1987 Donruss, Barry Larkin

#492 Barry Larkin

Here is a card that I got signed by Barry Larkin at the College World Series in 2012. Barry works some college games for ESPN during the tournament, so it is not uncommon for him to be in Omaha. I saw him there a few years back at the AT&T Fanfest tent and got an 8x10 signed by him. Unfortunately, he would only sign the 8x10 at that time.

When I saw that he was going to be signing in 2012, I was excited because he wasn't going to be in the AT&T tent (where only signing the 8x10 is the norm). Instead, he was going to be a the Capital One booth. There was one small problem, though. I did not take any cards of Barry with me. So, when I got the chance, I went over to the card shop across the street from old Rosenblatt. There, I was able to find this card. It set me back $1.50, which I thought was a little steep. But, I got it signed, so I cannot complain.

Barry got inducted into Cooperstown in 2012. But, since the CWS is in June, he had not been inducted yet. Otherwise I would have asked for a Hall of Fame inscription.

Barry is fun to meet. The first time I met him, he had just started working college games and I asked him who he was paired with when he worked the Super Regional. He told me and then started asking what I thought about the little fight that Brett Wallace got into with his Arizona State teammate. Then, the time I got this card signed, I was wearing a Royals cap and he started asking about the All Star Game the Royals were hosting late that summer. He seems like he would be a fun guy to just sit and watch a game with. He likes to ask questions and get others opinions rather than just talk non-stop and be the life of the party.

1987 Donruss, Mike Birkbeck

#33 Mike Birkbeck

Here is the first of many late '80s signed cards from Brewers pitchers. I didn't plan it that way. It just sort of happened.

I was able to get this card and two others signed by Mike Birkbeck at the 2012 College World Series. Mike is the pitching coach at Kent State and I got the cards signed before the Golden Flashes very first College World Series game. While I always come home from Omaha with autographs from Fanfest, getting Mike was the only time that I have ever 'graphed at an actual game in Omaha.

I thought that it was pretty cool that he inscribed "CWS 2012" on all three cards. It was kind of an afterthought for him as he signed all three cards with just his signature. He then went back and added the inscription to each one.

I started collecting cards in 1985 and all I saw my first two years was Topps and 1986 Sportsflics. This Donruss set was the first set I had seen besides those two and I loved this set. 1987 was a fun year to collect as Topps brought back the Future Stars and Rookie Cup subsets. But, I love this set more because of the Rated Rookies and Diamond Kings. I finally added a signed Rated Rookie card from the set to my collection.

1986 Topps, Jackie Moore

#591 Jackie Moore

Here is a card that I got signed before the Royals last home game last season. The Rangers were in town and Jackie was their bench coach. I got this card signed when he was dropped off at the park in a cab with a couple of other coaches. When I asked him to sign, he started walking over to a person a few people down from me. Then I called his name again and he came over saying that the sun was blinding him.

Jackie managed just parts of three seasons with the A's in the mid '80s. He was named manager mid-season in 1984 after Steve Boros was fired. He finished the year just under .500 with a 57-61 record. In 1985, his only full season as manager, he lead the A's to a 77-85 record, which was fifth in the division. His club started off 29-44 in 1986 before he got fired, only to eventually be replaced by Tony LaRussa.

For his career, Jackie's A's were 163-190 under him.

Jackie will not be back with the Rangers this season. He has been replaced as bench coach by Tim Bogar.

1986 Topps, Ron Roenicke

#63 Ron Roenicke

Here is the second and final card that I got signed by Ron Roenicke at Spring Training last year. The first one was from the '86 Fleer Update set and you can see that by scrolling down a couple of posts. Ron is the manager of the Brewers and he signed this card for me after the game against the White Sox at Camelback Ranch, which happened to be the nicest park we saw on out trip.

Ron has managed the Brew Crew since 2011. His first season there, he led the club to a 96-66 record and won the National League Central behind Ryan Braun's MVP season. The team beat the Diamondbacks in the divisional series before losing the Cardinals in the NLCS. The Brewers slipped to third in 2012, but did post an 83-79 record. This past season saw Ron post his first losing record, in part to Braun's suspension, of 74-88.

After breakout years from Jean Segura and Alexis Gomez and a full season of Braun, it will be interesting to see how the Brewers do this season.

I took this card with me to a Royals game to get signed a few years back when Ron was a coach for the Angels. I obviously did not get it signed there, but it did end up with a couple of wrinkles in the lower right corner. Unfortunately, I had so many cards to search for on my trip, that I did not have the time to find a replacement for it.

Ron sure does have an interesting signature.

1986 Topps, Bobby Wine

#57 Bobby Wine

Last year, I posted this card of Bobby Wine that I unlocked in the Topps Diamond Giveaway. It was a card from his playing days and was the reason I was even writing to Bobby. But, right before I sent the card out, I decided to throw this card in the envelope with it. As you can see, Bobby signed it, too, and now I have a signed card from his playing days and as a manager.

Technically, Bobby was never a full time manager. He was the interim manager for the Braves at the end of the 1985 season after Eddie Haas got fired. He lead the team for the final 41 games of the season and went 16-25 during that time. Chuck Tanner replaced him for the 1986 season. But, Bobby got one final baseball card from the ordeal and it fails to mention interim anywhere on it.

1986 Fleer, Ron Roenicke

#U99 Ron Roenicke

Here is a card that I got signed on my Spring Training trip last year. I went and saw Ron's Brewers play the White Sox. Since I see the Sox play a lot in Kansas City, I focused on getting 'graphs from the Brewers that day. Not too many guys signed before the game and even fewer signed afterwards. In fact, Ron was the lone post game signer. But, he took his time and signed for everybody that wanted one and I came home with two cards signed by him.

I usually take three cards of a player/coach when I go 'graphing, but, for some reason, I only took two of Ron. The only explanation I can come up with for that is because I had to get cards for so many people on the trip, I didn't feel like searching for one extra card.

Ron played in the Majors for parts of eight seasons with the Dodgers, Mariners, Padres, Giants, Phillies, and Reds. He was a .238 hitter who hit 17 home runs, including a career-high of 5 in 1986.

Ron was drafted five times before he ended up signing.

1986 Fleer, Steve McCatty

#427 Steve McCatty

Here is the second card that Washington Nationals pitching coach, Steve McCatty, signed for me at Kauffman Stadium last year. The first card I posted was his '85 Topps card and it can be seen here.

Steve pitched his entire Major League career with the A's. That career spanned parts of nine seasons where he went 63-63 with 5 saves and a 3.99 ERA. His best season was the strike-shortened 1981 season. That year, he matched his career best with 14 wins while having his best ERA (2.33) and most complete games (16) and shutouts (4). Unfortunately, his best season didn't carry over into the playoffs as he gave up 5 earned runs in just 3.1 innings in his lone appearance that postseason.

I just checked the Nats site and Steve is returning to the club in the same role this season.