Don Robinson

Sent: 5/3/12
Received: 5/10/12
Time: 7 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1981 Topps, 1983 Topps, 1985 Fleer, 1992 Topps
Item Received: 1981 Topps, 1983 Topps, 1985 Fleer, 1992 Topps.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
A burly righty who was nicknamed "Caveman" (for obvious physical reasons), Don Robinson was a valuable swingman for the Pirates and Giants throughout the '80s.  He began his career as a starter in Pittsburgh before injuries forced a move to the bullpen.  After some nice years in the Pirates pen, he reestablished himself as a dependable starter in San Francisco.  He was also a fantastic hitter, so I'm glad one of the cards I sent him depicted him with a bat in his hand.

Richie Hebner

Sent: 4/25/12
Received: 5/4/12
Time: 9 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1984 Topps, 1985 Fleer, 1985 Topps
Item Received: 1984 Topps, 1985 Fleer, 1985 Topps.  All signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
A star third baseman throughout the '70s for the Pittsburgh Pirates (including the 1971 World Series championship team), Richie Hebner spent the last two seasons of his long career as a pinch-hitter and backup corner infielder for the 1984 and 1985 Chicago Cubs.  Of course, that's right in my wheelhouse.  Much of my love for baseball stemmed from watching those Cubs teams on WGN, so most of my memories of this Pirates great are instead as a grizzled veteran on the Cubbies.

Larry Melton

Sent: 3/16/12
Received: 3/22/12
Time: 6 Days
Address: Work
Item Sent: 1986 ProCards Prince William Pirates
Item Received: 1986 ProCards Prince William Pirates, signed in black gel pen.

Notes:
Larry Melton spent five years in the Pirates organization, reaching the AAA level before calling it a career.  As with many former minor league players that I've written, Mr. Melton included a wonderful full-page letter with his reply.  He is now a mortgage specialist in the Portland area, has a wife and two daughters, and stays involved in baseball by teaching private lessons in his spare time. 

As a side note, I love these 1986 ProCards team sets.  It was the first year I collected minor league cards, and it's such a simple, classic design.  I'm definitely going to try collecting more, from all teams.

Ryan Doumit

Sent: 2/9/12
Received: 3/15/12
Time: 35 Days
Address: c/o Minnesota Twins Spring Training
Item Sent: 2010 Topps Heritage, 2011 Topps Heritage
Item Received: 2010 Topps Heritage, 2011 Topps Heritage.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
The Twins' offseason signing of Ryan Doumit mirrors their typical bargain basement free agent gambles, but I'm a fan of this one.  Doumit can hit.  Flat out hit.  He can't field much, but he's willing to play anywhere.  Health has been a recurring problem over his career.  That's undeniable.  But he's a switch-hitter with a lot of pop and is a huge offensive upgrade over the Twins usual utility players and backup catchers.

John Tudor

Sent: 2/24/11
Received: 7/30/11
Time: 156 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1981 Topps, 1985 Fleer, 1986 Topps, 1988 Score
Item Received: 1981 Topps, 1985 Fleer, 1986 Topps, 1988 Score.  All signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
John Tudor had an outstanding 12 year career, complete with a sterling .619 career winning percentage.  His most notable season was 1985, where he assembled one of the finest campaigns of the era.  After starting the season 1-7, he finished on a 20-1 run to end the year with a 21-8 record, a 1.93 ERA, and a league leading ten shutouts.  Unanimous Cy Young Award numbers, but thanks to the remarkable sophomore performance by Doc Gooden that same year, Tudor failed to garner a single first place vote.  After coming up short in the 1985 and 1987 World Series for the Cardinals, he finally won his ring with the 1988 Dodgers.

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).

Matt Capps

Sent: 9/23/10
Received: 10/7/10
Time: 14 Days
Address: c/o Minnesota Twins
Item Sent: 2004 Topps Traded, 2007 Topps Heritage, 2009 Topps Heritage
Item Received: 2004 Topps Traded, 2007 Topps Heritage, 2009 Topps Heritage.  All signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
With the abrupt and disappointing ending to the Twins 2010 season, the jury remains out on whether Capps was worth Wilson Ramos, but you can't fault him for that.  Mr. Capps was very solid after arriving and taking on the Twins' closer role in July.  He'll be back in 2011, providing some nice late-inning security in the event that Joe Nathan is not yet fully recovered from Tommy John surgery.

Garrett Jones

Sent: 4/13/10
Received: 9/21/10
Time: 161 Days
Address: c/o Pittsburgh Pirates
Item Sent: 2009 Topps Heritage
Item Received: 2009 Topps Heritage, signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Last year, Garrett Jones looked like the "one who got away" to Twins fans -- the second coming of David Ortiz -- as he clubbed seven home runs in his first 12 games, and finished with 21 in a half-season for the Pirates.  Well, this year, it looks like he is who we thought he was.  Maybe a bit better.  He has undeniable power, and knows his way around a hot streak, but he does appear to be more of a platoon/DH type.  It's still nice to see success coming to him.  It never really seemed like the Twins were serious about giving him a shot in the big leagues.  This card looks awesome, too!

Rich Robertson

Sent: 7/13/10
Received: 8/14/10
Time: 32 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1993 Fleer Final Edition, 1998 Collector's Choice
Item Received: 1993 Fleer Final Edition, 1998 Collector's Choice.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
The fact that lanky lefty Rich Robertson spent two full years in the Twins' rotation in the late '90s is an indictment on the team at the time.  Robertson simply was not a major league starter.  He had good stuff, but was far too erratic.  He could have been a solid bullpen lefty, but pressed into service as one of the Twins' workhorses in 1996 and 1997.  1996 was an amazingly peculiar season for Robertson.  In 186.1 innings, he gave up 197 hits and a league-leading 116 walks.  That's 313 baserunners in 186.1 innings -- a 1.68 WHIP!  It showed in his record, too, as he finished 7-17.  However, among those 7 wins was a league-leading three shutouts!  It's one of my favorite anomalies in Twins history.  Thanks for the signatures, Mr. Robertson.  I am sincerely thrilled to have them in my Twins collection!

Bruce Schreiber

Sent: 6/29/10
Received: 7/10/10
Time: 11 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1991 Classic Best, 1991 Line Drive AA
Item Received: 1991 Classic Best, 1991 Line Drive AA.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Appleton, Wisconsin native Bruce Schreiber spent a few years in the Pirates organization.  I had a couple of his cards, so I tried tracking him down.  Thanks for the quick return, Bruce!

Kent Tekulve

Sent: 5/10/10
Received: 5/24/10
Time: 14 Days
Address: c/o Pittsburgh Pirates
Item Sent: 1982 Donruss, 1983 Topps, 1984 Fleer
Item Received: 1982 Donruss, 1983 Topps, 1984 Fleer.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
This has to be my favorite in a great day of seven successful returns.  I loved Kent Tekulve.  I still do.  He had it all.  The flat-top Pirates cap.  The "dickhead" sunglasses.  The funky sidearm delivery.  His nickname was "Bones" because with his 6'4" 175-pound frame whipping around, that's all the batter would see.  One of my favorite t-shirts is this kickass Tekulve shirt by Watch Your Back NYC.  These are some truly cherished autographs.  Thanks, Mr. Tekulve!