Therion's All Time Astros Autograph Collection (1,004 Reached!! 25 To Go!)

[mrmopar]

Nice score on Green.

I have been lucky with new Dodgers this year...so far. Most new adds this season were either already in my collection or a quick easy add. Last year they were adding new guys every other day it seemed around this time. Latest add was Heath Hembree. I am sitting at 5 again (Betts, Bruihl, Hembree, Martin, C. and Nunez, D). New and/or obscure guys and the BIG $$$ Betts are holding me steady from the goal.

 

[Therion]

One step forward, one step back. One new addition, one upgrade, and one new member of the roster with Hunter Brown's *epic* debut.

Yimi Garcia custom IP through a consignment. Super pumped to get this new addition done.

Sonny Jackson upgrade from an index card.

 

[Therion]

One upgrade since my last update.

Norm Larker upgraded from an index card.

 

[Therion]

Two upgrades since my last update.

Mendy Lopez signed at a Minor League game on commission. I was pumped to get this one because he apparently does not love signing, but my guy was able to sweet talk him into TWO! This is an upgrade from a Minor League card.

TJ Mathews. I purchased this one for more than I normally would, but while researching images to make a custom, I found out that he actually had an Astros card! Bless Upper Deck for the 40-Man set. There was *one* signed copy available in the myriad of places I look, so I snagged it before I regretted it.

 

[Therion]

One new addition that officially brings me to 950 unique Astros autographs!

Jake "From Rake Farms" Meyers

 

[Therion]

Big week, since I have TWO new additions, which has become exceedingly rare. Both were obtained by a friend at the AAA team.

Ronel Blanco. One of the relievers that came up this year but was not successful. He may return, but I think it's unlikely.

Alex De Goti. He plays second base and will only come back in the event of an injury since Jose Altuve stands in his way.

 

[Therion]

One upgrade since my last update.

Francisco Liriano from a private signing. I don't love that he signed it partially in the dark and not in the big white space I made for the auto, but I can't complain about having one of very few Astros autographs of him.

 

[Pinbreaker]

I'm looking at a Jose Urquidy on my desk from 2020.. Do you need him?

 

[Therion]

DM sent

 

[Pinbreaker]

Any updates with all the new free agents?

 

[Therion]

I don't add them to the needs list until they actually play a game. Jesse Crain taught me that lesson.

 

[mrmopar]

I am chilling this offseason myself. Dodgers ink too many player to minor league deals and then they get released or otherwise leave the organization. If someone is likely to play or obscure, maybe I'll take a chance. I don't mind players who only play MiLB games for the team, but much prefer MLB guys.

 

[Therion]

It's hard to believe it has been TWO MONTHS since I had an upgrade. Two upgrades this week.

Terry McGriff. There are no photos of him with Houston, this is a Photoshop job of his face on Eric Anthony's body. The left ear is the giveaway that it's a PS job. Obtained TTM, took about six months.

Ryan Thompson via private signing. A lot of drama around this signing. At one point Thompson told the organizer that he was keeping all of the cards and the money because he didn't feel like signing them. Lawyers became involved and apparently the exact manner in which Thompson agreed to the signing was not legally binding because it could be interpreted two different ways. But I guess Christmas grew the Grinch's heart and they showed up without explanation. Regardless, I'm glad to have him off of my list.

 

[mrmopar]

These private signings seem to be more and more common these days, spread out across a growing number of what I would call amateur "promotors". Not saying that was the case here, but seems anyone with a connection now days is all of the sudden a promotor.

I can appreciate guys like this doing these signings, specifically for player, team or set collectors, but seeing this chaps my hide. That guy pretty much was a scrub! He should be happy anyone actually wants his signature and to act like that is just frustrating to see. As he was getting paid (and likely WAY more than he should have gotten), he should have just shut his pie hole and signed the cards! Glad you got it back.

 

[BucCollector]

I'm chasing a few Grinches myself. Congrats on the Thompson.

 

[Therion]

Only three weeks for a new update this time! I have some consignments out at Spring Training, so hopefully in the next few weeks I can knock a few guys off the upgrades and needs lists. All three here are upgrades.

Joe McEwing via Private Signing.

Kirk Bullinger via TTM. He stopped signing for a LONG time and was happy to get this Louisiana boy back!

Larry Dierker upgrade via Twitter purchase. I was not looking to upgrade my Dierker and I already had this dual-signed in my spot for Beauchamp, but this was offered to me for $5 and I would buy this all day at $5. Beauchamp died 16 years ago, so the duals are getting harder and harder to find.

 

[BucCollector]

Where do you shop on Twitter?

 

[Therion]

I mostly *sell* on Twitter, but I follow a ton of Astros people and they will randomly offer me things.

That said, there is a lot of active sellers on Twitter. Some I've bought from successfully are @HiveCards @watchthebreaks and @LAcarddude.

 

[Therion]

One upgrade this week.

Don Bradey via TTM. No pictures exist of him with Houston, so I Photoshopped this one. His handwriting is getting shaky, but I'm thrilled to get another no-photos-exist guy off the list.

 

[Therion]

Two upgrades since my last update.

Brock Davis via TTM. This is an upgrade from an index card.

Rafael Montalvo via TTM. This is an upgrade from a Minor League card.

Both of these seemed like lost causes a year ago. Brock Davis signs pretty regularly, but he failed to return five previous attempts. Persistence pays off. Montalvo seemingly disappeared years ago but has appeared *in Houston* recently, so I gave it a shot. The Montalvo is a Photoshop job.