2006 Upper Deck, Wilson Betemit

#520 Wilson Betemit

Here is the second Wilson Betemit card that I have posted on this blog. I posted the first one almost two years ago and it can be seen here.

This is one of the first Betemit cards that I got signed and I got the autograph in late June 2010. Wilson was with the Royals at the time and the day I got this card signed was the last time I 'graphed the Royals parking lot before the game. That was also the only time that I made the trek up to Kansas City just just to 'graph the lot without going to a game.

Wilson is playing for the Orioles this year and, through 89 games, he is hitting .254 with 12 home runs and 35 RBI.

While Wilson was a Royal, he seemed like a decent signer. I got him by the Royals parking lot on at least two different occasions and I even got him a week after being traded to Detriot last summer. I'm not sure how his signing habits have been this year, but I am sure that Ryan, from the Great Orioles Autograph Project, will let us know after the season.

2006 Upper Deck, Walter Young

#55 Walter Young

Here is a card that was given to me by Rod, from Padrographs, about three and a half years ago. When I received this card, this was the lone signed 2006 Upper Deck card in my collection. Since then, my collection of autographed '06 Upper Deck cards has grown a bit and, thanks to my sporadic posting, I should have enough cards from the set to get me by over the next month. I really should post more often since I have acquired a lot of older signed cards that I am looking forward to posting. I just need to make the time.

If I am not mistaken, Walter Young has to have been the largest individual to ever play in the Major Leagues. His Baseball Almanac page lists him at 6'5" and 315 pounds. He played in 14 games with the Orioles in 2005 and that was the extent of his Major League career. In his brief cup of coffee, he hit .303 with a double and a home run. The dinger came off of R.A. Dickey.

I like how this card lists Walter as a Padre even though he is clearly wearing an Orioles pullover. That is one thing I liked about Upper Deck- they didn't bother with all of the crazy photoshopping that Topps is known for. You know Topps has gotten carried away when they start photoshopping cards just to put a team's new logo into the picture.

All Star Game Contest Winner

I am back from the All Star game and I had a great time. Unfortunately, I didn't do as well in the autograph department as I had hoped. But, what can you do? I came home with only 29 autographed cards and that was well short of my goal of 50. 24 of the 29 cards were signed at Fanfest while the other five were landed by my dad at the Futures Game. He 'graphed the World side for me and got two guys to sign while I 'graphed the USA side and came up empty-handed. I did a lot better than that at the last Futures Game I attended in St. Louis. I also sold my Derby tickets at the Futures Game, so I missed out on that event. By the time the actual All Star Game came around, I wasn't able to get down to field level because I had an upper deck ticket. So, again, I came up empty-handed. But, 29 signed cards is better than none, so it wasn't a complete wash. Besides, I got cards signed by Hall of Famers Rollie Fingers, Juan Marichal, Tony Gwynn, Fergie Jenkins, and Gaylord Perry. Plus, I added four more cards to my '81 Donruss collection and I got balls signed by Dennis Eckersly and Frank Thomas.

The winner of the contest is Skroeker, who guessed 26. I do not have your address, so email it to me at zman40 at hotmail dot com and I will get your program mailed out to you on Monday. Brian, I will get your 8x10s out to you that day as well.

Thanks to all that played along and I appreciate all of the lofty expectations put on me.

Lastly, I want to thank my dad. Without his help, I would have been lucky to land a dozen autographs. Thanks, Dad!!

All Star Game Contest

Sorry I haven't posted on here in a bit, but I have been busy with work and getting ready for the All Star Game. So, to make up for my lack of posts, I am going to hold another contest here.

This one is really simple. All you have to do to win this contest is guess how many autographed cards that I will get in Kansas City over the All Star break. To clarify, the break starts tomorrow when I attend Fanfest and it will also include the Futures Game, the Home Run Derby (unless I sell my tickets- interested???), the All Star Game, and possibly two more Fanfest days. Whoever guesses the closest will win this-

This is an official program for the All Star Game that I received in the mail yesterday. Sorry the picture is so blurry, but I didn't feel like scanning it.

So, to enter, just pick a number and do not pick one already chosen by another person. Also, in case of a tie, pick a team. If there is a tie, the tie-breaker will be how many cards I got signed by the team you chose. If I got more cards signed by the team you picked than the team picked by the other person, you will win the program. I may also throw in some extra signed cards from the weekend, as well.

Just to clarify, this is not the Price is Right. You can guess over and still be the closest and win. And, Brian, I have not forgot about you. I still have your 8x10s and I swear that I will get them out to you sometime. Sorry it has taken me so long.

The deadline to enter is Tuesday night at 7 PM, central. Good luck!