Collecting Cleveland Indians Topps team sets from 1952-present, as well as post-war minor and major league autographs.
I wrote the Taylor Harbin while he was playing for Clemson University back in 2007. I really like Clemson and wrote to their players a lot back then. That season Harbin hit .296/.343/.510 with 11 HR. He was a solid mid-range draft prospect. He was drafted in the 8th round[…]
Pitcher Kade Strowd was drafted out of West Virginia University in the 12th round of the 2019 draft by Baltimore. His numbers in college were not great. Over three seasons he carried a 5.31 ERA/1.591 WHIP. And while he gave up plenty of hits and walks, he also struck out[…]
Years ago, while he was in college, I wrote to Mike Minor. He ended up not signing the card that I sent, but did write me a nice note and signed a bio page. Been a fan ever since and I was happy to see him have a career year[…]
— I was able to snag these two Cody Bellinger cards at a very good price. Bonus it was the same seller, so I even saved on shipping. The Topps Update card is kind of hot right now, so getting it at a good price it pretty thrilling. I grabbed[…]
I always think of Andruw Jones as kind of a bust. I have no idea why. He had an amazing career and is a borderline Hall of Fame player. And what’s nice is that his cards, and especially his autographs, are kind of cheap. I was able to get this[…]
Everyone talks about Nolan Jones, but I think Tyler Freeman is the better Indians prospect. He split the 2019 season between Low-A Lake Country and High-A Lynchburg and hit well at both stops. .306/.368/.410 with 3 HR and 19 stolen bases Unlike Nolan, Freeman’s biggest issue is power. He just[…]
I remember really digging Jason Heyward back in the day. Mostly because he was considered a generational talent. The Braves manager at the time even comparted him to Hank Aaron. And when he hit a 3-run HR with his first swing in the majors…he seemed destined for greatness. Ten seasons[…]
Scott Rolen was a very good player. Maybe Hall of Fame good. Rolen made the big leagues in 1996 and by 1997 was a regular in the Phillies lineup. That season he would hit .283/.377/.469 and win the NL ROY. Rolen would spend 17 seasons in the big leagues and[…]
I had a chance to get Andres Galarraga during a private signing. It was not super cheap. But I heard he is a tough autograph in-person, so I considered it. I was able to get this card for less than half the cost of the signing, so that is where[…]
I like Jordan Luplow. Years ago I wrote him a letter asking for an autograph. Instead of sending me back a signed card, he jammed a used batting glove into an envelope. That was a curveball. When I found out he was traded to the Tribe I was pretty happy.[…]