2004 Topps Total Bobby Brownlie

Who is this? Bobby Brownlie, the Chicago Cubs first-round draft pick in 2002

What is this? An autographed card from the 2004 Topps Total set

Where'd I get it? I'm not sure, but I think I got this signed through the mail when Brownlie played for the Iowa Cubs in 2005.

How much did it cost? The card came out of a pack, so just the postage.

Why is this so special? Chicago Cubs fans -- if they remember Brownlie at all -- will just think he was a draft pick that didn't pan out (7 future major leaguers, including Matt Cain, Joe Blanton, Jeff Francoeur and Mark Teahen were selected after Brownlie.)

In central New Jersey, it's a different story. In Brownlie was a star for Edison High School, and he went on to Rutgers where he continued to dominate. He was the MVP of the 2000 Big East Tournament and earned the cover of Baseball America's 2002 college preview issue.

Twice he's played for the Newark Bears, and both times he was able to use the opportunity to get signed by a AAA team. Maybe he'll still get a chance to pitch in the majors.

Brownlie's autograph is distinct, with two strong B's, though a few of the other letters are missing.

Brownlie's autograph may be the last one I post to the blog for a little while. For the past three months, I've shown an autograph nearly every day. I think I'm out of cards that I haven't posted somewhere, and a few of the ones I've used in January have already been seen on my personal blog.

When I get new autographs, I will continue to post them here if they're not Mets cards. There shouldn't be a multi-month gap between posts again, but I can't keep the post-a-day schedule any longer.

2003 Topps Bazooka James Loney

Who is this? Los Angeles Dodgers' first baseman James Loney

What is this? An autographed card from the 2003 Topps Bazooka set

Where'd I get it? I wrote to Loney at the Dodgers' spring training camp in 2005 and asked him to sign it. He sent it back before Opening Day that year.

How much did it cost? The card came out of a pack, and I don't remember what Bazooka packs sold for in 2003 or the cost of first class postage in 2005.

Why is this so special? Loney is a talented young first baseman who's been the Dodgers' starter for the past two seasons. He's got a lifetime .295 batting average, 45 home runs and 295 RBI after four seasons in the big leagues.

It may be a little difficult to tell because Loney signed in ballpoint, but he's got a very nice autograph.

1991 Wiz Mets Gary Rajsich

Who is this? Gary Rajsich, a former outfielder for the New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants

What is this? An autographed card from the 1991 Wiz Mets stadium giveaway set

Where'd I get it? Back in 2008, I wrote to Rajsich and asked him to sign it. I got it back this week.

How much did it cost? The card came to me in a trade, so just postage.

Why is this so special? Gary Rajsich played in the majors for four seasons in the 1980s. He also spent three seasons in Japan, playing for the Chunichi Dragons. He finished his playing career with the St. Petersburg Pelicans of the short-lived Senior Professional Baseball League in 1989. His major league career totals: .236, 3 home runs and 36 RBI.

Baseball ran in the Rajsich family. His brother Dave was a major league pitcher. Another brother, Tim, was a minor league shortstop.

Rajsich's signature is recognizable, but he seems to have left out some letters. I wonder how it compares to his brothers'.

In 1991, the Mets celebrated the franchise's 30th anniversary by producing a set of 450 cards that included every player who had appeared in a Mets game.

Well, almost every player. In 1987, a journeyman pitcher named Bob Gibson pitched in one game for the Mets. His card features a photo of Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Gibson, who was briefly a Mets coach. A few other cards have photo mixups -- I believe Hobie Landrith appears on Joe Ginsburg's and Joe Pignatano's cards, while Pignatano is on Landrith's, but it's still a neat set.

The cards were originally printed on perforated sheets. Their size and card stock have more in common with business cards than baseball cards. They were given away in series at three or four Mets games, but a decent number of sets found their way into the hobby. Singles generally sell for around $1, with stars going for more, but you can frequently find lots of them on eBay for a better price.

It would be nice if the Mets revisited the concept next year for the team's 50th anniversary, but I suspect that licensing costs would be prohibitive.

2006 Norfolk Tides Brian Bannister

Who is this? Brian Bannister, a pitcher for the Kansas City Royals

What is this? An autographed card from the 2006 Norfolk Tides team set

Where'd I get it? Zach of Autographed Cards was nice enough to get it signed for me at the Kansas City Royals Fan Fest earlier this month

How much did it cost? I think I spent around $12 for the team set

Why is this so special? The Norfolk Tides ended their long-time affiliation with the New York Mets after the 2006 season. I got to see them play a couple games against Scranton Wilkes-Barre during Easter weekend that year.

At the time, Brian Bannister was in the major leagues impressing Mets fans. He'd appear in six games for the Tides while working back from a hamstring injury. During the off-season, Omar Minaya made one of the worst trades of his Mets' tenure. He shipped Bannister to Kansas City for future criminal Ambiorix Burgos, who never contributed to the Mets.

While the Mets struggled to find a fifth starter in 2007, Bannister had a great rookie season for the Royals. He went 12-9 with a 3.87 ERA and was named the AL Rookie of the Month twice. He has not been able to duplicate that level of success since then, but maybe 2010 will be his year.

Bannister's signature remains very legible and has not changed much since his days with the Mets.

1987 Donruss John Mizerock

Who is this? John Mizerock, a former catcher for the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves, and a former coach for the Kansas City Royals

What is this? An autograph card from the 1987 Donruss set

Where'd I get it? Zach of Autographed Cards sent it to me

How much did it cost? You'd have to ask him

Why is this so special? The Houston Astros made John Mizerock the eighth overall pick in the 1979 amateur draft. He was chosen ahead of Tim Wallach, Steve Buechele, Scott Garrelts and Atlee Hammaker -- all of whom had nice Major League careers.

Mizerock played in 103 games over four seasons, finished with a .186 career average, two home runs and 24 RBI.

After his playing career, Mizerock became a minor league coach and manager. He has also been a member of the Kansas City Royals coaching staff and briefly managed the team in 2002.

Mizerock may have the most legible signature of the ones I've posted this week.

2008 Upper Deck Lenny DiNardo

Who is this? Lenny DiNardo, a pitcher for the Oakland Athletics, formerly of the Boston Red Sox and Kansas City Royals

What is this? An autographed card from the 2008 Upper Deck set

Where'd I get it? Zach from Autographed Cards sent it to me.

How much did it cost? You'd have to check with Zach.

Why is this so special? Lenny DiNardo began his pro career in the Mets' minor league system, but the Boston Red Sox selected him in the Rule V Draft prior to the 2004 season. They managed to keep him on their roster throughout the whole season, so they got to keep him and he earned a World Series ring.

DiNardo played in a few games for the Red Sox in 2005 and 2006, but he spent more time in the minors. During spring training in 2007, Oakland claimed DiNardo on waivers. They used him as a starter for a bit more than half of the season, but he also worked out of the bullpen. DiNardo remained in Oakland in 2008, but signed with the Royals for 2009. This year, he's back in Oakland's system again.

DiNardo has been a member of Italy's team in both the 2006 and 2009 World Baseball Classics.

I'm very happy that I do not have to try to read Lenny DiNardo's handwriting.

1991 Leaf Mike Macfarlane

Who is this? Mike Macfarlane, a former catcher for the Kansas City Royals, Boston Red Sox and Oakland Athletics

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

Where'd I get it? Zach from Autographed Cards got it signed for me at the Kansas City Royals fanfest earlier this month

How much did it cost? I bought a wax box of 1991 Leaf cards for $8 a few years ago. I still have a ton of them.

Why is this so special? Mike Macfarlane had a solid major league career. He played for 13 seasons, and has caught the most games in Royals history. He retired with a .252 lifetime average, 129 home runs and 514 RBI.

Mike Macfarlane does not have the neatest autograph in the world, but with my penmanship I shouldn't really complain. :)

2010 Kansas City Royals Postcard Mitch Maier

Who is this? Mitch Maier, an outfielder for the Kansas City Royals

What is this? An autographed Kansas City Royals postcard

Where'd I get it? Zach of Autographed Cards sent it to me; I think he probably got it signed at the Kansas City Royals fan fest.

How much did it cost? You'd have to check with Zach

Why is this so special? When I went to out new Yankee Stadium last year, I saw the Yankees play a couple of games against the Kansas City Royals. The fans in left field abused Mitch Maier mercilessly, but I liked him. He hustled in both games that I saw.

Of course, hustle only gets you so far. He hit .243, with a .333 on base percentage and a .331 slugging percentage in 127 games last year. Hopefully he will have a better season in 2010.

I find it interesting the Maier was drafted as a catcher and converted to third base before finally settling in as an outfielder.

I'm not sure when or why Maier switched to uniform number 12. He was wearing number 35 when I saw him last season, but he signed number 12 next to his signature.

2003 Upper Deck Vintage Darin Erstad

Who is this? Darin Erstad, an outfielder/first baseman for the Anaheim Angels, Chicago White Sox and Houston Astros

What is this? An autographed card from the 2003 Upper Deck Vintage set

Where'd I get it? I wrote to Erstad and asked him to sign it during the summer of 2003. I got it back in January of 2005.

How much did it cost? Just postage and the cost of the card.

Why is this so special? If you've ever gotten involved with the hobby of collecting autographs through the mail, you probably understand the appeal of getting a card back that you'd forgotten that you even mailed out.

Erstad was the California Angels' first round draft pick in 1995, and he reached the majors the next year. (He's the first Angels' player I've found who played for the California Angels, Anaheim Angels, and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.)

Erstad won three Gold Gloves, a Silver Slugger and was a two-time All-Star. His best season came in 2000, when he hit .355 with 25 home runs and 100 RBI. He led the league with 240 hits in 676 at-bats and 747 plate appearances.

Since 2006, Erstad has been a part-time player. He is currently a free agent.

Darin Erstad has a quick, squiggly signature. You can make out most of the letters in his last name if you know what you're looking for.

2006 Topps 1952 Rookies Anibal Sanchez

Who is this? Anibal Sanchez, a pitcher for the Florida Marlins

What is this? A certified autograph card from the 2006 Topps 1952 Rookies set

Where'd I get it? eBay

How much did it cost? It cost $2.04 in 2007

Why is this so special? Anibal Sanchez had a magical year in 2006. He began the season in AA, but earned a major league call-up in June. He won his major league debut at Yankee Stadium, then followed it up by beating Roger Clemens a couple of weeks later.

The best was yet to come. Sanchez threw a no-hitter against the Arizona Diamondbacks in September, becoming only the 19th rookie to accomplish that feat since 1900. He'd finish the year with a 10-3 record and a 2.83 ERA.

The next spring, Sanchez experienced shoulder issues and he's never been able to achieve the same level of success since.

This is one of my favorite modern sets. I like the old-time look of the cards; the design is classic, and most of the photos don't look too out-of-place in a vintage-style set. The autographed inserts are a little tough to spot when you're opening packs because the actual autograph takes the place of the facsimile signature found on the regular cards. Anibal Sanchez has a surprisingly nice autograph.

2009 Allen & Ginter Cat Osterman

Who is this? Cat Osterman, a two-time Olympic medal-winning softball player

What is this? An autographed card from the 2009 Allen & Ginter set

Where'd I get it? I wrote to Osterman and asked her to sign the card late last year; it took about two months, but I got it back this week.

How much did it cost? Around a dollar, counting postage and the cost of the card.

Why is this so special? Judging by the lack of comments, I'm guessing that anybody who's still visiting is getting tired of various Atlantic League team set cards.

This card is a little bit different. I've never liked the idea of all the random cards that find their way into the Allen & Ginter baseball card set, but softball players are ok. Olympic gold medal-winning softball players are even better. You just can't beat Olympic gold medal winners who are willing to take the time to sign autographs for fans -- even if I can't quite read the autograph.

2006 Somerset Patriots Andy Van Hekken

Who is this? Andy Van Hekken, a former pitcher for the Detroit Tigers

What is this? An autographed card from the 2006 Somerset Patriots team set

Where'd I get it? I got it signed before a Somerset Patriots game in 2007

How much did it cost? The team set was around $5.

Why is this so special? For the sheer number of Andy Van Hekken cards that I own, I thought he had a longer major league career... he only appeared in five games for the 2002 Detroit Tigers.

Although they don't really look much alike, for some reason Van Hekken always reminded me of actor James Van Der Beek. (Pointless trivia note: Van Der Beek attended Drew University for a short time. I was actually in the same modern American literature survey class with him. He dropped out to pursue acting; I completed my degree. I'm sure you can guess which one of us makes more money today.)

Van Hekken pitched well for the Somerset Patriots, winning 15 and losing 11 over parts of three seasons. He spent 2009 in the Houston Astros system.

I would not want to have to decipher Van Hekken's autograph, though I suppose I should make allowances for him as a lefty with a long name. :)

2007 Somerset Patriots Alan Zinter

Who is this? Alan Zinter, a former major league ballplayer for the Houston Astros and Arizona Diamondbacks

What is this? An autographed card from the 2007 Somerset Patriots team set

Where'd I get it? I got it signed before a Somerset Patriots game in 2007

How much did it cost? The team set was $5 or $6

Why is this so special? When the Mets made Alan Zinter their number one draft pick in 1989, I don't think anyone would have expected him to become a real-life Crash Davis.

He played professional baseball for 19 seasons, finally calling it a career at the end of 2007. He still hasn't left the game behind -- he's a coach in the Diamondbacks system.

Zinter did get a shot at the majors in 2002, at the age of 34. His first hit was a home run off Scott Williamson, but their weren't many more. He had just 78 at-bats in the big leagues.

Zinter was 39 when I saw him play for the Patriots, but you never would have known it by watching him on the field. He had this amazing pre-game conditioning routine that nobody else could keep up with; Zinter was in better shape than guys who were ten years younger than him.

I like the card he signed because it's one of the few times I've seen this shot in a minor league card set. Zinter is rounding third after hitting a home run against the Road Warriors, a team that the Atlantic League creates in years when they have an odd number of home teams. The league foots the bill for the players and coaching staff, and they play every game on the road.

Zinter has a distinct signature; I wonder how many he's signed during his 20+ years in baseball.

2007 Somerset Patriots Michel Hernandez

Who is this? Michel Hernandez, a catcher formerly of the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays

What is this? An autographed card from the 2009 Someset Patriots team set

Where'd I get it? I got it signed before a Somerset Patriots game in 2007

How much did it cost? The card set was around $5 or $6.

Why is this so special? When we first got a look at Michel Hernandez in 2007, we knew he wouldn't be around too long. Nobody could figure out what he was doing in independent baseball in the first place.

He was strong defensively -- good at blocking balls in the dirt and throwing out baserunners. He could hit for average and power -- at least against Atlantic League pitching. He seemed like a good guy, if maybe a bit shy.

Maybe five or six weeks into the season, Tampa Bay signed him and put him in triple-A Durham. Against better pitching, he didn't put up the same offensive numbers that he did in Somerset.

Tampa Bay cut him loose at the end of the season and he signed with the Pittsburgh organization for 2008. When Tampa Bay needed a backup catcher, they remembered Hernandez and re-acquired him. He even made it onto the World Series roster, though he didn't play in a game.

Usually, the guys I see in the Atlantic League are just trying to hang on. It's special when one of them is able to make it back to the big leagues.

Hernadez's autograph looks like a seismograph, doesn't it?

1969 Topps Larry Stahl

Who is this? Larry Stahl, a former major league outfielder for the Kansas City Royals, New York Mets, San Diego Padres and Cincinnati Reds

What is this? An autographed card from the 1969 Topps set

Where'd I get it? I wrote to Larry Stahl and asked him to sign it; I got it back about a week and a half later.

How much did it cost? Approximately $2, between the cost of the card & postage.

Why is this so special? Check out the "state-of-the-art" Topps airbrushing here. That is clearly a Mets cap with the logo erased. I thought about saving it to post on my blog, but it's not really a Mets card.

Larry Stahl was an original San Diego Padre, selected as the 26th pick in the Oct. 14, 1968 expansion draft. Topps didn't have a chance to take new photos for the first Padres cards.

Stahl stuck around in the big leagues for 10 years, including four in San Diego, but he never had 350 plate appearances in a single season. He finished his career with a .232 lifetime average, 36 home runs and 163 RBI.

While Stahl's autograph is easy to read, I don't think he got gold stars for penmanship when he was in school.

2005 Somerset Patriots Giveaway Ryan Radmanovich

Who is this? Ryan Radmanovich, a former major league outfielder with the Seattle Mariners

What is this? An autographed card from the 2005 Somerset Patriots giveaway set

Where'd I get it? I got it signed before a Somerset Patriots game in 2005

How much did it cost? Nothing. Both the card and autograph were free.

Why is this so special? Ryan Radmanovich played in 25 games for the Seattle Mariners in 1998, but he had a much more extensive minor league career. In 17 seasons, he hit 269 minor league home runs.

Radmanovich was the starting right fielder for the Canadian Olympic team in 2004, and he played for Team Canada in the first World Baseball Classic in 2006.

He spent five seasons with the Somerset Patriots in the independent Atlantic League and holds a number of team records. He was honored as a member of the Somerset Patriots All-Time team in 2008.

Radmanovich has an interesting autograph. The open loops at the top of the initial "R" and the "h" are unusual.

2007 Somerset Patriots Danny Garcia

Who is this? Danny Garcia, a former second baseman for the New York Mets

What is this? An autographed card from the Somerset Patriots' 2007 team set

Where'd I get it? I got the card signed before a Somerset Patriots game in 2007

How much did it cost? The card set cost around $5

Why is this so special? Danny Garica was a hard-nosed, hustling player for the Mets in 2003 and 2004. I think he would have become a fan-favorite if he had just been able to hit a bit better.

Garcia's final professional season was spent playing for the Somerset Patriots in 2007. He led the league with 39 stolen bases and hit .273.

Garcia's autograph is little more than "D G" While this is fine for a baseball card, I managed to track down an 8x10 photo from his Mets days and I was a little disappointed to get the same "initials" autograph on it.

2006 Somerset Patriots Nick Bierbrodt

Who is this? Nick Bierbrodt, a former major league pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers

What is this? An autographed card from the 2006 Somerset Patriots team set

Where'd I get it? I got it signed before a Somerset Patriots game in 2006

How much did it cost? The team set cost about $5

Why is this so special? Nick Bierbrodt was the first player in franchise history selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was their first round selection in the 1996 amateur draft.

Bierbrodt made his major league debut with Arizona in 2001, but appeared in only five games before being traded to Tampa Bay. Bierbrodt missed much of the 2002 season after being shot, but he returned to Tampa Bay in 2003.

Bierbrodt never developed the control needed to become a successful major league pitcher and has played various independent baseball teams in the United States and for the Brother Elephants of the Chinese Professional Baseball League since 2005.

Bierbrodt's signature is recognizable, but I think you'd have trouble reading it if you didn't know what to look for.

1956 Topps Virgil Trucks

Who is this? Virgil Trucks, a former major league pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, St. Louis Browns, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Athletics and New York Yankees

What is this? An autographed card from the 1956 Topps set

Where'd I get it? I wrote to Virgil Trucks and asked him to sign it; I got the autographed card back about two weeks later.

How much did it cost? A little over $4 for the card and postage.

Why is this so special? This is the oldest card in my collection, signed or unsigned.

Virgil Trucks threw two no-hitters during 1952, only the third pitcher in major league history to accomplish that feat at that point in time. He won 177 games, and easily might have won more if he had played on better teams more often. He finished with a career ERA of 3.39 and twice led the American League in shutouts.

For more about Virgil Trucks, check out this interview at Baseball Almanac.

Virgil Trucks is also special because he is one of those former baseball players who really seems to enjoy hearing from baseball fans. When I wrote to him, I asked if he still follows baseball today and if so, who was the best pitcher in the game today.

He included a short note saying that he was glad to sign the card for me. He also wrote that it is difficult to say who is the best pitcher in modern baseball because they all only pitch five or six innings. He also added a signed card commemorating his two no-hitters and a signed postcard promoting his book.



If I reach age 92, I hope my handwriting looks that good. (Who am I kidding, it doesn't look that good now.)

You just have to love the version of his autograph on the postcard with the fire truck stamp and his nickname written in red ink. Pat Neshek is the only one I can think of who does anything near that clever with his autograph.

2006 Somerset Patriots Hector Almonte

Who is this? Hector Almonte, a former pitcher for the Florida Marlins, Boston Red Sox and Montreal Expos

What is this? An autographed card from the 2006 Somerset Patriots team set

Where'd I get it? I got it signed before a Somerset Patriots game in 2007

How much did it cost? The card set cost around $5

Why is this so special? Hector Almonte, brother of one-time Derek Jeter fill-in Erick Almonte, had a brief major league career. His lifetime record was 1-4 with a 6.27 ERA in 50 games pitched in the majors. Almonte has played professional baseball in Mexico, Canada and Japan as well as America.

I remember Almonte from his stint with the Somerset Patriots. Off the mound, he was a surprisingly friendly guy who always had a smile on his face. On the mound, he was a 6' 2" fireballer who showed no mercy. Off the mound and on it, you'd always see him with a piece of grass in his mouth.

Hector Almonte always took time to carefully sign his autograph, but I've never really figured out how to read it. It's a lot prettier than his brother Erick's -- he just signed his initials "E A" in block letters.

2006 Somerset Patriots Sparky Lyle

Who is this? Albert Walter "Sparky" Lyle, a former relief pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago White Sox

What is this? An autographed card from the 2006 Somerset Patriots team set

Where'd I get it? I got the card signed at a team autograph session before a Somerset Patriots game in 2006.

How much did it cost? The card set was around $5; the autograph was free

Why is this so special? Sparky Lyle was one of the most dominant relievers of the 1970s. He was a three-time All-Star and won the 1977 Cy Young Award.

Lyle pitched in an era when relievers were expected to pitch for more than one inning if needed, so six times in his career he pitched more than 100 innings in a season. He earned 238 saves in his career, and helped the Yankees earn a World Series trophy in 1977.

Since 1998, Lyle has managed the independent league Somerset Patriots in Bridgewater, N.J. He has won five Atlantic League titles.

Lyle has a very clear and distinct autograph.

1968 Topps Bob "Rocky" Johnson

Who is this? Bob Johnson, a 1960s utility infielder for the Kansas City/Oakland Athletics, Washington Senators, Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals.

What is this? An autographed card from the 1968 Topps set

Where'd I get it? I wrote to Johnson and asked him to sign it; he returned it in a little over a week.

How much did it cost? Say $2 for the card & postage

Why is this so special? Bob "Rocky" Johnson spent 11 seasons in the big leagues, playing for seven different teams. He was an original 1961 Washington Senator, selected in the 1960 expansion draft.

Only once - in 1962 as a Washington Senator - did Johnson reach 500 plate appearances. For four seasons, he was a Baltimore Oriole -- he said that was his favorite team to play for. He finished his career with a lifetime .272 batting average, 44 home runs and 230 RBI.

Johnson spent most of the 1967 season with the Mets, but after the season he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds for outfielder Art Shamsky. I believe that the photo on Johnson's 1968 card was taken while he was a Met - you can spot blue pinstripes on his jersey.

I was not aware of Johnson's nickname, "Rocky" until I saw his autograph on this card.

1967 Topps Phil Linz

Who is this? Phil Linz, a 1960s major league infielder for the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets

What is this? An autographed card from the 1967 Topps set

Where'd I get it? I wrote to Linz and asked him to sign it. He returned it in a little over a week. It's my first autograph of 2010.

How much did it cost? Approximately $2, between the cost of the card & postage

Why is this so special? Phil Linz was never a star. He was a utility player who came along near the end of a Yankee dynasty. Most baseball fans wouldn't remember him today except for one story involving a harmonica.

After a Yankees loss in 1964, Linz was teaching himself to play the harmonica on the team bus. First-year manager Yogi Berra didn't feel that this was appropriate, so he told Linz to stop. Linz didn't hear what Berra said, so he asked teammate Mickey Mantle. Mantle told him to play it louder. Linz did, Berra flipped and the press turned it into a bigger story than it deserved to be.

Berra and Linz were reunited on the 1967 Mets, and they staged a photo to commemorate the harmonica incident that Linz now includes on his business cards. He also includes a musical note after his autograph, which is pretty unique and shows a sense of humor.

For more about Phil Linz, check out this article on Baseball Savvy.

2007 Columbus Clippers Jason Simontacchi

Who is this? Jason Simontacchi, a former major league pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals and Washington Nationals

What is this? An autographed card from the 2007 Columbus Clippers team set

Where'd I get it? Jason Simontacchi signed it before a game between the Long Island Ducks and Somerset Patriots in 2008.

How much did it cost? I got the card in a trade.

Why is this so special? Jason Simontacchi was never supposed to make it to the major leagues. He was a late round draft pick of the Kansas City Royals in 1996, but they cut him loose after two lackluster minor league seasons.

In 1998, Simontacchi found himself pitching for the Springfield Capitals in the independent Frontier League. There, he went 10-2 with a 2.98 ERA for the league champion team. That was good enough to get him back into affiliated ball.

He struggled again in 1999, this time in the Pirates' organization. In 2000, Simontacchi played for the Italian National Team in the Olympics. He signed with the Twins organization in 2001 and finally made it to AAA. The next year, he made his major league debut for the Cardinals at the age of 28, winning the Rookie of the Month award in June.

Simontacchi had two good seasons as a starter for St. Louis, but his career was derailed by shoulder injuries. He finished with a 26-17 major league record and a 5.07 lifetime ERA. Simontacchi's final season was 2008, when he pitched in seven games for the Long Island Ducks.

Considering the number of autographs he must have signed over his career, I'm surprised that Jason Simontacchi never came up with a quick version that omitted most of the letters in his name.

2007 Columbus Clippers Coaches

Who is this? Boots Day, a former major league outfielder for the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs and Montreal Expos

What is this? An autographed card from the 2007 Columbus Clippers team set

Where'd I get it? I got the card signed before a game between the Lancaster Barnstormers and Newark Bears in 2008.

How much did it cost? I got the card in a trade.

Why is this so special? Boots Day has earned a living from baseball for longer than I've been alive. Day played for six seasons in the majors, finishing with a lifetime average of .256, eight home runs and 89 RBI.

He was the last player to touch a ball in play at Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia, and was the first batter at Veterans Stadium when it opened the next year. He also played center field during Bill Stoneman’s second no-hitter on Oct. 2, 1972, at Jarry Park in Montreal.

After he finished playing, Day became a coach. I met him when he was the hitting coach for the Lancaster Barnstormers in 2008; last year he filled the same role for the Golden Baseball League's Calgary Vipers.

For more about Boots Day, check out this article from the Utica, N.Y. Observer-Dispatch.

Day has a beautiful, easy-to-read autograph and always seemed happy to sign for fans.

2007 Columbus Clippers Kory Casto

Who is this? Kory Casto, an infielder & outfielder in the Washington Nationals organization

What is this? An autographed card from the 2007 Columbus Clippers team set

Where'd I get it? I got a partial set including a few already-signed cards in a trade in 2008.

How much did it cost? I don't remember what I gave up

Why is this so special? Kory Casto was the third-round draft pick of the Montreal Expos in 2003, their second-to-last year of existence. He was rated as one of the Washington Nationals' top prospects from 2005-07, but hasn't really achieved much success at the major league level.

Casto made his major league debut in 2007, appearing in 16 games for the Nats. He got a longer shot in 2008, appearing in 66 games. So far, Casto has a lifetime major league average of .194 with two home runs and 19 RBI. Last year, he spent the entire season in Syracuse. There, he hit .271 with eight home runs and 58 RBI in 126 games.

Casto doesn't have a bad autograph, but I doubt you'd be able to puzzle it out if you didn't know what you were looking at.

2007 Columbus Clippers Mike Bacsik

Who is this? Mike Bacsik, a former major league pitcher with the Cleveland Indians, New York Mets, Texas Rangers and Washington Nationals

What is this? An autographed card from the 2007 Columbus Clippers set

Where'd I get it? I got a partial team set with a few already-signed cards in a trade

How much did it cost? I don't remember what I gave up

Why is this so special? Bacsik is best known as the pitcher who gave up Barry Bonds' 756th home run.

He is the son of former major league pitcher Mike Bacsik, who pitched for the Texas Rangers and Minnesota Twins in the 1970s.

The younger Mike Bacsik earned his first major league win for the Mets in 2002.

Unless he played overseas last year, I believe Bacsik is now out of baseball. According to his Wikipedia page, Bacsik now works for a Dallas-area sports talk radio show.

Bacsik has an extremely legible autograph for a modern player.

1995 Fleer All Rookies Frank Rodriguez

Who is this? Frank Rodriguez, a former pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, Minnesota Twins, Seattle Mariners and Cincinnati Reds

What is this? An autographed card from the 1995 Fleer All-Rookies set

Where'd I get it? I got the card signed before a Newark Bears game in 2008

How much did it cost? Less than a quarter

Why is this so special? Frank Rodriguez had a great collegiate career, earning the Dick Howser Trophy and leading the Howard Junior College (Big Spring, Texas) to the National Junior College World Series Championship in 1991 .

The Boston Red Sox drafted Rodriguez as a shortstop in 1990, but he didn't sign until the next year. They turned him back into a pitcher in 1992, and he made his major league debut in 1995. The Red Sox traded Rodriguez to Minnesota for Rick Aguilera.

In Minnesota, Rodriguez spent most of his time in the starting rotation. He did not enjoy much success. His career big league record is 29-39, with a 5.33 lifetime ERA.

Rodriguez did not play professional baseball in North America between 2002 and 2007, but he attempted a comeback with the Newark Bears in 2008 at the age of 35. It didn't quite work out, and Rodriguez retired again.

Rodriguez has an interesting abbreviated autograph: F_k R_d_z

In 1995, Fleer produced a nine-card All-Rookies set that could be obtained by mailing in a redemption card found in packs. I bought the complete send-away set for a quarter at a local card show.

I actually saw five of the nine players included in the set in Atlantic League action between 2005 and 2008. Unfortunately, I didn't get the card set until 2008 so I was only able to get two signed.

M1 Edgardo Alfonzo (2006 Bridgeport Bluefish, 2007-08 Long Island Ducks)
M2 Jason Bates
M3 Brian Boehringer (2006-07 Bridgeport Bluefish)
M4 Darren Bragg (2005 Nashua Pride)
M5 Brad Clontz (2005 Somerset Patriots)
M6 Jim Dougherty
M7 Todd Hollandsworth
M8 Rudy Pemberton
M9 Frank Rodriguez (2008 Newark Bears)

2008 Long Island Ducks Alay Soler

Who is this? Alay Soler, a former pitcher for the New York Mets

What is this? An autographed card from the 2008 Long Island Ducks team set

Where'd I get it? I got it signed before a Newark Bears game in 2008

How much did it cost? The team set was about $8

Why is this so special? Everyone who is tired of 2008 Long Island Ducks cards will be pleased to note that this is the final one that I plan to post.

Alay Soler defected from Cuba in 2003 and signed a contract with the New York Mets the following year. Visa issues kept him from starting his U.S. career until 2006, but he went from single-A to the majors in one season. Soler's Mets career was largely forgettable, except for a two-hit complete game shutout against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Mets released Soler in spring training in 2007, and he went on to play in a couple other minor league systems before signing with the Ducks during the 2008 season. He announced his retirement from baseball in 2008, but resurfaced to pitch for the Newark Bears last season.

Soler has a neat signature, clearly signing "A Soler". The number 38 on the bottom right is his uniform number with the Ducks, but I'm not sure what the significance of 6/27 is.

2008 Long Island Ducks P.J. Rose

Who is this? P.J. Rose, a former Cincinnati Reds infielder

What is this? An autographed card from the 2008 Long Island Ducks team set

Where'd I get it? I got it signed after a Newark Bears game in 2008

How much did it cost? The team set was about $8

Why is this so special? P.J. Rose, also known as Pete Rose Jr., had a cup of coffee with the Cincinnati Reds in 1997. His professional career is much more extensive - 2009 was his 21st season in baseball, and he's close to 2000 hits. If I had to guess, though, Rose's playing career may finally be over. He turned 40 in November and played in just 64 games this year, mostly with the York Revolution.

I can't really imagine what it must be like to be the son of such a famous father. Compared to most Americans, P.J. Rose was a great ballplayer -- he was able to earn money playing the game for two decades. But compared to the tiny percentage of ballplayers who make it in the major leagues, P.J. Rose wasn't quite good enough.

Rose quickly signed the card for me as he was leaving the field after a game in Newark, so his autograph is at a 90 degree angle.

2008 Long Island Ducks Damian Rolls

Who is this? Damian Rolls, a former infielder with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays

What is this? An autographed card from the 2008 Long Island Ducks team set

Where'd I get it? I got it signed before a Newark Bears game in 2008

How much did it cost? The team set was around $8

Why is this so special? Damian Rolls, a former first-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers, played 266 games in the major leagues between 200-2004. Since then, he continued to play in the minor leagues and eventually independent ball.

After a half-season in Bridgeport in 2006 and two years with the Long Island Ducks, Rolls played in the Northern League for Kansas City this season.

He's got a beautiful autograph, which is signed in green because I was trying to coordinate with the Ducks' team colors.

Happy New Year! I hope that 2010 is much kinder to everyone than 2009.