1999 SP, Carlos Febles

#CF Carlos Febles

Here is the second Carlos Febles card that I have posted on here and, unlike the first one, this one is a pack-pulled on-card auto that was given to me by Brian, from Play at the Plate. I got lucky and won the first manager fired contest that he had and this is one of the great prizes that he included in the prize pack. I now have two autographs from this set and both of them are Royals that Brian has sent my way. I wonder how many autographs that he has from this set.

It is kind of cool to compare the two Febles signatures. They are signed almost ten years apart, but you can definitely see that his signature evolved a great deal in that time.

I think that I have his signature on a Royals team ball, somewhere. I need to find his signature on there and compare to the two different ones that I have. That signature would probably be from 2000 or 2001, so it would probably resemble this signature more than the newer one. When I post my next Febles autograph, I just may have to do that.

As for my last post, I ended up giving the "Rod Carew" ball back to my aunt. She was glad that I did and she was not very happy about the whole deal. She had bought the ball at a Rotary dinner silent auction fundraiser and she could not figure out why the guy would do what he did. That's why I do not buy autographs. I had enough bad experiences in the '90s to know better and that is why I prefer to get them in person (or from other bloggers). My aunt doesn't think that she will be able to get her money back, but her husband knows the guy that had the ball and she said that he will be getting an earful. I guess that is better than nothing. Thanks for helping me choose the right course on this one, especially Jeff Bunnell.

1999 SP, Dee Brown

#DB Dee Brown

This card was an unexpected surprise on the day of Fanfest. I didn't get this card signed at Fanfest. But, it was in my mailbox when I got home that night. Brian, from Play at the Plate, sent this card to me along with a couple of 2004 Topps Chrome cards. Thanks a bunch, Brian!

Dee was a 1996 first round draft pick of the Royals who turned down a football scholarship from Maryland to play baseball. After just a couple of seasons in the minors, he got his first cup of coffee in Kansas City. But, it took him about six years to make the Royals club and in 2001, he played in 106 games for the Royals and hit .245 with 7 home runs and 40 RBI. Unfortunately for him, that was his last full season in the big leagues and he has been bouncing around the AAA circuit ever since. He spent last season playing for the Dodgers' affiliate in Albuquerque.

I was so out of collecting in 1999 that I didn't even know that signed cards were in packs. If I would have known that then, I may have bought a few more. Also, as you can see on the card, Dee's given name is Dermal. He is the only person I have ever heard of with that name. I wonder is he tells people that his name is Greek and then forgets to mention that it is Greek for skin.

Thanks again, Brian!