2009 Topps Manny Delcarmen

Who is this? Manny Delcarmen, a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox

What is this? An autographed card from the 2009 Topps set, #173

Where'd I get it? I wrote to Delcarmen during spring training this year and asked him to sign it. He must be catching up on his fan mail, because I got it back today.

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

Why is this so special? Manny Delcarmen is a bit of a rarity - a Boston native who was drafted by the Red Sox.

He made his major league debut in 2005, but he didn't become a significant part of the Red Sox bullpen until 2006. His best season was 2007, when he held opposing batters to a .183 average in 44 innings. He pitched in two World Series games that year, winning a ring.

Delcarmen is a rarity in another respect - he's a member of the Boston Red Sox who signs autographs through the mail. His autograph may not be the neatest, but I appreciate it when players take the time to sign for fans.

2009 Topps Joe Blanton

Who is this? Joe Blanton, a pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies

What is this? An autograph card from the Target-exclusive throwback variation of the 2009 Topps set, #207

Where'd I get it? I wrote to Blanton back in April and asked him to sign it. Now that the season is over, he's catching up on his fan mail... I got it back today.

How much did it cost? The card came out of a pack from a retail blaster; postage was 84 cents.

Why is this so special? Joe Blanton is a workhorse. Since 2005, Blanton has thrown at least 190 innings every season.

He was the first round draft pick of the Oakland Athletics in 2002, and he spent the first three and a half seasons of his career there. In 2008, the Phillies traded Josh Outman and two other minor leaguers to Oakland for him so they could bolster their starting rotation.

Blanton went 4-0 down the stretch in Philadelphia, and pitched well in two of his three post-season starts. He started and won Game Four of the World Series, and he became the first pitcher to hit a World Series home run in my lifetime.

Blanton finished the 2009 season with a solid 12-8 record. His post-season starts were not very impressive, but he wasn't charged with a loss in any of them.

Blanton has a surprisingly legible signature for an active Major Leaguer.

2004 Upper Deck Yankees Classics Bobby Richardson

Who is this? Bobby Richardson, a former New York Yankees infielder

What is this? An autograph card from the 2004 Upper Deck Yankees Classics set

Where'd I get it? I wrote to Bobby Richardson earlier this summer and asked him to sign it.

How much did it cost? 33 cents for the card; 88 cents for postage

Why is this so special? Richardson was a key part of the late 1950s-early 1960s Yankees dynasty. He was an 8-time All-Star, 5-time Gold Glove winner and the MVP of the 1960 World Series. He played in the majors for 12 seasons, amassing 1,400+ hits.

And even with all of those accomplishments, Richardson still signs autographs through the mail. He's got a nice, clear signature that really stands out on the black & white card.

1994 Upper Deck Derek Wallace

Who is this? Derek Wallace, a former relief pitcher for the Kansas City Royals and New York Mets

What is this? An autograph card from the 1994 Upper Deck MInor League set, #201

Where'd I get it? From Nick of Baseball Happenings

How much did it cost? $1
Why is this so special? Derek Wallace was the first-round draft pick of the Chicago Cubs in 1992; he was the 11th player chosen overall. He struggled, and soon found himself in a new organization.

The Cubs included Wallace in the 1996 trade that brought Brian McRae from Kansas City to Chicago. Later that year, the Royals traded him to the Mets in a deal for pitcher Jason Jacome.

In New York, Wallace made his Major League debut. He wasn't particularly impressive in 19 relief appearances, but he was only 25 and showed some promise. There was even some thought that he could eventually assume the closer's role held by John Franco.

The next spring, Wallace was diagnosed with an aneurysm that caused him to miss much of the 1997 season. He worked his way back after surgery, but he didn't appear in another Major League game for the Mets.

Late in the 1999 season, the Mets sent Wallace back to Kansas City in a minor league deal. He appeared in eight games for the Royals in what turned out to be his final season as a professional baseball player.

You've got to admire Wallace's persistence. It's just too bad that his baseball career didn't work out quite the way he probably would have hoped.

His signature is a little bit sloppy on this card, but I've seen a lot worse.

1978 Topps Ron Cey

Who is this? Ron Cey, a former third baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs and Oakland Athletics

What is this? An autographed card from the 1978 Topps set, #630

Where'd I get it? My father gave me a small stack of cards that he picked up at a yard sale that one of his friends was holding this summer. This was one of the cards. I mailed it to Ron Cey last month and asked him to sign it, and I got it back about a week later.

How much did it cost? I'm not sure what the cards cost, but it couldn't have been much. Postage was 88 cents.

Why is this so special? Ron Cey was a very good ballplayer for the Dodgers in the 1970s. He made the All-Star team for six straight years from 1974-1979. He was the World Series MVP in 1981. He had over 1800 hits and more than 300 home runs in his career. And he was nicknamed "The Penguin" for his running style. I love nicknames.

You have to love that card, too. Check out the goofy smile, the dinged edges (and corners) and the terrible centering. It actually looks like a 30-year-old card. Cey's loopy signature adds to the appeal. It is thoughtfully signed in blue, matching the Dodger blue of Cey's uniform.

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.