Steve Payne

Sent: 3/25/11
Received: 3/31/11
Time: 6 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1979-80 Topps, 1984-85 Topps
Item Received: 1979-80 Topps, 1984-85 Topps.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Steve Payne was one of the true greats in Minnesota North Stars history.  He was certainly one of the most gifted scorers ever to lace 'em up at the Met Center.  Chronic spine injuries ended his career before the age of 30, but he still managed 466 points in 613 career games - all with the North Stars.  In addition, he is the North Stars all-time leader in playoff scoring, both over a single season (with an incredible 29 points in 19 games during the Stars' run to the 1981 Stanley Cup Finals) and over a career (70 points in 71 games).

Mark Kotsay

Sent: 3/4/11
Received: 3/31/11
Time: 27 Days
Address: c/o Milwaukee Brewers Spring Training
Item Sent: 1997 Bowman, 1997 Bowman's Best, 2006 Topps Heritage
Item Received: 1997 Bowman, 1997 Bowman's Best, 2006 Topps Heritage.  All signed in blue Sharpie.
 
Notes:
Mark Kotsay is a ballplayer, pure and simple.  While he never became the star many predicted after his decorated college career, he has been a solid player for well over a decade.  With Florida, San Diego, Oakland, and Atlanta, he was contistently one of the more underrated players in the game - a solid contact hitter, capable of stealing a few bases, and an outstanding defensive center fielder.  By all accounts, he's a great character guy with a bright coaching future once he decides to hang up his Golden Spikes.  He has settled in to a part-time role player over the last couple of the years, as a DH, pinch-hitter, backup first baseman, and emergency outfielder for the Red Sox and White Sox.  This year, he caught on with the Milwaukee Brewers.  The return to the National League should give him more time in the outfield, especially while Corey Hart is sidelined.

Harry Newsome

Sent: 2/7/11
Received: 3/31/11
Time: 52 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1992 Ultra, 1993 Fleer, 1993 Topps
Item Received: 1992 Ultra, 1993 Fleer, 1993 Topps.  All signed in black Sharpie.
 
Notes:
Former Steelers All-Pro Harry Newsome signed as a free agent with the Vikings in 1990 and over the next four seasons posted stats that hold their own with any other punter in team history.  In fact, I can't figure out why he was out of the league after turning 30.  He did have a lot of blocked punts, but his distance would seem to make up for that.  As far as I'm concerned, he's one of the best the Purple have seen.

Filip Kuba

Sent: 3/15/11
Received: 3/31/11
Time: 16 Days
Address: c/o Ottawa Senators
Item Sent: 2005-06 Parkhurst, 2005-06 Ultra, 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, 2009-09 O-Pee-Chee Update Retro
Item Received: 2005-06 Parkhurst, 2005-06 Ultra, 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, 2009-09 O-Pee-Chee Update Retro.  All signed in black Sharpie.
 
Notes:
Filip Kuba was a charter member of the Minnesota Wild, coming over in the 2000 NHL Expansion Draft.  He quickly established himself as the team's most offensively gifted defenseman, and because the first Wild defender to earn an appearance in an NHL All-Star Game (in 2004, when the Wild hosted the game at the Xcel Energy Center).  He signed a lucrative free-agent deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2006, and has had some nice years with Tampa and Ottawa.  Injuries and age seem to have caught up with him this season.  Still, he's had a fine career and will always be remembered by Wild fans as one of our first legitimate stars.

Steve Liddle

Sent: 3/15/11
Received: 3/31/11
Time: 16 Days
Address: c/o Minnesota Twins Spring Training
Item Sent: 1987 ProCards Portland Beavers, 1988 CMC Portland Beavers, 1988 ProCards Portland Beavers, 1989 Star Kenosha Twins
Item Received: 1987 ProCards Portland Beavers, 1988 CMC Portland Beavers, 1988 ProCards Portland Beavers, 1989 Star Kenosha Twins.  All signed in black Sharpie.
 
Notes:
As the seldom-seen bench coach for the duration of Ron Gardenhire's tenure as Twins manager, Steve Liddle has been the most anonymous member of the field staff for the last decade.  That will likely change in 2011.  He has traded jobs with Scott Ullger, and is taking over as the Twins' new third base coach.  It's a nice story for a man who first came to the Twins organization in a 1987 minor league trade for one-time prospect Stan Holmes.  Plugged in Twins fans have been pretty critical of Ullger since he replaced Al Newman at third a few years back, so it will be interesting to see how Liddle is received.  He's always been here, but get to know Steve Liddle for real, Twins fans!

Mark Parrish

Sent: 10/27/10
Received: 3/31/11
Time: 155 Days
Address: c/o Portland Pirates
Item Sent: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro
Item Received: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Bloomington native and former St. Cloud State star Mark Parrish was a perennial 20+ goal scorer for the New York Islanders for most of the 2000s.  In 2006, the Minnesota Wild brought him home with a five-year deal - the longest free agent contract in the club's history at the time.  He was okay.  He scored 19 goals in 2006-07 and 16 in 2007-08.  He never did fit in with coach Jacques Lemaire's stifling trap style and after just two years the Wild bought out the remainder of his contract.  Since then, he's been up and down between the NHL and AHL, with brief stints in Dallas, Tampa, and Buffalo.  He played just two games for the Sabres this season, spending most of the year as a veteran leader for their AHL affiliate in Portland, Maine, where he racked up 45 points in 50 games.  Mr. Parrish is obviously in the twilight of his career, but with 387 career points he has earned a place as one of the most productive Minnesotans in recent NHL history.

Tuomo Ruutu

Sent: 1/31/11
Received: 3/28/11
Time: 56 Days
Address: c/o Carolina Hurricanes
Item Sent: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro
Item Received: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
A gritty two-way forward, Ruutu is one of my favorite players in the league.  He's a bit of a throwback.  He's a pest for sure, and is versatile, lining up at all three forward positions.  He ranks among the league leaders in hits, and is always good for about 50 point per year.  In fact, he is currently second in the NHL in hits, trailing only the Wild's Cal Clutterbuck.  However, Ruutu has 18 more points.  And as you may know, I love those Finns!

Orlando Hudson

Sent: 3/19/11
Received: 3/26/11
Time: 7 Days
Address: c/o San Diego Padres Spring Training
Item Sent: 2006 Topps Heritage, 2007 Topps Heritage, 2010 Topps National Chicle
Item Received: 2006 Topps Heritage, 2007 Topps Heritage, 2010 Topps National Chicle.  All signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
"Preparation H!"  During his one year in Minnesota, a few of us called him that because he was relief for our two-hole.  Plus it was a much more original nickname than "O-Dog."  I have been a big Orlando Hudson fan for many years.  Going back to his Gold Glove years in Toronto, I desperately wanted to see him in the Twins lineup.  I figured he would be a perfect fit.  I especially wanted the Twins to sign him before the 2009 season, when he ended up on a one-year deal with the Dodgers.  That didn't end well, as he was inexplicably benched for Ronnie Belliard down the stretch (fellow autograph collectors take note, Hudson refuses to sign anything depicting him in a Dodgers uniform).  We finally got our man last year, and I thought it worked out pretty well.  The average was maybe a little lower than expected, but the defense was there.  I'm honestly bummed he was only a Twin for one season.  That said, I can't fault a guy for wanting to live in San Diego.  Plus, now he gets to stick it to the Dodgers 18 times a year.

Dean Talafous

Sent: 2/10/11
Received: 3/25/11
Time: 43 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1977-78 O-Pee-Chee, 1978-79 Topps, 1979-80 Topps
Item Received: 1977-78 O-Pee-Chee, 1978-79 Topps, 1979-80 Topps.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Duluth native Dean Talafous was a collegiate hockey legend at Wisconsin, where he scored the 1973 NCAA Championship winning goal and was named the tournament's MVP.  Drafted by the Atlanta Flames the next year, he played just a partial season there before coming home to Minnesota.  The three and a half finest years of his career came as a North Star.  He finished with a few years as a New York Ranger. 

Brad Boylan

Sent: 3/3/11
Received: 3/25/11
Time: 22 Days
Address: c/o South Albany High School
Item Sent: 1986 ProCards Toledo Mud Hens, 1987 ProCards Portland Beavers, 1988 ProCards Portland Beavers
Item Received: 1986 ProCards Toledo Mud Hens, 1987 ProCards Portland Beavers, 1988 ProCards Portland Beavers.  All signed in black gel pen.  (Also signed the back of each card.)

Notes:
Brad Boylan had a long career as a minor league trainer in the Twins organization.  His highlight was a post-season call-up in 1987 to assist the legendary Dick Martin during the ALCS and World Series.  In my letter, I asked Mr. Boylan if he received a World Series ring, but he didn't respond.  Still, this is a very cool success.  I love these obscure names from Twins history!  I am such a nerd.

Mike Trombley

Sent: 1/27/11
Received: 3/24/11
Time: 56 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1991 Line Drive AA, 1993 Donruss, 1993 Ultra
Item Received: 1991 Line Drive AA, 1993 Donruss, 1993 Ultra.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Funny how less than a week after getting a return from Dan Naulty, I hear back from Mike Trombley.  Naulty, who would admit to steroid use years later, has talked about the guilt he felt in seeing Trombley - a presumably clean player - pack his bags as the last spring cut in 1996 when Naulty made the team over him.  I think it worked out okay for Trombley.  He made it back to the big leagues for good that June, and had a stellar year: 5-1 with a 3.01 ERA and six saves.  He would be one of the Twins' most valuable relievers for the rest of the decade, culminating in one season as a full-time closer (1999, when he collected 24 saves for a team that won just 63 games).  He signed a nice free-agent deal with Baltimore the following year, but returned to Minnesota for the final five games of his career in 2002.

Brian Campbell

Sent: 2/11/11
Received: 3/24/11
Time: 41 Days
Address: c/o Chicago Blackhawks
Item Sent: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Update Retro, 2010-11 O-Pee-Chee
Item Received: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Update Retro, 2010-11 O-Pee-Chee.  All signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
Campbell was a two-time NHL All-Star while with the Buffalo Sabres, and thought of as one of the elite offensive defensemen in the league when he was dealt to San Jose for a first round draft pick at the 2008 trading deadline.  Split between the two teams, he finished with a career high 62 points that season, including a whopping 54 assists.  He parlayed that into a monster eight-year, $56 million free agent contract with the Chicago Blackhawks.  He's been fine for Chicago, though probably not quite at the level the expected when signing him.  He's probably only the third best blueliner currently on the Blackhaws (behind Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook), but he did help them to a Stanley Cup last year.  Then again, his untradeable contract and massive cap hit led to the necessary trading of guys like Dustin Byfuglien, Andrew Ladd, and Kris Versteeg in the offseason.  Never the less, he's a solid player with a great signature.  Thanks, Brian!

Dave Poulin

Sent: 3/2/11
Received: 3/21/11
Time: 19 Days
Address: c/o Toronto Maple Leafs
Item Sent: 1984-85 Topps, 1989-90 Topps, 1991-92 Score Canadian
Item Received: 1984-85 Topps, 1989-90 Topps, 1991-92 Score Canadian.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Dave Poulin looked like he was going to become a Flyers legend when he broke in to the NHL.  Over his first four seasons, the fine two-way center averaged over 72 points per season, ascended to captain, and took home the Selke Trophy as best defensive forward in 1987.  His scoring totals started to plummet from there, though, and a couple of years later he was traded to Philly's arch-rival Boston Bruins.  He remained a fine checking forward for a few more years with Boston and Washington, but never again regained the scoring touch he displayed at the beginning of his career.  He is now the Vice President of Hockey Operations for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Hannu Toivonen

Sent: 1/12/11
Received: 3/21/11
Time: 68 Days
Address: c/o Rockford IceHogs
Item Sent: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro
Item Received: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
When you decide to try collecting an entire set of autographed cards, it can get difficult when writing to players you know little about.  Hannu Toivonen has been a journeyman goaltender for several years, mostly in the AHL.  He has had NHL cups of coffee with Boston and St. Louis, and is currently playing for the Chicago Blackhawks' AHL affiliate in Rockford.  I essentially wrote to him because he's a Finn.  My Finnish heritage has taken precedence in selecting players to send request letters for the 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee retro set.  Mr. Toivonen did not disappoint.  I was vaguely familiar with him before, but he has a fan now!

Drew Stubbs

Sent: 2/23/11
Received: 3/19/11
Time: 24 Days
Address: c/o Cincinnati Reds Spring Training
Item Sent: 2010 Topps Heritage
Item Received: 2010 Topps Heritage, signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
I can't help but develop strong allegiances to players who help my fantasy league teams.  That's how I've become a big Drew Stubbs fan.  He parlayed a big spring training in 2010 into a job as the Reds' starting center fielder, but scuffled throughout the first half of the season.  He found himself on my league's waiver wire in July when I decided to give him a shot.  Over the second half, his combination of power and speed was a huge factor in helping me to my second consecutive league title.  I really wanted to draft him again at my league's 2011 draft last weekend, but was beaten to the punch.  Best of luck as a member of Justice Beaver this year, Drew.  We'll miss you!

Brian Rolston

Sent: 2/11/11
Received: 3/18/11
Time: 35 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1991-92 Upper Deck, 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Update Retro
Item Received: 1991-92 Upper Deck, 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Update Retro.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Former Wild all-star Brian Rolston was left for dead by the New Jersey Devils earlier this season.  A repeated healthy scratch under first-year coach John MacLean, he was place on waivers multiple times but never claimed.  Meanwhile, the Devils (a perennial contender) nosedived to the worst record in the NHL.  New Jersey pulled the plug on MacLean, bringing back the great Jacques Lemaire (Rolston's coach with the Wild) for his third tour of duty in the Garden State.  The turnaround has been damn near miraculous.  While the Devils will likely come up just shy of the playoffs, their revitalization has coincided with Rolston's.  He has found the fountain of youth and has been their leading scorer in the second half of the season.  He still has gas in the tank.  And he sure would look good in a Wild sweater again.

Dan Naulty

Sent: 1/27/11
Received: 3/18/11
Time: 50 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1996 Ultra, 1997 Upper Deck
Item Received: 1996 Ultra, 1997 Upper Deck.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Dan Naulty was one of few bright spots for the 1996 Twins pitching staff.  The hard-throwing rookie made the team after an impressive spring and carried that into the regular season.  One of the only pitchers on the team with an ERA under 4.00, he appeared to be well on his way to taking over the closer gig.  He picked up four saves in July before hitting the disabled list.  He missed the rest of the year, and was never the same.  He struggled through the next two seasons with the Twins and hooked on with the Yankees in 1999.  He won a World Series ring that year, even though he was not on the postseason roster.

As it turns out, there was a reason for both his ascension and decline.  Steroids.  Performance enhancing drugs gave him the mid-90s heater that he used to make the big leagues, and they also wreaked havoc on his body, leaving him with several stints on the DL over his short career.  After hitting rock bottom, personally and professionally, he found religion.  (He is now a minister in Washington state.) 

After he was named in the Mitchell Report in 2007, he was as candid as any player in the document.  Among the fascinating stories from that time are an interview with the Star Tribune's LaVelle E. Neal III and Naulty's own first-person account in the NY Daily News.

Brent Sutter

Sent: 2/18/11
Received: 3/18/11
Time: 28 Days
Address: c/o Calgary Flames
Item Sent: 1984-85 Topps, 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1991-92 Score Rookie & Traded
Item Received: 1984-85 Topps, 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1991-92 Score Rookie & Traded.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
It's my first autograph from the Sutter family!  Six Sutter brothers (and now a couple of their offspring) played in the NHL.  Their NHL lineage gets pretty convoluted with brothers playing with each other, brothers coaching other brothers, brothers trading other brothers... it doesn't end.  Brent is currently the coach of the Calgary Flames.  Earlier this year, his brother Darryl was the team's GM and his son Brandon was a center on the team.  Brent is now the only one left (except for brother Duane, the team's director of player personnel), as Darryl traded Brandon to Carolina shortly before resigning as general manager. Got it?  Didn't think so.  Anyway, Brent had one of the more accomplished careers of the Sutter brothers, winning a couple of Stanley Cups, posting a 100 point season, and becoming captain of the New York Islanders.  He spent the second half of his career as a defensive forward for the Blackhawks.

Michael Cuddyer

Sent: 2/23/11
Received: 3/17/11
Time: 22 Days
Address: c/o Minnesota Twins Spring Training
Item Sent: 8x10 photo
Item Received: 8x10 photo, signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
October 6, 2010 was the greatest day of my life.  At 6:27 AM, my wife Maria and I became parents to Charlotte Lorraine Cote.

I am sure every parent has their own story of becoming a parent for the first time, and I would hope that those stories all share a singular, overriding emotion: love.

Instant, all-consuming, and complete.  Like no other kind of love I have ever felt before.  From the second Charlotte arrived and was laid upon her momma's chest for the first time, our lives have never been the same.  It is the defining experience of my life.

So what does this have to do with Michael Cuddyer?

Well, that night the Twins hosted the Yankees at Target Field for game one of the American League Division Series.   Anyone reading this is probably aware that my list of priorities goes: family, friends, Twins baseball.  I actually had tickets to the game, but obviously didn't make it.  After about twelve hours of parenthood, an exhausted Maria crashed in her hospital bed.  I held my baby girl in the rocking chair and watched my very first Twins game with her in my arms.

In the bottom of the second inning, facing Yankees ace CC Sabathia, with Jim Thome on base, Michael Cuddyer crushed a two-run homer to left field.  It gave the Twins an early lead, which they would ultimately concede.  Most importantly, it was the first Twins home run of Charlotte's life.

I found this image of that exact swing and printed an 8" x 10" photo.  I wrote a letter to Cuddy explaining the significance of the photo and of that day, asking if he could sign it for Charlotte.  (I secretly hoped he would personalize it to her, but I'm certainly not upset that he did not.)  Three weeks later, we received this in the mail.  Mr. Cuddyer's always-classy signature in blue Sharpie, popping off the white from his uniform, looks perfect.

This is not the 300th-something addition to my Twins autograph collection.  This is the first item in Charlotte's collection.  To us, it is more priceless than the Kent Hrbek game used 1987 World Series game six ball, and more priceless than the signed Kirby Puckett minor league card.  It is the most special piece of Twins memorabilia in this house.

Thank you, Mr. Cuddyer.

Rich Reese

Sent: 3/10/11
Received: 3/17/11
Time: 7 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1969 Topps, 1978 Twins Team Issue
Item Received: 1969 Topps, 1978 Twins Team Issue.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Slick-fielding Rich Reese was the Twins' regular first basemen for four seasons, including the back-to-back AL West champions from 1969 and 1970.  For his career he was a pretty mediocre hitter, with one exception.  In 1969 he broke through with a .322 average and .513 slugging percentages while collecting 16 homers and 69 RBI.  Career highs across the board.  He never had an offensive season like that again, and was out of the big leagues four years later, but he was an essential cog in that great team.

Paul Holmgren

Sent: 3/8/11
Received: 3/17/11
Time: 9 Days
Address: c/o Philadelphia Flyers
Item Sent: 1979-80 Topps, 1984-85 Topps
Item Received: 1979-80 Topps, 1984-85 Topps.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
St. Paul bred Paul Holmgren was a huge power forward who collected penalty minutes and goals for the Philadelphia Flyers "Broad Street Bullies" teams of the '70s.  (He actually joined the team the year after their last Stanley Cup win, so I'm not sure if he technically qualifies as a bully, but his 1,684 career penalty minutes make a compelling case for inclusion.)  Holmgren returned to Minnesota in 1984 to suit up for the North Stars.  He played 27 games for the Stars over parts of his final two seasons, bookending his pro career in his home state (he began with the Minnesota Fighting Saints of the WHA in 1975).  Two years later, he was head coach of the Flyers.  He has remained on NHL benches or in front offices since, mostly with the Flyers.  He has been the GM in Philly since 2006.

Tim Young

Sent: 3/10/11
Received: 3/14/11
Time: 4 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1977-78 O-Pee-Chee, 1979-80 Topps, 1981-82 Topps
Item Received: 1977-78 O-Pee-Chee, 1979-80 Topps, 1981-82 Topps.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Tim Young was one of the most talented playmakers ever to don a North Stars sweater.  In his sophomore season of 1976-77, he set a new team record with 95 points (later broken by Bobby Smith).  Four years later, he helped lead the North Stars to an improbable Stanley Cup Finals appearance with 17 points in 12 games.  Injuries ended his career prematurely (after short stints in Winnipeg and Philadelphia).  History seems to forget him in the shadows of Smith, Broten, Ciccarelli, and Bellows, but Tim Young was a force.

Jeff Reese

Sent: 3/4/11
Received: 3/12/11
Time: 8 Days
Address: c/o Philadelphia Flyers SkateZone
Item Sent: 1991-92 Score Canadian
Item Received: 1991-92 Score Canadian, signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Jeff Reese was a well-traveled backup goalie throughout the nineties.  He played for six different NHL teams over his 11 years, never appearing in more than 30 games in any one season.  His best year came with Calgary in 1992-93 when he went 14-4-1 as Mike Vernon's backup.  He has found great success as a goaltending coach, though.  He won the Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004 and is now in his second year with the Philadelphia Flyers.  Last year he was able to help Michael Leighton temporarily transform from AHL journeyman to Stanley Cup Playoffs world-beater.  (If that's not evidence of great coaching... )  This year, his tandem of rookie Sergei Bobrovsky and fossil Brian Boucher has been good enough to keep the Flyers in the hunt for the top seed in the East.

Willie Mitchell

Sent: 12/30/10
Received: 3/10/11
Time: 70 Days
Address: c/o Los Angeles Kings
Item Sent: 2003-04 Upper Deck, 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro
Item Received: 2003-04 Upper Deck, 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro.  Both signed in thin black Sharpie.

Notes:
One of former GM Doug Risebrough's great moves during the Minnesota Wild's early days came during the trade deadline of the Wild's inaugural 2000-01 season when he sent Sean O'Donnell to New Jersey for young blueline prospect Willie Mitchell.  A large, physical stay-at-home type, Mitchell established himself as a legitimate top-four defenseman and was one of the biggest contributors to the Wild's surprise run to the 2003 Western Conference Finals.  After a brief stint in Dallas and a long stay in Vancouver, Mitchell has now joined an impressive corps of d-men in Los Angeles, led by young stars Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson.  He was always one of my favorite Wild players.  This is a very cool return.  Thanks, Willie!

Tom Younghans

Sent: 2/16/11
Received: 3/4/11
Time: 16 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1979-80 Topps
Item Received: 1979-80 Topps, North Stars 8 1/2" x 11" photo, Trinity Hockey flyer.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
What a return from Tom Younghans!  The locally-produced great checking forward, who played for both the Gophers and North Stars, signed the card I sent, and added a personalized North Stars photo and a signed flyer for his company Trinity Hockey, all sent in his own envelope.  Thank you, Mr. Younghans!

Doug Smail

Sent: 2/12/11
Received: 3/4/11
Time: 20 Days
Address: c/o Rocky Mountain Roughriders U-15 AAA team
Item Sent: 1991-92 O-Pee-Chee, 1991-92 Score Canadian Series 1, 1991-92 Score Canadian Series 2
Item Received: 1991-92 O-Pee-Chee, 1991-92 Score Canadian Series 1, 1991-92 Score Canadian Series 2.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
A former All-Star and a longtime two-way stud for the Winnipeg Jets, Doug Smail was traded to the North Stars early in the 1990-91 season.  He appeared in 57 games for the Stars, scoring 20 points, and did not appear in the playoffs during the team's run to the Stanley Cup Finals.  He hung on for two more years (one each with Quebec and Ottawa) before finishing his career overseas.  It's kind of a shame -- he was a terrific player, but North Stars fans only got to see a shadow of what he once was.

Kyle Waldrop

Sent: 2/18/11
Received: 3/1/11
Time: 11 Days
Address: c/o Minnesota Twins Spring Training
Item Sent: 2004 Bowman Heritage
Item Received: 2004 Bowman Heritage, signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
A 2004 first-round draft pick of the Twins, Kyle Waldrop's career seemed in peril after missing the entire 2008 season with a shoulder injury.  A career starter until that point, he converted to relief in 2009 and sparkled with a 2.08 combined ERA ah high-A Fort Myers and AA New Britain.  He spent the entire 2010 season at AAA Rochester and posted a 2.57 ERA over 87 2/3 relief innings, seemingly putting himself back on the Twins radar.  After a disastrous Arizona Fall League showing, though, he was removed from the 40-man roster and exposed to the Rule V Draft.  Unselected by other teams, he was invited to spring training with the Twins, where he remains a longshot to win a bullpen spot.  He's been counted out before, though.