Steves In Person Baseball Auto's

Friday:

Well I was going to these two games (with my friend and brother) and I had one goal: to get Jeter’s autograph. When I went last year I was in the wrong spot and have been dying to get him since then. Also catching A-Rods 500^th would be nice also. We went to the hotel on Friday. It was sort of cool how you were allowed into the hotel its just that they would kick you out if you asked for an autograph or took a picture. Outside you could ask for auto’s but it was simply chaos. 60 people (mostly kids) yelling their lungs out for anyone who came out weather star or scrub. They even went nuts and were pushing and shoving to get announcer Michael Kay’s autograph. At the hotel the closest we got was Mariano. He walked out the side door with all 10 of his kids but he said no. When he came back there was 3 people and he still turned them down. After a couple of hours we said forget it and walked to the stadium. We only caught one player coming in and it was A-Rod. By the way he wasn’t staying at the team hotel. Well he gets dropped off and has to walk abuout 30 feet to the one entrance door. He walked right by us with about 30 people around him saying “can you sign” to “happy birthday”....Friday was his 32^nd birthday. He wasn’t completely a jerk he waved his hands like a conductor of an orchestra when people started singing Happy Birthday. Well when we got into the stadium after about 15 minutes it started to pour and BP was cancelled. After the stretches Damon and Shelly Duncan signed. Since I had Damon I kept my spot hoping for A-Rod of Jeter. Neither came over. During the game I snuck into a LF isle seat and was 5 rows from the fence but A-Rod didn’t get a hit. After we went to the hotel but only a few players came back by 1 A.M. (when we had to leave). I think most were out celebrating A-Rods Birthday.

Fun day but not good Autographs wise.

Saturday:

Today we figure we’d try the stadium since the hotel was ridiculous. I did hear Posada walked around the Inner Harbor and signed some away from the hotel. Well coming in no one signed again. A-Rod walked by again. The best chance was when we went up when Jeter and Posada got dropped off...I went to Jeter’s side and my friend went to Jorge’s. Both said no. The funny part of the day was when A-Rod came in and this kid was walking with a ball for A-Rod to sign and didn’t see a trashcan and he ran into it and fell face first into the pavement (he was alright though) and surprisingly A-Rod didn’t laugh. But by one of the gates Mike Mussina was doing a fan club autograph and picture taking with his fan club...it was right by the one gate so we could see into and watch the whole thing...my friend and I were offering people money to get something signed b/c everyone was allowed 2 per...my friend got lucky and got some Asian lady who was with her husband and had nothing, to get his 8x10 signed. We got into the stadium and I thought A-Rod would come over but no luck. After taking BP Jeter began throwing and taking infield. By the dugout there is a roped off section that was about 20 seats wide and 4 rows back. Well I thought he was jogging back to the dugout but went to that section so I hopped that rope as fast as I can and ran behind a guard holding people back (he sort of saw me but let me go because he was holding others back). Well after signing 2 Jeter grabs my pen signed a hat a ball the grabs my ball!! I got Derek Jeter SP and signed one more then gave my pen back. I was so happy. Also Mariano signed but i realized this after he was signin for a couple minutes so i ran over and he was working his way down so I was in a good spot but then he started working back twoards where he was signing so I had to move but he stopped siging when a hugh pile just fell and crushed my friend (he didnt get hurt). No one signed after stretches. So I went over to right field and again no HR. I wasn’t able to stay after even though I heard Abreu signed but oh well.

Great day getting one of the best...next up is the Braves on August 10^th and 11^th versus the Braves.....and their newest addition Mark Texiera (who I heard is a pretty good signer).  This turned out to be an amazing month with Jeter, Pujols, Jackson...and more!

Went to this game planning on trying for Chase Utley on the 16x20 I bought. Well got there at 4:30 in time for BP. While there I met Zack Hample ...a man who has snagged over 3,000 balls. Well I didn’t catch any BP balls but I went down to the Nats dugout for BP because the only time the Phillies sign before the game is after stretches. So after some infield Ronnie Belliard comes into the dugout and I asked him to sign...he said he would after BP. After that Ryan Zimmerman comes in and he signed for two of us... he signed only a part of the SS..it was off to the side but I’ve seen other IP sigs of him like this but anyways I got Zimmerman SS . About 5 minutes later Dmitri Young comes in and said he would sign after BP. Well after BP Dmitri and Ronnie come in at the same time so I went for Dmitri and he signed. I was the first one to get him and I got Dmitri Young SS I could have gotten Ronnie but no one called for him because Dmitri was signing. Well after BP was over I went over to the 1^st base side where the Phillies come over after streches. Well after stretches Chase would have ran towards my way but Jamie Moyer came out and signed down the line and was right in front of us. Well so I move over to where Chase was signing and had the picture right in front of his face. He had a black sharpie and was signing little kids junk balls in it and didn’t switch to use my blue sharpie. So I ended up not getting him....I was in the perfect spot too. My brother did end up getting Pat Burrell on an 8x10. After the game the only player who signed was Aaron Rowand (he had an 8^th inning HR which decided the game) I got a Rowand 8x10.

Good day other than the fact of Utley not signing the 16x20.

Came to see Phil pitch (did great....2 hitter and let up one run..and it was on an error) and to try for Reggie again. On the way in I could have gotten Joba Chamberlin but he wasn’t signing SS and I wanted to save that ball. I helped my friend get him. My friend also got Ian Kennedy on the way in. He was there for Reggie mainly because he wasn’t there after the day before and only got Reggie on a schedule. Well instead of Reggie walking in the door he pulled to the under the stadium entrance but before he rolled down his window. He signed one then said “Will you guys just be quiet while I sign” (he had a wireless ear phone thing in. Then when he handed a guy his signed ball he said “thank you” to Reggie and Reggie said “What are you def I told you to be quiet” he’s a real ass sometimes.  I got Reggie on a SS ball and as he was signing it I asked for HOF but he didn’t. After that he looked at friend who had a bat who was one of the next to get him and said “You get out”. I was confused by this...did he remember him or did he think he said HOF inscription or something but didn’t sign for him. I got him a third time. This ball I got I traded to my friend since he didn’t get him. After that the Mets bus came in and I helped my friend got Fernando Martinez... a top prospect for the Mets. We went inside and no BP...we had seats behind the dugout. After stretches my friend got Fernando on a SP ball...he didn’t SS. After that I went to the tunnel where the Thunder came out to see Reggie..i was trying to get im for my friend (we made the trade after the game b.c he didn’t get him) but some people said Reggie came from the Bullpen and signed a few for the camera) but I didn’t get him. During the game Cashman was there for 2 innings sitting behind Mets GM Omar Manaya. My friend (big Mets fan) got him and I got one for him also. I looked over around 6^th inning and saw Reggie signed a few at the end of the dugout for some kids but I went over and security was there by that time. I also got a minor league ball tossed to me. After Phil came out and didn’t sign and then a van came out and Billy Connors was in it (I could have gotten him when he came in but I had nothing) and the back windows of the van were tinted but I think I saw a black guy with glasses and was probably Reggie because I stayed another 45 minutes and he didn’t come out. Before the Mets bus left Fernando (Mets top prospect and #19 in all of minors... and was in the futures game but didn’t play b.c his hand is injured) Fernando was sitting on a bench with some teammates and I went over and asked him to sign (he will sign everything you have) and he said “no”. I looked at him for a second then started to walk away (I was surprised) then he started laughing and I went back over and Fernando Martinez SS GU Minor League Ball.

Great 2 days getting Hughes and Jackson.... the last week was great...Pujols, Hughes, Carlton, and Jackson.

OK I went to this game only for Philip Hughes but got a big surprise. Well me and my friend got there at 2 and Joba Chamberlin already came in but we didn’t know this until a little later but before that we saw a couple of guys walking and a Thunder security guard with them so I thought it was Joba, Kennedy, or Karstens or someone because I heard Phil comes in a black Envoy. But what do ya know it was Phil... he signed for everyone and I got Philip Hughes SS ROMLB and my friend actually got a really good sig. I was surprised he signed SS. After that we were looking over at the lot near the Mets entrance. There was only 6 of us there and then a car pulls up and one guy knew who it was but we didn’t and my friend followed them.... I didn’t think it was anyone special... well I look over and my friend was waving his hand to come over and luckily I had a ball in my pocket and next thing I know its freaking REGGIE JACKSON!!! I was like holy shit so I got my baggie with my ball in it and ripped it open and I was the last one to get him. My friend only had a program that he got Reggie on...he had one ball but got Hughes on it. I asked Reggie to sign SS and he said “No” but did it anyways and I got Reggie Jackson SS  ROMLB. I was elated at this point...this was the last person I would ever expect to see. Well I called my mom and bro and told them to come over after to get Reggie. My friend also got Ian Kennedy and Jeff Karstens (who was rehabbing that day- he did well only let one run up). Well after BP Reggie came out after the 1^st pitch and left before the final out. So afterwards we were waiting by where the Mets came out and my brother was supposed to come with my Big Stick bat. Well all of a sudden Reggie opens the door and sees the people waiting there (There was about 40 but about 10 of them were family of the B-Mets) He steps out says “Oh My God” and closes the door. About 5 minutes later he comes out with 3 security guards and signed for kids mainly. Some little kid had a handful of junk balls and Reggie thought he wanted him on all of them and he said “That ain’t happening” but signed one... Reggie was SP some balls but I got him on a SS. As he was signing it my brother called me and said he was there. He ran over and got my bat signed for me and I just gave him the other ball so i got a   Reggie Jackson signed bat  Reggie probably signed about 25. He wasn’t the friendliest person but he signed. He can never sign graciously though. He will always say something like there was a man in a wheelchair and said “he’s the only reason I came over” or something. Reggie is never a gracious signer.

Great day with Hughes but to get Reggie twice was a great surprise!! (Reggie was there for this whole series as a batting coach, also Billy Connors (hitting coach for Yanks when Billy Martin was manager)

Went to this insted of the 3rd game in Philly vs the Cards mainly because of the free signing of Steve Carlton...got there and my friend had a spot for us and we waited and i got him twice..two diffrent times .....the line was on the concourse from behind home to about center field..Carlton actually was writing HOF 94....on my second ball i woulda got CY inscription but i saw him deny someone else who asked and when i got my 2 signed i was there and he signed CY for someone..but what can ya do.. anyways i got Steve Carlton 2x SS ROMLB w/HOF94   x2  (one for sale if interested comment the blog)...my friends got Orioles top prospect 3B Billy Rowell on SS romlb and my friend got him again after and i got him on the back of my ticket

Great day w/ a HOF'er and next up is Tuesday at Trenton to try for rehabbing Philip Hughes!

Today was photo day so I knew no BP and wanted to do good at the hotel...we were the first ones there but as we got there LaRussa was just leaving...anyways it was dead..no one signed not even scrubs.. well we were by the bus door waiting for it to leave..Pujols comes out with a security guard putting his hands up so he could get through... Encarnacion didn’t sign and the Edmonds comes out...he signed for 4 or the 12 of us and I was the first to get him I got Edmonds 8x10 (he signed it sloppy b/c he was walking) ..... we then went to the game and photo day was fun and they prior to the game the Cards came out to strech and Extine came right over and I got him on a 2006 ASG Ball under the logo ( im lucky i got him early b.c after about 5 he shortened it up a lot and thats the sig my friend got)....my friend got him on a ss ball... Rolen also signed about 5 but I didn’t go cuz I was behind these kids who I thought would get Albert over but no luck....after Extine walked right by us and signed but I didn’t get him ...my friend did....no one signed after but there was a funny story....well Phillies reliever Anderson Garcia’s wife came out (he got sent down after the game) and she was talking to me asking me whose auto I wanted and I said Pujols...well we stand behind a gate by the door where the players come out and they walk down to the bus and by the bus there is another gate where you can wait...well she opened the gate when Pujols came out and he walked to the bus and met some of his friends there and she said “go get him” and I knew I could get in trouble so I said “you walk down with me” so she walked to the bus with me and then she stopped and I went up pretty close to Pujols ...my friend followed....Pujols said something in Spanish and pointed and so did his friend then a security guard grabbed me and walked me up saying “you could be arrested for trespassing...why did you go down” and I told that fat slob “Garcias wife said I could” she vouched for me and he didn’t say anything else but it was a fun experience...but how Albert’s mood changed since Fri at the hotel......also when Howard left my friend ran after his car and up to his window and 5 kids followed and Ryan actually rolled his window down and said once the light turned green he was done..he only signed my friend who got a romlb sp

Overall great weekend got the 4 players I wanted only people I didn’t was Mulder and Carpenter but they weren’t with the team