2007 Fleer, Tim Corcoran

#369 Tim Corcoran

Here is a card that I got signed at a Round Rock Express game in 2008 while Tim was pitching for the visiting Albuquerque Isotopes. The Express have a sweet autographing set-up where the players have to walk across the left field concourse to get to the field. That is where I got Tim when he signed this card.

Tim pitched for the Rays for parts of three seasons. He was used as a starter and a reliever and he logged 130.1 innings in the Majors. Over that time, he went 5-9 with a 4.97 ERA. All of his decisions came in 2006, the only year he started games. He pitched 90.1 innings that year and had an ERA of 4.38 with 59 strikeouts.

Even though 2008 was the last time Tim pitched in the Major Leagues, he continued to pitch in the minor leagues through the 2013 season. In all, he played for sixteen seasons and logged 1272 innings of work.

I have a hard time calling this set a Fleer set since it was put out by Upper Deck. But, that is the way things were in 2007.

2007 Fleer, Kevin Hooper

#19 Kevin Hooper

Here is the fifth Kevin Hooper card that I have posted on here. Kevin is the manager of the Wichita Wingnuts and all of the cards I have of him were signed at Nuts games, except for this one.

Every year, the Nuts and Wichita's hockey team, the Thunder, hold a "Nuts and Bolts" promotion. At the Nuts game, it will be hockey themed with a player or coach from the Thunder there to throw out the first pitch. At the Thunder game, it is just the opposite. I happened to get this card signed at a Thunder game about six years ago when they still played at the Kansas Coliseum.

I decided to go to the "Nuts and Bolts" game that year and I took two baseball cards with me- this one and one of Nate Robertson, a part owner of the Nuts. It just so happened that Kevin was the one there representing the team and he was out on the ice for the ceremonial puck drop to start the game. I waited for Kevin to leave the ice and got him to sign my card then. I had a cold at the time and had a dry throat and was hoarse, so I had to call for him a few times before he heard and came over. But, I finally got him and this is the only baseball card that I have ever gotten signed at a hockey game.

2007 Donruss Elite, Sam Runion

#38 Sam Runion

Here is the second card that Sam Runion signed for me at the Burlington Bees game in 2009. The first one was his 2007 Bowman card and that one can be seen here.

When I posted that first card, I talked about Sam's time in the Royals system, which lasted through the 2013 season. After that, he was picked up by the Rays, but lasted with their AA team for 13.1 innings. They cut him loose and the Nationals picked him up and he has pitched with them ever since.

Last year, he spent his season at three different levels of the minors ranging from High-A to AAA. He only pitched in 27 games, all relief outings except for one. So, he may have been having some kind of arm issue.

This year, though, he pitched in 48 games split between AA and AAA. He had a good season, going 6-5 with 4 saves and a 2.91 ERA. He struck out 60 in 65 innings of work. Unfortunately, it was not good enough for him to get the call to the Majors. But, there is still time for him as he is on twenty-six years old.

2007 Donruss Elite, Derrick Robinson

#18 Derrick Robinson

Here is a card of Derrick Robinson that I got signed at the same Wilmington Blue Rocks game as the Bryan Morris card I last posted. The only difference was that Derrick was playing for the home team.

Derrick spent most of 2013 in the Major Leagues with the Reds. I had no idea that was the case until I pulled his card out of 2013 Topps Update. By that time the Royals had given up on him and I figured that he did not really have a shot at making it. I guess it's a good thing I am not a prospector.

Derrick played in 101 games that year, but he only started 37. He pinch ran 6 times and pinch hit 36 times. He hit a respectable .255 with 7 doubles, 3 triples, and 8 RBI. The one stat, though, that surprises me is that he only stole 4 bases and it took him 9 attempts to make that happen.

When Derrick was a prospect with the Royals, the one thing he had going for him was speed. He stole 50 or more bases for four years straight in the minors, topping off at 69 for the Blue Rocks in 2009. The guy had speed, he just had problems getting on base. Then, he made it to the Majors and hit for a higher average there than his career minor league mark, but he couldn't steal any more. I never would have guessed that.

After 2013, the Reds let Derrick become a free agent and nobody picked him up. He sat out all of 2014 before the Nationals signed him for this season. He spent the majority of this season back in AA and he is hitting .250 heading into the final week of the season. He has stolen 17 bases on 26 attempts.

2007 Donruss Elite, Bryan Morris

#10 Bryan Morris

Here is a card that I got signed at a Wilmington Blue Rocks playoff game in 2009. Bryan was playing for the visiting Lynchburg Hillcats at the time and he signed this card,and one other, for me before the game started.

Bryan has been playing in the Major Leagues since 2012. I, however, had no idea until I pulled a card of him out of 2013 Topps Heritage. It didn't help matters that I pulled that card in the middle of 2014..

Bryan made his Major League debut with the Pirates in September of 2012 in a game against the Cubs. He entered the game in the ninth inning with the Bucs down 7-4. He faced three batters (Luis Valbuena, Anthony Rizzo, and Alfonso Soriano) and retired them in order. He pitched in four more games that month and only gave up one earned run.

He spent most of 2013 in the Pirates bullpen and he had a very solid season. He was 5-7 with a 3.46 ERA in 65 innings. He made the postseason roster and pitched in one NLDS against the Cardinals and pitched a scoreless inning.

Last season, he was putting up similar numbers when the Pirates traded him to the Marlins in June. He had a stellar finish in Miami, going 4-1 with a 0.66 ERA over 41 innings.

This year, he has posted a 4-3 record with a 3.04 ERA over 47.1 innings so far.

2007 Bowman's Best, Joe Gaetti

Here is a card of Gary Gaetti's son, Joe, that I got signed at a Kansas City T-Bones game in 2009. Joe was playing for the Northern League's Joliet JackHammers.

Joe was drafted by the Rockies in the twelfth round of the 2003 draft out of North Carolina State. He rose steadily up the Rockies minor league ladder and reached AAA in 2007. At that level, he hit .270 with 11 home runs and 32 RBI in 74 games. But, it was not enough as the Rockies let him go after the season.

Joe then began a whirlwind minor league journey where he played for five different organizations over the next two seasons. He saw time in the Texas League with the A's and Rangers. He played in the Eastern League with the Red Sox and Twins. Just to not leave out the Southern League, he played there too with the Rays. And for good measure, he saw some time in the Pacific Coast League and the Northen League. Joe spent 2010 in the Atlantic League before calling it a career.

His best season was with the Modesto Nuts in 2005. He hit .332 with 21 home runs and 87 RBI.

This card came out looking great signed.

Since I have posted every single card that I got signed at T-Bones games, I guess it is time to check out some picture of the T-Bones field, Community America Ballpark. The place was built in 2003 for the Bones and is in the Legends district that features shopping, dining, the Kansas Speedway, and Sporting KC's soccer stadium. The park is dug into the earth and doesn't have much view from the outside.

In 2009, Sporting KC (then the Kansas City Wizards) played at Community America Ballpark while Arrowhead Stadium was being renovated. Some changes were made to the ballpark to accommodate soccer. Bleachers were added in left field and most of the dirt was removed from the field. The diamond then resembled an astroturf field with its dirt sliding pits.

The bleachers have since been removed and the infield has returned to normal.

The clubhouses are behind the berm seating in right field which makes it easy to get autographs at the games.

I had the privilege of seeing a few Major Leaguers play at the park. In 2008, the ballpark hosted the Willie Wilson Classic old-timers game. Fergie Jenkins started the game for the green team.

In 2009, Willie Wilson played one game for the T-Bones and started in center. He went 0-1 with a strikeout.

Community American Ballpark is a great place to see a game. With so much to do in the area, it is easy to see why the T-Bones are consistently in the top third of the American Association's attendance.

2007 Bowman Sterling, Ole Sheldon

#BSP-OS Ole Sheldon

Here is another card of Ole Sheldon that I got signed at a Wingnuts game in 2010 while he was playing for the St. Paul Saints. I posted a card of Ole a few months back that I got signed at a Nuts game in 2009. That card can be seen here.

Ole's affiliated playing days came to a close in 2009. He split that season with the Saints and the Kinston Indians. Still, Ole went on to play for four seasons after that, all with the Saints. His best season in St. Paul came in 2010 when he hit .280 with 22 home runs and 79 RBI. He is the Saints all-time leader in home runs (67), RBI (271), extra base hits (154), at-bats (1367), games (355), and sac flies (15).

Ole's playing career came to an end after the 2013 season, but he still gets to suit up with the Saints players all summer as he is currently their hitting coach. He must be doing a good job, too, as the top two hitters in the league both play for St. Paul.

I am going to try to see the Saints play the Wingnuts next week if there are any '07 Bowman set builders out there that need a card signed by him.