TTM This Week: Grapher DIY, Returns, and Baseball Must-Sends

This Week on TTMCast
With the start of the MLB regular season and the approach of the Minor League Baseball season, we discuss building a grapher book in our new Grapher DIY segment. Plus Troy and Drew talk about what was in their mailboxes over the last week and more.

 

Listen to TTMCast here.

TTM Returns
Joe Cirella

 

The hardnosed NHL defenseman is now an assistant coach for the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers. I mailed these at the end of last season and just got them back in the mail.Kevin Lowe

I picked up the Hall of Famer’s Rookie Card and was all set to mail it out when he retired from the Oilers front office. Fortunately I discovered he still signs through the team, sending this back in about six months.Jeff Jaeger

 

Unfortunately, the former Browns kickerhad no cards with Cleveland. But he did sign a few Raiders cards for me in six weeks through his Washington home.Randy Cunneyworth

 

Randy might be the forward version of Joe Cirella– a physical player with a little offensive upside who went into coaching after his career. He signed for me in just under a year… but kept my Penguins card.Joe Lefebvre

 

A former Yankee, Padre, Phillie, and even before that a member of the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod League, Joe signed in six weeks via his Massachusetts home.Baseball, Baseball! (Catch The Fever Now)
Yes, that’s right, just weeks after “Wowwee Rickey Henderson!” I’m quoting another baseball related retro TV commercial.

The crack of the bat. The smell of the freshly mowed Astroturf… It’s baseball season.

While every TTMer has their own specific item, sports, and teams they collect, many of us started in baseball and still consider it our primary sport. If you’re reading this, you’re probably a veteran collector but I bet you’ve been asked by a beginner at some point on who they should write to.

The easy answer is write to who you want. If there’s one particular player you want, try your luck and send to them. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. But if that player inevitably doesn’t come back to you, it’s easy to get frustrated and give up just as quickly as you started.

So when I get asked the question, I like having a list of players who are almost guaranteed signers because success breeds repetition in a hobby like this. I’m certain that if a new collector who is interested in the game’s past sends to these 25 players, they’ll be hooked on the hobby for life.

1. Pat Neshek

 

Pat was an All-Star in 2014 and 2017 and is an autograph collector himself.  He’s a slam dunk signer.2. Ron Gant 

A two-time All-Star as well, Gant is also a two-time 30/30 hitter and a reliable signer.3. Frank Tanana

Did you know Tanana was once honored with a 00-numbered card by Topps? In 1978, his third of three consecutive All-Star appearances, he was card #600 in Topps’ set.4. Charlie Hough 

Everyone loves knuckleballers, and if you don’t, you’re wrong. I said what I said…5. Bobby Shantz

If you asked a casual baseball fan who won the 1952 AL MVP, the most common guesses would be Mantle, Williams, Berra, Feller… but no, it was the 8-time Gold Glover Shantz. Still going strong at age 98, Bobby also signs at card shows.6. Greg Gagne
Gagne may have had a fairly undistinguished career, but he was a two-time World Series winner. That’s more than I did.

7. Juan Gonzalez
As a player, Juan Gone hated signing. In retirement, he has become one of the best.

8. Rick Cerone
Rick was the quintessential journeyman platoon catcher– eight teams including three separate Yankees’ stints.  Be sure to catch the Q&A and Card Back Q&A SC Daily did with him last summer.

9. Larry Bowa 
Aside from a season managing AAA Las Vegas in 1986, Bowa was in Major League dugouts or broadcast studios from 1970 to 2017. He’s got plenty of cards to sign and is usually accommodating.

10. Carl Erskine

In addition to two no-hitters, Oisk was awarded the Buck O’Neil Lifetime Achievement Award by the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2023. He’s still signing at age 97.11. Bobby Witt Sr.

 

Bobby Sr. pitched from 1986-2001 and the last game he ever pitched in was the only time he appeared in a World Series– Game 6  with the champion Arizona D-Backs. Talk about a great way to go out. 

 

Bobby Jr. clearly learned from dear old dad as he is very fan-friendly in-person but unlike Senior, the demand has gotten too big for Junior to continue signing through the mail.  

12. John Olerud
Speaking of two generations, here’s a fun fact: John Olerud is mentioned in Jim Bouton’s Ball Four. Not the former Blue Jay, but his father, John Sr.

13. Bryn Smith 

The aforementioned Charlie Hough was the first winning pitcher for the Marlins, while Smith holds that distinction for the Rockies.14. Mark Gubicza
Gubicza finished third in the 1988 Cy Young voting, but his 7.7 WAR topped the two pitchers ahead of him (Frank Viola and Dennis Eckersley).

15. Danny Darwin
A longstanding rumor says Darwin was supposed to fight Nolan Ryan in 1988 to see which Astros hard-throwing righty was tougher. Darwin denies the report.  Durable Danny pitched in the bigs from 1978-1998–a total of 716 games.

16. Zane Smith
If I ever start a collection of signed cards of pitchers doing things on offense, Zane’s 1993 Select card would top the list as he takes off from first.

17. Rick ReuschelBig Daddy stopped signing for a while, then returned, charging $5. He’s back to being a free signer again, but please folks, don’t take advantage of him again.  

18. Steve Balboni
One of the progenitors of the homer-or-whiff power hitters common to today’s game, Balboni will sign one item per request and rarely disappoints.

19. Andre Thornton

With three 30-homer seasons for Cleveland, he was fourth in club history at the time of his retirement (and still sits in ninth place now). The affable Thornton  finished his career with more walks (876) than strikeouts (851).

20. Dusty Baker

I’ll be shocked if Johnnie B doesn’t get into the Hall of Fame for his managerial exploits. Get him now while he’s free.While all of these signers have been signing for no charge, here are a few Hall of Famers who sign for a very modest $10 an item.

21. Ryne Sandberg

 

Ryno is currently being treated for cancer but did throw out the first pitch at the Cubs’ home opener on Monday. He will usually sign only two items per request (so if you send four cards and $40, you may still only get two signed).

22. Wade Boggs

Rookie cards carry a higher price ($25 each) but $10 a sig for any other card of the Chickenman is an absolute steal. 23. Mike Mussina (https://photos.app.goo.gl/eQbQWZogEAbaiF9p9)
If you like signed Hall of Fame Rookie Cards as much as I do, Mussina is a no-brainer: $10 a sig and most of his RCs can be found for a buck or less.

24. Bill Mazeroski

The hero of the 1960 World Series tends to downplay his home run, but it’s still one of the game’s greatest moments. The 87-year-old Maz signed at shows many times but now you’re more likely to get him via the USPS.25. Andre Dawson 

Did you know Hawk is now a funeral director? In the event of my untimely demise, please have the Hall of Famer and Expos great running things. For the modest price, you get a beautiful signature, too.

 

Player addresses can be acquired via SportsCardForum and SportsCollectors.net.