Where Art Thou Kent Hrbek?

I told myself when I started this, not to get my hopes up. I seriously try. No matter how nonsensical it seems to me to not respond to a piece of mail like what I'm sending out, I still try and realize that everyone has their own prerogative. Some guys just don't like signing through the mail. Some guys simply don't have time to sign through the mail. Most of the guys I'm sending to though, should. And I make it really easy on them. All the tools are in the package I send. Just sign it, and mail it back.

But I need to be happy with the success I've had. I have sent 17 total items (plus two more dropped in the mail today) and received 11 of them back. That's pretty good. Some were complete surprises (Liam Hendriks, Brad Radke), others I was always confident of a return (Tom Kelly, Tom Brunansky). Of the guys I have not heard from, I don't really know what to think. I'm dumbfounded by Gene Larkin, and I understand not hearing from Miguel Sano and Joe Benson. Frank Viola traditionally is very good but takes an awful long time. Rick Aguilera, was a long shot to begin with, boasting a not so great track record of signing through the mail.

I know I should be happy with what I've got, but I can't help but be disappointed in Kent Hrbek.

Research showed Hrbek as a strong supporter of ALS. My wife's aunt is currently battling this and I touched on it in my letter of request to Hrbek. Research also showed that Hrbek is a fantastic through the mail signer if a small donation was made to the Minnesota ALS Foundation he helped start. Since I was sending him a baseball, I sent along a nice check.

Seven days ago I noticed in my bank account that the check was cashed. A scan of it even proves that Hrbek himself endorsed it! Two days later, a thank you card (for tax purposes) came in the mail to me, from the Minnesota ALS Foundation. Seven days ago . . . yet . . . no baseball from Herbie.

I have a hard time believing that the guy would cash my check and NOT sign my baseball and return it, but I'm beginning to worry that that is exactly what happened. 11 of my 17 requests have come back to me without a hitch, so I have a hard time believing it was lost in the process. I hope I hear from him soon, but my doubts are growing with each passing day.

Maybe he was too busy filming Taco Johns commercials.

Success #9: Liam Hendriks

 

I had written off the guys I sent balls to in Fort Myers. I sent baseballs to top Twins prospects Miguel Sano, Joe Benson, and Liam Hendriks when I learned they were among many that had shown up early to Spring Training workouts. I called the stadium later and spoke with a man that informed me that the Twins actually take over the mailing department during Spring Training and that the chance of the players seeing my item in a timely manner was pretty slim.

I literally crossed all three off of my "pending" list.

Then the mail came on Friday. I had two packages. Both through-the-mail successes. The first one I opened was a baseball signed by Australian pitcher Liam Hendriks.

Liam Hendriks came out of nowhere last year to impress in the Twins minor league system. He began the year at AA New Britain where he boasted a 2.70 ERA in 15 starts, prompting a promotion to AAA Rochester where he started 9 games and saw his ERA rise to 4.56. That didn't stop the Twins from calling him up near the end of last season to help the injury-plagued rotation. He started 4 games at the MLB level and only two resulted in decisions, both losses. His MLB ERA was 6.17. 

Kyle Gibson has been the guy to pay attention to in the last few seasons but after an elbow injury ended his 2011 season, Hendriks picked up the torch and ran with it. Hendriks was chosen to pitch in the 2011 Futures All Star game. All serious Twins followers have Hendriks ranked among the club's current top 10 prospects. Many even have Hendriks as high as the top 5 or just shy of it. Some prospects get promoted based on tools and potential. Others come out of nowhere to impress due to persistence and hard work. That's Hendriks. 

He has loads of potential and could possibly break onto the scene in a 2012 season where expectations are rather low for the team. There's not much room on the staff as of now, but once the season gets going, injury prone players like Scott Baker, Nick Blackburn, and Francisco Liriano as well as veterans like Carl Pavano and Jason Marquis may need to be bumped and Hendriks should be waiting in the wings.

Hendriks marks my first through the mail success of a player on the Twins current roster. He also marks my longest success (17 days).

Mailed: 2/7/12

Received: 2/24/12 (17 days)

Success #8: Camilo Pascual

 So just when I get disappointed, autographs start rolling in!

Camilo Pascual was a starting pitcher for the Twins in the 19060s. He started with Washington and came over when Calvin Griffith moved the team to the Twin Cities. The three seasons prior to the move, Pascual had turned in two seasons with ERAs south of 3.15 and one season with an ERA of 2.64. At the time, he was becoming one of the most feared pitchers in the league. With the Twins, he would become one of the best. With Pascual atop the rotation, alongside starters Jim Kaat, Jim Perry, and Mudcat Grant the Twins had a much feared pitching staff. Four seasons after the move, the young talent in the field and at the plate, paid off for the Twins and they won the AL pennant.

When I researched Pascual's career, Johan Santana eerily came to mind. Consistently low ERA and four straight 200+ strikeout seasons (leading the league) after the move to Minnesota. Near the end of his tenure with the Twins, Pascual began developing trouble in his arm and his numbers began to suffer. The Twins traded him back to Washington (an expansion team) where he pitched a few more years with them and various other teams before retiring.

Pascual returned to the organization in 1978 as pitching coach and would later become an international scout for many MLB teams. He's credited for the Oakland A's signing of Jose Canseco. This year, the Twins will honor him by inducting him into their own Hall of Fame. A well-deserved honor.

From what I could find, it didn't appear that Pascual was a reliable signer through the mail. I felt I was taking a chance with him. Or maybe my letters of request are better than I think! Either way, Pascual returned my baseball from his Miami, FL home in just 6 days, which seems to be the norm when I catch guys at home.

Mailed: 2/17/12
Received: 2/23/12 (6 days)

Success #7: Tom Brunansky

Despite my recent disappointment this week, last week was not so quiet. On Monday I received Tom Kelly and Jim Kaat's baseballs, and on Thursday, I received one from Tom "Bruno" Brunansky.

Before there was Michael Cuddyer, there was Tom Brunansky. He was a staple in right field for the Twins throughout the 1980s. He hit at least 20 HRs in each of his 6 complete seasons as a Twin. He was an All-Star in 1985 and in 1987 had a monster AL Championship series helping the Twins upset the Tigers. The Twins won the World Series over the St. Louis Cardinals that season but Brunansky was quiet in the series.

Following their World Series Championship, in a rather bold move with somewhat good intentions at the time, the Twins traded Brunansky to the Cardinals for second baseman Tom Herr. Herr had an awful impact on the clubhouse, complaining often about being in Minnesota and driving a wedge between once best friends, Gary Gaetti and Kent Hrbek. Herr was shipped out after the 1988 season. Meanwhile, Brunansky spent two full seasons in St. Louis and slugged over 20 HRs in each of them. Who knows what might have been if the Twins had kept Brunansky and never traded for Herr . . . maybe they wouldn't have needed 3 more seasons to get back to the World Series.

Brunansky played in 5-6 more seasons after being traded by the Twins but he has remained a fan favorite amongst fans and front office. In 2010 the Twins made Brunansky the hitting coach for one of their Rookie League teams and quickly promoted him to AA New Britain. This season, he'll be at AAA Rochester. I told him in my letter of request, that it's great the Twins are keeping a man like him close by!

I love it when guys inscribe their number. And the "Go Twins!" inscription is awesome!

Mailed: 2/7/12
Received: 2/16/12 (9 days)

Disappointment Setting In

On January 18, I mailed a baseball to Kevin Tapani. 10 days later I received my ball back signed. Since then, I have mailed out 17 baseballs. I didn't have high expectations at the time, but after receiving 7 back fairly quickly, my expectations raised. I got my hopes up. I thought I was making it easy for former players to sign and return balls to me and couldn't fathom why someone would discard one. I soon expected to get all of them back. Now, disappointment is setting in.

Guys like Tapani, Reardon, and Tom Kelly confirmed what I had uncovered while researching. They are great, timely signers through the mail. I didn't know what to expect from guys like Kaat and Gagne, but both surprised me with very fast returns.

I have decided that the three minor league players I sent mail to (Sano, Benson, and Hendriks) are long shots. I called Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers and spoke with a man who informed me that the Twins take over the mailing department during Spring Training and lots of fan mail gets lost in the shuffle.

That leaves 7 other baseballs out there in the world. Camilo Pascual and Rick Aguilera were just mailed late last week. Both were long shots, but worth a try. Besides it's too early to tell with them. Frank Viola is semi-reliable but takes an average of 2-3 months so I shouldn't be worried about him quite yet. And the 8x10 I sent to Brad Radke nearly 2 weeks ago, well I'm not even sure I sent it to an accurate address. However, Jim Perry is traditionally a very fast, reliable signer through the mail, and here I sit 23 days later still waiting. Kent Hrbek is another down-to-earth, reliable, and timely signer. 16 days is stretching beyond Hrbek's average response time. And then there's Gene Larkin . . . I feel like the best letter of request that I've written was to Gene Larkin. I don't know why I thought he'd be an easy get, but 23 days and no return.

Maybe patience is a virtue I just wasn't blessed with. Maybe I need to realize these guys have lives and may be busy and need to allow myself to be surprised a month or two from now. Yet every day, I return home from school excited to open the mailbox and see who I may have heard from. And lately, everyday that mailbox is merely full of bills. I sure hope my luck changes soon.

Success #6: Tom Kelly

Jim Kaat wasn't the only baseball I received on Monday. There were two packages in my mailbox!

On January 26, 2012, at the Minnesota Twins annual Diamond Awards Event, Tom Kelly received some incredible news. His #10 would be retired this year and added to the likes of Puckett, Killebrew, Carew, Oliva, Hrbek, and Blyleven. Deservedly so for a man that managed the organization to it's only two World Series Championships ('87 and '91).

Kelly was with the Twins for 16 seasons. He was part of the highest highs the club has ever experienced and the lowest lows (1,244 losses). He retired in 2001 paving the way for current manager Ron Gardenhire. Kelly lives near Minneapolis still and is very involved with the organization throughout the baseball season and in Spring Training. I love his guest stints as color man for Fox North as well!

TK's teams averaged a 4th place league finish in his 16 seasons at the helm, but not all of that was his fault. Ownership played it cheap and by the time TK retired in 2001, he had begun developing the young core group of players that would become a perennial contender in the 21st Century. Much of Gardy's success, is due in large part to Kelly's hard work.

I had heard that Kelly was a fantastic signer, however my worry was that I wasn't going to catch him before he departed for Fort Myers and Spring Training. Pitchers and catchers officially report tomorrow but many players are already there working out. He mailed a baseball back to me in just 6 days.

Mailed: 2/7/12
Received: 2/13/12 (6 days)

Success #5: Jim Kaat

Talk about longevity! In 25 seasons with MLB teams, Jim Kaat boasts a career ERA of 3.45! He had nearly 2,500 strikeouts and won 16 Gold Glove awards in his 25 seasons. All things considered, Jim Kaat should be in the Hall of Fame. He is in the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame and many Twins fans believe his #36 should be retired as well. For now, that will have to suffice. Unless of course the veterans committee wises up and puts forth the effort to get him in the Hall.

I had a heck of a time tracking down Kaat's address. After reading about him and following his blog, he became someone I just had to get to sign a ball. I have a feeling he would have been one of my favorites from the Twins teams in the '60's. The only reason he didn't win a Cy Young in 1966, the year following the Twins' World Series loss to the Dodgers, but the league didn't separate AL from the NL and instead awarded just one pitcher. Sandy Koufax walked away with the honor.

I found a few addresses for Kaat with recent through the mail successes. However after stumbling upon a news article online, featuring Kaat in his Stuart, FL home along the St. Lucie river, suddenly the other addresses didn't make sense. Further research made it seem that Kaat has an agency handle his through the mail requests. I kept searching and soon enough stumbled upon an address in Stuart, FL and Google Earth would confirm it's location on the St. Lucie river. I took a shot and sent my request there, along with a $10 check. (Later I panicked upon uncovering a $25 fee request for through the mail autograph requests! And that Kaat was a stickler about paying, often sending back items unsigned!)

Well in just six short days, my risk became a success. Kaat returned my ball signed, and returned my check! Obviously I stumbled upon his home address and caught him at home! He did send along a donation envelope for a foundation he started in memory of his third wife, MaryAnn Kaat, implying that if I wanted to still donate a sum for the signed ball, to send the donation there. Kaat married his current (fourth) wife Margie a year after MaryAnn passed.

Mailed: 2/7/12
Received: 2/13/12 (6 days)

Success #4: "Circle Me" Bert Blyleven

The good thing about Bert Blyleven is that he's a good signer through the mail. The bad thing about Bert Blyleven is that you have to pay him for it! But last year was a good year for Bert. He finally made it into the Hall of Fame after being a long time snub and his number 28 was retired by the Twins. His booth alone cost $35 at TwinsFest this past year and since he's one of the all time greats for the Twins, I was more than willing to send along a donation.

I had seen his check come through in my bank account online, I even saw a scan of my check, with his signature on the back, endorsing it. So I knew this baseball would be coming at some point. I had heard he takes a good month or two to respond, so I surely wasn't expecting it after 12 days. He paid for the return shipping but I supplied the ball and the pen. He stuck a "Blyleven 2011" hologram on the ball and kept the pen.

I was too young to know Bert as a player. He was drafted out of high school by the Twins and didn't last in the minors long, making his first major league start at 19 years old. He had a wicked curveball and won 10 games his rookie season. He actually had two stints with the Twins, the first of which ending sourly when Calvin Griffith wouldn't meet Bert's high salary demands and traded him off to the Rangers. Bert thanked the Minnesota fans by flipping them the bird on his way out the door. He came back 9 years later when Carl Pohlad purchased the team and helped the Twins win the 1987 World Series with Frank Viola at the top of the rotation.

Bert's career numbers are impressive. 242 complete games. 60 shutouts. 287 wins. 3,701 strikeouts. His relationship with the Twins was a roller coaster as a player, but he's a faithful color broadcaster for Fox North today. He lives in Fort Myers, FL so he's close to the action through Spring Training.

He's my first Hall of Famer!

Mailed: 1/30/12
Received: 2/10/12 (12 days)

Recent Mailings (February 2012)

I mailed a number of items this week. I mailed . . .

. . . a baseball to Tom Kelly (2/7/12)
. . . a baseball to Kent Hrbek (2/7/12)
. . . a baseball to Jim Kaat (2/7/12)
. . . a baseball to Tom Brunansky (2/7/12)
. . . a baseball to Liam Hendriks (2/7/12)
. . . and an 8x10 photograph to Brad Radke (2/10/12)

From what I've read, Kelly, Hrbek, and Brunansky are great signers. I sent Kaat a $10 check but have recently read that $25 may be what he charges to sign a ball. Research says that Kaat may not be the most timely signer either. Radke marks the first photograph I have sent a Twins player. I had a great 8x10 of him and found an address on a Florida real estate website. We shall see.

Success #3: Greg Gagne

I swear, my successes keep coming faster and faster. Maybe sending baseballs out is paying off because guys don't like them laying around their house. Or more specifically, maybe guys' wives don't like them laying around the house so they get signed and mailed fast. I know my wife doesn't! I was impressed when Kevin Tapani returned a ball to me in 10 days. When Jeff Reardon's came in 7 days (just a few days after he returned home from TwinsFest), I was elated. Even though I have a handful of baseballs out there in the world, waiting to be signed and returned, today really wasn't a day I expected to see anything in my mailbox. So imagine my surprise when a nice 6x9, self addressed stamped bubble mailer was waiting for me.

I love the feeling of not knowing what's inside. I knew it had to be one of 5 players but didn't know which one until I opened . . . and even then I wasn't entirely sure! The signature threw me off . . . but by the process of elimination, and the "John 3:16" inscription, I quickly figured out who this ball was from.

Greg Gagne was one of 7 Twins to be on both the 1987 World Series Championship team and the 1991 World Series Championship team. He was a very underrated shortstop in his day, but nonetheless, a catalyst for the team reaching and winning the World Series not just once, but twice. He wasn't always the most productive at the plate, but in those two postseason runs, he made his hits count and came up big in multiple clutch moments. In 1992, when Gagne became a free agent, the team wasn't able to give him the money he deserved due in part to having already opened the wallet to lock in Kirby Puckett and also due to the fact that Gagne's protege Pat Meares was on the roster and ready to roll. Gagne went on to play for the Royals and the Dodgers, before leaving baseball in 1997. He now coaches high school baseball in Massachusetts.

Gagne was very religious and could often be seen reading from his Bible after games had completed. He was always one of my favorite players. It's comforting to find out that he's also a good guy!

Mailed: 1/31/12
Received: 2/6/12 (6 days)

Success #2: Jeff Reardon (aka "The Terminator")

Well, part of my panic was for nothing . . . I opened up the mailbox today and inside was a beautiful sight. A #0 size Duck Bubble Mailer, addressed to me, in my handwriting. My only fear was finding an unsigned ball inside.

Instead, Mr. Jeff Reardon was good to me. 7 days good. I mailed a baseball to him on Thursday, January 26. That Friday (and Saturday), Reardon was going to be in Minneapolis at TwinsFest. That meant that when he arrived back home in Florida, after signing autographs all weekend at the Dome, and found my baseball in his mail, he didn't think twice about signing it and returning it. That's awesome.

Reardon, was acquired by the Twins before the start of the 1987 season. I was six years old. Apparently, the Twins closer position was shaky at best, and the team was anything but confident heading into the ninth inning of games. Reardon provided stability, saving 31 games his first season as a Twin and helping lead the Twins to their first ever World Series Championship. In 1990, Reardon would leave Minnesota for Boston. Four years later, in 1994, he retired following a final season as a setup man for the Cincinnati Reds.

In 2004, Reardon suffered from deep depression after the death of his son from a drug overdose. In 2005, Reardon was arrested while attempting to rob a jewelry store but was found not guilty by reason of insanity. He was on multiple medications at the time and was believed to be in a severe state of paranoia and anxiety.

In an article I read on ESPN.com, Reardon stated, "Actually, more people recognized me, I think, from that mug shot than from baseball. Now they were looking at a robber. To me, it was embarrassing." In my letter of request, I told him that that was not actually the case. He was in a dark place, no doubt, but lots of people can connect to that. Everyone responds to tragedy differently and everyone needs their own time and space to heal. People are understanding by nature, I assured him. Especially when you have pitched in a Twins uniform.

Mailed: 1/26/12
Received: 2/2/12 (7 days)

Panic?

I only started mailing items two weeks ago, and already, panic is setting in. Maybe I'm not patient enough for a task like this . . .

For instance, what's on my mind currently is that I sent out baseballs to Jeff Reardon (5 days ago) and Jim Perry (1 day ago) and last night found a resource online, including both in a list of current players that ask for a fee to sign through the mail!

I thought I had done extensive research. I had found multiple address confirmations and recent success stories online, without a single mention anywhere of a fee. The only player that I discovered asks for a fee is Frank Viola, and I was more than willing to pay him $10.

What will happen to my items? I sent out Perry's just yesterday so I was able to send a check today to him along with a very short apology note. Hopefully it gets there before he receives and possibly discards my baseball. Or will bombarding him with two envelopes instead of one turn him off from signing my ball?

ARGH!!!!!

What I really hope, is that both men feel sorry for the poor sucker that didn't realize they requested a fee, sign my ball, and return it anyways. I made it so it would literally take 2-3 seconds to make that happen. That might be wishful thinking and I might be smacked in the face with the harsh reality that some guys, might not be as willing to sign things as others. For some reason or not, regardless of how irrational it may seem to me! Maybe Kevin Tapani spoiled me!

Worse case scenario, both men keep my ball and discard it. That would suck. A slightly better scenario would be both men at least returning my ball and informing me of their signing fee. Hopefully Perry gets my $10 in time and that helps make his mind up, toward signing my ball. Having three possible scenarios makes me feel better. As if there's a less chance of the worse case scenario happening. But what happens when the worst case scenario is the most probable?

Lesson learned: I may have to break down and purchase Harvey's Address List book if I want to make this collection a reality. He lists players that request fees, which takes a lot of this guesswork out of the equation for me.

Additional lesson learned: I can't expect everything I send out to be returned. No matter how "easy" I think I've made it for the signer. Some guys, just might not sign.

Crap.