1993 Topps Bob MacDonald

Who is this? Former Toronto Blue Jays reliever Bob MacDonald
What is this? An autographed card from the 1993 Topps set
Where'd I get it? I wrote to MacDonald at the beginning of November and asked him to sign a few cards for me. I got them back the day after Thanksgiving.
How much did it cost? Not much, beyond the postage.

Why is this so special? MacDonald was born in New Jersey and attended Rutgers University. He spent parts of six seasons in the majors in the 1990s. Though he pitched primarily for the Blue Jays, MacDonald also played for the Mets, Yankees and Tigers. According to his Wikipedia page, MacDonald now manages a semi-pro slow pitch softball team.

MacDonald has a decent signature that would likely be quite nice on a larger item... it seems a bit cramped on the baseball cards he signed for me. Here are the other two:

2009 MultiAd Sports Greenville Drive Bob Kipper

Who is this? Portland Sea Dogs pitching coach Bob Kipper
What is this? An autographed card from the 2009 Greenville Drive team set
Where'd I get it? I wrote to Kipper and asked him to sign a few cards earlier this month. A little over a week later, I got them back.
How much did it cost? Nothing, except postage.


Why is this so special? Bob Kipper was a major league pitcher for 8 seasons between 1985 and 1992 with the California Angels, Pittsburgh Pirates and Minnesota Twins. He began his career as a starter, but moved to the bullpen in 1988.

Kipper had a lifetime 27-37 record with a 4.34 ERA in 271 major league games. He finished his career in 1994 in the Mets' farm system. After retiring as a player, Kipper became a coach in the Red Sox system.

Kipper's autograph is quick and difficult to read, but you can make out more than just his initials. This is the first 2009 Greenville Drive card I've posted, and the first one that I've gotten signed. The set seems perfect for autographs, with a light background and nice portrait shots for most of the players and coaches.

Here are two other cards that he signed for me:

Last week's most-viewed posts were:

1. Star Driver Autograph Board signed by Masahiko Minami
2. 1991 Bowman Ever Magallanes
3. Autographed photo of James Marsters as Spike and Juliet Landau as Drusilla
4. 2010 Trenton Thunder Edwar Gonzalez
5. Autographed photo of Camden Toy and Doug Jones as The Gentlemen

1991 Bowman Ever Magallanes

Who is this? Birmingham Barons manager Ever Magallanes
What is this? An autographed card from the 1991 Bowman set
Where'd I get it? From Zach of Autographed Cards, who probably got it signed at the Rickwood Classic this summer.


Why is this so special? Magallanes' major league career was of the "blink and you missed it" variety. He appeared in two games as a defensive replacement for the 1991 Cleveland Indians and one more as a pinch hitter. He did not get a hit in either of his major league at-bats, but he did reach base on a walk in his major league debut.

Magallanes' playing career lasted much longer - 19 years - with the majority of that time spent in his native Mexico. After retiring, Magallanes started a new career as a minor league manager with the Arizona League Angels in 2006. He is currently managing the Birmingham Barons, the White Sox' AA affiliate that briefly gained national attention when Michael Jordan tried to start a professional baseball career there in the mid-90s.

For a former player with a long name, Magallanes has a surprisingly neat autograph. Thanks for the card, Zach!

Since everyone will be busy with Thanksgiving, football and holiday shopping plans this weekend, this is going to be my last post on Auto-Matic for the People until Monday. Have a great holiday weekend everybody & be sure to take a moment to remember the things that you are thankful for.

2009 Tacoma Rainiers Erick Monzon

Who is this? Long Island Ducks infielder Erick Monzon
What is this? An autographed card from the 2009 Tacoma Rainiers team set
Where'd I get it? I got the card signed before a Newark Bears game this summer
How much did it cost? The card was a gift from a friend who visited the Tacoma Rainiers ballpark in 2009.


Why is this so special? Erick Monzon was drafted out of high school by the Texas Rangers in 1999, but he  did not sign. Instead, he went to the University of Tampa and signed with the Seattle Mariners as an undrafted free agent.

Monzon played at every level in the Mariners' system from 2004-2009, but it seems as though he was regarded more as a utility infielder who could provide roster depth than a real prospect. This season, spent with the Long Island Ducks, was the first time he played in 100 games for one team and only the second time he played that many in one season.

For the Ducks, Monzon hit .267 with a .731 OPS.He hit 11 home runs ans stole 17 bases.

Monzon's autograph is interesting... while it is pretty complicated, it is not very legible.

2010 Trenton Thunder Edwar Gonzalez

Who is this? Trenton Thunder outfielder Edwar Gonzalez  
What is this? An autographed card from the 2010 Trenton Thunder team set
Where'd I get it? Gonzalez signed it for me at a Trenton Thunder game this summer
How much did it cost? The team set was $10.

Why is this so special? Edwar Gonzalez is a nine-year minor league veteran. He began his pro career in 2002 with the Gulf Coast League Yankees at the age of 19. He advanced through the farm system, first arriving at Trenton in 2008.

In a part-time role in 2010, Gonzalez hit .235 with a .707 OPS in 74 games. He had 6 home runs and 35 RBI. For the first time in his career, Gonzalez played at the AAA level ... four games with the Scranton Wilkes-Barre Yankees.

He is currently a minor league free agent, so his time in the Yankees' system has likely reached an end. He could catch on with another organization, but I think independent ball is in his future if Gonzalez wants to play in 2011.

Gonzalez has an autograph that would drive collectors nuts if they were trying to identify it on a team-signed baseball - I would swear that it belongs to somebody with the initials "L.L."

Site Stats Fun
Our most-viewed posts last week were:

1. 2010 Wichita Wingnuts Brandon Mathes
2. 2010 Wichita Wingnuts Brian Rose
3. 1972 Topps Dock Ellis "In Action"
4. Star Driver Autograph Board signed by Masahiko Minami
5. 2006 Fleer Greats of the Game Don Newcombe

GCRL's post from February 2009, john wooden - through the mail success, is still the all-time most popular since Blogger started keeping track of stats, but the Star Driver autograph board is rapidly closing in.

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.

2006 Fleer Greats of the Game Don Newcombe

Who is this? former Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Don Newcombe
What is this? An autographed insert card from the 2006 Fleer Greats of the Game set
Where'd I get it? I purchased it from a dealer at a local card show.
How much did it cost? Not sure... between $10 & $15.

Why is this so special? Newcombe grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey and went to school not far from where I work. He still lives in the Garden State.

Newcombe pitched for the Negro League's Newark Eagles before signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He made his major league debut in 1949, winning the National League Rookie of the Year award and getting selected to the All-Star team. He would go to three more All-Star Games and win the National League MVP and Cy Young Awards in 1956 when he went 27-7.

Newcombe spent two seasons in the military during the Korean War. He left Major League Baseball with a 149-90 career record, a lifetime 3.56 ERA, 1129 strikeouts. He also had a .271 career batting average and 15 home runs. Newcombe pitched one season in Japan with the Chunichi Dragons before retiring in 1962.

Newcombe has a beautiful autograph, and Fleer designed a great card to showcase it.