Craftsmen: Randy Johnson

The fact that this dude was one of the most intimidating pitchers to take the mound since Nolan Ryan does not escape me. What has escaped me, until now, has been the quality of Randy's signature. I have really only seen but so many of his Autos, due to his generally short print-runs. Our tall, lanky anti-hero here seemed as inaccessible as the fourth post of the cauldron, until I came across his crafted, unassuming signature. It is almost always the same, and has not changed a tremendous amount over time. I would have pegged randy for an AD, or at least, Hanley Ramirez style scrawl, but we get the mark of a gentile sportsman, a gentleman even. Congrats on the retirement Randy, Remember that time you killed that bird when you were with Seattle?...and then refused to acknowledge it to the press afterwords?, I have been scared shitless. point made.

Craftsmen, NASCAR Edition: Denny Hamlin

From just down the road from me in Chesterfield, VA, I saw Denny lead an entire RIR (Richmond International Raceway) night race and then lose in a close last three laps to some red Bud car. This signature screams "well-trained rook" to me. NACSAR is a different beast indeed.
"...every signature must be a work of art, and smile wide, boy. you got to sell ya'self"

Ones That Speak to Me: Victor Martinez

When I first discovered Victor Martinez's AUTO, needless to say, I was impressed. It had all of my favorite qualities...Repetition, legibility, and the most powerful in this instance; Controlled Chaos. I had to have one to look at often.

I was literally hunting the right rendition of his auto since 2005. In 06 I got a co-signers of Victor and Ryan Garko for a song, but I got sick of the shiny stickers and Garko's lackluster development, and sold it.

I promised myself the "Right" one at a later date. It would be on-card, clear and LARGE. I wanted to be able to see every letter. With this one I got the bonus of it being on what I would call a great card design with a great photo of one hell of a good hitting catcher. All of these things contribute to one of the most favored cards in my collection. Victor rarely leaves anything on the diamond (to borrow a football analogy) and puts the same care into every signature of his that I have ever seen.

Craftsmen:Brian Bixler, The Brian Bannister of 2009

Even the shortest, most truncated versions are near masterpieces, and fit in many of my "recurring themes" categories. The UDX is the most detailed and has a perfectly executed "B repeat". The Sterling version has a very tag-like feel to it, as the bend of the second "B" is irregular snd possibly accidental. At the very least, his consistency is nothing less than admirable.

Evolution = change/time

I would like this to be a blog that makes people get up in the morning, drink coffee and change their lives, but it is not. I just post scans and pictures of Autographs and then either provide somekind of commentary on the design, signature, significance or the always popular, nothin'. Auto-matic for the People has it down for formatting the exhibition of auto cards, and I try not to bite others' steez.
From now until I make another shift due to pressures unknown, I will be organizing photos and scans in my "blogger" file in "recurring themes". some of the themes I have "brainworked" to date:
The Joy of Symmetry/Repetition
self-explanatory...

Controlled Chaos
What moves the pen...the mind or the hand?

Gentlemen
Percieved anachronisms

Then and Now
Classic, and with a market this big, how could I not?

Craftsmen
Taking Pride in your signature is a sign of confidence (or arrogance).

BIG TIME
Gotta be makin' a statement there pal.

Really!
That's how you're going to be immortalized?

Ones that speak to me.
I can have reasons or not have reasons all day long...

By My Hand
Autographs that I attained myself one way or another.

I think that this will at least give this blog some kind of structure. I jumped in with nothing but passion and basic computer skills. I think evident from all December posts. Also I love the feel of a subset. The categories mentioned above remind me of subsets that I might actually like to see exist.
others for consideration pending storage folder initiation:
Doh!
Cut and Run
Just a bit outside...
Fake as s***.

suggestions and submissions are, as always, welcome.

Peterson

I bought this one off of eBay several years ago...I had to have it. Gary's signature has an incredible right-focus that leaves that stylish tail and arc on the LEFT hand side. Everything about this auto says unique. It is on-card, a refractor, and an oddly sublime chrome design. If anyone has any of these sigs, let me know I would love to build this set. y'know, for gazing...

Again we see a Shut-Down pitcher with a very open, spacially consistent, readable signature. Eck had me goin' as a little guy pulling for him, Dave Stewart, and the rest of that 'pen to end the Dodgers hopes for good. This, of course, is not what happened. We have tons fo pics to prove it.

This card is a stunner. (I can still see the sticker) Layout and Patch-card construction quality are on show here.

Casual Fingers

Rollie Fingers you're my hero. Look at that thing...It's gorgeous. The card leaves much to be desired but would be a neat collectible if it were mine.
( I don't have NEAR enough Rollies in Brewers unis.)

This is what we are missing with dudes like Chris Johnson signing stickers a 1000 at a time.
I LOVE this set. I have a George Scott, and had a Roy White (sold) wish I could get a box of this for christmas. I have a Spahn AUTO, but the rest of these are pure aesthetic joy to me.

Then and Now: Sean Burroughs

The Curious Case of Sean Burroughs' autograph...


Sean Patrick Burroughs 2003 Upper Deck SPX - simply amazing AUTO. still don't own one.

(born September 12, 1980 in Atlanta, Georgia) is a free agent third baseman in Major League Baseball who has played for the San Diego Padres and Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

2000 SP Prospects

This sig is pathetic, but only compared with the 2003 version. If he hadn't pulled a Hancock on the SPX card, I would still be fine with his 2000 sig, but no. He reset the standard for "fine sharpie on thick white cardstock" signatures. Obviously Sean spent more time on his Autograph than his swing.

This will be filed under "sometimes they get better, sometimes they get worse" category.

Presidential Cut AUTOs and preferences.

Cut this or keep it? (sweet spot doesn't actually have to make that choice...cheap-manufactured-fading-sig-crap)

Nice set-up Razor (who are you guys? Not as sharp as their name sounds) Centering of cut autos can be tough, I am sure, but I hate it when they stray "outside of the box."

The only other Razor card I have is a Matt Weiters Auto that I got for about 6bucks. It's ugly as hell, but I am on a budget. And I wanted his 'graph real bad.

Amazing card. Window is just the right size and the simple, sensitive greeting and signature are perfectly centered (I really appreciate that)
A couple thousand bucks stop here.

A General, a gentleman, a President.
The Man's man. Solid signature, pretty excellent cut and great exhibit by the design.

No comment. I liked the Chevy Chase version better...("I was told there would be no math...")

Elegant, understated, illegible.

Spectacular design. I will call it "American Presidential excess on parade" I would covet this one, even if it isn't a "major" war president. Plus he was in "All in the Family wasn't he?" (No)

George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Design takes away the possibility of awe-inspiring, musketpowder smelling history-in-hand experience. "This is co-signers...I hate that set".

We see alot more "cut autographs" in the current hobby. We are also, among those seeing a lot of presidential signatures. I would be literally honored to pull a presidential signature, with a couple of exceptions. Dwight D. Eisenhower is NOT one of them. Just pulling one of these is history at the smithsonian level. one might call it "epic". (not me)

what do you think of the varying quality of presentation of presidential cut signatures?

Oh, and none of these are mine.