1997 Leaf Signature Series Mike Maddux

Who is this? Mike Maddux, former pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners, Montreal Expos and Houston Astros

What is this? An autographed card from the 1997 Leaf Signature Series

Where'd I get it? This month's baseball card show

How much did it cost? $1

Why is this so special? This is the last of the Leaf Signature Series cards I picked up at this month's card show. So I won't have any more to post unless I find another group of them next month. :)

Mike Maddux is the elder brother of future Hall-of-Famer Greg Maddux. He spent parts of 15 seasons in the big leagues, finishing with a 39-37 lifetime record and a 4.05 ERA. After he retired as a player, Maddux went into coaching. He is now the pitching coach for the Texas Rangers.

As I noted yesterday, the Leaf Signature Series cards are well-designed to showcase the players' autographs.

1997 Leaf Signature Series Mike Magnante

Who is this? Mike Magnante, a former reliever for the Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros, Anaheim Angels and Oakland Athletics

What is this? An autographed card from the 1997 Leaf Signature Series

Where'd I get it? This month's baseball card show

How much did it cost? $1

Why is this so special? Mike Magnante spent parts of 12 seasons in the Major Leagues, primarily as a middle reliever. According to his Wikipedia entry, Magnante once struck out the side on nine pitches.

Donruss undoubtedly overestimated the value that collectors would place on autographed cards of players like Magnante, but they designed some nice cards that really showcase the autograph. And the players -- for the most part -- made sure to sign them with nice, clear autographs. Magnante is no exception.

2001 Upper Deck Legends of New York Carl Erskine

Who is this? Carl Erskine, a former pitcher for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers

What is this? An autographed card from the 2001 Upper Deck Legends of New York set, #2

Where'd I get it? I wrote to Carl Erskine earlier this month and asked him to sign it; I got it back yesterday.

How much did it cost? The card was free. (I got it from the same dealer who sold me all of the Leaf Signature Series cards I've been posting this month.) Postage was 88 cents.

Why is this so special? Carl Erskine was a major league pitcher for 12 seasons. He had a lifetime 122-78 record with a 4.00 ERA. He threw two no-hitters and appeared in 11 World Series games. For a time, he held the record for strikeouts in a World Series game with his 14 strikeout performance in game 3 of the 1953 World Series.

Erskine authored two books about his playing days: "What I Learned From Jackie Robinson: A Teammate's Reflections On and Off the Field" and "Carl Erskine's Tales from the Dodgers Dugout: Extra Innings"

I'm not sure how much fanmail Erskine still receives (SportsCollectors.Net has logged 26 autograph requests in the past two months), but I'm amazed that he seems to take the time to carefully sign everything that people send to him. I'm happy to have an autograph from one of the great names of New York National League baseball.

1997 Leaf Signature Series Jorge Brito

Who is this? Jorge Brito, a former catcher for the Colorado Rockies

What is this? An autographed card from the 1997 Leaf Signature Series

Where'd I get it? This month's baseball card show

How much did it cost? $1

Why is this so special? There's not much to say about Jorge Brito. He was a backup catcher for the 1995 & 1996 Colorado Rockies teams, but he only appeared in 26 Major League games. His lifetime numbers are a .185 batting average, no home runs and seven RBI.

Brito spent 14 seasons as a pro, beginning in 1986 with the Medford A's and finishing with the Louisville RiverBats in 1999. He had over 2,200 minor league at-bats, finishing with a .240 lifetime average, 51 home runs and 276 RBI. That's a lot of baseball for what turned out to be a pretty brief shot.

Brito's signature is legible, but it's an interesting mix of cursive and printed characters.

1997 Leaf Signature Series Alex Arias

Who is this? Alex Arias, a former infielder for the Chicago Cubs, Florida Marlins, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres and New York Yankees

What is this? An autographed card from the 1997 Leaf Signature Series

Where'd I get it? This month's baseball card show

How much did it cost? $1

Why is this so special? Alex Arias was an original Florida Marlin, acquired in an expansion draft-day trade with the Cubs, along with Gary Scott, for Greg Hibbard. He is one of just two original Marlins who were still in Florida when the Marlins won the 1997 World Series. That's not bad for a utility infielder who never had more than 390 at-bats in a season.

Arias clearly took the time to write all of the letters in his name, but he doesn't have a particularly neat signature. Then again, neither would I if I had to sign a few thousand baseball cards. :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008 TriStar Projections Donald Veal

Who is this? Donald Veal, a pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates

What is this? An autographed card from the 2008 TriStar Projections set, #123

Where'd I get it? I wrote to Donald Veal c/o his Arizona Fall League team and asked him to sign it. I got it back yesterday.


How much did it cost? The card came out of a half-price blaster box, and postage was 88 cents.

Why is this so special? Donald Veal was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the second round of the 2005 amateur draft. He was left off the Cubs 40-man roster last winter, so the Pittsburgh Pirates were able to take him in the Rule V draft.

Veal spent most of the season in the majors, but didn't really pitch much. He appeared in just 19 games, and was generally ineffective. The Pirates sent him to the Arizona Fall League, and Veal had success there. At age 25 entering the 2010 season, there is still time for Veal to become a productive Major League pitcher. Mostly, though, I was amused by his name.

I wasn't very impressed with the design of the 2008 TriStar Projections set when I opened the blaster box. Now I understand why. They were designed to be autographed, and they just don't look complete without a signature.

Veal has an autograph that's mainly made of of loops, but it works and is even somewhat legible. It's a cool-looking, stylized version of his name. He gets bonus points for personalizing my card.

1991 Leaf Joe Boever

Who is this? Joe Boever, a former relief pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, Houston Astros, Oakland Athletics, Detroit Tigers and Pittsburgh Pirates

What is this? An autographed card from the 1991 Leaf set

Where'd I get it? I wrote to Joe Boever after Christmas last year and asked him to sign it. I got it back Monday along with the one I had previously posted.

How much did it cost? The card came out of a $10 wax box a few years ago, so really just postage.

Why is this so special? Out of the multitude of teams Boever played for, I really only have memories of him as a Brave and a Phillie... and he was better as a Brave.

I like the 1991 Leaf cards; even though they are junk wax, I couldn't really afford them when they were new. So I never had the chance to get sick of them like most of the other cards from that year. And Boever's card has a nice photo. It looks great signed.

1990 Upper Deck Joe Boever

Who is this? Joe Boever, a former relief pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, Houston Astros, Oakland Athletics, Detroit Tigers and Pittsburgh Pirates

What is this? An autographed card from the 1990 Upper Deck set

Where'd I get it? I wrote to Joe Boever after Christmas last year and asked him to sign it. I got it back today.

How much did it cost? I'm not sure where the card came from; the only real cost was the 84 cents for postage.

Why is this so special? The Atlanta Braves weren't very good when Joe Boever was their closer, so it was ok to root for "Boever the Saver." It was a good story... a journeyman reliever got a chance to be a closer and saved 21 games for an Atlanta team that only won 67 in 1989.

By 1990, the league started to catch up with Boever's palmball. The Braves traded him to Philadelphia for "Starvin' Marvin" Freeman. Boever pitched in the big leagues for another six seasons, but he was never a closer again after 1990.

After he retired, Boever went into coaching. He is now a real estate agent in Tennessee.

Boever has a nice autograph. I like how the letter "B" loops around part of his last name.

2004 Topps All-Time Fan Favorites Don Zimmer

Who is this? Don Zimmer, former infielder for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds and Washington Senators; former manager for the San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs; current advisor to the Tampa Bay Rays

What is this? An autographed card from the 2004 Topps All-Time Fan Favorites set

Where'd I get it? eBay

How much did it cost? $12.99 shipped

Why is this so special? Don Zimmer is a baseball lifer. He signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers at the age of 18, and he's been involved with baseball as a player, coach, manager or executive ever since.

Zimmer was an original member of the New York Mets. He was the third baseman in the first game they ever played.

As with many old-time baseball players, Zimmer has a neat, clear autograph.

1997 Leaf Signature Series Alex Diaz

Who is this? Alex Diaz, a former journeyman outfielder for the Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, San Francisco Giants and Houston Astros

What is this? An autographed card from the 1997 Leaf Signature Series

Where'd I get it? It was another purchase from this month's baseball card show

How much did it cost? $1

Why is this so special? Alex Diaz started his career in the Mets minor league system in 1987. He was traded to the Expos in 1991 in a minor deal, and they flipped him to the Brewers later that year in another minor move. Milwaukee finally gave him the chance to play in the majors in 1992.

In 1995, Diaz appeared in 103 regular season games for the Seattle Mariners and six playoff games. He hit .247 with three home runs and 27 RBI. He also stole 18 bases. It was his best season in the big leagues.

Diaz briefly returned to the Mets system in 1997, but he never appeared in a major league game for New York. In parts of 8 seasons in the majors, Diaz appeared in a total of 366 games, hitting .239 with 8 home runs and 75 RBI.

Diaz has an interesting autograph -- it almost looks like he tried to draw a face in the "D"

2009 Portland Sea Dogs Richie Lentz

Who is this? Boston Red Sox prospect Richie Lentz

What is this? An autographed card from the 2009 Portland Sea Dogs team set

Where'd I get it? I wrote to Lentz c/o the Mesa Solar Sox last month and asked him to sign it, along with the 2008 Lancaster Jet Hawks card I posted a couple weeks ago.

How much did it cost? The card was a gift from a friend, so just the postage.

Why is this so special? Out of the eight Arizona Fall League players I wrote to this year, Lentz and Chris Province are the only ones who signed the cards and sent them back.

Plus, the card has a pretty cool photo of Lentz warming up. You can tell that this wasn't a real game action shot because the infielder in the background is staring out into center field. You don't see photos like that make it on to major league cards very often.

Lentz still has a nice autograph for a current player, but I think his Sharpie was on its last legs when he signed the two cards for me.

2008 Topps Finest Rookie Autograph Lance Broadway

Who is this? Lance Broadway, a pitcher for the New York Mets (formerly of the Chicago White Sox)

What is this? An autograph card from the 2008 Topps Finest set

Where'd I get it? eBay

How much did it cost? 99 cents, plus shipping

Why is this so special? Lance Broadway has a perfect name for a baseball player in New York... now he just has to do something worthy of attention. He was a late season call-up for the Mets this year, but he didn't really distinguish himself in 8 relief appearances (0-0, 6.75).

The Mets acquired Broadway from the Chicago White Sox for catcher Ramon Castro in May. Broadway didn't do all that much to distinguish himself in the American League, either. His career record with the White Sox (2-2, 5.13) was compiled during 19 games over three seasons.

Broadway is just 26, so there's still time for him to improve. But he'd better start making an impression soon.

Lance Broadway has a neat, clear autograph... but that is one interesting "B" in his last name.

2000 Topps Traded Autographs Tony Pena Jr.

Who is this? Tony Pena Jr., a former shortstop for the Atlanta Braves and Kansas City Royals

What is this? An autographed card from the 2000 Topps Traded Autographs insert set

Where'd I get it? This is yet another baseball card show purchase

How much did it cost? $1

Why is this so special? Tony Pena Jr. is the son of former catcher and former Kansas City Royals manager Tony Pena. He reached the majors in 2006 with the Atlanta Braves, but he was traded to Kansas City before the 2007 season.

He was the Royals starting shortstop in 2007, batting .267 with 2 home runs and 47 RBI. Those numbers probably would have been good enough in the 1970s, but not now. And the next year, he did worse - just .169 in 95 games. Pena's struggles at the plate continued this year; he hit .098 in 40 games in 2009, primarily as a defensive replacement.

But he's still trying. He went back to the minors and is trying to make it as a pitcher now.

Tony Pena Jr.'s autograph looks like it was definitely influenced by his father's.

1997-98 Fleer Million Dollar Moments Bobby Richardson

Who is this? Bobby Richardson, a former second baseman for the New York Yankees

What is this? An autographed card from the 1997-98 Fleer Million Dollar Moments insert set

Where'd I get it? I wrote to Bobby Richardson in June and asked him to sign it. He sent it back earlier this month

How much did it cost? The card was 33 cents at the local card shop. Postage was 88 cents.

Why is this so special? Bobby Richardson is a three-time World Series champion with the New York Yankees. As this card commemorates, he caught Willie McCovey's line drive to end the 1962 World Series, preserving the win for the Yankees and giving them their 20th title.

Like many older players, Richardson appears to take pride in his autograph and has a very readable signature. I like how he included his uniform number on the card.

Fleer ran a contest between 1997 and 1998. If you collected all 50 cards in the Million Dollar Moments set you could win $1 million. The first 45 cards were easily obtainable, but the final five were short prints to determine the contest prizes. Fleer also issued a full 50-card redemption set. I wonder if anyone claimed the top prize.

1996 Leaf Signature Series Scott Stahoviak

Who is this? Scott Stahoviak, a former Minnesota Twins first baseman

What is this? An autographed card from the 1996 Leaf Signature Series

Where'd I get it? This is the final 1996 Leaf Signature Series card I bought at this month's baseball card show.

How much did it cost? $1

Why is this so special? Stahoviak was the Minnesota Twins' first-round draft pick in 1991. He reached the majors in 1993 for a cup of coffee, but he didn't see extended playing time until 1995. He's something of an oddity - a first baseman who hit lefty but threw righty.

Stahoviak appeared in 344 games over five seasons, hitting .256 with 27 home runs and 119 RBI.

He is a member of the Hall of Fame ... the Carmel Catholic High School Sports Hall of Fame, that is.

Stahoviak has a fairly average autograph... it's not terrible, but it's not easy to read, either. (Not that my signature would look so great after signing a few thousand cards.)

1996 Leaf Signature Series Mike Potts

Who is this? Mike Potts, a former pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers

What is this? An autographed card from the 1996 Leaf Signature Series

Where'd I get it? This is another purchase from last weekend's baseball card show.

How much did it cost? $1

Why is this so special? Mike Potts was a relief pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers in 1996. His Major League career lasted just 24 games; he finished with a lifetime 1-2 record and 7.15 ERA.

According to his Wikipedia entry, Potts went into law enforcement after his baseball career ended.

Interestingly, Potts appears to have signed the card "Mich__l P_tts"

1996 Leaf Signature Series Chris Haney

Who is this? Chris Haney, a former pitcher with the Montreal Expos, Kansas City Royals, Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox

What is this? An autographed card from the 1996 Leaf Signature Series

Where'd I get it? This is another purchase from last weekend's card show

How much did it cost? $1

Why is this so special? Chris Haney is the son of former catcher Larry Haney and cousin of former infielder (and Mets coach) Mike Cubbage. He spent parts of 8 seasons in the majors, compiling a 38-52 lifetime record with a 5.07 ERA.

His most notable "accomplishment" is being the pitcher who gave up Wade Boggs' 3000th hit.

The grey KC hat really made the card stand out. I'm not sure how long it lasted, but I hope it wasn't much longer than the white "ice cream man" cap that the Mets experimented with in the 1990s. The letters "MIK" are a tribute to owner Muriel Irene Kauffman, who died during the 1995 season.

Chris Haney has a fairly simplified autograph, but I guess I can't blame him since he had to sign a few thousand of these cards.

1996 Leaf Signature Series Sandy Martinez

Who is this? Sandy Martinez, a former catcher with the Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs, Florida Marlins, Montreal Expos, Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox

What is this? An autographed card from the 1996 Leaf Signature Series

Where'd I get it? I bought it at a baseball card show last weekend

How much did it cost? $1

Why is this so special? Sandy Martinez played in the majors for parts of 8 seasons, but he only got into 218 games. Still, that's 218 games more than most everybody else.

In 2006, he was invited to spring training by the New York Mets, but he never got the call. He spent the season in AAA with Norfolk, where I got to see him play in a couple of games.

Martinez has a neat autograph, but there is no way I'd ever connect it with the name "Sandy Martinez." I think I'd have an easier time reading it as "Ariel Prieto."

1996 Leaf Signature Series Ariel Prieto

Who is this? Ariel Prieto, a former Oakland Athletics and Tampa Bay Devil Rays pitcher

What is this? An autograph card from the 1996 Leaf Signature Series

Where'd I get it? I bought it at a baseball card show last weekend

How much did it cost? $1

Why is this so special? Ariel Prieto earned his fame with the Cuban National Team. He was widely expected to be the first overall pick in the 1995 amateur draft, but he lasted until the Oakland Athletics took him with the number five pick. He made his Major League debut later that year.

In six seasons, Prieto compiled a 15-24 record with a 4.85 lifetime ERA. This season, he was a coach for the A's Arizona League team.

The card comes from the 1996 Leaf Signature Series, the first major release to guarantee an autograph in every pack.

Prieto has a neat, careful signature, but I think I'd have a hard time deciphering his handwriting.

2000 Topps Traded Autographs Elvin Nina

Who is this? Elvin Nina, a former pitcher who enjoyed a 10-year professional career

What is this? An autographed card from the 2000 Topps Traded Autographs insert set

Where'd I get it? I bought at a local baseball card show this weekend.

How much did it cost? $1

Why is this so special? Though Elvin Nina played professionally for 10 years, he never reached the major leagues. But he did go to high school a couple of towns over from where I grew up, and I got to see him play professionally in his final season with the Atlantic League's Road Warriors.

He has a nice, clear autograph. I wish more players took the same pride in their signature.

1992-93 Pro Set, Brett Hull

Who is this? One of the newest members to the Hockey Hall of Fame, Brett Hull

What is this? An autograph card from the 1992-93 Pro Set set

Where'd I get it? Through the mail in the early '90s

How much did it cost? Got the card in a pack plus a couple of 25 or 26 cent stamps

Why is this so special? It's Brett Hull, who was inducted into the Hall today.

Brett has 741 goals for his career, which is third all-time. He was an 8-time All Star with the Blues and Stars. He scored 50 goals in 50 games twice and is one of two players to do it more than once (some guy named Gretzky is the other). He had 33 hat tricks in his career and he led the league in scoring three times. He had more playoff power play goals than anyone else. He is the only player to score 50 goals in college, the minors, and the NHL. Plus, he has his name on Lord Stanley's Cup twice.

Basically, Brett Hull was one of the premier hockey players of his generation.

2009 Portland Sea Dogs Chris Province

Who is this? Chris Province, a pitcher for the Portland Sea Dogs

What is this? An autographed card from the 2009 Portland Sea Dogs team set

Where'd I get it? I wrote to Chris Province c/o his Arizona Fall League team and asked him to sign it last month. I got it back about a week later.

How much did it cost? The card was a gift from a friend, so just 88 cents for postage.

Why is this so special? I think I already mentioned that I love minor league cards.

The Portland Sea Dogs have a great logo (sea dog can mean "Any of various seals or similar marine mammals" in case you're wondering why it doesn't feature an old sailor.)

Chris Province was the Red Sox 4th round pick in the 2007 amateur draft. He has progressed through the Boston farm system and was a member of the Eastern League All-Star team this year. He doesn't have the strikeout numbers that would open eyes, but he seems to enjoy success anyway. Maybe we'll see him in the big leagues someday.

I'm not sure what to make of Chris Province's signature, but I like how he carefully placed it at the bottom of the card instead of signing over a large portion of his photo or his name.

2008 Upper Deck First Edition Josh Hamilton

Who is this? Josh Hamilton, a Texas Rangers outfielder

What is this? An autograph card from the 2008 Upper Deck First Edition set

Where'd I get it? I wrote to Hamilton at the Texas Rangers' spring training facility in February and asked him to sign my card. I got it back in the mail yesterday.

How much did it cost? The card came out of a pack, and postage was 84 cents.

Why is this so special? Josh Hamilton was the feel-good story of 2008.

Hamilton was the number one overall pick in the 1999 amateur draft, but his minor league career was derailed by drug and alcohol problems. He was out of baseball for nearly three seasons.

Hamilton found God and cleaned up his act, and he finally made his big league debut with the Cincinnati Reds in 2007. He hit 19 home runs in part-time duty, but was traded to the Texas Rangers for pitcher Edinson Volquez that off-season.

With the Rangers, Hamilton had an All-Star season in 2008. In the All-Star Game's Home Run Derby, Hamilton hit 35 total home runs. He finished the season with a .304 batting average, 32 home runs and an American League-leading 130 RBI.

Josh Hamilton's autograph is distinctive, but not very legible. Though to be honest, with the number of autograph requests he must get I'm grateful that he signs at all.

2008 Lancaster Jethawks Richie Lentz

Who is this? Boston Red Sox prospect Richie Lentz

What is this? An autograph card from the 2008 Lancaster Jethawks team set

Where'd I get it? I wrote to Richie Lentz c/o his Arizona Fall League team, the Mesa Solar Sox, and asked him to sign my card. He returned it in about a week.

How much did it cost? The card was a gift from a friend, so just 88 cents for postage.

Why is this so special? I love minor league baseball cards. You get to see all sorts of neat logos and interesting team names. (I'm still trying to figure out what a "Jethawk" is exactly.)

Richie Lentz is a 25-year-old right-handed reliever in the Boston Red Sox organization. He's battled through a variety of injuries, including Tommy John surgery. But he still has a good strikeout rate and may be able to help out in a Major League bullpen somewhere down the road.

Lentz has a pretty good autograph for a current player. Although he has simplified things, you can still read his name.

1961 Topps Ed Bouchee

Who is this? Ed Bouchee, a first baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs and New York Mets

What is this? An autographed card from the 1961 Topps set

Where'd I get it? I wrote to Ed Bouchee and asked him to sign it last month. I got it back about a week later.

How much did it cost? Maybe 50 cents for the card, and another 88 cents for postage.

Why is this so special? This is one of the oldest cards I've ever gotten signed.

Bouchee was the runner up for the NL Rookie of the Year award in 1957, losing to his teammate Jack Sanford.

Bouchee was also an original New York Met, selected in the expansion draft following the 1961 season.

Like many older players, Bouchee clearly takes pride in his signature. You can read every letter.

2008 Allen & Ginter Casey Kotchman

Who is this? Casey Kotchman, a first baseman on the Boston Red Sox who used to play for the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

What is this? An autograph card from the 2008 Topps Allen & Ginter set

Where'd I get it? Back in 2008, I wrote to Casey Kotchman c/o the Atlanta Braves and asked him to sign my card. He must be catching up on his fan mail, because I just got it back today.

How much did it cost? I probably paid a quarter for the card, and another 82 cents for postage.

Why is this so special? At the age of 26, Casey Kotchman has already played for 3 different Major League teams. The number 13 pick in the nation in 2001 hasn't quite lived up to expectations at the plate, but he's one of the best fielding first basemen in baseball. He can also say that he was traded for Mark Texieira.

Casey Kotchman's got an interesting autograph. You can clearly make out his first name, but his last name kind of trails off into a loop, for some reason.