Twinsfest

[harleighb]

Twinsfest is scheduled to take place January 28, 29 and 30. New location as a result of the Metrodome's roof collapse. Unfortunately, it looks like Mauer and Morneau are no longer signing game used items and Blyleven has also placed significant restrictions on what he will (or won't) sign.

Roll call for Twinsfest . . .

[indyred]

I see tickets for this sold out quick. I don't think Mauer or Morneau ever sign game used unless it was the companys they are working with. Don't handlers at Twinsfest really enforce the no inscriptions for anyone?

[jobathenut]

Me and my brother go every year ,even though we are yankee fans.As there isnt much to do in this icebox of a state.Yeah the twinsfest is going to be held at the national sports center in blanie minnesota.Which is a big city in the twin cities.So if coming from out of town it wont be that tough to find the city.Its about 50 miles from downtown minneapolis.And yes they say tickets are sold out but there will be people outside selling tickets i just know it.As we go every year on friday and there is never 25,000 people there but thats how many tickets they said they limtited to each day.I think people bought up tickets to resale them as there are a ton of people on craigslist right now selling them.And as for mauer and justin,this will be the first year they say they wont sign game used items.I was in line last year to get a ball signed for my nephew and i saw game used items in both lines and saw them sign them and also in previous years.And yes now bery cause he finally got to thr hall has put a limit to what he will sign.He wont sign "hof" to anything.And will only sign flats and personalized baseballs.Anything else like homer hankys will have to have someone elses autograph on it also.And to answer your question the "handlers" at twinsfest dont handle anything.They just stand there.And they is no rule that says you cant have inscriptions.Its just some wont sign certain things.Even bert says he will sign inscriptions,just not that hof one.But if you want it signed to yourself for example,i've never had a problem.And in fact the players are alot nicer to you when you ask them to sign it for you.

[godwulf]

Just contrasting what I'm hearing about Twinsfest with the only Fan Fest experience I've ever personally had - DBacks Fest, the past four years. Are those admission tickets that you're talking about being sold out? Are signing tickets sold separately, or are there signing tickets? The Fan Fest here is free, and then you buy the individual signing tickets as you go in.

One of my biggest complaints about our Fan Fest - and by far my biggest problem, when it comes to figuring out what to take in the way of game-used stuff - is that they will announce who'll be there and signing, maybe a week ahead of time, but then they put restrictions on how many players you're allowed to buy tickets for, and which players.

For example, during Signing Session #1, you've got Players A, B, C and D at Table One, and Players E, F, G and H at Table 2. The rules change a little from year to year, but for example last year you could only buy four signing tickets per table, but only for one table per Session. You could get one player to sign four items, or each player to sign one thing - they didn't care about that; but you could only buy tickets for one of the two tables during each Session. So if you had two players that you really wanted to see, and they were signing at different tables during the same Session, you were screwed.

So if you knew ahead of time who was going to be signing at a given table during a particular session, you could plan ahead...only you can't, because they don't give you a list of sessions and tables until shortly before the gates open. You get in line at five or six in the morning, of course, to make sure you get in early enough to get to the "yard sale" before all the good game-used stuff is gone, and they don't pass out the little paper with the list of players, tables and sessions until 8:30 or 9.

Last year, I filled the trunk of my car with at least one bat of every player who was going to be there that I had a bat for, plus whatever jerseys, balls, photos, etc, that I thought I might need, and once I got in and bought my signing tickets, I hauled ass back to the car and picked up what I needed for what tickets I was able to get. My exercise for the year.

The only posted restriction about inscriptions that I've ever seen or heard about at this Fan Fest is what they've had, a couple of years, on signs posted around the ballpark, saying that the players HAD to inscribe EVERYTHING they signed. Of course, this was universally ignored by the players. I've never heard about one of our players refusing to sign anything. (Somebody remind me to que up my photo-illustrated Randy Johnson World Series bat story from '07.)

[sylbry]

A couple items:

Blaine is 20 miles north of Minneapolis, not 50.

The Twins release the player appearance list roughly 3 weeks in advance. They release the station list the week of. So you will know who will be signing at what station at what time prior to the start of the three day event.

Mauer and Morneau have restricted game used items for at least two years now. It just hasn't been made public beforehand. And just because they say it doesn't mean they will follow it. It really depends on which Twins employee is sitting next to them. Some enforce rules like a hawk, others don't.

The ticket to get into Twinsfest does not cover autographs. Each station has a set price based on player or players. Minor leaguers are free. Standing in line does not guarantee you an autograph. For example, if you are not in line at least 3 hours early you won't get Mauer.

As far as personalizations go, Bert loves to do it but there is a general rule that players are not to, simply because it takes more time. Last year when I asked Thome to he looked at me and said, "sorry but I can't".

[sylbry]

And the tickets were limited to 25.000 total, not per day. A ticket is good for any day but can only be used once.

[jobathenut]

Not to get into a pissing contest.But i said blanie is about 50 miles away.I am sorry if i didnt nail it on the head.And i dont know if you go there every year and get things signed like me.But i always get the items signed to me or to whoever i am getting them for and never had one problem including with mauer with them personalizing the item.And as i said i have seen them sign game used items every year and they have even commented with the items like "yeah i loved this bat" etc.I have never seen them refuse to sign a game used item.So i dont know what restrictions you are talking about.You must be in the know more than me.But then you corrected the distance so you must be.

A couple items:

Blaine is 20 miles north of Minneapolis, not 50.

The Twins release the player appearance list roughly 3 weeks in advance. They release the station list the week of. So you will know who will be signing at what station at what time prior to the start of the three day event.

Mauer and Morneau have restricted game used items for at least two years now. It just hasn't been made public beforehand. And just because they say it doesn't mean they will follow it. It really depends on which Twins employee is sitting next to them. Some enforce rules like a hawk, others don't.

The ticket to get into Twinsfest does not cover autographs. Each station has a set price based on player or players. Minor leaguers are free. Standing in line does not guarantee you an autograph. For example, if you are not in line at least 3 hours early you won't get Mauer.

As far as personalizations go, Bert loves to do it but there is a general rule that players are not to, simply because it takes more time. Last year when I asked Thome to he looked at me and said, "sorry but I can't".

[jobathenut]

Opps,i messed up again.Thanks for correcting me.

And the tickets were limited to 25.000 total, not per day. A ticket is good for any day but can only be used once.

[sylbry]

Not to get into a pissing contest.But i said blanie is about 50 miles away.I am sorry if i didnt nail it on the head.And i dont know if you go there every year and get things signed like me.But i always get the items signed to me or to whoever i am getting them for and never had one problem including with mauer with them personalizing the item.And as i said i have seen them sign game used items every year and they have even commented with the items like "yeah i loved this bat" etc.I have never seen them refuse to sign a game used item.So i dont know what restrictions you are talking about.You must be in the know more than me.But then you corrected the distance so you must be.

On the monitors in the Dome concourse the screen specifically says no personalizations. On the signs at the entrance to each station which listed the players signing at the station also listed restrictions. No game used has been on that sign for Mauer and Morneau since 2008 or 2009. But like I said, neither is really enforced. Perhaps as to not offend the less observant.

There also have been unwritten restrictions in the past too such as one year Mauer wouldn't sweet spot or if he does it must be personalized. Or Carew won't sign bats, jerseys, and unlicened photos. Bert doesn't like to sweet spot and has issues with others having his game used items. I had him sign a jersey once and he gave me this nasty look asking if it "was mine". I said, "I wish" to difuse the conflict that would have otherwise ensued. (Did this with two different jerseys.) Got to imagine Taylor would have liked to have seen Bert's restriction in writing beforehand.

No pissing contest here. Others ask the question and I provided an accurate response.

[jobathenut]

"Others ask questions and i provided an accurate response"......BRAVO!!!! CLAP,CLAP,CLAP...Thank god we have you on here for accurate responses

On the monitors in the Dome concourse the screen specifically says no personalizations. On the signs at the entrance to each station which listed the players signing at the station also listed restrictions. No game used has been on that sign for Mauer and Morneau since 2008 or 2009. But like I said, neither is really enforced. Perhaps as to not offend the less observant.

There also have been unwritten restrictions in the past too such as one year Mauer wouldn't sweet spot or if he does it must be personalized. Or Carew won't sign bats, jerseys, and unlicened photos. Bert doesn't like to sweet spot and has issues with others having his game used items. I had him sign a jersey once and he gave me this nasty look asking if it "was mine". I said, "I wish" to difuse the conflict that would have otherwise ensued. (Did this with two different jerseys.) Got to imagine Taylor would have liked to have seen Bert's restriction in writing beforehand.

No pissing contest here. Others ask the question and I provided an accurate response.