2006 Bazooka Chris Capuano

I don't have time to continue posting an autograph every day. For the short-term future, I'm going to change the format a little bit - on Sunday night or Monday morning, I'll share the best autograph I added to my collection during the previous week.


For the longer-term future, I'd like to add a few more contributors. Email PaulsRandomStuff@verizon.net if you're interested and would like more details.

Who is this? New York Mets pitcher Chris Capuano
What is this? An autographed 2006 Topps Bazooka card
Where'd I get it? I wrote to Capuano at the Mets spring training camp and asked him to sign it. I got it back the day before the season started.
How much did it cost? I got the card out of a pack in 2006.

Why is this so special? Capuano was originally drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Shortly after making his big league debut in 2003, Capuano was included in a 9-player deal that brought Lyle Overbay to the Milwaukee Brewers for Richie Sexson.

In 2005, Capuano won 18 games for the Brewers and in 2006, he was an All-Star. Then came the injuries. Capuano missed all of 2008 and only pitched 9 innings in the minor leagues in 2009 as he recovered from Tommy John surgery.

Capuano returned to the majors last season with Milwaukee. Though he was effective in limited duty, the Brewers did not re-sign the 32-year-old lefty at the end of the season. Instead, he signed with the Mets and won the fifth starter's job out of spring training.

Capuano's autograph is a little bit sloppy, but definitely recognizable.

In addition to Capuano's autograph, I also received a signed Pedro A. Martinez card last week. (I already wrote about it on my other blog, RandomBaseballStuff.com.)

2005 Bazooka Wily Mo Pena

Who is this? Arizona Diamondbacks non-roster invitee Wily Mo Pena
What is this? An autographed 2005 Topps Bazooka card
Where'd I get it? Pena signed it last year during a Newark Bears game.
How much did it cost? The unsigned card came out of a pack.

Why is this so special? Wily Mo Pena was once a highly-regarded prospect. He played in two All Star Futures Games, and represented the Dominican Republic in the 2006 World Baseball Classic. He has playing in over 500 major league games.

Last season, Pena spent part of the season with the Bridgeport Bluefish in the Atlantic League. If I recall correctly, he wasn't in the lineup on the day that I went. He was one of the last players out of the clubhouse, coming out after the national anthem, so I didn't think he would sign autographs. He surprised me, though; he kept signing even after the game started. Of course, his autograph isn't very pretty (I do think he signed the card longways.)

Here's my other one, a 2003 Fleer Tradition card.

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.