who is the least fan friendly palyer on your favorite team

[yanks12025]

Re: who is the least fan friendly palyer on your favorite team

I got Mike Piazza's autograph at the WBC down in Florida a couple of years ago. Let me just tell you that you cant even tell that its Mike Piazza. But he was signing a t-shirt which is hard But we also got a ball signed by him to and it looks the same(Trash).

[harpt]

Re: who is the least fan friendly palyer on your favorite team

Got him years ago in FL as a member of the Dodgers when he first came up. He was sitting on a bench and he signed the side panel without even looking at me. Was if I was not there. Not sure why he is the way he is - not sure why he thinks he is so much better than anyone else. I had similar experiences with Mark McGwire both at the park and at paid appearances and would put him just above Piazza, but not far...

I was really suprised about the Kaline and McGwire references because I have had really positive experiences with both of those guys.

I saw Kaline in Cooperstown in 1999 and asked to have my picture taken with him. He had no problem with that at all...shook my hand, etc.

With McGwire, I was taking his picture before a game at Tiger stadium when the A's were in town. He was playing catch. When he was done he tossed me the ball made good eye contact and nodded when I said thank you, etc. It was pretty neat. The next year he hit a thousand homeruns.

One key variable is that I was not looking for an autograph in either case. I think a lot of guys are just really turned off by autograph seekers for some reason.

[jshortt]

Re: who is the least fan friendly palyer on your favorite team

Wow, all these stories about Piazza are pretty shocking to me. I had a great experience with him at the ballpark, and my friend had another in downtown Cincy. Same with Homer Bailey. I've met him several different times and he has been nothing short of great each and every time.

I will have to second the stories on Michael Young. Wouldn't even acknowledge us fans when the Rangers were in town last year. Someone told me that Young is on record saying that he doesn't like signing, and he just doesn't understand the concept of an autograph.

As for the Reds, the only person on the team I have NEVER seen sign an autograph at the ballpark is Griffey. Now, I know he does for UD, charities, and when they let the kids run out to each position on Sundays, but other than that, it doesn't happen. In fact, most of the "team signed" stuff that the Reds auction off doesn't have a Jr. sig on it. Oh well. Personally, I've never had any bad experiences. He's always very polite, and will joke around with you...as long as he doesn't think you'll be asking him for an autograph.

-Josh

[skyking26]

Re: who is the least fan friendly palyer on your favorite team

Yeah Piazza is a jerk especially when it comes to game used equipment. When with the Padres he was signing for people in Peoria and I handed him a clean ball to sign, i didn't ask for a sweet spot or anything and it wasn't even for me it was for my mother and he looked me flat in the eyes and told me no.
While with the A's I got him to sign one time and that was it on his first day of practice when the team reported to ST. A friend who works in the clubhouse in Oakland told me that at the end of the season he scribbled his name/number off every stitch of clothing and he shaved the names off of his bats so they couldn't be sold or traced back to him. I remember reading a story when he was with the Mets that he used to have his equipment locked away separate from the rest of the teams stuff.

Got him years ago in FL as a member of the Dodgers when he first came up. He was sitting on a bench and he signed the side panel without even looking at me. Was if I was not there. Not sure why he is the way he is - not sure why he thinks he is so much better than anyone else. I had similar experiences with Mark McGwire both at the park and at paid appearances and would put him just above Piazza, but not far...

[OaklandAsFan]

Re: who is the least fan friendly palyer on your favorite team

Based on my experieince at Shea and Citizens, hands down Mike Piazza.

I have NEVER seen him autograph any game used equipment for a fan during batting practice, before or after the game. Likewise, I even saw him pass on taking a photo during BP with a disabled girl in a wheelchair who was on the field with a press pass!

Howard Wolf
hblakewolf@patmedia.net

Yeah Piazza is a jerk especially when it comes to game used equipment. When with the Padres he was signing for people in Peoria and I handed him a clean ball to sign, i didn't ask for a sweet spot or anything and it wasn't even for me it was for my mother and he looked me flat in the eyes and told me no.
While with the A's I got him to sign one time and that was it on his first day of practice when the team reported to ST. A friend who works in the clubhouse in Oakland told me that at the end of the season he scribbled his name/number off every stitch of clothing and he shaved the names off of his bats so they couldn't be sold or traced back to him. I remember reading a story when he was with the Mets that he used to have his equipment locked away separate from the rest of the teams stuff.

[Nathan]

Re: who is the least fan friendly palyer on your favorite team

He's not on my favorite team and isn't even playing any more, but never, never, ask Dr. Mike Marshall for an autograph. He's extremely friendly and is an unbelievably intelligent guy, but if there's one thing he doesn't do, it's sign.

Thankfully I don't do the autograph thing, and talking to him for four hours about pitching was a lot better than a scrawl of ink.

[hblakewolf]

Re: who is the least fan friendly palyer on your favorite team

Based on my experieince at Shea and Citizens, hands down Mike Piazza.

I have NEVER seen him autograph any game used equipment for a fan during batting practice, before or after the game. Likewise, I even saw him pass on taking a photo during BP with a disabled girl in a wheelchair who was on the field with a press pass!

Howard Wolf
hblakewolf@patmedia.net

[worldchamps]

Re: who is the least fan friendly palyer on your favorite team

For what it is worth Pujols did sign a couple years ago when they played the Rangers.

I have NEVER EVER sceen Lebron James sign, Kevin Garnett is also awful about signing.

Clinton Portis is a jerk too, he ruined a football of mine at an appearance he got paid to be at.

[kylehess10]

Re: who is the least fan friendly palyer on your favorite team

Mike Hampton. Ever since he joined the Braves, I have seen him sign only 1 single autograph, and that was last year when he signed one autograph right before the game. I still need his signature on a banner that I started to get team-signed THREE YEARS AGO!

[OaklandAsFan]

Re: who is the least fan friendly palyer on your favorite team

Funny you say that about Mike Sweeney, he was by far the nicest athlete I have ever met in person. I caught him on a rehab assignment in the minors about two years ago and he talked about Alex Gordon, his past years in the minors and a little about his life. He offered to pose for multiple pictures and held an actual autograph signing the next day for all fans for about two hours before the game.

Worst on the Reds would have to go to Ken Griffey Jr or the "GREAT" Homer Bailey . Ken has been around the game for years and can tell his times in Cincy are wearing on him a little. Homer on the other hand is just a jerk from every encounter I have had with him.

Sweeney sincerely is one of if not the nicest baseball player in the MLB but thus far this season he will talk to anyone and always acknowledges the fans but if you want a graph it has been very difficult unless you were a kid.

[bigtruck260]

Re: who is the least fan friendly palyer on your favorite team

Albert does not sign for just everyone all the time, he does occasionally...I have seen him do it before Saturday games. But rarely.

He is usually pretty good with tossing balls, etc. to kids - b ut if you are an adult looking for an autograph - be prepared for Mr. Nasty.

To an extent, I think it's understandable. Almost everything he signs seems to end up on eBay - I have even been guilty of it.

[AWA85]

Re: who is the least fan friendly palyer on your favorite team

Funny you say that about Mike Sweeney, he was by far the nicest athlete I have ever met in person. I caught him on a rehab assignment in the minors about two years ago and he talked about Alex Gordon, his past years in the minors and a little about his life. He offered to pose for multiple pictures and held an actual autograph signing the next day for all fans for about two hours before the game.

Worst on the Reds would have to go to Ken Griffey Jr or the "GREAT" Homer Bailey . Ken has been around the game for years and can tell his times in Cincy are wearing on him a little. Homer on the other hand is just a jerk from every encounter I have had with him.

[skyking26]

Re: who is the least fan friendly palyer on your favorite team

On the Tigers, probably Kenny Rogers. Non-player Tiger, without a doubt Al Kaline. Kaline has been a jack*ss for many years whether it was in person at the park or at a paid show appearance. The man has no personality at all, and his meaness should be kept to himself.

On Pistons, Rasheed Wallace. He recently did a paid appearance I attended and he was an a*s to everyone. He does not sign at the Palace either...

[OaklandAsFan]

Re: who is the least fan friendly palyer on your favorite team

I scored Michael Young graphs twice this ST when the Rangers came to Phoenix to play the A's.

On the A's right now I would have to say the least approachable person is Emil brown though it is pretty hard to get Mike Sweeney to sign if you are over 14. I do have to say that in all my years of collecting the Athletics are one of the best signing teams I have ever dealt with.

[geoff]

Re: who is the least fan friendly palyer on your favorite team

I love the Orioles and I would have to say Daniel Cabrera.I have only seen him sign 1 time in 2 Years.And that was this past week when he was Signing for all these School Kids.He really is not even Friendly from what I have seen in the past also.