The Asheville Tourists hit Hagerstown and so did the graphers as the Tourists are the only chance to graph the only Colorado Rockies affiliate on the East Coast.
Sadly,there was no appearance by first rounder Jonathan Gray,who was assigned to AA,but there were some interesting players in Asheville.
David Dahl returned after an injury filled 2013 and being killed by graphers last season in street clothes in Hagerstown in Asheville's last season trip here.
Dahl wasn't quite as accommodating in the 2014 run,but still signed 3 and I was able to get him on both of his top 100's,so I was happy enough!
Ryan McMahon was another highly thought of prospect that signed for me and chatted a bit as was Correlle Prime.
Prime has one of the better signatures that I've seen this season.
19 year old shortstop Emerson Jimenez,powerhitting catcher Jose Briceno and pitcher Johendi Jiminian were other top 30 Rockies prospects to make it into the collection.
Former White Sox catcher Marv Foley was traveling with the team as a roving instructor and I was able to get Foley on two cards.
Thanks to Corey Cunningham for running down to the dugout to get Foley as I continued to work on the Tourists....
I also continued to work on the Suns during the series as I was able to add roving instructor Gary Thurman on his Donruss "The Rookies" and Suns ace Lucas Giolito on his Bowman Blue Mini.
I also nabbed Nick Pivetta on his Suns card before he started personalizing....
A few words on personalizing.
I love personalizing on pictures,I think it adds a lot to the picture and since I don't sell my stuff anyway,it doesn't bother me a bit.
However,as much as I love it on bigger items,that's how much I dislike it on cards.
Why? Well,mainly because of the smaller surface area,there just isn't much room for a "to Shawn" and then the signature.It tends to looks cluttered and junky.
The player can sign however they want,they are doing me the favor,but just stating an opinion on the eventual look of the item...
Derreck and I were accompanied by our good friend Tracy for a trip to Reading for the Trenton Thunder,the Yankees AA affiliate.
You never know what you are going to get with a Yankee team and the bag was mixed this time.
The team had three top 100's with Tyler Austin,Gary Sanchez and Mason Williams and I went 1 for 3 as Austin signed,but a miss with the other two.
Supposedly,both Sanchez and Williams signed getting on the bus,but Derreck had to be at work,so we had to leave at an appointed time.
The bad part was that Derreck was still late as we took an hour to reach the interstate (usually about 15 minutes) due to road construction.
Derreck asked Williams to sign earlier and was told "I ain't got time for that".
Good thing too,because his average fell to .200 later in the game.
I did get a few nice signatures though.
The best was catcher Peter O'Brien (very nice),Taylor Garrison and Taylor Dugas along Robert Refsnyder,who was very surly before the game,but nice after in a bi-polar way.
It happens with competitors sometimes,I suppose.
Former Tiger and current coach Marcus Thames signed,but not before ruining my sharpie by dropping it on the point and shoving it into the pen.
Occupational hazard! HA HA!
That ends the short version of the signing front,buying me a little room before a larger next update.
Until then,keep the sharpies inked!
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