New York Mets Forum

Yes, some players are costly to get autographs from.  I don't mind so much when they have a charity where the money goes to help people but the players who made million playing and now want $100+ for autographs is a little much.
I miss out on Cooperstown this year.  They do a parade down main street with all the HOFers in the backs of trucks.  Several of them will sign before going into the hall.  Wade Boggs is one of the best.  You can tell he really loves his fans because he'll walk up and down the street signing for an hour.  My son and I were able to score a couple players over the years from the parade although it's hard to get close enough since people camp there starting the night before.  We usually just go to the different shops where the players are signing form money and get most of them that way.

Decided to check some "stats," if you will, as I've now reached 940:

1962 Mets: 29/45 (Anderson, Bouchee, Cannizzaro, Cisco, Craig, Daviault, DeMerit, Drake, Foss, Ginsberg, Herrscher, Hickman, Hillman, Hook, Hunter, Jackson, Kranepool, Labine, Landrith, MacKenzie, Marshall, Bob (righty) Miller, Pignatano, B.G. Smith, Taylor, Thomas, Throneberry, Woodling, Zimmer)
1969 Mets: 31/35 (all but Frisella, Hudson, Koonce, and McAndrew)
1986 Mets: 35/36 (all but Randy Myers, who is notoriously grouchy about signing, apparently)
Longest Alphabetical Run: 37 (Alex Torres to Jose Vizcaino, but adding Wacha will complete the run all the way to Gene Walter)
Largest Alphabetical Gap: 3 (several places)
Longest Chronological Debut Run: 52 - Alay Soler (5/24/06) to Tony Armas (7/3/08) 
Ernandezes: 7/9 (missing Chico F and Manny H)
I's: 3/4 (missing Igarashi)
Joneses: 6/8 (missing Sherman and lefty Bobby)
Macs & Mcs: 17/20 (missing McAndrew, McDaniel, and McGowan)
Bob Johnsons: 3/3 (counting Rob)
Bob Millers: 1/2 (missing Bob L, the righty)

Total Number of Missing Players: 171

WHAMMO! Got Frank Taveras in today, which brings me to an even 1,000! 

Just 111 missing Mets to go!

Nice job reaching 1,000.  I hope you can get all the rest you are missing.

Goodness, they're not making it easy or cheap on autograph collectors, are they? Scherzer, then now Verlander, Senga, and Correa all going on the list! :)

Chris, at one time I could have gotten you 15 closer, based on your list, but they've all been sold already.  i'm very pleased with your success in this venture.

You've been able to knock a bunch off my list in the past few years! So I thank you very much! And I need to get that David Robertson you have on your trade list right now. :)

It's vary impressive what you have been able to accomplish! I saw Randy Myers on your list and thought that doesn't make sense, then I saw how all of his autographed cards go for at least $90!

Yep, Myers is a notoriously difficult signer. However, I do have him incoming now, because a friend of mine got him (on a ball, but it's good enough for me) many years ago. (Good to have friends who work in minor league baseball - he helped me knock Luis Avilan off my list when he was in town last season too!)

Updated need list below, if anyone has any! Most of the guys I have left are dead, tough signers, superstars, or some combination of the three LOL!

Dario Alvarez
Francisco Alvarez (various)
Javier Baez (various)
Billy Baldwin (d. 2011)
Tyler Bashlor
Gus Bell (d. 1995)
Mike Bishop (d. 2005)
Ken Boyer (d. 1982)
Mark Bradley
Elio Chacon (d. 1992)
Kelvin Chapman
Rich Chiles
Alex Claudio
Scott Copeland
Yennsy Diaz
Nino Espinosa (d. 1987)
Francisco Estrada (d. 2019)
Johneshwy Fargas (2022 Donruss)
Nate Fisher
Joe Foy (d. 1989)
Danny Frisella (d. 1977)
Gonzalez Germen
Geremi Gonzalez (d. 2008)
Bill Graham (d. 2006)
Connor Grey
Don Hahn
Eric Hanhold
Geoff Hartlieb
Guillermo Heredia (2017 Panini)
Joe Hietpas
Gil Hodges (d. 1972)
Colin Holderman
Mike Howard
Ryota Igarashi
Ender Inciarte (various)
Roy Lee Jackson
Sherman Jones (d. 2007)
Ricardo Jordan
Kevin Kaczmarski
Takashi Kashiwada
Cal Koonce (d. 1993)
Dave Liddell
Cory Lidle (d. 2006)
Kevin Lomon
Mike G. Marshall (d. 2021)
Jerry May (d. 1996)
Chris Mazza
Bob L. Miller (d. 1993)
Herb Moford (d. 2005)
Bryce Montes de Oca
Tommy Moore (d. 2017)
Bob Moorhead (d. 1986)
José Moreno (d. 2019)
Kevin Morgan
Billy Murphy
Omar Narvaez (2022 Panini)
Michael Perez (various)
Tim Peterson
Grover Powell (d. 1985)
Jose Quintana (2014 Gypsy Queen)
Elvin Ramirez
Bob Rauch
Jacob Rhame
David Robertson (various)
Joely Rodriguez
Kenny Rogers
Doug Saunders
Max Scherzer (various)
Al Schmelz
Kodai Senga
Tsuyoshi Shinjo (2001 Elite?)
Charley Smith (d. 1994)
Dick Stuart (d. 2002)
Bill Sudakis (d. 2021)
Stephen Tarpley (2019 Stadium Club?)
Carlos Torres
Justin Verlander (various)
Mark Vientos (various)