Spring Training in FL is starting

[lizard-jd]

Ballpark of PB - new spring home of Astros & Nationals. Today was Astros full squad & tomorrow is the Nationals. Besides a lot of selfies, I got few things signed.

Max Scherzer personalized my SI (it already had my home mailing label so no big deal)


Jake Marisnick signed all my cards. He's been a favorite of mine since he came up with the Marlins.


ROMLBs signed by Brian McCann, Josh Reddick & David Paulino (tall dude!).


Carlos Beltran signed gold glove ROMLB beautifully. Added pic of him signing below.



Forgot to add index card signed by Norichika Aoki - that's all I had for him.

[lizard-jd]

Houston Astros 2/19/17; I didn't bother walking over to the Nationals for their 1st full squad workout.

Carlos Correa & Jose Altuve on ROMLBs


Alex Bregman on ROMLB (very nice guy)


Yulieski Gurriel on 8x10


Jeff Luhnow (GM) on ROMLB, Joe Musgrove & Collin McHugh on logo


Also, probably too many selfies - LOL!

[lambeauleap87]

Color me jealous. You're having a great spring, and things are just getting started; keep it up!

[awz50]

Glad to see you posting your success JD.

Some awesome ones so far!

[lizard-jd]

Color me jealous. You're having a great spring, and things are just getting started; keep it up!

Glad to see you posting your success JD.

Some awesome ones so far!

Thank you guys! I guess I've gotten a little lazy cause now I don't post everything I get and I've become much more selective of the players I try to get. I try to stay away from the ones that are real jerkwads & I don't waste my time on the ones that I know really don't sign very much if any at all - like Keuchel. For the next several days I plan to hit the Honda Classic golf tourney instead of the ballparks. The players aren't dumb & recognize the same guys that come after them every single day. Unlike those guys, I'm just a collector and my next car payment is not predicated on how many Correa, Altuve, Harper or Ichiro I can get signed - they're very, very greedy.

[mberger718]

Nice work on the Astros. I'm on the west side of the state so I mostly go for Yankees, Phillies, Blue Jays, Pirates.

From my personal experience and those of friends this spring so far, Phillies parking lot has been good. Tigers, Blue Jays, and Yankees have been really bad with major changes to the stadiums and facilities and stricter rules regarding what you can and cannot bring in. The workouts used to be so great for autographs, now I'm just waiting for the games to begin.

[lizard-jd]

Nice work on the Astros. I'm on the west side of the state so I mostly go for Yankees, Phillies, Blue Jays, Pirates.

From my personal experience and those of friends this spring so far, Phillies parking lot has been good. Tigers, Blue Jays, and Yankees have been really bad with major changes to the stadiums and facilities and stricter rules regarding what you can and cannot bring in. The workouts used to be so great for autographs, now I'm just waiting for the games to begin.

Sounds like you're experiencing what I encountered at what used to be my favorite ballpark in Jupiter, RDS. I had season spring training tix for the Marlins the past 9 years and I didn't get them this year cause of how they locked the place down. I mean really, the lowly Marlins. I don't bother going there anymore - what a joke!
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Seems like the only fan friendly ballparks we have any more are the NY Mets in PSL and the new Ballpark of the PB (Astros & Nationals). Went by the Mets today to see Tim Tebow's arrival & workout.


Tim Tebow signed my Heisman pic to up the number to 24 past winners.


Tebow's sig is by the right knee


Selfie with Tebow


Ron Darling signed SI


Ron Darling signed 1986 WS Celebration pic


Brandon Nimmo signed cheapo ball with black sharpie & Michael Conforto SS on ROMLB

[r0yals2012]

Nice Tebow!!!

[lizard-jd]

Nice Tebow!!!

Here's couple more Tim Tebow's. A hat and bat signed by Tim today at PSL.


David Thompson signed SS ROMLB (mud rubbed). He's a top 3rd base prospect for the Mets & a really nice guy.

[lizard-jd]

Did a few days in Sarasota, Fl & decided to catch a Pirates game this past Sun. in Bradenton. It's amazing how different security policy are surrounding spring training and what you can bring into the ballpark. On the east coast where I live, they do not allow you to bring in large items like full size bats & oversize photos (especially at RDS in Jupiter!). At Bradenton it was not a problem. The security people said I could bring in as many bats as I could safely carry in (I only had one). While inside the ballpark, I saw a guy that had 4 bats in his backpack (yes, he had a backpack!) along with a stack of 14x16s pics.

I got several balls signed & took mainly some selfies. My main objective was to get Bill Virdon on a bat. At 85 yrs old my old Pirates hero can barely walk but when I called his name he worked his way right to me despite the objection of the security guy guarding the coaches area. The security guy said I was going to get him in trouble but Mr. Virdon just shook him off, grabbed my bat and proceeded to sign and add his 1955 NL ROY. Sig is a little shaky but I'm very pleased overall with the results. I will definitely come back for another game!