My mailing is a little slower right now: I bought a nice size batch of stamps back in December and have been creeping my way through them. So my stamp budget has gone toward buying new guitar pedals.

And with the Sidekicks' alumni game being moved to April, the in-person outings are rare as well.

My lone in-person outing led to me violating my own Rule #1 Of Collecting-- always be prepared. But I'll get to that in a moment. For now, the usual recap...

January 2
Mickey Stanley, c/o home, 3/3, 4 months

January 5
Al Worthington, c/o home, 4/2, 3 weeks, added two signed photos and an extra signed card, kept my CIC
Harry Gant, c/o home, 4/4, 3 weeks

January 9
BJ Surhoff, c/o home, 4/4, 1 month
Ned Jarrett, c/o home, 3/3, 3 weeks

January 10
Manny Trillo, c/o home, 4/4, 2 years
Lenny Wilkens, c/o home, 3/3, 1 month

January 11
Chris Ford, c/o home, 4/4, 1 month
Bobby Allison, c/o home, 5/3, 3 weeks, added a signed card and a signed photo

January 12
Chase Elliott, c/o home, 3/4, 3 weeks, returned one unsigned
Bill Elliott, c/o home, 3/3, 3 weeks

January 22
Jimmy Britton, c/o home, 1/1, 3 months
Larry Nance, c/o home, 4/4, 1 month
Robert Parish, c/o home, 4/4, 1 month
Bobby Labonte, c/o home, 3/3, 1 month
Hailie Deegan, c/o team, 2/2, 1 month

January 27 - Rangers Winter Caravan in Irving
Adrian Sampson, 2/2 (one for Chris)
Lance Lynn, 2/2, 3/3

January 31
Terry Steinbach, c/o home, 1/1, 5 months, paid $2 fee for his scholarship fund

So. Lance Lynn.

I got my stuff together and Chris came over and we rode over to T-Mobile together. As we get there he mentions that he's in the Archives '72 design. Which is a set I'm working on. Which I forgot he's in.

™™™™.

So, if someone out there has that card signed I'd gladly trade for it. I did fire off a TTM request to him at Rangers Spring Training, but I'm not too hopeful. He hasn't TTMed since 2016, but maybe joining a new team will make him pick up the pen, at least early on. I mailed quickly since I overheard him telling someone that he was heading out to Arizona later that day. Our resident local Cardinals fan says Lynn was never a good signer at the ballpark, so it may be my best chance. Positive note, he's on a three-year contract, so maybe he'll do a Caravan next year too.

Again, Rule #1 Of Collecting-- always be prepared. LFMF.

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