Spring Training IP's 2009 Day One

[daveteach]

I am doing my annual trip to Spring Training with a friend of mine who lives down here.

Today to wind-swept Viera to the Washington Nationals. It was very windy so you had to hold onto the cards really well or they would blow away. It was mainly pitchers and catchers there but ended getting most of the guys present.

Here's who I got:

Colin Balester 2
Ian Desmond
Pat Listach
Marquis Grissom
Gustavo Chacin
Gustavo Molina
Jose Rijo 2
Shairon Martis
John Lannan
Roger Bernandina
Brad Eldred
Randy Knorr 2
Jim Riggleman
Justin Maxwell
Nick Johnson 2
Ryan Langerhans
Bobby Brownlie
Manny Acta
Jordan Zimmerman
Freddie Bynum 3
Kory Casto
Ryan Wagner
Luke Montz
Wil Nieves 2
Mike Hinckley
Tyler Clippard 2
Wil Ledezma 2
Javier Valentin
Joel Hanrahan 2
Jason Bergmann
Matt Chico
Mike O'Connor
Josh Towers
Jesus Flores 2
Ross Detwiler

Only rejection

Scott Olsen (who didn't seem to see anyone as he walked back to the clubhouse without saying a word or looking anywhere but straight ahead)

Tomorrow either Houston or Atlanta

DAve

[harrid4]

that's a nice way to start of ST

[xtra-innings]

Spring Training 2009 was a huge success! Anytime you can land a HOFer for free is a plus but to get x3 HOFers in 4 days is AWESOME (Lasorda/Maddux/Brett)!!!!

It was nice to see some fellow threaders in AZ; we need to make this a yearly ritual. This year proved to be one of the better outings I have had. In 4 days (Fri-Mon), I managed to get 186 items signed including cards (169), photos (4), jerseys (2), balls (8), minis (2), and a cap (1).

Friday morning, I arrived at the Pads training facility. The Pads signed throughout the day (before, during, and after practice). Peavy, the Gonzalez bros, Prior, Eckstein and others were great signers.

When Saturday rolled around, we attended the Pads portion of the Fan Fest; they had the early time. Traditionally, the Pads send 1 or 2 "name" players to the Fan Fest while the rest stay inside the complex to practice; that was not the case this year. Not many fans were there as most stayed at the Pads camp to try and land the bigger names...to their surprise and our content, the big names all entered the stadium for Fan Fest and began signing along the 3rd base line. Adrian, Peavy, CY, Eskstein, Headley, Bell, Giles, Prior, Floyd, Hairston, and Kouz (to name a few). It was great as each player signed multiples for the fans.

When the Pads began their work out at Fan Fest, I took my son to play at some of the game stations that were set up for the kids. We then headed out to Brewers camp to try our luck. While there, Suppan, Trot Nixon, Braun, Hart, Weeks, Gwynn Jr., Fielder, and Bosio signed. I managed to get multiples of each. Other Brewers signed but the above named players are the ones I added to my collection.

On Sunday, I headed to Dodgers camp (yikes!) to check it out. I did get funny stares as I sported my Pads shirt and cap but you have to fly your colors! I did manage to get Lasorda and Maury Wills while I was there. I only stayed there about an hour and went to Surprise Stadium to catch what was left of their Fan Fest. I did score some of the Rangers' players by the batting cage by getting Andruw Jones, Hank Blalock, and Michael Young.

As Monday rolled around, I had a few Pads items I still needed signed so I started the day off there. I did not have a whole lot of luck in the morning before the camp opened as many of the players who signed were rookies or players I already had. When the gates opened, there must have been about 20 people throughout the Pads camp. I scored more of Adrian, Esckstein, Kouz, Giles, Prior, and some of the coaches (Randy Ready, Max Venable, Ted Simmons, Terry Kennedy). The biggest surprise was Maddux. He did a great job eluding fans while we were there. As he walked down one of the pathways near the bullpen, myself and 2 other people were there. We called out to him...he looked at us to see if other fans were around. When he saw that we were alone, he came over and signed. I got my Gold Glove baseball signed (sweetspot), unfortunately he used a Sharpie to sign everyone's.

I stayed at Pads camp for about 1 1/2 hours then headed to the Royals camp. I got there just as they were finishing the last of their drills. As they left the field, I got Brett, Frank White, Butler and others. I walked back to my truck, loaded my stuff then came back home to sunny San Diego.

Here's my breakdown:

PADRES: Black x7, W. Venable x5, Peavy x7 (incl. jersey/mini), CY x2, Bell x2, Carrillo x3, Simmons x1, Kouz x6, Kennedy x5, Floyd x4, Hundley x10, Hairston x2, Adrian Gonzalez x11, Giles x4, Edgar Gonzalez x10, Hunter x1, Meredith x6, Headley x11 (incl. mini), Prior x6, Antonelli x17, Eskstein x18, Ready x7, M. Venable x2, Maddux x1

DODGERS: Lasorda x1, Maury Wills x1

BREWERS: Suppan x4, Trot Nixon x2, Braun x3, Hart x2, Weeks x1, Gwynn Jr. x2, Fielder x3, Bosio x2

RANGERS: Blalock x1, Michael Young x3 (incl. jersey), Andruw Jones x4

ROYALS: Brett x1, Olivo x2, Butler x1, Frank White x2, German x1, Buck x1

[deeakay]

BREWERS: Suppan x4, Trot Nixon x2, Braun x3, Hart x2, Weeks x1, Gwynn Jr. x2, Fielder x3, Bosio x2

Whoa! Braun x3!!!???? And Fielder x3!!!??? That is amazing! All at once, or at different times? If they signed multiple items for you at once, I'm shocked they didn't pass you up and figure you to be an "auto-hound" or as my buddy said, a "memorabelia mule"! And if they did sign for you 3 times at once, are the autos nice?

Hopefully they'll sign when they arrive in Milwaukee the 1st week of the season too!

2 Great guys.... but Fielder still Sweetspot signs, whereas Braun doesn't (we'll not usually)!