Felton Spencer

Sent: 4/21/11
Received: 4/30/11
Time: 9 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1990-91 Fleer Update, 1990-91 Hoops, 1991-92 Upper Deck
Item Received: 1990-91 Fleer Update, 1990-91 Hoops, 1991-92 Upper Deck.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Felton Spencer was the Timberwolves second ever first-round draft pick.  He made the NBA All-Rookie Second Team, but that didn't stop the Wolves from using the following year's lottery pick on another center, Luc Longley.  He put up some nice years with Malone and Stockton in Utah, which highlighted his 12-year NBA career.  You can plainly see here that I have not sent out too many basketball autograph requests.  While I loved watching hoops in the late '80s and early '90s, I have little interest in today's NBA.  Still, I was excited to get this return.  Mr. Spencer has a beautiful signature, and I'm proud to add these to my collection.

Jim Hughes

Sent: 2/24/11
Received: 4/30/11
Time: 65 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1977 Topps
Item Received: 1977 Topps, signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
A nice addition to the 1977 Twins team set that I am casually working on, Jim Hughes took Bloomington by storm as a rookie in 1975.  He was the American League's Pitcher of the Month in May, when he went 6-0 with five complete games and two shutouts.  He finished the year with 16 wins, a team rookie record that still stands.  More dubious were his 127 walks issued that season... another team record that still stands.  Hughes struggled badly in 1976, and made only two relief appearances in 1977.  He did not appear in the major leagues again.

Toni Lydman

Sent: 11/23/10
Received: 4/30/11
Time: 158 Days
Address: c/o Anaheim Ducks
Item Sent: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee, 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro
Item Received: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee, 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Veteran blueliner Toni Lydman signed with the Ducks as a free agent prior to this season, giving the team a solid leader in the wake of Scott Niedermayer's retirement.  He missed the few games of the season with injury, but became an ironman upon his return.  He was an ice-time machine and posted an impressive +32 rating while tutoring 19 year old rookie sensation Cam Fowler. 

Mark Merila

Sent: 4/22/11
Received: 4/29/11
Time: 7 Days
Address: c/o San Diego Padres
Item Sent: 1993 Topps Traded
Item Received: 1993 Topps Traded, signed in black gel pen.

Notes:
To the best of my knowledge, my only fellow Robbinsdale Armstrong High School alumni to appear on a major issue baseball card is Mark Merila.  The former Falcons and University of Minnesota standout was a member of the 1993 National Team, garnering an appearance in that year's Topps Traded Series.  Drafted by the San Diego Padres in 1994, the undersized but spunky middle infielder retired after only two minor league seasons, and immediately stepped in as the Padres big league bullpen catcher.  He has held that job ever since.  Talk about having it made... I can think of a few career options less desirable than being a bullpen catcher in the country's most beautiful city.  Mr. Merila joins hockey players Jordan Leopold and Todd Richards on my checklist of professional athletes from my alma mater.

Mitch Moreland

Sent: 10/23/10
Received: 4/29/11
Time: 188 Days
Address: c/o Texas Rangers
Item Sent: 2010 Bowman Chrome
Item Received: 2009 Bowman Chrome, signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
I like Mitch Moreland.  I'm always a champion of the underdog, and that's exactly what he has been in the Texas Rangers system.  Two years ago, Chris Davis was supposed to be the Rangers' first baseman of the future.  While he hit for decent power in Texas, all other aspects of his game were lacking.  Meanwhile, Moreland was hitting a cool .331 in the minors.  Last year, when Davis fell on his face again, former first-round pick Justin Smoak bypassed he and Moreland as the Rangers' first baseman of the future.  He struggled mightily in Texas, too, and was eventually the key piece in the Cliff Lee trade with Seattle.  Meanwhile, Moreland was hitting his ass off in the minors.  Given a call-up, Moreland posted an .833 OPS in 47 regular season games.  In the post-season (which is when I sent this request), he stepped up his game to the tune of a .900 overall OPS.  What's more, it improved in each round, peaking with a .462/.533/.769 slash line in the World Series.  Now firmly entrenched as the Rangers first baseman, he is still hitting his ass off.

Joel Hanrahan

Sent: 9/23/10
Received: 4/28/11
Time: 217 Days
Address: c/o Pittsburgh Pirates
Item Sent: 2009 Topps Heritage
Item Received: 2009 Topps Heritage, signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
Hard-throwing Joel Hanrahan has been one of few bright spots for the Pittsburgh Pirates over the last two seasons.  He spent most of 2010 in a set-up role, only taking over closing duties after Octavio Dotel was traded late in the season.  For the year, he struck out an incredible 100 batters in only 69 innings.  Now the full-time closer, he has already saved seven games through the season's first month, and has been an asset to the Hot Burritos! (the current name of my fantasy team).

Kris Manery

Sent: 1/12/11
Received: 4/28/11
Time: 106 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1978-79 Topps, 1979-80 Topps
Item Received: 1978-79 Topps, 1979-80 Topps.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Kris Manery had an outstanding rookie season for the Cleveland Barons in 1977-78 and came to the North Stars the following season when the teams merged.  His season in Cleveland would prove to be his best in the NHL.  He had a minor drop off in production during his first year with the North Stars, and really had trouble scoring in his second.  Halfway through the 1979-80 season, he was traded to Vancouver.  He finished the season with the Winnipeg Jets after being waived by Vancouver.

Jeff Brueggemann

Sent: 6/18/10
Received: 4/25/11
Time: 311 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1983 Fritsch Visalia Oaks
Item Received: 1983 Fritsch Visalia Oaks, signed in blue ballpoint.

Notes:
The 1983 Visalia team set is now 19/25 complete!  Jeff Brueggemann was that club's General Manager.  He was drafted by the Twins in 1977 and spent a few seasons in the organization as a player before switching to the front office.  He has spent the last decade as Major League Baseball's "ambassador" to China, coaching and teaching the game to Chinese youth.  There's a pretty awesome story on his work that I found on Yahoo prior to writing him last June.  I highly recommend it. 


Anyway, on to this wonderful return... it did take a while, but is worth the wait.  In addition to signing the card in both his English and Chinese signatures (!), he responded with a wonderful letter which was full of interesting information related to my quest.  He mentioned that there were 25 uncut sheets of this set of cards, and only 500-1000 were made.  His college teammate Dave Lyons was the rep from Tyson who helped coordinate the set.  Jeff also mentioned that his son is "playing in college and recruited highly this year.  Hopefully he will get drafted in June!"  (Further research finds that his son Kyle is a hard-throwing pitcher for the Army baseball team.) 

And, finally, Jeff delivered sad news that Stan Holmes, who was the California League MVP for the 1983 Visalia team, passed away last month.  Holmes died at 52 from complications of liver and kidney failure.  Far too young.  I was lucky to get Mr. Holmes' signature on three cards, including his 1983 Visalia card, last August.  It was a generous act, and he will be missed.


Thanks for the great reply, Mr. Brueggemann.  We're on the home stretch now, needing only six more cards to complete the set!

C.J. Wilson

Sent: 10/23/10
Received: 4/23/11
Time: 182 Days
Address: c/o Texas Rangers
Item Sent: 2009 Topps Heritage
Item Received: 2009 Topps Heritage, signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Although he spent the better part of a couple seasons as the Rangers closer, C.J. Wilson was still probably better known before last season for his lifestyle than for his pitching.  He's a straight-edge, vegan, Taoist who openly supported Barack Obama in 2008 (from a Bush-land clubhouse that ranged from conservative to politically apathetic... C.J. certainly ruffled some feathers).  Last year he was converted into a starting pitcher.  Despite not starting a game since 2005, he logged 204 innings, going 15-8 with 170 strikeouts and a sparkling 3.35 ERA.  He is off to another fine start this season, and is surely one of the more unique personalities in today's game.

Mike Gartner

Sent: 2/16/11
Received: 4/22/11
Time: 65 Days
Address: c/o National Training Rinks (Richmond Hill, Ontario)
Item Sent: 1984-85 Topps, 1989-90 O-Pee-Chee, 1991-92 Score Canadian
Item Received: 1984-85 Topps, 1989-90 O-Pee-Chee, 1991-92 Score Canadian.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
You know I love the Minnesota North Stars, but they dropped the ball on Mike Gartner.  At the 1989 trading deadline, the stars dealt future Hall of Famer (and arguably the team's most popular player) Dino Ciccarelli to the Washington Capitals, along with defenseman Bob Rouse.  In return, they received Gartner and Larry Murphy.  Now, when you're trading away a future Hall of Famer, it's always nice to get another in return.  We got two.  Problem is, we didn't hang onto them.  After a prolific career in Washington, Gartner became the North Stars sole representative in the 1990 NHL All Star Game.  A few weeks later, he was dealt to the Rangers for Ulf Dahlen - a fine player and a key contributor on the 1991 Stanley Cup Finalists, but decidedly not a Hall of Famer.  Gartner would fire off three straight 40 goal seasons for the Rangers (making it four straight overall, counting his combined year with Minnesota and New York) en route to 708 career goals and hockey immortality.

Eric Nystrom

Sent: 11/4/10
Received: 4/22/11
Time: 169 Days
Address: c/o Minnesota Wild
Item Sent: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro
Item Received: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Eric Nystrom was signed by the Wild last offseason for his hustle and heart.  He certainly wasn't added for his offense.  Which is good, because he got off to a really slow start in St. Paul.  As the year went on, though, he drew more key minutes and even put a few pucks in the net.  He was one of the team leaders in hits and was an outstanding penalty killer. 

Joe Kubit

Sent: 10/22/10
Received: 4/21/11
Time: 181 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1983 Fritsch Visalia Oaks
Item Received: 1983 Fritsch Visalia Oaks, signed in blue ballpoint.

Notes:
Wow!  I don't know if anyone in the history of the world has ever been so excited to see an autograph from Joe Kubit.  I have not added a new signature to my prized 1983 Visalia team set since September.  The addition of Mr. Kubit makes my set 18/25 complete.  Joe included a very nice letter apologizing for the long delay (he had lost the letter) and wishing me luck on my set.  I'm back, baby!  Thank you so much, Mr. Kubit!

Matt Guerrier

Sent: 3/19/11
Received: 4/21/11
Time: 33 Days
Address: c/o Los Angeles Dodgers Spring Training
Item Sent: 2009 Topps, 2010 Topps Update
Item Received: 2009 Topps, 2010 Topps Update.  Both signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
I'm a huge Matt Guerrier fan, so this is a pretty special return for me.  He came to the Twins as an underdog.  He was a minor league free agent who had been cut loose by both the White Sox and Pirates organizations.  He came up to the Twins as a garbage-time long reliever and picked up a few spot starts.  Within two years, he had elevated himself to one of the American League's premier set-up men.  He wasn't a flashy strikeout guy, and he often made things interesting, but he got the job done more often than not.  Of all the guys the Twins lost this offseason, Matty Guerrier is the guy I miss the most. 

Cody McLeod

Sent: 2/11/11
Received: 4/18/11
Time: 66 Days
Address: c/o Colorado Avalanche
Item Sent: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, 2010-11 O-Pee-Chee
Item Received: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, 2010-11 O-Pee-Chee.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
McLeod has become one of the more effective antagonists in the NHL, and has had some very entertaining run-ins with the Wild over the last couple of years.  He makes me yearn for the old North Stars-Blackhawks rivalry.  I wish the Wild had something even close to that.  It seems the closest they come to something like that these days is with Colorado, which makes McLeod the guy we love to hate.  I told him this much in my request letter, and thanked him for bringing such character to the game.  Thanks for the autographs, Cody!

Andrew Ladd

Sent: 11/23/10
Received: 4/16/11
Time: 144 Days
Address: c/o Atlanta Thrashers
Item Sent: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro
Item Received: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
Ladd was one of many key contributors to the Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup victory last year who found himself jettisoned following the season, a salary cap victim.  He lit it up in his first year in Atlanta, posting career highs of 29 goals and 59 points.

Scott Mellanby

Sent: 1/6/11
Received: 4/16/11
Time: 100 Days
Address: c/o St. Louis Blues
Item Sent: 1990-91 Score, 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1991-92 Score Rookie & Traded, 1999-00 Upper Deck
Item Received: 1990-91 Score, 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1991-92 Score Rookie & Traded, 1999-00 Upper Deck.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Scott Mellanby had nice runs with the Philadelphia Flyers and St. Louis Blues.  He had productive, shorter stints with the Edmonton Oilers and Atlanta Thrashers.  The high point of his fine career, though, was his eight season tenure with the expansion Florida Panthers.  He scored the first goal in team history.  He was instrumental in leading the Panthers on a Cinderella run to the 1996 Stanley Cup Finals.  He served as team captain.  And he killed a rat with his hockey stick, triggering the fad of Panthers fans littering the rink with (plastic) rats after each home team goal.

Nick Schultz

Sent: 3/24/11
Received: 4/15/11
Time: 22 Days
Address: c/o Minnesota Wild
Item Sent: 2005-06 Parkhurst, 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro
Item Received: 2005-06 Parkhurst, 2007-08 O-Pee-Chee.  Both signed in thin black Sharpie.

Notes:
The dean of the Minnesota Wild, Nick Schultz has been with the team since he was a 19 year old rookie during the Wild's second season (2001-02).  He has been a steady, puck-moving defender for a decade now, and doesn't appear to be leaving anytime soon -- he's signed through the 2013-14 season.  I am disappointed that he swapped out the 2008-09 OPC 1979 Retro card I sent for a 2007-08 OPC card.  If you read this blog with regularity, you know that I'm actively collecting the '79 cards.  Guess I'll try again next year.  Thanks for the autographs, though, Nick!

Karl Mecklenburg

Sent: 7/21/10
Received: 4/14/11
Time: 267 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1987 Topps, 1989 Score, 1991 Score
Item Received: 1987 Topps, 1989 Score, 1991 Score.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Which Minnesota Gopher had the most successful pro career of the last thirty years?  I'm going with Mecklenburg, and I don't even think it's close.  The native of southwest Minneapolis was a walk-on for the Gopher football team.  He became an integral part of the Gopher defense and wound up a 12th round pick of the Denver Broncos in 1983.  Once he hit the NFL, he became one of its steadiest and most versatile players.  He saw time at all seven line and linebacking positions.  In his third year (1985) he earned his first Pro Bowl appearance and was named to the AP All-Pro team.  He would finish his career with six Pro Bowl appearances, three All-Pro nominations, and a spot in the Broncos Ring of Fame.  Not too shabby for a college walk-on.

Jamie Nelson

Sent: 2/19/11
Received: 4/14/11
Time: 54 Days
Address: c/o Tampa Bay Rays Spring Training
Item Sent: 1984 Topps, 1990 CMC Portland Beavers
Item Received: 1984 Topps, 1990 CMC Portland Beavers.  Both signed in black pen.

Notes:
In my quest to track down former Twins minor league players, I discovered that Jamie Nelson is now a minor league catching instructor for the Rays.  Nelson spent only one year in the Twins organization (1990), but he did briefly appear in the big leagues seven years earlier for the Seattle Mariners.  His dry gel pen had some unfortunate issues with the glossy Beavers card.  Oh well... cool addition to the Twins minor league collection.

David Backes

Sent: 1/5/11
Received: 4/13/11
Time: 98 Days
Address: c/o St. Louis Blues
Item Sent: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro
Item Received: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
David Backes might be my favorite player right now.  He's a local guy, is exceptionally smart, and plays a tough, throwback game.  He is very physical, annually ranking among the league leaders in hits.  He can handle the puck, too.  He just wrapped up a career-best 62 point season (31 goals, 31 assists).  He also kept his penalty minutes under 100 for the first time in three years.  He wore the alternate captain's "A" all season, and the Blues didn't promote anyone after longtime captain Eric Brewer was traded to Tampa Bay.  I will be absolutely shocked if Backes isn't wearing the "C" next season.

Brad Shaw

Sent: 10/16/10
Received: 4/13/11
Time: 179 Days
Address: c/o St. Louis Blues
Item Sent: 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1991-92 Upper Deck
Item Received: 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1991-92 Upper Deck.  Both signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
I do love the old Hartford Whalers.  I loved their uniforms so much that I played almost exclusively as them for the original EA Sports NHL Hockey game on the Sega Genesis.  If I remember right, there weren't line changes in that game, so there were really only five skaters.  Ron Francis was the center, Pat Verbeek and Kevin Dineen were the wings, and Zarley Zalapski and Shaw were the defensemen.  Shaw was awesome.  He had been named to the All-Rookie team the year before, and was so great in that video game that I absolutely believed him to be one of the elite young blueliners in the NHL.  He did not end up having a star-making career, but he did stick around until 1999.  He's been a coach ever since, and is currently an assistant for the Blues.

Matt Williams

Sent: 2/7/11
Received: 4/11/11
Time: 63 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1987 Topps Traded, 1991 Fleer All-Star
Item Received: 1987 Topps Traded, 1991 Fleer All-Star.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
In my version of baseball history, Matt Williams was the last challenger to Roger Maris' single-season home run record.  The Giants All-Star had 43 home runs through 112 games when the season was suspended and ultimately canceled due to the players' strike.  The '94 strike prematurely ended a season that many believe could have been historic on many levels... Tony Gwynn was hitting .394 when the strike hit, leaving fans to wonder if that could have been the year someone hit .400.  The Montreal Expos, boasting a young roster that included Pedro Martinez, Larry Walker, Moises Alou, Marquis Grissom, John Wetteland, and many more young stars, had the league's best record.  The Expos were dissolved after the strike and never did recover.  Would they still be in Montreal?  Arguably the biggest question of all though, was this: Could Matt Williams have broken Roger Maris' record?  (And if so, was he doing it clean?)  We'll never know, but we do know this: Matt Williams was a tremendous ballplayer.  He was selected to five All-Star teams.  He won four Gold Gloves, four Silver Slugger awards, and had four top-ten finishes in the MVP voting.  He appeared in three World Series for three different teams (1989 San Francisco Giants, 1997 Cleveland Indians, and 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks - the final one being his only time on the winning side).  He was one of my favorite players of that era, and I am thrilled to have his autograph!

Mike McPhee

Sent: 3/1/11
Received: 4/11/11
Time: 41 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1992-93 Pinnacle, 1992-93 Ultra
Item Received: 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1992-93 Pinnacle, 1992-93 Ultra.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
I would imagine that a professional hockey player could not ask for much more than to be a fan-favorite in Montreal.  Enter two-way grinder Mike McPhee.  He was a selfless worker for the Habs teams of the '80s, thrice winning the team's "unsung hero" award, and was a clutch playoff performer who helped the team to the 1986 Stanley Cup.  He spent one year in Minnesota and scored 40 points for the final North Stars team in 1992-93. 

Rob Zettler

Sent: 10/15/10
Received: 4/9/11
Time: 176 Days
Address: c/o Toronto Maple Leafs
Item Sent: 1990-91 Topps, 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1991-92 Score Rookie & Traded
Item Received: 1990-91 Topps, 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1991-92 Score Rookie & Traded.  All signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
At only 23 years old and with parts of three NHL seasons already under his belt, Zettler was arguably the Minnesota North Stars' biggest loss to the Sharks in the 1991 dispersal draft.  He was viewed as a solid prospect for the Stars' aging blue line.  While he didn't put up mind-blowing numbers during his career, he did hang around for 14 NHL seasons, retiring from the Washington Capitals in 2002.  He has worked as a coach and television analyst since and currently serves as an assistant for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Aaron Voros

Sent: 10/29/10
Received: 4/9/11
Time: 162 Days
Address: c/o Anaheim Ducks
Item Sent: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro
Item Received: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee, 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro.  Both signed in blue marker.

Notes:
Aaron Voros was a poor man's Cal Clutterbuck for the Wild during the 2007-08 season.  He only scored seven goals that year, but he accumulated 141 penalty minutes and quickly became a fan favorite with his high-octane pesky play.  He signed as a restricted free agent with the New York Rangers following that season, paving the way for the younger and more talented Clutterbuck to assume his role on the Wild.  His first season in the Big Apple produced nearly identical numbers as his season in St. Paul.  After a reduced role in 2009-10, he was traded to Anaheim during the offseason.  After playing only 12 games for the Ducks he was dealt again, this time to the Maple Leafs.  He finished out the season for their Toronto Marlies AHL affiliate and will be an unrestricted free agent following this season.  Mr. Voros generously added two extra cards to my request.  Unfortunately, all cards were signed with a hideous erasable marker.  Thankfully the signature remained intact on the Retro card I sent.  You can see how it has bubbled on the card he added.  He also included a glossy Collector's Choice card, where the signature had almost entirely rubbed off.  I didn't even bother including that one in the result.  Great return, just an unfortunate choice in writing utensils!

Tom Niedenfuer

Sent: 5/14/10
Received: 4/8/11
Time: 329 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1984 Dodgers Police Issue, 1987 Fleer
Item Received: 1984 Dodgers Police Issue, 1987 Fleer.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
When I opened the mailbox this evening and noticed the bold black return address stamp on the SASE, I knew this was an old request.  My stamp has now faded to a light grey from all the requests I have sent in the last year.  The contrast on this envelope was a fond reminder of the wonderful year I have had in this reemergence into the hobby.  There is one thing I'm wondering about this success from St. Louis Park, Minnesota native and longtime Dodgers reliever Tom Niedenfuer. 

What took so long?

Mr. Niedenfuer has a TTM success rate of about 90% according to the data on SportsCollectors.net.  A scan of his returns shows that most are received within three weeks.  So what happened with mine?  And why the creased corners on both cards?  Did he misplace it, or was it lost by the post office?

No matter, I'm just happy to receive the signatures.  This shatters my previous record for longest wait, and is my first success to crack the 300 day barrier!

Dusty Hughes

Sent: 2/16/11
Received: 4/6/11
Time: 49 Days
Address: c/o Minnesota Twins Spring Training
Item Sent: 2010 Topps
Item Received: 2010 Topps, signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Many Twins fans were dumbfounded by the team's waiver claim of former Royals pitcher Dusty Hughes this offseason.  While the mass exodus from the Twins bullpen left ample opportunity, this was a guy who was deemed expendable by perhaps the worst pitching staff in all of baseball.  It also caused the Twins to waive Rob Delaney - considered a top relief prospect as recently as two years ago - to create a roster spot for Hughes.  (Delaney was claimed by the Tampa Bay Rays.)  Give Dusty his due, though.  He was fantastic throughout spring training, and definitely earned a spot in the bullpen. 

Bob Kipper

Sent: 2/10/11
Received: 4/5/11
Time: 54 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1992 Leaf, 1992 Pinnacle
Item Received: 1992 Leaf, 1992 Pinnacle.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
After seven years with the Pittsburgh Pirates - some of them pretty good - Bob Kipper signed with the defending World Series champion Minnesota Twins in December 1991.  He went 3-3 in 25 games for the Twins and was given his release on July 31, 1992.  He never appeared in the big leagues again.  Kipper has been a minor league pitching coach for the last ten years and currently fills that role for the Red Sox' AA affiliate Portland Sea Dogs.

Gilles Meloche

Sent: 3/10/11
Received: 4/2/11
Time: 23 Days
Address: c/o Pittsburgh Penguins
Item Sent: 1977-78 O-Pee-Chee, 1979-80 Topps, 1984-85 Topps
Item Received: 1977-78 O-Pee-Chee, 1979-80 Topps, 1984-85 Topps.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Can you think of a better name for a goalie?  To me, Gilles Meloche is a snapshot of the early 1980s.  What better way to learn about the NHL than a wily veteran goalie with a bushy mustache and that name.  More than just a name, though, Meloche was part of a terrific tandem (with the equally wonderfully named Don Beaupre) that captured my heart upon discovering the North Stars.  He finished his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and has been their goaltending coach for over twenty years now, winning Stanley Cups in 1991, 1992, and 2009.

Jesse Crain

Sent: 3/15/11
Received: 4/2/11
Time: 18 Days
Address: c/o Chicago White Sox Spring Training
Item Sent: 2004 Bowman Heritage, 2005 Topps Heritage
Item Received: 2004 Bowman Heritage, 2005 Topps Heritage.  Both signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
I don't know if there's been another player in Twins history with whom I had more of a love/hate relationship than Jesse Crain.  He was tantalizing over his first year and a half in the league, looking every bit like our closer of the future.  Then came inconsistency.  Then injury.  Then frustration.  Then, finally, came 2010.  We had been calling him "The Crainwreck."  It was easy to see why in April.  The Twins were reportedly on the verge of releasing him early in the season.  They were set to activate Ron Mahay, and only a Pat Neshek injury saved Crainwreck's roster spot.  From that point on, he was lights out.  He figured out how to pitch again, and was easily the Twins best relief pitcher in 2010.  Of course, that didn't stop him from melting down in the ALDS against the Yankees.  Hard to put the blame squarely on his shoulders, though... the entire pitching staff had trouble against the mighty Yankees lineup.  I was kind of sad to see Crainwreck leave.  It should be fun, though.  He was one of us, now he's with our arch rivals.  I wish him well, but I'm relieved to be able to cheer against him guilt free!

Brett Hull

Sent: 3/16/11
Received: 4/2/11
Time: 17 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1991-92 Score Canadian: base card, "Man of the Year," League Leaders, "50 Goals/50 Games," Hart Trophy, The Franchise, Dream Team
Item Received: 1991-92 Score Canadian: base card, League Leaders, "50 Goals/50 Games," Hart Trophy, The Franchise, Dream Team.  All signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
I took a risk here, and I was very up front about it in my letter to Mr. Hull.  He is as automatic of a TTM signer as you'll ever come across for a recent Hall of Fame legend.  I saw some reports of five and six cards per attempt coming back successful to other SCN members.  If you're familiar with this blog, you can plainly see that I never send more than four cards in a request.  I certainly did not want to take advantage of Brett Hull's generosity... but it just so happens that he has seven different cards in the 1991-92 Score set that I'm trying to complete.  So, I sent a very polite letter, explaning that the cards were for my set and that's why I was sending so many.  Sure enough, I received a quick reply.  Six of the cards were signed while one (the "Man of the Year" card) was not returned.  Who knows what happened to the last card?  Maybe he has a strict policy of no more than six cards per request.  Maybe he simply forgot to get the seventh card in the envelope.  I don't mean to sound grateful.  Quite the opposite, I'm ecstatic over the return.  I'm six cards closer to completing the set, and I have six more Brett Hull autographs in my collection!  I'm sure I have several more years of working on this set, so some time down the line I can send him a request for that missing card.  Then I can stop bothering him.  Thanks, Brett!

Scott Arniel

Sent: 3/16/11
Received: 4/2/11
Time: 17 Days
Address: c/o Columbus Blue Jackets
Item Sent: 1984-85 O-Pee-Chee, 1990-91 Pro Set, 1990-91 Upper Deck, 1991-92 Score Canadian
Item Received: 1984-85 O-Pee-Chee, 1990-91 Pro Set, 1990-91 Upper Deck, 1991-92 Score Canadian.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Arniel is about to wrap up his first season as an NHL head coach for the Columbus Blue Jackets.  It hasn't been a great season, as the team is languishing near the bottom of the Western Conference standings.  They have played well for stretches, though, and have infused some intriguing young talent into their lineup.  Arniel is a veteran of 11 NHL seasons, most notably for the Winnipeg Jets and Buffalo Sabres.  His previous head coaching experience includes four years with the AHL's Manitoba Moose.  Following the 2009 season, he was named AHL Coach of the Year, and was reportedly on the short list of candidates for the Wild job that eventually went to Todd Richards.

Dana Murzyn

Sent: 3/16/11
Received: 4/2/11
Time: 17 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1990-91 Pro Set, 1990-91 Score, 1990-91 Upper Deck, 1991-92 Score Canadian
Item Received: 1990-91 Pro Set, 1990-91 Score, 1990-91 Upper Deck, 1991-92 Score Canadian.  All signed in black Sharpie.
 
Notes:
Dana Murzyn was a solid defenseman who I best remember for being a member of the 1989 Stanley Cup champion Calgary Flames.  He was a member of the NHL All-Rookie team while with the Whalers in 1985-86.  He spent the majority of his career with the Vancouver Canucks, including a return trip to the Finals in 1994.  He retired from the Canucks in 1998 with 204 points in 838 career NHL games.

Nick Spaling

Sent: 3/15/11
Received: 4/1/11
Time: 17 Days
Address: c/o Nashville Predators
Item Sent: 2010-11 O-Pee-Chee, 2010-11 Score
Item Received: 2010-11 O-Pee-Chee, 2010-11 Score.  Both signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
Nick Spaling is a talented rookie center for the always underrated Predators.  He has a pair of two-goal games in his young career.  Both have come against the Wild.  Funnily enough, prior to his 2010 season debut, I managed to acquire him for the Wild in my NHL 11 game for PS3.  I really wanted Shea Weber on my blue line, and targeted Spaling as a second player in the deal.  He gave me some nice center depth during my successful run to the Cup.  We'll see if he and Weber can repeat the achievement in real life for the Preds!

Larry Patey

Sent: 3/24/11
Received: 4/1/11
Time: 8 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:
Larry Patey was an outstanding two-way forward for nearly a decade in St. Louis.  He was always in the running for the Selke Trophy, though he never did win the award.  A back injury essentially ended his career during the 1983 season.  He did try coming back with the New York Rangers, but was only able to get in to 16 games for them over two seasons.