2007 Topps Finest, Mitch Maier

#149 Mitch Maier

Here is a card that I got signed at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome last October. I asked Mitch to sign when he came in from batting practice and he told me that he would get me later. Usually, that means that you are out of luck, but that was not the case for Mitch. Right before the game started, Mitch was out on the field stretching and warming up. When he was done, he started to head back to the dugout, and, after a few yells his way, he finally heard me and came over to sign, just like he said he would.

Everyone always heard about how loud the Metrodome got. But, if you have never been there, it is hard to really appreciate the noisiness of the place. I found that out while I was trying to get Mitch to sign right before the game started. There was really nothing going on at that point, yet Mitch could barely hear me call to him. Everyone sitting in their seats talking to the people beside them was enough of a disturbance to prevent Mitch from hearing me call for him from twenty feet away.

When Mitch was signing for me, I asked him how he dealt with the noise at the Metrodome and Mitch played it off like it was nothing. He told me that it was loud everywhere and they just had to use hand signals to communicate in the outfield. Yeah, right.

I have never bought any packs of Topps Finest before, so this must have came from another blogger.

2007 Topps '52, Alex Gordon/Billy Butler

#DD11 Alex Gordon/Billy Butler

Here is my favorite signed card from the set and favorite signed card from 2007 for that matter. Some cards that are signed by multiple people can take some time to complete or require a lot of help. While I had a little help on this one from my dad, it really didn't take too long to finish off.

Alex Gordon signed this card first when I was at a Twins game in 2009. I went up there for the final regular season series in the Metrodome and did a little 'graphing during Royals batting practice. To my surprise, Alex signed that day and got this card started. Then, about four months later, my dad was able to finish it off by getting Billy at Royals Fanfest. It could not have worked out much better than that.

While I am not sure how many cards I have signed by more than one player, I know that it is not a lot. It has got to be under ten. But, it is pretty awesome that this is the second one that my dad was able to finish off for me. Earlier in that 2009 season, he was able to add Kevin Seitzer's signature to his '87 Fleer rookie card. Even though he had an easier time getting Butler at Fanfest, I still appreciate it just the same.

I just posted Billy's card from this set a few days ago. It is amazing how much different the two signatures look on the two cards. That just goes to show the difference between the rushed ballpark sig and the more relaxed signing atmosphere sig. Plus, when the first one was signed, it was in my book. My book holds three cards and I'm willing to bet the other two cards were not horizontal cards. So, there was probably an issue with him rotating the book, too.

It is funny looking at this card and realizing that Alex broke into the Majors as a third baseman and Billy as an outfielder.

2007 Topps '52, Kevin Hooper

#214 Kevin Hooper

This is, I believe, the sixth and final card of Kevin Hooper that I have to post on here. At least it is the final card until I eventually get into the Wingnuts team sets in the very distant future. This card, like most of my Hooper cards, was signed before a Wingnuts game, the team he managed for seven seasons.

While I am sure that there are a couple cards of Hoop out there that I don't have, I will not be able to get them signed because he is moving on. After seven seasons as the manager of the 'Nuts, Hoop found a position in affiliated ball. He will now be joining the Padres as their minor league infield coordinator.

Hoop played for the inaugural 'Nuts team before moving to the dugout the following season. In his time as the skipper of the 'Nuts, he led the team to a 422-270 record with five straight division titles and one championship. He was also named Manager of the Year three times.

While it is sad to see him go, I hope that he does well and moves up the ranks of the affiliated coaching ladder. Now, the Wingnuts need to find a new manager with some Major League service time so I can get some autographs from him.

Last season, the 'Nuts finally did something extra to showcase their brand around the ballpark. They did that by hanging banners around the concourse. While the banners are not extremely noticeable, they are better than nothing. Here is a banner that was hung commemorating Hoop's batting title in 2008.

2007 Topps '52, Jose Ascanio

#188 Jose Ascanio

Here is a card that was given to me by Paul, from Paul's Random Stuff. I have no idea where he got it signed, but I do know that he had quite a few of them signed. At one point, I believe that I had three of these cards that were signed and they all came from Paul in different trade packs. I figured that Paul got them signed at an Atlantic League game at some point, but Jose never played in the Atlantic League. He never played in the Eastern League either, so my best guess is that Paul got this card signed through the mail.

Jose played in the Majors for parts of four seasons with three different teams- the Braves, Cubs, and Pirates. He was used exclusively out of the bullpen and went 1-3 with a 5.28 ERA over 43 games that spanned 46 innings. He struck out 41 and walked 21. His best season was with the Cubs in 2009. That year, he pitched 15.1 innings and posted a 3.52 ERA while striking out 18. At the trade deadline that season, he was shipped to Pittsburgh with Josh Harrison and Kevin Hart for Tom Gorzelanny and John Grabow. Even though he did not have much success with the Pirates, I think the team fared well in that trade.

Jose pitched last season in Mexico.

Like yesterday's post of Edwin Bellorin, it appears that this card is the only one that Jose ever got from his time in the Major Leagues.

2007 Topps '52, Edwin Bellorin

#159 Edwin Bellorin

Here is the second card of Edwin Bellorin that I got signed at a Wichita Wingnuts game in 2011. On that day, I missed him coming out onto the field and ended up getting him by the clubhouses in left field after the game. Out there, there is a chain link fence separating fans from the clubhouse and the fence is probably at least eight feet tall. In order to get my cards to Ed, I ended up shoving them through a crevice at the bottom of the fence. Though it wasn't ideal, it got the job done.

The first card of Ed can be seen here.

Edwin's Major League service time spanned eight games over three seasons. Over those games, he started three, pinch hit twice, and was a defensive replacement in the other three. In those games, he had three hits in thirteen at-bats with one run and a walk and a strikeout. The Rockies were 6-2 in the games that Edwin played in.

In 2007, Edwin got into just three games and he had two at-bats. But, thanks to this set, he has a card commemorating him playing in the big leagues. That is why I love the idea of this set. Now if only they did not repeat the design from 2006.

2007 Topps '52, Billy Butler

#55 Billy Butler

Here is the second card of Billy Butler that I have posted on here. I posted a minor league relic card of him nine months ago and that one can be seen here. I got this card signed by Billy by the Royals parking lot after a game in 2008.

Billy was drafted by the Royals in the first round of the 2004 draft. He signed quickly and started raking minor league pitching immediately. He rose up the ladder about as fast as you can and by 2007, he was was in AAA. In 57 AAA games, Billy hit .291 (his worst average at any level to that point) with 10 doubles, 13 home runs, and 46 RBI. The Royals offense was sputtering, like they did most years that decade, and the brass had no choice but to bring the 21-year old up.

The one problem with Billy in the minor leagues was not his hitting. The Royals just could not find a position for him to man in the field. He was originally drafted as a third baseman and he lasted at that position for less than two seasons. Over 90 games at third, he committed 30 errors. So, the Royals moved him to the outfield and his fielding percentage got better with the lack of chances. But, it still wasn't pretty. By the time he got to Omaha in 2007, he had started playing some first base to mix in with left field. But, before he could get comfortable at any position, he got called up to the Majors and made his Major League debut in left field.

Luckily, he only played in six Major League games in left because he was atrocious. Watching him out there, you had no idea that he played that position in 165 minor league games. You just assumed he was out there for the very first time. He just made bad reads and took bad routes. The Royals then tried him at first base a bit and it was slightly less painful to watch. Eventually, he settled into the DH role, right where he belonged.

Even though he is almost exclusively a DH, Billy worked at first base every chance he had. Though he doesn't get many chances to man the position, he has worked his way up to being an average first baseman. And that is a huge improvement over his first season in the Majors.

Does my blog look different to any of you? Whenever I go directly to it, only the posts appear. There are no list of labels, no blog list, and no archive. My settings are set up fine and it shows up in my preview, but I do not see that stuff when I go to my page directly. Is anyone else having this problem? Any feedback would be appreciated.

Contest Time!!

I am not having a contest here, but Play at the Plate is. All you have to do is head over there and try to guess the first card he is going to pull from a pack of 2016 Topps. Sounds simple, right. Maybe I should have a simple contest on here some day.