Spring Autographs TTM

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Now that Spring Training is a week away, I wanted to do another little bit about getting autographs through the mail.

Spring Training is a mecca of autographs. Players are accessible in person, and a lot are willing to shuffle through their fan mail to sign some autos.

Here are the keys to getting your stuff back:

1. Know who signs. Do some homework. Albert Pujols doesn’t sign through the mail (he barely signs in person); Mariano Rivera, on the other hand, is great about signing during the spring. There are plenty of good sites to find out who has signed in the past, and, once the spring gets going, who is signing this year.

(If you are new to this and you have questions, feel free to e-mail me. I can help you out, or at least point you in the right direction)

2. Know limits. Most players will have a limit on the amounts they sign. Joba Chaimberlain is known for only signing card. Other guys will sign more; just don’t send 10 cards and expect them all signed. I wouldn’t expect to get all 10 back either. Some players do collect their own cards; they enjoy seeing some cards in packages to keep (put a know telling them to keep them).

3. Send a SASE (self addressed stamped envelope). A player will either keep your stuff or send it back to some who included a SASE – I’ve gotten extra cards back from players. They won’t spend the money on postage for everyone who doesn’t include it, nor will the fill out the envelope to send it back.

4. Know where to send your cards. Spring Training stadiums can be tricky to send to – they some times have separate major league and minor league camps. I’ll be getting a list together of the address and will have it up in a future column. Also, you should address your envelope as follows:
Player A
C/O Team
Stadium Name
123 Street
City, State Zip

It may take a bit to get it on the envelope, but it will ensure it gets to the right place.

5. Know when to send your cards. Anyone would be safe sending cards now, but I like to do it around reporting date. If they get their too early, the envelopes could get buried in letters that come before the player reports. If you wait too long, they may not get it before they head north. My cut off date is the 5 of March – it’s a small window, but you’ll have a better chance of catching the players.

Letters are optional; some players will read them and others just sign and go. I like to include them; most times I will put a few questions (which will eventually show up here).

Ok – here are my top 5 players to send to during Spring Training:
1. Mariano Rivera – He’s automatic in the spring and has a nice signature. Great for a future Hall of Famer.
2. David Eckstein – While he’s on the decline, Eck always sends back signatures. I got 4 from him last spring.
3. Brandon Morrow – He’s an up and comer and is good about sending back his mail. Young guys like this sometimes stop signing, so get him now.
4. Jim Thome – Another Veteran who is good. There are questions every year about whether the cards are “Ghost signed” – where someone else signs them – but they always look like his in person auto. He will only sign 1.
5. Pat Neshek – Pat will always sign, but he definitely goes above and beyond for the fans. You can also send him an already autographed card (baseball or hockey) and he’ll send you one of his cards – signed – in exchange.

Now, the top 5 hit or miss players during Spring Training:
1. Philip Hughes – Hughes is a fan favorite and great to interact with, but it’s hard to tell if you’ll get your cards back. I’ve sent to him each of the past 2 Spring Trainings, but haven’t received anything; a friend of mine got him back last spring.
2. Ryan Braun – Braun is another one who is a crapshoot. He appears to sign bigger items on a more regular basis (8x10s, baseballs).
3. David Price – Price was signing on and off last spring. I sent to him, but never got anything back. I did see a lot of people that did get their cards back though.
4. Ryan Zimmerman – Zim is much like the young stars ahead of him; some get him, some don’t. There is also the ghost signer question with him too.
5. Barry Zito – He used to be good in his Oakland days (signing and playing), but there’s been a real drop off since his move across the Bay. I’d say it’s not worth the risk now.