2010 Topps Update Kevin Millwood

Who is this? Pitcher Kevin Millwood.
What is this? An autograph card from 2010 Topps Update.
Where'd I get it? I got this signed by Kevin when he was a member of the Pawtucket Red Sox last Spring. Although he never ended up joining the Boston Red Sox, he was very gracious and friendly to all of the fans in Pawtucket.
How much did it cost? Not much.

Why is this so special? Kevin Millwood will be best remembered for his tenure with the Atlanta Braves from 1997 until 2002 when he was a part of the Braves rotation that also included Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, and Tom Glavine. In 1999, Millwood won 18 games, was named to his only All-Star game, and came in third in the National League Cy Young voting.

Before the 2003 season, Millwood was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies and wasted little time before making an impact. On April 27, 2003, Millwood threw a no-hitter against the San Francisco Giants. Since then, Millwood has spent time with the Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, and Colorado Rockies in the Major Leagues and pitched for Minor League affiliates of the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox in 2011.

This season, Millwood (who will be 37 on Opening Day) is attempting to win a spot in the Seattle Mariners starting rotation.

2010 Topps Daniel Hudson

Who is this? Arizona Diamondbacks Pitcher Daniel Hudson.
What is this? An autograph card from 2010 Topps Series 1.
Where'd I get it? I got this card signed by Daniel after a game against the Pawtucket Red Sox in 2010 when he was pitching for the White Sox Triple-A Affiliate, the Charlotte Knights.
How much did it cost? I got this card when I bought 2010 Topps Series 1 for about $23.00.

Why is this so special? Daniel Hudson is one of the best young pitchers in baseball. Over the course of his first three season in the Majors, Hudson has a record of 25-15 over 49 starts with a 3.19 ERA, with 267 strikeouts and only 86 walks. Not bad for a fifth-round pick out of Old Dominion.

And, not only is Daniel a rising star on the mound, he is also a very good signer. Not only was he very nice when I met him after a Paw Sox game (after security had turned off all of the lights and there were a few collectors asking him to sign in pitch black), but he has also signed cards through-the-mail for both my wife and me.

Daniel personalized the cards for both of us, something that I think is cool, and even wrote a note on the cardboard piece that I include in every return envelope to protect my cards.