Showing posts with label Carolina Mudcats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Carolina Mudcats. Show all posts

Sunday, July 11, 2021

July 10, 2021, Graphing Recap of Hillcats at Mudcats

A snap decision to take a look at the Lynchburg Hillcats while they were in Zebulon facing the Mudcats led me to almost missing getting several cards signed.  I had a couple guys send me Lynchburg cards to get signed as a 50/50 just in case I saw them, and I had some put aside from 2020 and 2021 Bowman.  I missed the guys I had pulled back in 2018 and 2019 and put aside in a Carolina League graphing box that I had put together.  Thankfully, about 15 minutes before we left for Zebulon, I remembered that I had that stash of cards.  I got them all prepped and into my snap case in time to leave for the game, then loaded them into my books for pre-game.  One of the cards was the above 2018 Bowman Chrome gold refractor of Lenny Torres.
The day actually called for a double header, and I came only armed with Hillcats cards in three books; me; my son, Chris and my friend, Tyler.  We were able to finish up everyone by the start of the second game, which was great, because it was super hot and humid out there.  We ended up leaving halfway though the second game since we were really tired and thirsty (and didn't want to continue to pay $6.00 for bottled soda).
I was worried that I wouldn't be able to finish off some of the cards, since this would be the only time I would see the Hillcats.  Luckily, none of the players limited, and we were able to see all of the ones I had brought cards for.  Daniel Espino was especially nice, signing everything that each of us had, and also carrying on lengthy conversations with each grapher he came into contact with.
I had a whole bunch of different Espino cards, and I was really happy with how they all turned out.
I was worried that I would miss Petey Halpin.  He walked by before the first game and said he would come back.  Turned out, he meant he would come back after the first game.  He did, and signed everything we had.
Finally, we were able to get Josh Wolf, who also was really nice, and talkative.  The whole group of Hillcats that we saw were all super nice and talkative.

We ended up getting: Espino x 21, Christian Cairo x 5, Petey Halipn x 4, Korey Holland x 3, Gabriel Rodriguez x 2, Lenny Torres x 6, Yordys Valdez x 3 and Josh Wolf x 10, or a total of 54 signatures.

Saturday, July 3, 2021

June 22-27 Graphing of Mudcats at Wood Ducks

The Mudcats returned to Kinston to face the Wood Ducks last week and I got some more cards signed as a result.  The above Panini Prizm of Freddy Zamora is a Tiger Stripe parallel and turned out great.
I also got a Prizm of Joey Weimer done as part of a 50/50 for someone. The above Stars and Stripes of Noah Campbell also was for a 50/50. Everything else I got signed was for other folks or duplicates that I'd trade later on. 

I had some help during the series and ended up with 122 autos. I didn't go to all of the games; I took a couple nights off and also went to Greensboro for a game.

Tuesday, June 1, 2021

TTM Success - Dylan File

Here are some cool cards that I got back signed by former Mudcat, Dylan File.  I was glad to get the cards signed, since I had some team set cards to get done.  I also haven't gotten many 2020 Topps Pro Debut cards done.  The Pro Debut above is a sharp card and turned out well.
The 2019 Mudcats team card turned out great.  It may be my favorite team set design; those cards just look great.  I was also able to get my 2019 Carolina League All Star card signed by File.

File (b. 1996) was a 21st round pick by the Brewers in the 2017 June Amateur Draft out of Dixie State University.  He has played in the Brewers system since 2017.  He has yet to play this season.  He has a record of 24-18 with 287 strike outs and a 3.65 ERA.

I mailed to File on December 21 and got the cards back on February 12, for a 52-day TAT.

Sunday, May 16, 2021

May 11-16 Graphing Recap of Mudcats at Wood Ducks

Oh, how I have been waiting for this.  After not graphing at a game since August 2019, I was finally able to do some IP graphing at my home field, Grainger Stadium in Kinston.  COVID restrictions are somewhat easing, and I was able to get a bunch of cards signed that I had been stockpiling for a long time.
Chris and I hit every game of this 6-game series, and we took 50/50s for a kid on Instagram named Cal (a different Cal than the one I have worked with in the past) and also for my good friend, Jackson.
The Wood Ducks were almost strictly no graphs inside, with a couple exceptions.  It has been very confusing, as we have seen that MLB has lifted restrictions, apparently, but here, no one has seemed to get the memo.  Still, we were able to get stuff signed, and we respected the players as we did so.  All were very cool, and they seemed genuinely happy that we were season ticket holders and at every game so far.
Chris made a friend with Wood Ducks pitcher, Mason Englert.  He seems like a great guy, and chatted with us outside after every game.  We also got autographs from Ronald Acuna's brother, Luisangel, on baseballs for my friends, Gerard, Andrew and Jackson.  Chris and I have yet to get Acuna on anything for ourselves.
For the Mudcats, I feel a but guilty, as we racked Caden Lemons.  I happened to have a ton of his cards, but he signed for us each day, and was really cool about it.  He even thanked us for our support, even though we were Wood Ducks fans.
All of the Mudcats players were super nice, and we got a ton of cards signed by them.  A good many of the players had cards to get signed, so it was nice to have options.
Freddy Zamora was really cool. I talked to him a good bit outside, then again inside later on.  He played the first game, then may have gotten hurt, as he and Micah Bello didn't play the rest of the series.  Zamora represents my first signed 2021 Bowman.
I also got this sweet Panini Prizm signed that I had picked up from a card show a while back.  I ordered 2 more to come in for the next series that they play, since I know someone who is a huge Miami fan.  I know he's still reading this blog, so I guess I'm spoiling a surprise, but oh well.  Zamora promised me that he would sign my other cards when they come in.
Bello was also really nice, even though we talked to him only after the first game.
Finally, Arbert Cipion was really cool.  He was only 2-per, but it didn't matter to me.  It turned out that he is from the same town in New Jersey as my mother-in-law, so we talked about that for a while.  He said hey to Chris and I before and after each game, and always smiled.

It felt great to be back in my seats at Grainger Stadium.  I really missed IP graphing, and my hope is that things continue to open up and we get back to normal.

In all we got:  Evan Carter x 4, Mason Englert x 2, Tekoah Roby x 4, Leury Tejada x 7, Micah Bello x 9, Arbert Cipion x 6, Caden Lemons x 27, Freddy Zamora x 6, Luisangel Acuna x 3, Joe Gray, Jr. x 5, Bendan Murphy x 21, Zavier Warren x 3, Antonio Cabello x 11, Noah Campbell x 4, Dane Acker x 2, Justin Bullock x 3 and Christian Inoa x 2, for 124 autos.

Friday, April 17, 2020

TTM Success - Jordan Yamamoto

Before the Corona Virus threw a wrench into everything, I had started my Spring Training TTM successes off with a bang.  I sent these cards to Jordan Yamamoto as a long shot, and they all came back signed.  I was very excited, and the above 2020 Topps 85 Chrome silver pack card is the reason why.  I buy a bunch of boxes of Topps base, so I get the silver packs every year.  I like getting the cards signed, but it is tough, since a lot of them are usually big stars who don't sign.
I sent to Yamamoto with the hopes that the cards would come back, but I definitely wasn't expecting it.  Unfortunately, my good fortune with this success and a couple others was stifled when Spring Training was shut down, and also now that players are signing less and less mail.

Yamamoto (b. 1996) is a former Carolina Mudcat who made his MLB debut last season with the Marlins.  He went 4-5 with 82 strike outs and a 4.42 ERA.

I mailed to Yamamoto via Marlins Spring Training on February 10 and got the cards back on February 28, for an 18-day TAT.

Thursday, February 13, 2020

TTM Success - Brice Turang

I decided to send off a couple 2019 Topps Heritage Minors cards TTM to former Mudcat, Brice Turang.  I wasn't too sure if he would be back this season, so when I saw he was signing, I sent them along.
The cards turned out great, and I was glad to get them out of my box.

Turang (b. 1999) was a 1st round pick (21st overall) by the Brewers in the 2018 June Amateur Draft.  He has reached the Brewers High A team (the Mudcats, of course) and has 166 hits, 4 home runs and a .263 batting average over 2 seasons.

I mailed to Turang on December 19 and got the cards back on January 13, for a 25-day TAT.

Sunday, October 6, 2019

Some Biloxi 50/50s

I had a few cards left over from the Mudcats last season, so I put out a message on my Instagram to see if anyone could take some of those guys this season.  A guy named Johann was able to take the cards and 50/50 for me.

I had been stuck with some Jake Gatewood cards that I found right before he was moved up from the Mudcats.  I wasn't able to get them signed, so I was glad that Johann agreed to take them.
I also think he missed some time with the Mudcats, as well.  I know I would have tried to get the 2015 Pro Debut (top left) signed pretty early on, so maybe that contributed to my large stash of his cards.
I appreciated Johann getting them all done for me.  All of the cards turned out great.
He had messaged me telling me that he had accidentally damaged a couple Bob Milacki cards when he spilled some water, so Johann, on his own, went on Ebay and replaced a couple for me.  He didn't have to do that, but it was really appreciated.
Finally, one of the cards I had sent was my 1991 Orioles Crown Bob Milacki.  I had picked up the set after last season, then Milacki was moved up to coach at Biloxi, so I missed out on him on this card.  I'm really glad Johann was able to hook me up, and I know we will do more 50/50s next season.

Friday, August 30, 2019

August 2019 Graphing of the Mudcats At Wood Ducks

The first series in Kinston after I got back from the National was between the Mudcats and Wood Ducks.  I took a bunch of the cards that I found at the National, and got them signed.

This Tristen Lutz was in a box at the National for $2.00.  It turned out really well, and I was happy to get it signed.
I continued to work on my Mudcats set when I got these cards signed by Christian Taugnet and Pat McInerney. 
These Mario Feliciano cards turned out great.  I thought I had gotten him earlier in the season, but I guess I didn't.
I was able to get Brice Turang on a 2019 Pro Debut.  He signed a lot better for us during this series than the past one, so I was able to get some 50/50s done, as well.
I got these two Lutz cards from the National as well.  The left one is the glossy version of his 2018 Heritage Minors, and the right one is a 2017 Bowman Chrome refractor.
I liked this Stars and Stripes relic that I found cheap in a relic/auto box at the show.  I got Devin Hairston to sign it, and I hope to add some of the other guys to it.
My friend, Ben, gave me this Brewers autograph card.  I got it signed by Payton Henry, and it turned out well.
I found more Phil Bickford cards than anything at the National.  I was able to get them all signed, and of course, they all look great.
They're all parallels, and will look awesome in my album.
I was disappointed that there weren't more places that had Bowman parallels at the National, but I was able to find some good stuff.
I finished up my Yanio cards when I got this last custom card signed.  I got it from a Rangers fan that I 50/50 with, and got all of his stuff done.
I found some nice Eric Jenkins cards while at the show.  The above card is a mini 2017 Bowman.  I found some of these of Leody Taveras and Anderson Tejeda that I will put away.
Both of these parallels of EJ turned out well.
I was really happy when I found this 2016 Bowman Chrome Orange Shimmer refractor in a quarter box at the show.  I ran into a bunch of them and hoped there would be someone in there who I could get to sign.  When I saw this Jairo Beras, I was stoked.  I also found this Rize card at a booth that had a bunch of there, and some Perfect Game cards.
These two Michael Matuella cards turned out well.  I like the black refractor from 2015 Bowman Chrome (left).
I had seen someone at a Wood Ducks game with the Bubba Thompson on the left.  I was glad to find one at the National.  I also found the blue parallel from 2017 Bowman.  The blue parallels look great when signed.
Speaking of blue parallels, these two Noah Bremers really look great.  I don't know why I didn't have any of these before, but I was glad to add them now.

Sunday, July 28, 2019

July 2019 Graphing Recap of Mudcats at Wood Ducks

This past week, the Mudcats came ot Kinston to take on the Wood Ducks.  I was able to get most of the 2019 Mudcats team set taken care of.  The only cards I am missing are guys who have moved up or are injured, much like my Wood Ducks set.

I was really glad to get two signatures on Joe Ayrault's card, as his son was at the game.  I had Kole sign the card, first as he came off of the field after the first game of Thursday's Double Header.  Tuesday rained out, and Wednesday was an 11AM game, so the two games on Thursday were my shot to get the cards done.

Joe had been ejected during the first game, but signed for me before the second game.  He had let his emotions calm down and told me that it was a whole new game.
I love this team set, and am glad that I am just about done with it.
I also got some All Star and top prospects cards done from each set.
I don't think I am going to try to get Jonah Mergen's kids to sign this card, even though I do see them from time to time at the ballpark.
Brice Turang was pretty nice this time around.  It seemed as if he was in a better mood signing, which helped out.
It is always a lot of fun to see Phil Bickford, and with Sherten Apostel's addition to the roster, I was able to get a card done from my Hickory set.