'how to' in terms of sending an autograph request for a signed card. Other collectors often send photos, baseballs, jerseys, and other memorabilia, but I'll stick to what I know: baseball cards.

Before I get started, a few rules of thumb:
1. Don't send anything you can't afford to lose.
2. Try not to be too greedy. Sending a couple of cards is ok, but keep it within reason. If you do want to send a few, offer to let the player keep a couple for himself or to give to family and friends. Some will take you up on it, some will not.
3. You'll be surprised what you can find with a few minutes of Googling - player signing habits, forums to discuss successes, home addresses, etc.
4. Be realistic. For the most part, major stars will probably not sign due to volume of mail. That's not to say don't take a chance. You never know. I've just found that I am more successful with lesser known players, minor leaguers, and retired players.
5. Be patient! It's worth it.

Now that that is out of the way, here is a quick and easy way to send out a TTM request.

What you'll need:
- 2 envelopes (I prefer a #10 envelope and a #6 envelope)
- 2 Forever stamps
- paper
- pen
- baseball card

That's it! Pretty easy, eh?

Step 1 - The Letter
Write your letter of request (LOR). I prefer to hand-write mine, but I know plenty of people who type their letter. To me, hand-written feels more sincere. However, if you have poor penmanship, by all means type it so it's easier for the player.

Some players will read letters, some will not. I always try to include a personal anecdote or a question or two. Once in a while, a player will send a nice note back or answer you question(s). Minor leaguers are pretty good about answering questions.

Sample letter:
Dear Mr. Player,
My name is AJ and I am a big fan of yours. I was lucky enough to see you while you played in Double-A Trenton. It's fantastic to see you in the big leagues now, and I wish you continued success.

If you have time, can you please autograph my card? It would be an honor to add it to my collection. Thank you for your time, and best of luck this season.

Sincerely,
AJ

That is a general formula I used, but personalize to each player, of course. I try to keep it short knowing the player is busy.

Step 2 - The Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope (SASE)
This is crucial and a must. Do not skip this step. The player has better things to do than address an envelope back to you and find a stamp. Save him the hassle.

Don't forget the stamp!

Tip 1: I always include my address as both the "To" and "From" section of the SASE to ensure it gets back to me no matter what.
Tip 2: Use a peel and stick, self-adhering envelope. The player will appreciate not having to lick your envelope.

Step 3 - Package everything nicely
Don't just throw everything into the envelope. Put some care into it. This is how I package my card:
A. Fold the letter nicely
B. Tuck card(s) into the letter
C. Fold the SASE in half
D. Tuck letter with cards in folded envelope

Tip: I prefer to send my cards unprotected. I assume players don't want to fidget with a top loader. I also avoid penny sleeves. A long time ago, Ralph Houk signed my sleeve and not my card. I never made that mistake again. More often than not, the cards return in fine condition.

Step 4 - Address the envelope
If you are sending to a player in care of (c/o) his team, here is the proper way to address the request:

Mr. Babe Ruth
c/o New York Yankees
Yankee Stadium
E 161st St. and River Ave
Bronx, NY 10451

If you are sending to a player's home address, obviously skip the team name.

Step 5 - Seal and send
Tuck the neat package from Step 3 into the envelope, seal it up, send it off, and wait patiently.

I also recommend keeping a simple spreadsheet of who you send to, date sent, date received, success/failure, and any other info of note. You'll appreciate this more over time as you send out more and more requests. It'll help you see your success rate and how long you waited on a particular request to come back.

There you have it. It's easy, fun, and rewarding. Whether you are a seasoned veteran, or trying this out for the first time, I wish you the best of luck!

A tribute to Big Mike

Michael Pineda is maddening. I have a love-hate relationship with him. I've been collecting him since the 2011 trade, yet, I feel like I make fun of him more than stick up for him. From pine tar to injuries, he gives us a lot to laugh at. He teases us too; with brilliant performances, swing and miss stuff, and constant two out hits leading to run-scoring innings.

Yet, I keep picking up new Big Mike cards. But with homegrown guys I've been following for years now making an impact, how much longer will I go out of my way to pick up new Pinedas?

My newest of the aforementioned Pinedas is from Topps Tribute, a blue autograph. Since it's from Tribute, here's a short tribute to Big Mike:

Big Mike.
Or is it Big Sike?

This is a tribute
To my PC guy.
With gobs of pinetar
You weren't so sly.

You were traded for Jesus
We had an ace in the making.
Then you got hurt for two years
Are you sure you weren't faking?

The first year back
You dominited when on the mound.
Then the next two years
That dominance was no where to be found.

Once you struck out
Sixteen Oriole batters.
Now your meatballs
Couldn't be any fatter.

With four weeks left
It's time to pitch like an ace.
If you still want me to PC you
It's time to make your case.

Let there be Justus

I’m not usually one for grabbing autographs of players featured in another team’s uniform, but with the influx of prospects into the Yankees system as the result of their trade deadline deals, I’ve softened my stance a little. I want to add a few signatures of these guys now, as I’m not sure when we’ll see them on Yankees cards.

The first auto from the July crop I’ve been fortunate enough to add is that of Justus Sheffield. Some have sad that he is Gary’s nephew, although that looks to a myth. So far, the lefty has been phenomenal with the Yankees, going 3-1 with a 1.73 ERA and 27 Ks in 26 innings. He was just bumped up from high-A Tampa to AA Trenton, where I assume he’ll begin next season. MLB.com has him as the Yankees top pitching prospect, which is certainly true while James Kaprielian is on the shelf with an injury.

Hopefully I can add autographs of Clint Frazier, Gleyber Torres, and Dillon Tate in the near future, but this will hold me over for now.

A Flair for the past

I can honestly say that I never purchased a pack of Fleer Flair cards growing up. It’s not that I wouldn’t have liked to. It’s just that they didn’t fit within this 12-year-old collector’s budget. They routinely ran $3.99-$4.99 per pack, and the cards came in a fancy little box – at least the earlier versions did. Beckett magazines were loaded with images of Hot Gloves and Wave of the Futures. I often swooned, but never pulled the trigger, instead staying with the traditional packs of Collector’s Choice and Score. Often, I rode my 12-speed Pacific bike to CVS with the loose change for a pack in my hand, counted precisely. Even if I had dropped one nickel on the mile ride, I wouldn’t have had enough for a pack.

So Fleer Flair sat there, years later entering my collection via eBay and trades and blogger packages. To me, it’s still special when a Flair card shows up, because that little voice in my head still tells me it’s a premium card.

Later in the 1990s, Flair had some sort of weird parallel system with rows and seats and different names like Showcase and Showpiece and on and on. I don’t really get it, and probably won’t. What I do usually know is a Tino I don’t have when I see it. In this instance, it was the Grace Showpiece Row 1. According to www.baseballcardpedia.com, it would have been seeded 1:24. I think I looked at the matrix correctly.

Regardless, it’s a gorgeous card, and although confusing given the naming convention, it still feels as premium as ever.