We start with a trip to the Cancun Cantina and the meet the Suns evening.
While I am a fan of meet the team nights,I'm not a fan of the venue that has hosted this for the last few years.
I realize that they are a sponsor,but it is far from children suitable as the list of requirement for entry should tell you as you enter.
The players were nice and everyone signed what cards I needed (Auburn team set cards except Drew Van Orden on an Elite and Raudy Read on a NY/Penn Prospects card).,but there was a lowlight as a Suns employee was less than nice (actually downright snappish) to Mike Oravec as he simply asked a question about the signing session,only to have his head bit off about tickets for the season.
I'm not going to name the employee,but it does get a little old to see this type of stuff happen all the time with the newer employees with the franchise.
It's like they have a chip on their shoulder having to deal with the actual fans of the team.
Considering the state of attendance,one would think that they would be as nice as possible to keep what support that they have,
However,I was in my early 20's once too and I thought I knew everything about everything,so consider that as well.
My first game was in Frederick for the Keys and the Winston-Salem Dash.
The Dash was an underwhelming prospect team and I didn't have a ton for them.
Actually,had this not been "Hockey Day",I might have even skipped the Dash this stop.I did get some interesting cards though.
Cleluis Rondon on his SAL Prospect,Keewyn Walker on a Heritage ,third rounder Jace Fry on his Elite,Great Falls and Bowman and former Cuban defector Mychael Ynoa on a Midwest League Prospect and an old Tri-Star led the Dash haul.
The main reason for the visit was for Dennis Maruk,who scored 60 goals for the Washington Capitals,but was important to me for his time as a Cleveland Baron that entered him in our Forgotten Superstars universe.
Getting to meet Dennis was a big deal for me and he was very gracious as he knocked out everything that I had.
Dennis talked a little about the Richfield Coliseum as he signed four Barons cards,a Barons puck,a 8 x 10 and signed my book about Cleveland hockey.
I had to pick the lovely Cherie up from work,so I didn't see much of the game,but enjoyed my time there in Frederick as I usually do with the Keys.
The next day,the lovely Cherie went with me for the Altoona Curve in Harrisburg against the Senators.
Cherie had never been to Harrisburg and I love spending time with her,so it made sense to give it a try.
Cherie said she really liked Harrisburg and even helped me a bit with Josh Bell,who signed for everyone and Tyler Glasnow,who she and I each got twice for a card at a time.
Glasnow signed his top 100 for my set ,so just signing that made it a great day,but he also signed his Florida State Prospect,Bradenton and a Heritage insert card that I got in the only pack of Minor Heritage I bought.
Bell signed his 13 and 14 Heritages,Bradenton,Florida State,West Virginia and two for my newest trader Craig in Utah,
Not a lot else from the Curve,mainly former Buckeye John Kuchno,who added Go Bucks! on his Bradenton and Willy Garcia on a Bowman Chrome.
I had a great day with Cherie in Harrisburg and I hope to take her there again before the season ends...
It was back to Frederick the following day for the Lynchburg Hillcats,who moved to the Cleveland Indians from the Atlanta Braves over the winter,so they were a big deal to me anyway,but even more so as it seems as the Hillcats are the team most loaded with prospects for 2015.
The three biggest prospects were first rounders from 2013 and 2014 along with a "sandwich" pick between the 2014 1st and 2nd rounds in Clint Frazier,Bradley Zimmer and Mike Papi.
Frazier was terrific as he signed four cards and talked a bit about Austin Meadows as he finished a Bowman insert card that Austin had signed last season at the Muni.
Frazier also signed a Midwest League Prospect,a Prizm Red (limited to 100) and a Heritage.
Bradley Zimmer was a player that I had high hopes for as his brother Kyle was a great signer a few years back,but Zimmer quickly signed a Bowman Chrome before moving on.
Zimmer was reported as usually a one per,occasionally a two,but Derreck said he said no to any during the Wednesday morning game that I stayed home during.
As for Mike Papi,who signed a Bowman Chrome before practically throwing it back at me,the less said the better as surly might be a kind word to describe him.It could be just be a slow start with the wood for Papi.,so maybe he'll be better next visit in,but from everyone that I spoke to that did Lynchburg in the other games of the series,Papi's behavior was the talk of the circuit.
I didn't have much for the rest of the Hillcats with the best being pitching prospect Mitch Brown,who signed four cards including a Bowman Blue Wave refractor....
The other highlight of this game was yet another battle of graphing wars between my good friend Brad Adams and his constant nemesis Marc Austin.
Dylan Baker is a pitcher that has just one mainstream card (shown) and readers may remember his six perfect innings last year in his season debut vs Frederick and then ending his season with an ankle injury in his next start.
Marc and his seven versions of this card squeezed in around Brad and his one (etiquette usually is involved by asking how many do you have and letting the 1 go before the 7) and Baker started signing.
Brad then began counting out the cards like a boxing referee as I heard FOUR,HEIMBERGER!
As I turned around,Brad continued to count-FIVE,SIX,SEVEN!
With Baker finished,Marc leaned in as Baker signed Brad's card and offered "Brad,you are a real F'ing A@@hole,you know that"!?
As a befuddled Baker looked on and wondered just why he is in the middle of this and quickly got out of there.Marc challenged Brad "to step outside" and screamed a lot of different things as Brad bemusedly said that he wasn't fighting over a baseball card.
The pair went back and forth for a while before things diffused.
It was part funny and part sad.
This is supposed to be fun,I've always thought.....
We wrap up with the Lakewood Blue Claws,who actually finish their series tomorrow and I have a few team set stragglers left.
The Blue Claws only make this trip and one more in June,which is surprising when you consider that they usually play in Hagerstown as much as the the South Hagerstown High Rebels do,so things needed to be finished faster than usual.
Interesting Blue Claws were 19 year old catcher Deivi Grullon (very impressed) on a Elite,Lakewood and Williamsport card, third round pitcher Chris Oliver,former third rounder Cord Sandberg and infielder Derek Campbell.
I also was able to get Nationals outfielder Denard Span on his 2013 and 2015 Topps Heritage cards.
Span is so nice and it's a pleasure to root for him.
It's situations like this that is why I buy the Heritage sets to have players around on rehab assignments.
And because they just look so great!
That catches us up on the first two weeks of the season.
I always intend to stay current on the front and it quickly spirals out of control,but once again-I am trying!
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