The family and I left Friday morning for our annual Cardinals Caravan/Winter Warm Up trip. First stop was the Caravan in Champaign, IL. We had been to previous caravans, but this was our first since an autograph ticket system was used. The new policy was the first 400 children 15 and under would receive a ticket for one auto from each player. In previous years, children would get autos and as time allowed adults could also. We arrived about 30 minutes early and both of my children got tickets. After a short question and answer session, kids were allowed to line up for autos. Since less than 200 tickets were given out, it was announced adults could get autos time permitting. We all went through the line in less than 2 hours. Here are the results:
Eric Fornataro: card and PCL ball
Zach Petrick: MWL ball inscribed Go Chiefs
Shane Robinson: card and poster
Matt Adams: ROML inscribed Big City, 2 cards, and poster
Cal Eldred: card
John Mabry: 2 cards
All the players also signed a base that my wife had from a co-worker. The poster the players signed was a Christmas present that features various Cardinals in shirts promoting Jason Motte’s Cancer Foundation. It came with Motte’s signature already. All total 18 autographs for free. My kids even got their picture in the local paper with Adams. All the players were very nice and talkative.
We left the caravan and headed to St. Louis for the Warm-UP. Friday night I picked up the auto tickets at will call so I could avoid the lines on Saturday morning. A lot more players were signing for free this year, so the crowd was bigger than last year. Out of all the free signatures, we only missed out on Stephen Piscotty that I really wanted. He signed first thing Sunday morning and I did not feel like getting in line an hour early. Hope to get him at a minor league game this year. Here is what we ended up with:
Scott Terry: 2 cards, bat, and base
Ken Dayley: card, bat, and base
Keith Butler: bat and base
Greg Garcia: card and base
Randall Grichuck: bat and base
Daniel Descalso: poster (paid)
Ricky Horton: 2 cards
Yadier Molina: World Series bat (paid)
Seth Maness: 2 photos, card, poster (paid)
Tom Lawless: card
John Costello: 2 cards
Danny Cox: 2 cards
Ernie Broglio: base
Jermaine Curtis: card
Lance Lynn: poster (paid)
Jon Jay: poster (paid)
Carlos Martinez: poster (paid)
Jason Motte: World Series bat (paid)
The bat most of the players signed is a bat that we have been taking to Caravans and Winter Warm Ups to get free autos on. I think it has about 50 autos now. The World Series bat is a team bat that I am trying to get the 2011 team autos on. Up to 11 on it now. Total autos for the weekend was 54. Total auto fee was $215, with $100 being for Molina. My children did great waiting in line most of the weekend. You never know what to expect from a 9 and 5 year old. Lastly I did get an 8x10 auto of Ray Lankford for $10. My deal of the weekend. All is all a great weekend.
Ray
Eric Fornataro: card and PCL ball
Zach Petrick: MWL ball inscribed Go Chiefs
Shane Robinson: card and poster
Matt Adams: ROML inscribed Big City, 2 cards, and poster
Cal Eldred: card
John Mabry: 2 cards
All the players also signed a base that my wife had from a co-worker. The poster the players signed was a Christmas present that features various Cardinals in shirts promoting Jason Motte’s Cancer Foundation. It came with Motte’s signature already. All total 18 autographs for free. My kids even got their picture in the local paper with Adams. All the players were very nice and talkative.
We left the caravan and headed to St. Louis for the Warm-UP. Friday night I picked up the auto tickets at will call so I could avoid the lines on Saturday morning. A lot more players were signing for free this year, so the crowd was bigger than last year. Out of all the free signatures, we only missed out on Stephen Piscotty that I really wanted. He signed first thing Sunday morning and I did not feel like getting in line an hour early. Hope to get him at a minor league game this year. Here is what we ended up with:
Scott Terry: 2 cards, bat, and base
Ken Dayley: card, bat, and base
Keith Butler: bat and base
Greg Garcia: card and base
Randall Grichuck: bat and base
Daniel Descalso: poster (paid)
Ricky Horton: 2 cards
Yadier Molina: World Series bat (paid)
Seth Maness: 2 photos, card, poster (paid)
Tom Lawless: card
John Costello: 2 cards
Danny Cox: 2 cards
Ernie Broglio: base
Jermaine Curtis: card
Lance Lynn: poster (paid)
Jon Jay: poster (paid)
Carlos Martinez: poster (paid)
Jason Motte: World Series bat (paid)
The bat most of the players signed is a bat that we have been taking to Caravans and Winter Warm Ups to get free autos on. I think it has about 50 autos now. The World Series bat is a team bat that I am trying to get the 2011 team autos on. Up to 11 on it now. Total autos for the weekend was 54. Total auto fee was $215, with $100 being for Molina. My children did great waiting in line most of the weekend. You never know what to expect from a 9 and 5 year old. Lastly I did get an 8x10 auto of Ray Lankford for $10. My deal of the weekend. All is all a great weekend.
Ray
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