RBI (209) Jennie Finch...

A few months ago a few friends went to an appearance by softball star and Olympic medalist Jennie Finch. Finch became a media darling after helping Team USA to win the gold medal in Athens in 2004 and the silver medal in Beijing in 2008. She's appeared in multiple MLB All Star celebrity softball games, but she's kind enough to tone down the pitches for the celebs.

I wasn't able to meet Jennie myself, but my friend Alex was able to pick up this photo for me. It's a great piece and I like randomly pulling it out just to appreciate this Jennie Finch autographed photograph inscribed "USA" and am looking for the right frame and mat to put this one on the wall full-time.

RBI (208) NFL HOF'er Warren Sapp...

As you all know it's Derek Jeter's farewell trip around the league so fans are turning out in droves to see their final chapter of the captain's playing career. I made out to the Big A to try graphing the Yankees and didn't have too much luck. One random graph that I was happy to get was a fan that came out who had fans himself. NFL Hall of Famer Warren Sapp came to Angel Stadium to catch a game.

Sapp was a 7-time Pro Bowler, had 4 First team All-Pro selections, won Super Bowl XXXVII,  was named to the all-decade team for the 1990's and 2000's and for good measure won the Defensive Player of the Year award. All while playing as a DT instead of the more heralded DE position. He was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2013 and has maintained a visible profile as a retired player appearing as a commentator, judge on BBQ Pittmasters and runner up on Dancing with the Stars.

I was really surprised to see Warren Sapp at the stadium, but really glad he was spotted. I asked him if I could get his autograph and if he'd sweetspot the baseball and as I started to point out where to sign he told me not to worry that he had me and immediately knew where to flip the ball to. Awesome. He signed it nicely and inscribed "HOF 13" on the ball.

I'm glad to put him in the collection and already have my Warren Sapp autographed ball next to the ball I got signed by fellow NFL star Tony Gonzalez.

Autograph Recap May 3, 2014 CJ Wilson at Cox Irvine

Angels pitcher CJ Wilson made an appearance at the Cox store in Irvine, and rather than start the day waiting around in the heat for the Rangers to roll in I made my way out there.

I got there and walked down the fairly long line until I finally found the end. Members of the Angels strike force were there and gave me a wristband to guarantee an autograph as long as I was within the first 200. Getting there about an hour and change before it was scheduled to begin got me wristband number 149. CJ was scheduled to be there from 12:00-1:00 but arrived about fifteen minutes late and started signing immediately. He actually was able to get the line moving rather quickly since photos with CJ weren't allowed.

I snapped a quick shot of CJ before it was my turn.

 You may recognize the guy to the left of CJ, he's a regular member of the stadium CSC security team at Angel Stadium. Why he and another CSC security guard was there is beyond me.

He was strictly one item per and held to it while he was going through the line. I had him finish an item I've been randomly lugging along for years. I finally got my Jerry Dipoto and CJ Wilson autographed photo of the pair of them together at the CJ and Albert Pujols press conference in 2011 when they signed with the Angels. It feels good to finish projects as now I've gotten both photos I took and printed done since I go the Albert Pujols signed at the end of last season.

RBI (207) A TTM Letter Answered...

It's been a significant amount of time since I had a letter response from a TTM request so it was nice to start baseball season off with one. Pitcher Ross Ohlendorf was nice enough to take a few moments to sign and share some of his thoughts.

I sent Ohlendorf his 2014 Topps Heritage card to be signed for my set, but he swapped that out and sent back two different cards. We'll get to that after his letter:

What was the biggest difference for you between the Red Sox and Yankees organizations?
Yankees are more "old school" in regards to conditioning and work in the training room.

Did you realize you were throwing an immaculate inning?
Yes

Where is your favorite stadium to play as a visitor?
3 favorites are Padres, Giants, Pirates

Why do you wear #43?
They gave it to me

What do you remember about your 1st MLB win?
I nearly gave up a home run to lose it but stranded the runner at 3rd

Definitely a nice response and I'm surprised again to hear that Pittsburgh is one of his favorite spots. I've consistently heard that response back and now I'll need to putt Pittsburgh on my to visit list as soon as I can.

Ross Ohlendorf autographed a 2008 Upper Deck rookie card and personalized "Ryan best wishes!" on a 2013 Topps card for me. Definitely a nice response and I hope his season goes well.

Autograph Recap 4/21/14 Lancaster Jethawks at Inland Empire

I was able to make it out to Inland Empire recently to do a bit of minor league graphing, though I doubt the guys will be in the minor leagues for very long. Houston Astros affiliate the Lancaster Jethawks are stacked with talent waiting in the pipeline to make it up to the majors. The whole roster is filled with prized and well regarded prospects so getting anyone I knew would end up making the day worth the trip.

The first guy I was able to get was 2013 1st overall pick Mark Appel's autograph on a baseball. Considering how highly ranked this guy is and the expectations I knew I'd have to get him while he stilled signed as a prospect. I'm glad I was able to get him virtually one on one as a minor leaguer before he debuts and becomes a victim of the dreaded "contracto" and impossible to get as nice an autograph as this.

After Appel 2012 1st overall pick Carlos Correa autographed a baseball for me. He's just as prized and I can tell he'll be extremely difficult to get when he gets his call up into the majors.

It was funny for me to see Appel's teammates rib him a bit when I came up to ask him to sign and make comments that "there's always one" waiting around to meet him. It was goodnatured and he didn't respond to it, but I'm glad to have gotten the two to sign.

RBI (206) Sonny Gray...

Well Billy Beane's done it again in finding the right arm at the tight time in starting pitcher and future star Sonny Gray. Gray was first drafted in the 27th round of the 2008 draft but held out and went to Vanderbilt until the 2011 MLB draft when he was taken 18th overall by Oakland.

Gray made an immediate impact for the A's when he was called up in 2013 and made his MLB debut. He helped the A's clinch their playoff berth and then went up against reigning Cy Young winner Justin Verlander in the playoffs for two strong starts. He's stepped up as a big arm in the rotation as the starter who took the mound for the A's home opener and is pushing them toward another AL West title.

I was able to get this Sonny Gray autographed baseball before a game when the A's came to play the Angels during the 2014 season. It's nice getting promising young players and getting him on a ball sweet spotted before the hype train really gets going and they stop sweet spotting is always a bonus.

RBI (205) Curtis Granderson...

Recently Curtis Granderson has been in the news since an incident where a fan touched Grandy during a game. Surprising to most people Curtis didn't press charges against the fan, but I don't find that very surprising at all. Since his days in Detroit and even as a Yankee and still as a Met Granderson has proven himself to be one of the classiest ball players out there.

I had the chance to get the former 3rd round pick of the 2002 MLB draft finally for my collection. He's a Silver Slugger winner, multiple time All-Star and received the Marvin Miller Man of the Year award. He does a little bit of everything with reasonable numbers in every category and has proven to be the nicest guy in my run in with him.

Grandy was very polite while signing for a few fans responding to questions and asking about our day while he autographed our items. I told him I was sorry he had that bad encounter with a fan here in Southern California and he was very polite about the whole thing. I'm really glad to add this Curtis Granderson autographed 2014 Topps Heritage inscribed "Go Mets!" to my collection and cross his short print off the list.