RPS (6) 2013 Padres Fanfest

Well readers I decided to make the trek to San Diego to join in on the Padres Fanfest held at Petco Park. I had heard that it was a fun event from my fellow graphers and even though there aren't really the name brand stars you'd associate with most other teams I thought it would be a good time.

I made the drive down to San Diego and was immediately greeted with some familiar faces running into Alex, David, Josh, Keith and other regular graphers in line waiting for entry. When I got into the stadium I immediately got an autograph pass for an upcoming autograph session and then went on to the Yard Sale. One nice thing I noticed on my walk over to the Yard Sale was the awesome fact that the Padres were letting fans onto the field for different activities.

At the Yard Sale I was able to pick up a few things at a nice discount. I picked up a Jeremy Hermida Batting Practice Jersey, Game Used Joe Thatcher Padres cap, a Stand Up to Cancer patch, and a pair of team issue socks. I almost bought a John Baker Game Used batting helmet but I opted out at the register since I didn't have a ticket to his autograph session that day.

After I made my purchases I went to the first autograph signing session of the day that I had a pass for. I had Carlos Quentin autograph this 2012 Topps Heritage card for me.

Quentin's signing partner was Casey Kelly. I had just pulled two of his Topps 2013 rookie cards and wasn't sure if I wanted the parallel signed or the base card. I put them both in front of Casey and asked if he could sign the one he liked the most. He responded "Well why don't I just sign them both." I was really excited since I had been big on him since he was signed by the Red Sox. After Casey Kelly autographed them he asked why one of them was blue and I explained the difference between the two. He asked why Topps did that and the first thing that came to mind popped out of my mouth, "to make us spend more money" he laughed at that and said thanks for coming out.

After getting the Quentin and Kelly autographs I went around the stadium taking a tour of the stadium. Here's the view from center field toward home plate, and if you notice in the above photo there was a temporary fence up where the Padres are pulling the fences in too. I can't imagine being even farther back and hoping to make a home run.

After my tour of the stadium I popped by the player interview session hoping to score Chase Headley on his way away from the stage. When he was walking on the stairs I asked Chase if he could sign please and he turned back holding up the line of security and other players and very sincerely apologized saying he'd love to but he wouldn't be able to sign right then. I said it was no problem and wished him well. I was struck with how genuine Chase appeared to be to me and all his fans, he seems like a great guy and I hope he continues to be the dangerous hitter he has become.

After that I went back onto the field and got a scoop of dirt for my collection, ate a little lunch, and wandered the stadium a bit more before waiting in line for the next batch of autograph session tickets and in line for the next autograph session. The next session was for Brad Boxberger who I didn't have anything for so I had him sign one of the provided Padres autograph cards. I felt semi bad not having anything for him to sign, especially since most of the fans were skipping him and going to the next signer.

The next signer of course was the man of the day Chase Headley. I was pretty excited to get Chase Headley's autograph on a baseball and it was made even nicer when I asked him if he could please put an inscription on the ball. He was kind enough to inscribe "SS & GG 2012" on the sweetspot with his name and number on a ball I had gotten after a game from Joe West.

From there I went to the next signing and got Cameron Maybin's rushed autograph. Apparently he gave me his rushed short signature on this 2012 Allen and Ginter card. I saw his full signature on a few other pieces and he definitely has a very nice one compared to the short one I got here. I know I technically shouldn't complain since I heard he's a tough signer in San Diego and it was a free event, but having seen the other signature it's definitely different and sort of a let down to get the rushed one.

After Maybin signed I had his signing partner Adys Portillo autograph on another one of the Padres autograph cards.

When I finished at the Maybin signing I waited around for Bud Black to finish his interview session to add another card to my 1987 set, but I wasn't able to get his signature. After being shot down I scooted on over to the next autograph signing and was caught with another dilemma of which card to get signed again. I put down a Jedd Gyorko 1st Bowman Chrome card and a Bowman insert card and asked if he could sign the one he liked the most. He didn't say anything just thanks for coming and signed both of the cards. Definitely excited to have these Jedd Gyorko autographs in knocked out because I've got the feeling he's going to be good for a while.

Signing alongside Gyorko was Logan Forsythe who signed his 2013 Topps Series 1 card for me.

I meandered one more time through the Yard Sale where I almost bought a few blank batting helmets to use to get signed but opted out when I realized they wouldn't look the same without the right team logo on the front. I took the tour through the clubhouse and on the way in almost got knocked over by a guy running through the halls. I turned to see who it was and saw "Street" on the back of his shirt and realized Huston Street had popped through the tour running into the clubhouse. I called out to him and he turned to throw a quick smile and wave before heading deeper into the off limits part of the clubhouse.

All in all it was a great day spent in San Diego. I got a few cool pieces of baseball memorabilia, some nice autographs, took a tour of the stadium and club house, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I may not have racked quite as many autographs as some of the other graphers but I got some quality stuff and I'm glad I made the trip down to see the Padres and tip my hat to the whole organization for such a fun day.

RPS (5) Cory Hahn and Trinity Bat Company 2nd Annual Homerun Challenge

Many of you have probably seen the fine posts posted by David and Matt about the event but I thought I would chip in my thoughts on the benefit. First off if you don't know who Cory Hahn is you should read a brief summary of his story which is truly inspirational.

Cory remains a fine symbol of inspiration and hard work and his steadfast resolve to recover is part of why the Trinity event is so popular. I'd like to thank the Trinity Bat Company and Mater Dei High School for their support of Cory and helping to create such a great event. Supporting Cory so he can continue to inspire those facing hardships through demonstrating his own determination.

The event breaks down into a Home Run derby with different categories of hitters, highlighted by the pro division with real MLB players and minor leaguers taking swings. It's fast becoming a favorite event amongst autograph seekers considering the friendly atmosphere and timing during the off season. I know I definitely enjoyed last years event and this year was even better.

Players arrived to the event to a fairly large crowd of autograph seekers. Some were more friendly to the wave of cards, bats, and photos waiting for them while others wanted to get to the cages to warm up first before they signed. Trayvon Robinson of the Orioles was kind enough to sign for us walking in and you can see the crowd waiting for him.

Kyle from Addictive Artwork was there with some of his quality paintings. You can see his work on his Twitter and see some very nice pieces that many pros have commissioned for themselves from Josh Reddick, Mike Trout, Hank Conger and Mike Adams.

If you notice in the background there is a guy in bright green shoes, that'd be Daric Barton hanging out in the background waiting for some food from a food truck. I didn't get any food from that food truck but I did get a burger and root beer from the Burger Monster Food Truck. It was pretty delicious especially in the middle of a busy day. If you're in Orange County looking for a new tasty spot to try look up their truck on Twitter.

The event organizers set up a few tables to display Trinity bats, silent auction items, and for the players to have a designated signing area. Since I couldn't move in line and was busy handling my items when I got close enough you may be able to get a peek of Mark Trumbo getting ready to sit down to sign.

I thought I had come pretty well prepared for the event, but I was completely mistaken and overwhelmed by the amount of minor leaguers who were there to support the event. I had almost no supplies for them and wasn't sure who was who so I minimized my prospect graphing and stuck to what I knew. I think I came away from the event pretty well in the end.

On his way in I was able to get Trayvon Robinson to sign this 2012 Topps Heritage card. Trayvon is strictly 1 autograph per person especially since he takes the time to personalize his autograph. I know some collectors don't like it, especially since in Southern California there are plenty of dealers, but I enjoy that he wrote "To Ryan Best Wishes"

After Trayvon I was able to get Daric Barton to sign from the designated autograph table. He signed this sharp looking 2010 Allen and Ginter card for me and was surprised when I asked if he could inscribe his "Fielding Bible 2010" but was nice enough to write it for me.

While waiting in line for Mark Trumbo I was able to get top Rockies 3rd base prospect Nolan Arenado's autograph on his way in. I'm not normally a big fan of prospecting but I think a 2 time All-Star Futures Game participant with tons of offensive potential was more than worth a ROMLB and he was nice enough to sweet spot it. I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do in the bigs with the Rockies.

After I stayed in line for Trumbo I was able to get my moment with him at the front of the line when I handed him my custom bat to sign. I told him how I looked up a game used bat of his online and had my own Trinity pro model made to the same specs that he uses. He tried to check the nob but it was covered by a Trinity sticker so he actually put down the sharpie, took a half swing and nodded that the bat felt right. I was really happy to not only have gotten it made right but that the big leaguer I had it made to be like had swung it. Mark signed the bat and was nice enough to inscribe "All Star" for me.

Following Trumbo, Dodger great Steve Garvey sat down at the table and he autographed my bat also. He was kind enough to inscribe "'74 NL MVP" underneath his name. 

On his way out of the event I was able to get Ian Stewart autographed this 2011 Topps card. If you look up his past stats you'll see he put his Cubs number 2 instead of his Rockies number.

Also on his way out of the event I was able to get Steve Garvey again as he was walking with his son, prospect Ryan Garvey. Steve Garvey autographed this Gold Glove Baseball for me under the logo and I was happy to add another slick fielder to my collection of Gold Glovers on the special balls. 

I'd like to note that Garvey showed a real sign of class agreeing to come to the event and sign seeing as he was leaving the charity benefit to go sign at a paid signing. Not many players do free signings let alone on the same day they could be charging their fans. I really appreciated him making this appearance.

After Garvey I was able to get one of the prospects who made an unexpected appearance at the event. Padres No. 1 pick in the 2012 draft Max Fried come to show his support and he was nice enough to inscribe "#7 Pick" on a Trinity business card.

The last thing I got for the day was one from none other than Cory Hahn's autograph. 

It was a great event and I'm very happy with how everything went. I know most graphers tend to walk away from events like this with racks of balls and pages of cards signed, but I prefer the one or two approach with the nice inscriptions for my collection. 

The Trinity Bat Co. has definitely made a lasting mark with big leaguers from the high quality of their bats and events. I don't think anyone left with anything but the best experience. I'm glad to report that the whole event raised more than $10,000 for the Cory Hahn Fund and I'm proud to have partaken the past two years. 

RBI (107) A Hot Corner Prospect...

Recently I did a post about top Angels slugging prospect C.J. Cron, as highly rated as Cron is within the organization he is actually ranked as the 2nd best prospect. In front of Cron is his Inland Empire 66ers teammate 3rd baseman Kaleb Cowart.

The switch hitting prospect was taken 18th overall by the halos in the 1st round of the 2010 MLB draft.  The Georgia native has found more consistent power and a better feel for the strike zone and can eventually prove to be the 3rd base piece that has been consistently eluding recent Angel teams.

After the trade for Zack Greinke the Angel minor league organization has been called a bit bare, but Cowart is not only ranked as the best halo prospect, but has been ranked by mlb.com as the 49th best prospect overall in the minor leagues to date.

I had Kaleb Cowart sign this mini bat for me at the same time that C.J. signed his when the 66ers were brought to visit Angel Stadium. If he gets called up it'll be nice to have a Kaleb Coward autograph already crossed off the list.

RBI (106) A Prospect Slugger...

One thing that I'm a fan of MLB teams doing is trotting out their local minor league affiliates to the stadium to sign autographs, meet some of the big leaguers, and enjoy a night in the suites as a reminder of what they're pushing for. The Angels brought the Inland Empire 66'ers to the stadium to sign for the fans and I opted to rack up the minor leaguers while I could.

The 66'ers have top prospect C.J. Cron a 1st round pick in the 2011 draft, taken 17th overall. Originally a catcher due to an injury he moved to 1st though he isn't graded as much of a plus defensively. 2012 he has been on a tear driving in 123 RBI with a .293 average and 27 home runs. He's ranked as the Angel's 2nd best prospect and 2nd best 1st base prospect in the minors.

I didn't realize it was 66'ers day at the stadium or I probably would have gotten a team set of cards to get signed so I picked up a mini bat get the C.J. Cron autograph on. With Pujols signed for years and Trumbo mashing in Left/1st Cron is blocked for a bit but if he develops on pace when Pujols is ready to play DH more it would be about the same time the Angels are ready to see what Cron can do in the bigs.

It'll be interesting to see how things develop for C.J. but I'm glad to have gotten him at a sit down signing for a nice signature rather than a rushed one along the field. It was funny to see CJ get a bit of grief from his fellow teammates as he had a steady line of people with solo ball requests and cards of him while they signed team provided programs. Life in the minors is tough but hopefully when they were in the suites watching the game someone reminded the other guys that the future Hall of Famer in the on deck circle wearing #5 was taken in the 13th round of his draft and any one of them could still make it. It's possible he does now that CJ Cron was the Angels representative in the 2013 MLB Futures game.

RPS (2) Trinity Bat Home Run Challenge and Cory Hahn Benefit

This past Saturday January 21st, Trinity Bat Company took part in hosting a charity Home Run Challenge to help former Southern California prospect Cory Hahn's family after a tragic injury during his second collegiate game. Trinity Bat Co. combined with sponsors such as The Inland Empire 66'ers, the Rex Hudler Wonder Dog Show, Chick-fil-A, and to help raise awareness of Cory's unfortunate situation and of the great lengths he is going to stay positive and an inspiration to those in tragedy. Trinity has gone so far to offer a Hahn model bat with proceeds going to assist Cory's family with the rising costs of the tragedy.

The Home Run Challenge had categories for people of all ages, but the main show was the professional players who came out to support. The showing was actually pretty impressive with a large sized crowd coming to support the Hahn family. A ticket into the event actually got you a fair amount. You got 2 tickets for a raffle featuring items such as autographed bats, jerseys, balls, and even custom framed autographs. Chick-fil-A gave away coupons for free food, free sandwiches and sweet tea, and players were very friendly about signing autographs for those who asked.

Even though it was a little overcast in the morning, the sun came out and beside a light breeze it was a nice day out there to hit. Prospect Matt Hobgood of the Orioles took the first at bats for the pro's.

Matt was followed up by prospect Nick Ramirez.

Even though the show had been impressive to that point, it was time to "pop the chain" and YouTube sensation Domingo Ayala went up to the plate. It was pretty funny to watch him bat in person and watch him actually crank one out.

After Domingo warmed up the home crowd, Angels catcher Hank Conger took to the plate to showcase some of the muscle we'll hopefully see this coming season.

Trace Thompson of the White Sox system was next up.

Aaron Northcraft a prospect from the Braves also took up a bat.

Padres prospect Austin Hedges was the final participant before they cycled through to hit again. 

The show was so entertaining that former Angel player/broadcaster Rex Hudler couldn't resist popping on the announcement system for a  few high energy words. 

He was so energetic that the 66'ers mascot couldn't stop himself from going out into the outfield to try and shag a few flyballs too.

Part of the draw was from Conger announcing he was going to be hitting bombs and the 2011 Angel contender for Rookie of the Year Mark Trumbo announcing he would also be in attendance to sign autographs though he couldn't hit due to injury. Mark sat down to sign an item for each fan that stood in line, taking his time to give an actually very nice signature.

There was also a surprise guest who appeared to watch the festivities and show his support.  The Pittsburgh Pirates choice with 1st pick of the 2011 MLB draft, Gerrit Cole.

 It was a very nice event, and I'm glad there was such a strong showing for the Hahn's. Definitely worth making the trip out there and see the prospects, and more importantly the community of regular autograph collectors from Angel stadium. A great day that made me anxious for the coming season. To read about the 2nd Annual Trinity Bat Company Home Run Derby and Cory Hahn benefit you can read it here.

If you're a social networker and want to follow some more baseball players twitters, you can find:

Mark Trumbo's  twitter @mtrumbo44 

Hank Conger's twitter is @hankconger16

Nick Ramirez's twitter is @nickramirez3314

Matt Hobgood's twitter is @matt_hobgood48