[HeyFitzy]

Couple days ago my friend from High School who lives up in Youngstown said they were having "Buck Night" for a Mahoning Valley Scrappers game against the Jammers(Miami's A-Team) on the 21st.

After committing to going, I realized that Tyler Naquin was just assigned to the Scrappers (Indians A-Team). Then I got upset because I had just traded away his '11 TC Blue Refractor Auto to pyr0punk. LOL. So I'm like "crap, I need something for him to sign if I get the chance to get an auto!"

So me and my wife made the trip up to Y-Town to meet up with him and we went to the game with my black sharpie and 3 "dummy cards" in hand which were in a team bag. I really wish I had a base card of him at that point.

So we get there and unfortunately Tyler was not scheduled to play, totally bummed but we made a night of it. With it being "Buck Night" hot dogs, 12oz soft drinks and 12 oz beers were $1 along with GA Tickets $1. Can't pass that up!

Game is over and I spot Tyler in the dugout, we were on the visitor's side. I made a straight b-line over in hopes to get his auto. I march down beside the dugout, a few family members were talking to him. Tyler sees me with my sharpie out and goes "you want an auto?" I go "yeah! it would mean a lot." As he's signing my dummy card we went on to have a 5 minute convo and I showed him the blue refractor auto card I traded away and he goes "wow that is a sweet card, I remember signing that. why didn't you bring that?" I laughed and told him I traded it to somebody in Texas so it's in a good home. Naturally he laughed and said "good! love my Texas fans!" We both shook hands, I wished him luck and he said "next time you come, bring more stuff and I'll sign it for you." Me = stunned.




As you can see it was a rather hot night and it didn't help I literally sprinted across the ball park LOL.

Then here's the auto!



We are going back up next thursday when they play the Pirates A-Team and I'm hoping to have some more cards of him this time

Sorry for my story being so long, just was leading it up to the good part!


~Zach

[bunk27]

i dont get it, you would have had him sign the blue refractor auto card again?

[jimfalbo21]

sweet, hope you get more autos next time!

[HeyFitzy]

i dont get it, you would have had him sign the blue refractor auto card again?

No I wanted to show him in person the card. I didn't have any base cards of him to sign. So I also showed him the refractor on my phone because I had a picture of it.

---

sweet, hope you get more autos next time!

So do I, I'll be looking for base cards of him like crazy now.

I rubbed the dummy card several times before I handed it to him. I prayed it wouldn't smudge or bubble because of the humidity. I got lucky. It's not on a card but it looks pretty sweet regardless.

[bunk27]

cool... in person autos are the best... love going to spring training games.

[pyr0punk]

sounds like a really cool guy, sorry for nabbing his card from ya...well not really haha ill keep you in mind for whatever base cards i get of him. sounds like a good night though

[magneto2]

Seriously cool story and pics! I pulled a sweet Bowman Sterling auto of him to /25! If I have time I will put a scan of it up.

[HeyFitzy]

Seriously cool story and pics! I pulled a sweet Bowman Sterling auto of him to /25! If I have time I will put a scan of it up.

Ah man that's awesome. I think after that meeting I'm going to be collecting him. Just a total class act person, I didn't think he would be that kind, because in the past some prospects just sign and move on to the next.

[75toppsfan]

very cool story Zach!!!!

[elberson]

Agreed, cool story.