Showing posts with label Austin Martin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Austin Martin. Show all posts

Saturday, April 8, 2023

Spring Training Returns From Drake

My friend, Drake, may appreciate how I have my autograph albums set up almost as much as I do.  I enjoy the variety of each page and how so many different cards from different sets populate the albums.  Drake has helped me get cards signed for a few years now, and he really came through during this year's Spring Training.

He even mentioned to Maikol Escotto (above) how the card he was signing would end up as the cover photo of a future blog post (even though I don't blog by request).  I honored Drake's wishes and put this card first as part of a deal we made while he was assembling the return package.
Drake helped me clear a lot of room in my prospects boxes by taking the cards he took for Spring Training.  He also helped get a bunch of cards out of the box of shame, which clears room for some missed opportunities from this season.

I was really happy to add the 2022 Panini Capstone Pablo Lopez (top right) to the album.  Those cards look really nice, and look even better signed.
I was really happy with the 2022 Topps Cosmic Chrome Griffin Jax that Drake got done for me.  That was a cool box that I ordered off of Topps.com, and this is the first from that set that I have been able to get signed.

Drake got Joey Gallo to sign (top left), but Gallo switched markers on him.  I don't care, though, he gets added to the album anyway.  The 2014 Bowman Byron Buxton turned out nicely, as well.
Several Bowman Draft highlight this page, as well as a 2017 Topps Heritage Minors Chance Sisco.  I missed Sisco a few times, but was finally able to get this card out of my boxes.
Drake added a couple extras of his own, like the 2019 Topps Heritage Minors Brock Deatherage blue parallel and the 2014 Leaf Perfect Game Andrew Cabezas.  He also tossed in the 2022 Panini Prizm Curtis Terry, which was nice, since Terry is a former Wood Duck.
There is a 2001 Topps Rocco Baldelli that Drake got done for me, as well as a 2020 Topps Big League orange parallel of Chance Sisco that I really wanted to get signed.  Drake read my mind, and got that one taken care of for me.  He also provided me with several project cards with multiple players to try to get signed.  Thanks buddy!
I was surprised to see this 2021 Topps Heritage Minors Austin Martin stickers insert get signed.  I'm sure it was tough to add it to his page, but it is cool to add one of these to my album.  Martin was tough last season when I went to Wichita, so for Drake to get two cards done for me out of my box of shame, I was really happy.
Finally, Drake added this 1989 Donruss signed by David Cone that Drake traded for.  He had a friend get Cone at Royals opening day (I think), and it is something really awesome to add to the album.

Thank you for all of your hard work, Drake!

Thursday, October 6, 2022

More 50-50 Returns From Logan

The rest of the cards my friend, Logan, got signed for me this season came back today.  He was waiting to finish out Wichita's season since they reached the Texas League finals.  Logan was hoping to get the above 2021 Bowman Invicta signed by Austin Martin.  I wanted to get the card done myself when we visited Wichita earlier this year, but missed Martin.  He looked right at me after the second game we saw, but didn't come over.  Logan was able to finally get him the last game he was at, which was great.  I can now put this card in my album.
Logan also took some Tulsa guys and got Gus Varland for me.  I had gotten Gus's brother, Louie, while we were visiting the Wind Surge, and I was able to get these two 2020 Bowmans out of my box, thanks to Logan.
Logan also got me a 2021 Heritage Minors Brandon Lewis signed, as well as these two Landon Knack cards.
Finally, Logan got this Wind Surge team set card of Alex Isola signed for me, as well as this 2019 Midwest League All Star card of Chris Betts that I have been carrying around for a while.

Thanks again for getting all of these done for me, Logan!  I know we will be doing another league swap next season!