My 2010 Spring Training 'Blog'...

[jobathenut]

Re: My 2010 Spring Training 'Blog'...

Thats great "xpress34" that you got all those autographs.Me and my brother always talk about going to see the yankees do thier spring training.As we have heard they sign alot there.I wonder if we would get as many as you.But of course you got more than one team.And we would be doing just the yankees players-thats sounded funny.I mean getting just the yankees players autographs.I wonder ho w many of the team we would be able to get.Anyways,have loved your blog and cant wait to here what happen at the end of your trip and see those great photos.Glad you and your family had a safe trip.

[LastingsMilledge85]

Re: My 2010 Spring Training 'Blog'...

And we would be doing just the yankees players-thats sounded funny.I mean getting just the yankees players autographs.I wonder ho w many of the team we would be able to get..

I passed up on many autographs because I only went for Milledge's autograph and they were successful players such as Andrew McCutchen, Garrett Jones, Akinori Iwamura, Octavio Dotel, and Ross Ohlendorf to name a few.

[jobathenut]

Re: My 2010 Spring Training 'Blog'...

Don't really understand why you used my quote to use in your post.As i was just wondering how many yankees sign in the spring training.And if i would be able to get as many of them as xpress did of his team or teams.But i only get autographs of players i like.I would not get a autograph of a player just because i could.I see nothing wrong like with you just getting lastings autographs as thats you favorite player.I am not that big into baseball as i know none of the guys you mentioned,are they on the same team as your guy?

I passed up on many autographs because I only went for Milledge's autograph and they were successful players such as Andrew McCutchen, Garrett Jones, Akinori Iwamura, Octavio Dotel, and Ross Ohlendorf to name a few.

[LastingsMilledge85]

Re: My 2010 Spring Training 'Blog'...

Well you could of fooled me with not rig a big baseball guy. McCutchen is a young player filled with potential that looks like the real deal and I'm not getting so much into the other guys as it would take too long. I used your quote just to make an example of what I did, so next time as I'm trying to get my .02 a little more kindness would be appreciated as to why I used your quote, but let's not dwell on that.

[jobathenut]

Re: My 2010 Spring Training 'Blog'...

sorry

Well you could of fooled me with not rig a big baseball guy. McCutchen is a young player filled with potential that looks like the real deal and I'm not getting so much into the other guys as it would take too long. I used your quote just to make an example of what I did, so next time as I'm trying to get my .02 a little more kindness would be appreciated as to why I used your quote, but let's not dwell on that.

[LastingsMilledge85]

Re: My 2010 Spring Training 'Blog'...

Don't worry about it.

[TriplexXxSports]

Re: My 2010 Spring Training 'Blog'...

Chris,

I am not a huge baseball fan personally, (I occasionally watch the Cubbies when I need some background noise for a Sunday nap) but I thoroughly enjoyed reading about your adventure. Not too many people are able to do things like this. It's cool that you started a "little tradition", so to speak. Something that you can pass along to the kids, and always look back on and say you did this. Very cool.

Congrats on all your success, and thanks for the good read. Its a refreshing change of pace.

[CampWest]

Re: My 2010 Spring Training 'Blog'...

Day 6 (Wed Mar 24th)

Today was Cubs @ Rangers in Surprise.

I was at that game. I didn't feel like driving to the Royals at Angels and the Royals had a SS make up game vs the Giants at Surprise that night.

Anyhow at this Cubs Rangers game, there was an auto tent set up in LF, with Willie Wilson, Pete LaCock, Bob Feller, and Fergie Jenkins. Willie and Pete were great. I was wearing a George Brett stadium giveaway Pinetar commemorative TShirt and Willie busted my chops for not wearing a #6, though he conceded "#5 was an alright player too".

Pete was fun to talk to because we used to be neighbors. When I was 2-5 years old and Pete was with the Royals, he lived in a house behind us and he used to be friends with my dad and we'd play with our dogs together. He was a nice guy.

Also got to chat at the batting cages with Alex Gordon, George Brett, Frank White, Kila Kaaihue, and a few other guys - Scott Thorman was really friendly and conversational. Frank White always is as well.

I should have a few pics from the game, gonna try to download and sort today. The seats are so close together, I ended up putting the camera away, because it was just uncomfortable and I didnt want to get in the way of those around me.

[rays54]

Re: My 2010 Spring Training 'Blog'...

Chris
Just got back from minor league game between D-backs and Rockies (AA and AAA teams). Huge haul of bats and autos today. Gamers from:
Paul LoDuca
Brandon Allen (2 Old Hickory Bats cracked)
Christian Friedrich
My major pickup (Fowler, Mizuno Pro cracked by minor leaguer)

15 autos on individual bats.
All in all a great day. Hitting D-backs minors in morning last time Tucson and rest of rockies. See Huston street all the time.
Rays 54

[treant985]

Re: My 2010 Spring Training 'Blog'...

Chris
Just got back from minor league game between D-backs and Rockies (AA and AAA teams). Huge haul of bats and autos today. Gamers from:
Paul LoDuca
Brandon Allen (2 Old Hickory Bats cracked)
Christian Friedrich
My major pickup (Fowler, Mizuno Pro cracked by minor leaguer)

15 autos on individual bats.
All in all a great day. Hitting D-backs minors in morning last time Tucson and rest of rockies. See Huston street all the time.
Rays 54

rays54--please email me at treant985@triad.rr.com about the Allen bats. I've been collecting him since single-A and am always interested in any GU gear of his.

[2000mvpfan]

Re: My 2010 Spring Training 'Blog'...

Hey Chris-

Great thread,great trip,and great job with that Giambi uni-Christ,that's gonna bankrupt me when you finally decide to sell it to me LOL..Looking forward to seeing your Rox-and hopefully Giambi too-when they play my Phillies later this year at Citizen's Bank!

Take care!

Joe

[xpress34]

And NOW... The Rest of the Story...

For all of you Paul Harvey fans, here is the Rest of the Story...

Sun Mar 28th, 2010...

Checked out of the motel early and headed out to Surprise for the Rangers practice...

The wife and kid in tow, we headed to the practice fields... Hamilton was on his way to the Batting Cage, so we went that way and I got him to sign this beautiful Trinity bat that I had been gifted:





Only to find out later this is a GAME USED Dexter Fowler Bat (I thought it was just a nice used bat from a MiLB player... oh well, Josh gave it a BEAUTIFUL Sig...

** GREAT moment and fact about Josh ** Before signing my bat, he was signing another Black Bat in Silver... the paint pen bled and ran everywhere and Josh used his batting gloves to CLEAN the Bat and then resigned it with a better paint pen! After, he said he hates giving a bad auto on a nice piece!!! ***

My kid got Nelson Cruz on the 'Stitches' jersey (pics to follow in another post) for me.

My wife tried to get my GU Ball (BP HR from Hamilton) signed while I was getting the bat, but doesn't have the 'killer' instinct to get in there, so the bat was it.

Added Teagarden and Treanor on the catcher's mitt... got blown off again by Max Ramirez.

Got another GU Practice MLB ball that was sitting at the gate on one of the empty practice fields and headed on our way to do some family stuff before the wife and kid headed back to Denver.

Went to check out the Rox/DBacks new site on the East 101 Loop... went to a couple of comic shops, and went back to one card shop to buy these two bats for $50...

GU Eric Davis (someone blacked out his name on the barrel!) Dodgers bat with Strawberry, Karros and other sigs on it:






And this unusual Rawlings MiLB GU bat from some early Rockies teams (Rawlings by Asics?) w/ Horseshoe/Omega brand w/ number in it signed by Will Scalzetti and other early Rox (Scalzetti hit the 1st GS in Rox franchise history with Bend Rockies - I believe it was also the 1st HR in franchise history - back in '92 I believe.):






And stopped by an Antique Store in downtown Glendale and grabbed this badboy for $100:




After that, we just did some site seeing - went by Sky Harbor and checked their bags with the Sky Cap early, went and grabbed a bite to eat and then back to the Airport. I then headed back to my brother's place in Sun City for the night before my FINAL day of the 2010 Spring Training Odyssey.

On the way I stopped by the Brass Armadillo Antique Mall and picked up a few cards for sets from a few booths.

Up next - the FINAL Day!!!

[xpress34]

And NOW... The Rest of the Story...

The FINAL Day... the saddest of all Spring Training Trips - hell, any trip in general - but particularly Spring Training.

Woke up early and packed the car leaving Rangers and Rockies gear accessible... told my brother and his GF goodbye and headed to Surprise.

Hamilton was in an AMAZINGLY GREAT mood (he's always good, but on this Monday, he was particularly upbeat)... I handed him BOTH AS Balls (2008 and 2009) and asked if he would Sweet Spot - and he did as usual:






Then, I went over to watch BP and got Ian Kinsler and Chris Davis on the 'Stitches' Jersey as well, so here's how it finished up:



And I noticed a guy writing on a note pad and ended up getting Tom Verducci (SI and MLB Network) on a ball:




I then went back to the batting cages and thought I'd try one more time for a last Hamilton on the GU Ball that my wife didn't get signed on Sunday.

Josh came out of the cage, took the ball and before I could say anything, started signing the side panel. I asked about the Sweet Spot and he siad he would be back. After taking a few more cuts, he came back and signed it AGAIN on the Sweet Spot!!! :





By then, the players were heading in, so I went and moved the car, swapped to my Rox stuff and headed in.

At the tunnel behind Home Plate I got Jim Tracy on the ball I had his son Chad (AAA w/ Rangers) sign a day or two before... Jim couldn't figure out which way or where to sign, so when I finally got the ball oriented the right way, Jim smiles, looks at the sig, then back at me before signing and says, "Next time you see my son, ask him what the hell kind of signature that is!":




I added Ian Stewart and a few other Rox to the always growing Rox Auto jersey (about 125+ autos now):



And I added Beimel and CarGo to the hat I had started at Hi Corbett for the wife:



While waiting fot the Rox autos, a Scout came and sat near us chatting up the younger guys until I saw his name and we started to chat - Chris Bosio of the Brewers/Mariners. Very nice guy and it was awesome to chat with him.

After that, I headed up and found out that Nolan was supposed to be there that day, so I was 3rd in the auto line (mind you the game had NOT started yet and he doesn't sign until the end). Nolan came by and went to his seat... about the mid of 2nd, his security guy came by and let us know that Nolan had gotten a call, so he was leaving in the 6th and would not be signing that day. I was a little bummed, but he also saved me about 3 hours of waiting for the game to finish and them to get Nolan set up and all.

I headed to the gates... to the car... and said goodbye to Spring Training 2010 and AZ. 746 miles and about 13.5 hours later, I was home...

And NOW you know the REST of the Story...

- Chris

[xpress34]

Addendum and ReCap...

So now the story is told, but I just wanted to add this RECAP of my 2010 ST Journey...

Balls:

Josh Hamilton (3) - GU BP (2 Sigs), 2008 ASG, 2009 ASG :





Steve Buchelle :



Tom Verducci :



Jim Tracy / Chad Tracy :



Tommy Lasorda :



Matt Holliday (gifted to me) :



Troy Tulowitzki (gifted to me) :



Sandy Koufax (purchased) :



Willie Mays (purchased) :



1984 SF Giants Fantasy Camp Ball (purchased) :








More to follow...

[xpress34]

Re: My 2010 Spring Training 'Blog'...

Hats / Helmets:

Clint Barmes GU 2006 Batting Helmet :



Rockies SGA Hat from Hi Corbett Field :




Magazines :

Denver Magazine (signed by Fowler, CarGo and Spilborgh) :



Rockies FINAL Tucson / Hi Corbett ST Mag :



Rangers 2010 ST Mag :



2009 Rockies Post Season Ticket Set (gifted to me) :




Eric Young Jr AU ticket from my seat at the game where I retrieved his 1st MLB Home Run :



Ticket Stubs from Games I attended :











More to follow...