Before I get started,I missed a story from the Charleston River Dogs and maybe the oddest guy that I've met all season in Rony Bautista.
Bautista,not exactly a huge prospect at 24 and having pitched exactly one game above Low A,signed one of three on day one for me,I skipped day two,but was reported (Wasn't there) to have cursed at a grapher on night two before day three.
I tried to get the other 2 cards that I had for him and he signed one,handed the other one back and "mumbled Best Buy".
None of us figured just what he was talking about and the best guess was that he meant to say "ebay".
Yep,I'm getting rich off my Rony Bautista signed 2014 Staten Island Yankee card-I'm quitting my regular job today!
A quick trip to Harrisburg for a few Akron Rubber Ducks resulted in me getting two (Usually just one) Bradley Zimmer cards finished (2014 NY/Penn and 2015 Carolina top prospects).
Fred Landucci helped with the Senators on their team set with the best being late season callups Abel De Los Santos and Pedro Severino on their team set cards along with Wilmer Difo on his Carolina League top prospect...
Fred would also add two more Zimmer's (USA and Lynchburg) over the course of the series and Adam Plutko on his Lynchburg and Carolina League top prospects.
The Delmarva Shorebirds hit Hagerstown for the final time and I didn't need much to finish.
Jomar Reyes signed his Delmarva and SAL prospect card after having a broken hand on his previous visit for the only interesting Delmarva sign,but Erick Fedde finally arrived in Hagerstown after being drafted by Washington in round one in 2014.
Fedde signed his USA,Bowman and Auburn team card and was very nice.
Rick Ankiel made his only appearance in Hagerstown as an organizational instructor and I was able to get one card for myself and a card for Ryan's showdown set.
Thanks to Mike Oravec for all his help this season in Frederick as we often helped each other throughout the season.
Mike was invaluable with the Frederick Keys and some of their opponents this season..
The Lexington Legends brought Kansas City Royals prospects to Hagerstown.
The Legends had two first rounders in Foster Griffin and Chase Vallot.
Both were very nice and signed all three cards that I had for them.
I added a few more of former Brave and Lexington hitting coach Glenn Hubbard,who added another new quirk,
Hubbard would not sign his 2015 Lexington card because it said "Batting Coach" on it,
Brad Adams almost got Hubbard to sign it when he erased it off the card,Hubbard stopped and considered it for a second and then said "Nahhh" and walked to the locker room...
The final visit to Frederick of the Carolina Mudcats saw me get a few stragglers from the worst signing team that I did all season.
I got my usual nothing from Connor Lien,but I did get two from Dustin Peterson,who others said was either a one or none,
The interesting addition was 2006 and 2007 Tristar and USA card from Justin Jackson,the former faded outfield prospect that is attempting to make a comeback as a pitcher,.
Jackson was very nice and talked quite a bit about his attempt...
Brandon Diehl helped with Reynaldo Lopez on his Carolina League top prospect and Derreck Chupak got three cards from Stephen Johnson for me when he was in Harrisburg for the Richmond Flying Squirrels.
Johnson was a big pickup in hindsight as he was traded to the Reds for Marlon Byrd,so was not around when I did the Squirrels later in the year.
We wrap up with the Hickory Crawdads and their visit to Hagerstown.
Considering that the Crawdads pulled their usual stunt of waiting until the final homestand of the season to release a team set meant that I had little for them.I did get Luis Ortiz and Michael DeLeon on their SAL top prospect cards,Jose Trevino on his USA and SAL cards and first round pick Dillon Tate on two USA cards and a Spokane card.
This series also saw former All-Star Dan Uggla rehabbing with the Suns.
Uggla came over each time called and I was able to get his 2012 and 2014 Heritage cards signed.
That's a lot and there is a lot more to come before Mr.Winter leaves,so stay tuned..
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