Steves In Person Baseball Auto's |

March/April Recap

The autos that I got:

David Ortiz - SS ball

Ryan Howard - 8x10

Miguel Cabrera- ball SS

Hanley Ramirez- 8x10

Dan Uggla- All-Star Game ball

Frank Thomas - 8x10 and SS ball

Edgar Renteria - 8x10

Jeff Francoeur- 8x10

Freddy Garcia - SP ball...new pen forgot to write with it first and the "F" came out bad

Jamie Moyer- player card

Antonio Alfonseca - player card

Wes Helms- player card

Abraham Nunez- player card

Gary Matthews and Harry Kalas.-player card

April 28th -- Saturday (Marlins @ Phillies)

This game I got there early when the players drove in…all for nothing! No one signed or stopped for anyone. When I get inside went down to the dug out. While the Marlins were stretching and some girl was flirting with Uggla. When they were done and before BP Uggla came over and signed one…my All-Star Game ball above the all star logo, and then took BP. When he came back he signed one more for the girl and she told him to put his number on it. He put some number down…not sure if it was his but there was a number and she let no one see haha. But that’s it 2 autos the whole day, last year he signed for 10 minutes but he’s been getting harder. Stretches came and went and no Miguel. He came out to throw like the day before and when he came in he didn’t sign. After the game I was with some kid who knew Dontrel from before he was in the pros. Some how Dontrel snuck out and he sort of knew Miguel. Miguel comes out walks onto the sidewalk into a cab and didn’t sign a thing but said what’s up to the kid…but didn’t sign for him. Jimmy Rollins and Cole Hamels signed but I put my Phillies stuff back in the car…but whatever I have all year to get them.

The next game im going to is hopefully Friday and Saturday May 11th and 12th vs the Cubbies.

April 27th -- Friday (Marlins @ Phillies)

On Friday it was supposed to rain so I wasn’t planning on going until about 2 hours before and me and my friends went. Got there at 6:00 and BP was rained out. I chilled until about 6:40 then some players came out to stretch and I ran over to the baseline and when I got there Uggla signed for the two above the dugout for the people that stayed. Well I kept calling for Hanley and he finally came over to me and signed my 8x10 picture first. He didnt give me his full sig just the HR but what can ya do. Before he signed it he gave me the dirtiest look and I had the rookie of the year picture and when he looked at me like that I didn’t even ask him to inscribe it…plus I heard he doesn’t sign it anyways. The 8x10 didn’t really smear but was sort of “blotched” because I saw Miguel come out to throw in front of the dugout. At this time it was 7:00 and Miguel came in from throwing as the Phillies were taking the field. All of a sudden he stopped and some kid threw him his ball so I ran over and tossed him my ball…he signed my ball SS then went in. Stayed after and no one signed. Great night considering getting there an hour early

Sunday -- April 8th (Easter) Blue Jays @ Devil Rays

Ok we get there 15 minutes before the gates open, woulda got there earlier but it was Easter and that meant church. I wish I woulda went earlier because Vernon drove his car and signed for everyone there...some people got him 4 times!! We run right in and somehow there was a little kid there already by the bullpen and got BJ Ryan. I didn’t know it was BJ at the time or I woulda got an all-star ball signed. Another kid got him and my brother just pulled out his ticket and didn’t even know who it was and got him and the kid said it was BJ and I pulled out my ball and when I look back he’s halfway to the dugout. After some BP Frank Thomas comes over to sign and I get Frank on my 8x10 signed then I figure why not a ball also and he SS my ball. Some other players sign but no one big. I was really happy with the 2 Thomas’s….that’s a future HOF’er. After their stretches Frank signed again and my bro got 2 SS but I was the only one next to the Thomas crowed calling for Vernon but he stretched and ran back…he signed the first 2 games of the series but not this day. The game was good Kazmir vs. Halladay. Kazmirs first 9 outs were K’s but he got the loss.

I really figured no one would sign after the game because they were both leaving and there were four buses there. Players come out and no one signs. Then Vernon comes out and goes to his car. We were on one side of the lot and people trying to get Rays autos were on the other side. He walks down to his car and we follow him down the side walk and see him through the fence. If his car was parked on the side of the lot that we were we would of got him… 3 other girls followed him on the other side. (here’s a paint drawing I made DRAWING)… not too good but u get the picture Turns out his car was on the other side and he signed for those 3 girls…I think like a SS a pic and a bat. But what can you do… we are going to see the Blue Jays when they come to Philly so I will hopefully get him there. But it was a good day with the SS and 8x10 of Frank Thomas (I’ll try to get a scan of the ball asap)

Next game(s) as long as it doesn’t interfere with my baseball team is Friday April 27^th and Saturday 28^th versus the Marlins.

April 5th -- Thursday (Braves @ Phillies)

Well wasn’t expecting to go today. I had a half day of school then asked my friend if he wanted to drive us up and he said yes. It was a 3:00 game and we only got there at 2:25 just as BP was ending. I snagged a ball one of the coaches threw as he was leaving. After that we went over to the baseline and had to duck security. He kicked us out once and we just moved then tried again but we convinced that we’d leave right after the players go in. Thankfully he listened.

Francoeur, Langerhans, Renteria, and Kelly Johnson came out to strech, pretty disappointed no Chipper or Andrew. Well after stretches Francoeur came over and signed for about 5-10 minutes. I got Francoeur on an 8x10 which came out pretty good. Right after that I see Edgar Renteria come over to sign, I also got Renteria on a 8x10. The only thing is he signed everything in a sort of dried out black sharpie. If he was switching I would of gotten an All-Star Game ball signed. The picture still came out ok I guess. It seems whenever an athlete signs everything with one pen they always grab a black sharpie from a little kid, that’s why if your first hand a blue sharpie. That was all who signed. The game was cold and it even snowed a little bit.

It was the last game of the series which I usually never go to, and where the away team come out there is usually 2 buses for the away team but today there were 4. The buses closest to us were the coaches and no players signed. They had to wait in line to go to this tent where airport security comes and checks their bags so when they get to the airport they can get right on their plane. Two announcers signed a player card, Gary Matthews and Harry Kalas. They both signed in blue, i should of gotten them in silver because their both wearing dark shirts...but what can ya do.

The Kalas smeared because I saw Andrew and I thought he was walking towards us to sign so I stuck the player card right in my pocket without letting it dry.

Good day considering I wasn’t planning on going. Next game Easter Sunday while I’m on vacation. Toronto @ Tampa 1:40.

Also another thing... The ESPN the magazine with Ryan Howard on the front has 3 pages on him. One pic is of him signing autographs before a game and you can sort of see me... I circled myself so you can see. When I scanned it you can see the print from the other side haha.

Ryan Howard ESPN Magazine Picture of Me

March 31st -- Saturday (Red Sox @ Phillies)

This was a day game so we were up bright and early… 7 AM. We were on the road at around 7:25. We got there at about 8:10 and headed towards the players lot. Some players pulled in then Freddy Garcia came. I didn’t think it was him at first because he was supposedly in Florida until the 7^th which would be his first start. Well I wasn’t expecting it and pulled out my ball and pen. It was a new pen and my dumb self forgot to write with it first so the “F” in Freddy didn’t really come out… I was a little mad. So then a cab pulls up and we thought it was a Red Sox player but a kid about 12-15 yrs old steps out. I remember from the Friday’s game there was a kid shagging balls during BP with a Moyer “50” jersey on and I remembered it was his kid. I got Moyer to sign my player card. About 15 minutes after that Abraham Nunez pulls up and I got Nunez on a player card. I love those things. We then went inside for BP. Didn’t catch any balls and then lined up by the rope and at 11:30 they let us down and we went right towards the dugout.

We were by the entrance closest to the first entrance. There was Big Papi and the rest of the Sox throwing and stretching. Two Spanish, or guys who could speak Spanish yelled for Papi and he pointed with one finger like saying “I’ll getcha in a minute”. Well that didn’t happen. He talked with Francona for a good 20 mins. and then with Howard for the same amount of time. There’s a section right behind home plate called “The Diamond Club” like $200 tickets but u can get right up to where the netting behind the plate stops and get so close. Also media people go through there. There were like 6 kids with pieces of loose-leaf paper standing there… Francona signed, Varitek signed, Coco Crisp gave his bat to a kid, and then Manny signed!! Yes you heard me right MANNY. He signed for the kids with loose-leaf paper then someone put a jersey out and he left. It turns out Papi didn’t sign, but when he came out he threw 3 balls into the crowd…almost had one, my friend actually got elbowed in the nose, but he was ok. So we went back to the baseline to get ready for the pre-game stretches.

At Citizens Bank Park you would always be aloud to stand there while waiting/ and during the pre-game stretches but all of a sudden this year they tried to kick people out. The security is lackadaisical but we just sit down in a row 3 rows back then head up when they stretch. Well when the Sox came out everyone sitting ran to the space in the isle…no one really went in front where seats were b/c people were sitting but there was a cluster in the space of the isle where people walk. I stayed back figuring if no one signed like yesterday I’d go over to try to get the Phillies…plus in the isle over there was like 3 people and one little kid with his family holding up a sign that said “A Big Papi Autograph Would Be The Best 7^th Birthday Present”. Papi looked over twice at that kids so I stayed in the middle of the cluster and the kid. Manny was done and ran in. Papi finished and looked as if he’d run in but then I saw him start slowing towards the kid. When I saw that I jumped over and isle then ran across then down next to the kid. Papi signed his ball SS and on the panel above wrote “Happy 7^th Birthday” and the kids name. I had my ball right in front of him. I thought he would leave but he said “TWO MORE”! Besides that kids mine was the first one he grabbed. Ortiz signed it SS perfectly. I was so happy. I immediately ran over to the Phillies side to try to get Howard, as I was leaving I saw my friend and brothers hands get knocked down by security saying “No More”. I got to the other side and Utley was signing but I wanted Howard b/c I had an 8x10 but he went out too late to run and didn’t get done in time to sign.

We went outside around the 7^th inning because Manny, Ortiz, and Coco were taken out but they didn’t leave until normal time. It was sorta a waste and Tom Gordon left early without signing but we see Antonio Alfonseca leave and he signed a player card. Did you know he has 6 fingers and toes. Well when the Red Sox came out no one signed they got right on the bus. The Phillies really didn’t sign besides Howard. He came out and since he didn’t get to sign after stretches before the game he came over and signed for almost everyone there. He personalized everything and I got Howard on an 8x10. After that we left.

Great day… actually one of my better ones with Howard and Ortiz autos and the next game is on Easter Sunday April 8^th in Tampa Bay, ill be on vacation. It’s the Rays vs. Blue Jays.

March 30th -- Friday (Red Sox @ Phillies)

I got home from school with my friend and waited til my bro and mom got home then we left. We were on the road at about 3:45. We got down to the stadium around 4:40 and went got our tickets for that game and Saturdays b/c we were scared of it selling out because Dice-K was pitching. We get in and go to our usual spot to try to catch some BP balls because the rest of the feild doesnt open until 5:30. Only Asburn Alley, basically left feild, is open at 4:30, the rest of the stadium opens at 5:30. Some time goes by then finally Tom Gordon throws up a ball and i reached in front of my friend and got it. I didnt see who hit it so i gave it to my friend. Around 5:20 Boston comes out to strech and i move over twoards the foul poul where its roped off. People wait there and at 5:35 they pull the rope down and you can move throughout the rest of the stadium down twoards the dugout and baseline. We were waiting by the rope when everyone started throwing, like Dick-K and the other Oriental pitcher they signed, Manny and Willy Mo, and Big Papi threw by the dugout. When Manny was done throwing he came over to where i was staying by the foul pole. I thought he was comin over to sign b/c I kept yelling for him, i shoulda known better. But at least he still threw me the ball he was having a catch with, so that was pretty cool.

At 5:35 when they opened up the rest of the stadium we went down twoards the baseline. I lined up directly across from where Dice-K was throwing. When he was done he didn’t sign … Only Coco Crisp signed above the dugout for like 15 people… we got over there too late. My brother went over to get Howard when Manny and Ortiz were done running, 15 minutes before the game. Howard signed a baseball for my brother, not SS though. Manny and Ortiz let in the 6^th inning and then left the stadium at the 7^th inning. I wasn’t out there but Manny left and didn’t sign…he supposedly had to get his hair done hahaha. Ortiz left and 3 kids chased him down to the light and he made a right. He didn’t catch a red light until 2 or 3 blocks down, one kid stopped running and the other two kept going. At the red light he signed a 8x10 and a SS for the kids.

Dice-K came out and we all went by security and went up to him. Security was saying we cant go up there and Dice-K was just “talking” on the phone and pointing to the guards. He then walked by everyone, about 14 of us, and walked down onto the sidewalk and sat in a cab for a minute before leaving. He wouldn’t sign and wouldn’t even shake this chicks hand. After that I was pissed and went over to the Phillies parking lot. After the game only Wes Helms signed. I got him on one of those player cards (the team set of 5x7’s with every player, coach, announcer, and the Phanatic!!). Other than that no one signed…pretty disappointing but sometimes it happens.

Heres a scan of the Wes Helms- Wes Helms