A's at O's June 6th

Wow, what a night I had.....after arriving at 6:15pm I did not have much hope, but I did get Brad Ziegler on a card and then I got Conor Jackson on a bobblehead (thanks to an usher) who saw the bobblehead and when Conor went to talk with some friends he told me and other fans told me to and I ran over there and he signed for me!  Thanks Conor! (First time getting Conor, after trying many games for a couple years, 3 i think)

After the game I was hoping to get Josh Willingham to sign his Nats bat i got from the Dream Foundation, but he did not come out the back.  However, I did get Grant Balfour and Gio Gonzalez on cards and then Jeremy Accardo signed two cards, the third he and his wife liked. I told his wife that she could have it and she was thrilled. Jeremy then told me he would give me a ball the next time he saw me.  He also remembers me as a Jays fan (which I still am, I told him how I live in DC and have 13 game plan in bmore, but go to more games than that here in bmore).


Andrew Bailey, 2009 ROY and 2010 All Star with 51 saves came out with family, He would not sign. I had a 1/1 All Star Letter Patch Jersey Card (Letter "I") and i ran after him and told him what I had and showed it to him. He liked it and I told him he could have it. He asked what he could do for me and of course, I was super nervous and rambled about not being able to go Tue cause of class and Wed because of new job and not being able to get out early enough to get to game in time to meet up with him.  He thanked me and then all the guys who stayed for auto's said I should have asked for a bat or jersey.  I was very exited and he is so cool!

It was a good day.

Jays at Camden Yards - part 2

The Jays Won a game I attended....(were 0-3 this year when I went to a game).

First of all, Adam Lind, 4-4 with 2 homers and 2 singles....I was a big fan of Adam and then last year he for some reason did not like me...it upset me. But, he is still a Jay and I was cheering for him loudly as I sat 8 rows behind the dugout (i moved up 10 rows in my section--which is Sec 46 and sat with this nice lady Kathleen whom I had met at a previous game).

Ok, before the game not many Jays signed as there were over 10,000 little league players on the field before the game.  I was able to get the following autographs

2011 ball
Pat Hentgen (and he signed my ticket)--i need to get a card or something of him
John Farrell (and I told John good luck in KC!)
Marc Rzep (he also signed a photo I took of him at Target Field last year and put to Mike!)--thanks Marc! I told him he is doing a great job in the pen!
Frank Francisco (thanks Frank)--he really didn't want to sign and signed for a couple people--we threw the baseballs to him (he signed inside dugout after game for a couple more people I believe)
Edwin Encarnacion  
Jayson Nix

Also, Kyle Drabek signed two cards (i gave one card to a little kid who was crying causing his friend got a ball tossed to him by Jose Bautista and he didn't get one, i had given the two kids a couple jays cards each prior to that)....he was still crying afterwards...his dad thanked me

Jake Arrieta signed an 8x10 i had of he and I after the home opener this year....he put to Mike...he is a nice guy.  Thanks Jake!

I told Corey Patterson about my blog...i should tell more players but I want to wait until I have more of a following and when I can figure out how to get more pics (need to get a new camera, mine broke)

I will be at the A's/O's game tomorrow night....hoping to get Josh Willingham on a game bat from last year that I got from the Dream Foundation....only chance is after the game....hope he doesn't take the team bus.

Until next time,

Mike

Jays at Camden Yards!----always fun to see my team!

I arrived at 12:37pm, only about 8 of us trying to get autographs including my good friends Chris and John.  We didn't have much luck outside. No O's signed, and only two Jays---Jayson Nix (who asked me why i wanted his autograph, because he sucks) i told him don't say that, that he DID NOT suck. Jayson signed a card for me. And I also got JP Arencibia...he is very nice and signed all three of my cards. Inside, after the game he signed my 2011 team ball as well!

Inside I did very well.  I spoke with Mr. Brian Butterfield about Nick Leyva (Nick is  my favorite coach of all-time for those who do not know, he is now the 3rd base coach for the Pirates).  I was able to get Kyle Drabek on the 8x10 photo I had with him from Fenway Park in April and he put to Mike! He signed past the third base line and then seconds later at the same location I then got Aaron Hill and asked him to sign whichever he liked and that asked if he liked the Jersey cards....he did and he signed BOTH jersey cards!

Rajai Davis signed the team ball for me before hitting. I asked if he had 18 stolen bases and he said he doesn't know (i found out he had 16, but he stole two bases in the game, so now he does have 18). Rajai also said there is nobody faster than him. He was a very nice guy.

I got Jose Bautista on a Washington Post article that was written about him. I got Edwin Encarnacion and Yunel Escobar after they were done hitting. They each signed jersey cards. Mike Mccoy signed the team ball and I thanked him for throwing me ball in Minnesota last year.

Adam Lind...that is right, ADAM LIND.....my pal, was activated from the DL and he SIgnED for me!!! he signed the 2011 team ball....I was so surprised and said thank you many times!

I did NOT get anyone after the game, though it was just me at one point (Corey Patterson and Jose Bautista came out and they got mobbed by o's fans that were kids...and they signed for every single one of the kids.  I I thanked Corey Patterson for taking pic with me in Boston and signing for me then too.  Told him i was a fan, he asked if i was from Toronto, told him from Boston, live in DC, but been a Jays fan since 05, because of Vernon Wells, Scott Downs and Orlando Hudson, he said Vernon is a great guy...yes he is! He even asked if i had a room with everything, i said eventually i would love to have everything on display. Thanked him again and congratulated him on his home run.

I had a great day overall, except for the loss...to the O's...i have bad luck with the Jays in bmore (in terms of wins)....oh Jeremy Accardo said he would sign for me tomorrow. Hope he does, former Jay i like alot.

I am going to game tomorrow, i am exhausted....going to sleep now.

Mike

Padres in DC May 28th and 29th

Padres took the series, two games to one (of course the two I go to, the Nats lose).  But both were one run losses, 2-1 and 5-4.  Fun games to see

Saturday I got the following autographs before the game inside
Heath Bell - padres jersey
Chase Headley - 8x10
Nick Hundley - card
Aaron Harang - bobblehead

Saturday outside after the game
Livan Hernandez- 8x10 (he put to mike)
Adam Laroche - 8x10 (he put to mike best wishes...awesome!)
Wilson Ramos - program
Henry Rodriguez - card (told him glad he is with the nats, he throws heat)
Blake Tekotte - ticket

Brandon and Ethan, great father/son friends were at the game and stayed after too....great people, good kid who is going to be a good ball player.

Sunday before the game inside
Blake Tekotte - added 1st MLB Hit to ticket and signed Padres jersey (congratulated him again on game yesterday and asked him if he was feeling better, he was)
Logan Forsythe - signed jersey (congratulated him on first hit)
Kyle Phillips - signed jersey (chatted about the jays and his brother Jason)...kyle is a great guy
Luke Gregerson - signed jersey

Sunday after game inside
Orlando Hudson - SIGNED Bobblehead!!....he was so nice, i got his attention, showing him the bobblehead, asked him if he could please sign it, he said he would, but i can't throw it, i suggested the camera well next to dugout, and he did! he said that it was an old bobblehead, from 2003, i told him how i am a jays fan, that he was the first jay i ever got autograph and hope he recovers quickly from his hamstring/groin injury and good luck the rest of the year and how he just made my day. I said thank you so much!  O-Dog, your the man!!

Sunday after game
ok, so i was going to get a ride from david to church as it was about 5:15 when we got outside....glad i didn't go to church then (i ended up going to a different church that david drove me to in chinatown that had a 7:30 service though)  i have NEVER received this many autographs after a game from the Nats....on a replica Nats jersey that my dad got me i got the following Nats
 Livan Hernandez
Doug Slaten (chatted, he thought i was a dealer, I AM NOT!, i told him i am a fan and like the nats)
Todd Coffey (chatted about coffey time)
Drew Storen
Tyler Clippard
Sean Burnett (he was first to sign jersey, also signed program)
Brian Bixler
Jerry Hairston Jr (wished him a happy bday)
Ian Desmond
Wilson Ramos
Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez
Danny Espinosa (told him i voted for him 200 times already for all-star game)
Roger Bernadina (told him that his catch was best i have ever seen in person and is still catch of the year on ESPN--i believe it is anyway)

So it was a SUPER afternoon.....and David got Orlando Hudson to sign 8x10 (thanks David for getting that for me)


Well, going to Phillies v Nats.....Halladay v Hernandez I believe....excited to see Doc pitch, not looking forward to all the phillies fans, they are so rude!

Until tomorrow

Mike "bobblehead guy"

Royals at the Yards

Jeff Francis signed a card and Jeff Francoeur signed two cards for me.  Eric Hosmer (Royals top prospect and probably top two with Freeman in terms of 2011 prospects) signed for a while before I arrived (unfortunately I decided to take the Marc Train and it stopped maybe a hundred yards before the stadium for about 15-20 minutes......frustrating.

A few other Royals signed, but I had nothing for them to sign. Was hoping to get Alex Gordon on a bobblehead, but not luck.  He ignored people. I always ask players...Mr (name) could you sign a (item) please?  Then I ALWAYS say thank you so much, I really appreciate it. I also will say something about a game or a great play or hit they made etc...

The O's one, I left after the 8 run 4th inning for the O's as it takes over 2 hours to get home (when I don't have a ride home from my good friend David).


My next game should be this weekend in DC when the Padres come to town and I hope to go Monday  (Memorial Day) and see Halladay pitch at Nats stadium as well!!

Mike "Bobblehead Guy"

Pirates - Monday May 16th

A great game....after some pregame rain ended BP early, I was able to chat with a friend and my favorite MLB coach---Nick Leyva, he is so nice, he remembers me, asked how I have been, said how I was a loyal and dedicated fan and he signed the hat he gave me at the final game of the 2010 season, he signed it to Mike, "all the best".  He is so cool!!!  I told Mr. Hurdle that he is lucky to have Nick on his staff!! Clint signed game ticket. I also got a relief pitcher from the Pirates to sign the game ticket.  I also got Daniel McCutchen to sign two cards, Steve Pearce and Neil Walker each signed a ticket.

The game was great, Hairston Jr with a homer and Danny Espinosa with game winning 2 run homer in the 8th.  Storen closed it, he IS an all star player this year!

After the game I got Joel Hanrahan to sign a card, Danny Espinosa signed the 2011 ticket (i can't wait for his bobblehead).  Adam LaRoche was kind enough to sign his bobblehead from the Pirates that I brought with me, Doug Slaten signed an 8x10 and what was very embarrassing (do to it being almost 11pm) and not knowing all the new guys yet as this was just my second time staying after a game, I called Wilson Ramos, Henry Rodriguez, and Wilson kindly said I am Wilson Ramos, I apologized deeply, told him he is doing great, nice play in the game and he signed two cards, I AM SORRY Wilson!!

I had a good day, despite the rain..........until next time!

Mike "bobblehead guy"

Bernadina with Catch of the Year!!!

Marlins at Nats....6-5 loss in 11......but I witnessed one of, if not the BEST catch I have EVER seen in person!...made by Roger Bernadina.......I told him after the game, that will be #1 on Baseball Tonight....I sat with by friend Brandon and his son Ethan in Sec 318....only one Marlin signed.........Logan Morrison (he signed two cards for me) he came off the DL today and hit a home run. 

After the game I was able to get the following autographs
John Lannan--on a pic I had with him in 2009 with another player who is not in MLB anymore Steve Shell...Lannan liked the photo
Ian Desmond signed 2011 patch card, he had never seen it before....he asked about it...so that was neat, that was the first one he ever signed
Jordan Zimmermann signed a card
my buddy Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez signed his 2010 Nats bobblehead

Bixler, Coffey, Hairston signed, but I didn't have anything for them to sign, Bernadina signed as well, but same thing, I didn't have anything, just congratulated him on "THE CATCH"

Well, i better sign off....its almost 2am...i have class in the morning.

Marlins are not a good signing team. The Nats were good after the game, especially for a game that got over late, and they have a day game tomorrow.

Saw Ryan Zimmerman, hope he recovers and comes back healthy!

- Mike