1998 Skybox Thunder Edgardo Alfonzo

Who is this? Former New York Mets infielder Edgardo Alfonzo
What is this? An autographed card from the 1998 Skybox Thunder set
Where'd I get it? Alfonzo signed it before a Newark Bears game this summer
How much did it cost? A quarter?

Why is this so special? Edgardo Alfonzo remains one of the best players in Mets history. He ranks among the top ten career leaders in team history in most offensive categories. Alfonzo won a Silver Slugger in 1999 and was an All-Star in 2000.

After leaving the Mets, he had some decent seasons in San Francisco and brief stops with the Angels and Blue Jays. He left Major League Baseball with over 1500 hits, 146 home runs and 744 RBI over a 12 year career.

Over the past few years, he's played in Mexico and Japan, as well as independent league baseball in the U.S. After a disappointing 2010 season where Alfonzo hit .154 (12-for-78) in 26 games for the Newark Bears, I wonder if he's finally ready to retire.

Alfonzo's signature has remained fairly consistent throughout his career, but I've never quite figured out why he compresses his last name together the way he does.

2009 BBM Edgardo Alfonzo

Who is this? former Yomiuri Giants infielder Edgardo Alfonzo
What is this? An autographed card from the 2009 BBM set
Where'd I get it? Alfonzo signed it for me before a Newark Bears game earlier this year.
How much did it cost? The card cost around $5.

Why is this so special? Edgardo Alfonzo is arguably one of the best players in Mets history, and he was always one of my favorites. He has over 1,500 major league hits to his credit and was an All-Star in 2000.

After Alfonzo's major league career ended in 2006, he tried to make a comeback by playing in the Atlantic League. He played in for games for the Bridgeport Bluefish before the Mets signed him to a minor league contract to finish the season in Norfolk.

In 2007 and 2008, Alfonzo suited up for the Long Island Ducks. He also spent part of the 2008 season in Mexico. Last year, Alfonzo signed a contract with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan. He played in 21 games and had just 6 hits in 41 at-bats. I'm not sure if he spent the rest of the season on the Giants' minor league club or if he was hurt. This year, Alfonzo played in 26 games for the Newark Bears.

Edgardo's autograph hasn't changed much over the years, but I've never been able to figure out the end of it.