OT: My 2009 Spring Training Blog

[xpress34]

I leave this evening for Phoenix. I will be gone until next Tuesday evening.

I will be watching the A's vs Rangers @ Surprise tomorrow and will post after the game how I do on Autos and the like as well as the game.

Iwill also be following the WBC while at ST... if USA advances to the Finals, I will be road tripping to L.A. on Monday to watch the Final Game.

All the best -

Chris

[stretch]

Have a safe trip and cheer my A's on.

[Rob L]

I leave this evening for Phoenix. I will be gone until next Tuesday evening.

I will be watching the A's vs Rangers @ Surprise tomorrow and will post after the game how I do on Autos and the like as well as the game.

Iwill also be following the WBC while at ST... if USA advances to the Finals, I will be road tripping to L.A. on Monday to watch the Final Game.

All the best -

Chris

Have fun. I'm heading off to Tempe to catch the Angels on the 27th.

[xpress34]

Wednesday - March 18th:

Flew out of Denver (DIA) on Southwest to Phoenix (Sky Harbor) at 7:40pm (MDT) - landed 8:50pm (PDT). Got my Rental Car and went to my brother's house in Surprise.

Thursday - March 19th:

Got up and headed to Surprise Stadium. Picked up my tickets for that day, Sat and next Tues.

Went around to the practice fields and watched BP. Got Autos from:

Josh Hamilton (1st Auto of trip) - 3 times! Card, his book, and HR Derby Ball (SS w/ The Dream inscription)
David Murphy
Marlon Byrd
Jason Jennings

Went into the Stadium and got:

Kurt Suzuki - 2 times - card and on my catcher's mitt
Travis Buck
Rusty Greer

Saw Nolan Ryan, but he was not signing.

Found out that Sat and Sun games (I'm going Sat) are Cal Ripken Baseball Camp days! Cal might be there!!!!

Got done and went to Homplate Sports Collectibles. Regretably, Jim has closed his shop. Drove to AZ Sports Cards and picked up Mike Schmidt Fleer Sweet Sigs AU #01/30 and Kurt Suzuki Sweet Spot AU (Silver Sig/Silver Thread).

Drove to Tucson. Went to Bookman's and Picked up a Great Vintage Baseball photo book for the library as well as Jim Bouton - Ball Four (The Update including 'Ball Five') AUTOGRAPHED for $15.

Went to my other brothers' (yes, plural - two more brothers) house had some fast food, rearranged for Friday and went to bed.

[xpress34]

Today started out a little slow... caught up on some sleep and got down to Hi Corbett about 9:15am...

Got tickets for my mom & myself (left hers at will call) and went to the practice fields.

Got Coaches Jim Johnson and Jim Wright on my 2005 Winter Development Photo - the last two guys I needed... watched some MiLB players practice and then went back over to the main field.

From the Rangers I got:

Frank Catalanotto - on card
Josh Hamilton (again) - x 2 - on Gold Banded '08 HR Derby ball - inscribed 1st HR Derby and on a Rangers ALT (Black Bill) Hat
Travis Metcalf - on card
Ian Kinsler - SS on Ball

I also got to give Johnny Narron (Hamilton's 'handler') my friend's artwork he had done for Josh and got to talk to Josh about it!

From the Rockies I got: (on card unless otherwise noted)

Josh Fogg
Dexter Fowler (x2)
Charlie Monfort (Owner) - x2 - also in book - 'Tales from the Rockies'
Manny Corpas
Scott Podsednik
Franklin Morales
Alan Embree
Matt Murton
Juan Morillo
Jeff Baker
Ubaldo Jimenez
Jorge DeLaRosa
Eric Young, Jr
Seth Smith
Don Baylor (On All Time Jersey)
Clint Hurdle - in book - 'Tales from the Rockies'
Troy Tulowitzki - on Academa 'Mini' Mitt - Triple Play Model
Garrett Atkins - on GU 2004 Hat

Went to 'Showtime Sports Cards' (George) Here in Tucson... no trades or purchases...

Met Mom for dinner - went to visit my dad's burial place - went back to brothers' house... getting ready to go play some pool...

Back off to Surprise in the morning - Rockies @ Rangers!

[xpress34]

33 Autos in 2 Days ... no gear yet though!

Hopefully tomorrow will be a Real Good day!

Looking for a few more Rangers - including Nolan - and hoping that Cal Ripken is there and signing for the Cal Ripken Baseball Camp day!

All the best -

Chris

[xpress34]

33 Autos in 2 Days

Should have had ) , not

Chris

[xpress34]

As luck would have it, we had a family emergency while I was here... nothing serious thankfully, but kept me away from the blog for a few days...

So, here's the catch-up:

Sat Mar 21:

Was supposed to get up early and go to Surprise fro Rockies @ Rangers, but due to the family thing, I slept in...

I did get up and went over to Hi Corbett and got a few Rox that weren't traveling:

Huston Street
Aaaron Cook
Brad Hawpe
Vinny Castilla
Jorge DeLaRosa
Sal Fasano

Drove back up to Phoenix and took my oldest brother to dinner.

Sun Mar 22

No Game for me today, but went to Rangers Practice and got:

Hamilton on Hat and Ball
Taylor Teagarden (x2)
Omar Vizquel (x2)
Elvis Andrus
Jim Sundberg (x2)

Picked up 2 GU Minor League Cracked Bats:
Craig Gentry (Mariucci)
Pro Stock (BWP)

Went to a few shops and did some partial trade w/ cash and picked up PSA/DNA Cert Bo Jackson Auto Bat w/ '89 AS MVP inscription and '89 AS Ball - single signed by Bo - w/ MVP inscription.

Went back to brother's and watched Team USA get eliminated from WBC. No trip to Los Angeles for me on Monday...

Mon Mar 23:

Went to Cubs vs A's @ Phoenix Municipal...

Got the following:

Matt Holliday (x3):
2008 AS Hat
2007 AS Ball
2006 WBC Ball

Corey Wimberly (x2)

Went back to brother's to relax...

Tues Mar 24:

To Surprise to catch Ranger's practice.

Before the gates opened, collected 5 balls from BP outside the fence. 1 is MiLB Practice Ball and 1 is OLB2.

Got the following Autos:

Ian Kinsler
Andruw Jones
Justin Smoak (x2)
Ron Washington

Went over to Phoenix Muni to catch A's Practice (they play late vs KC).

Got the following Autos:

Matt Holliday (x3):
Rox BP Jersey
2 Roc Season Tickets from Game 81 (w/ Matt's Pic on them)

Nomar Garciaparra

Now, I'm at Sky Harbor. My flight leaves in 45 minutes to take me back to the cold of Denver.

I'll post so pics and such later.

All the best -

Chris

P.S. April 10th is my next big day - Rox Home Opener!!!