Previous Autographs of the Month
Month: May
Jason Marquis
A first round pick by the Braves back in 1996, Jason Marquis never really lived up to the expectations in a Braves uniform. Indeed, as a Brave, he posted a a season ERA under five only once in four years with them. When he was traded to the Cardinals, however, things changed - in fact, he won 15 games in his first year as a Cardinal. He tapered off a bit and posted losing records the next two seasons, but ever since being traded away from the Braves, Marquis has won at least 11 games each year.
With the Rockies now, Marquis is currently leading the league in wins with seven, and he'll probably end up with 15 or so by the end of the season. That is what is great about Marquis - a team can count on him to win 10-15 games a year, consistently. He does it without much fanfare and often in a way that's unspectacular - however, he wins the games nevertheless. And it is because of his great consistency and reliability that I name him the Autograph of the Month.
Month: April
Luke Hochevar
It was tough deciding between Luke Hochevar and Jered Weaver, but in the end I thought the first overall pick from 2006 is more deserving of the Autograph of the Month honor.
Luke Hochevar was sought after before even setting foot on a college baseball diamond - in 2002, he was selected in the 39th round by the Dodgers out of Fowler High School in Colorado. It was his college baseball career that really set him apart from other young pitchers in the country, however. In 2005, he set a University of Tennessee record by striking out 154 batters. He also went 15-3 with a 2.26 ERA that season.
During the 2006 season, Hochevar made his professional debut - not with an affiliated team, but with the Fort Worth Cats of the independent American Association. He went 1-1 with a 2.38 ERA in four games with them, striking out 34 strikeouts in 22 2/3 innings of work. When he did finally play with an affiliated team in 2006, he pitched even better - although he went 0-1 for the Burlington Bees, he did post a 1.17 ERA and he struck out 16 batters in 15 1/3 innings. Overall, he went only 1-2, but he had a 1.89 ERA with 50 strikeouts in 38 innings in his rookie professional season.
Although Hochevar had a rocky minor league season in 2007, he shined in the big leagues, posting a 2.13 ERA in 12 2/3 innings of work. He struggled in 2008 in the big leagues, but he performed well in the minors that season.
So, Hochevar was a first overall draft pick, he's shown success in the minors, and some success in the majors. Does that make him worthy of Autograph of the Month honors? You bet it does.
Month: March
Darryl Talley
Darryl Talley had a long career in the NFL, lasting from 1983 to 1996. A two-time Pro Bowler, he had 38.5 career sacks and 12 career interceptions. He also had five 100-tackle seasons, including four in a row. Not only that, he appeared in four Super Bowls and never missed a game when he played with the Bills. Although he never led in a statistical category, he did rank among the leaders in non-offensive touchdowns in 1990 and 1993.
Talley was a very good player. Good enough to be the Autograph of the Month? You bet.
Month: February
Brian Blades
Brian Blades was a very solid wide receiver during the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s. He had over 50 receptions five times in a season, over 75 receptions four times and over 80 receptions twice. He had four 1,000 yard seasons and two years with at least five touchdowns scored. He was even a Pro-Bowler once, in 1989.
Overall, Blades had 581 receptions, 7,620 yards and 34 touchdowns in his career. Because he was such a solid wide receiver, I name him the Autograph of the Month.
Month: January
Travis Buck
I got a ton of successes in January, however most of them were from retired minor leaguers. One that was not a retired minor leaguer, however, was Travis Buck.
A first-round draft pick, Buck made his big league debut in 2007 and did pretty well. In 285 at-bats, he hit .288 with seven home runs and an OPS+ of 130. He went through a sophomore slump in 2008 however, hitting only .226 in 155 at-bats. I don't believe that is very telling of what kind of talent he is, though. In the minors, he had a .326 batting average and a .404 on-base percentage. In 2006, he attended the All-Star Futures Game, and in 2007 he was named the best prospect in the A's organization and the 50th best prospect in baseball by Baseball America.
Although minor league success doesn't always transfer to the majors, I think Travis Buck will do well for a long time - and that is why he is the Autograph of the Month.
Month: December
Josh Hamilton
What a cool success this was. Josh Hamilton exploded onto the scene in 2007, and in 2008 solidified himself as a true star of the game. In '07, he hit .292 with 19 home runs and 47 RBI in 90 games for the Reds. He was traded to the Rangers, and in 2008 hit an astounding .304 with 32 home runs and 130 RBI. He was an All-Star, won a Silver Slugger and finished seventh in MVP voting. He also led the league in RBI and total bases.
Almost everyone knows the story about Josh Hamilton. He was the first overall draft pick in the 1999 draft, selected by the Devil Rays and booming with talent. But, drugs became a major part of his life, and from 2002 to 2005 he didn't even play professionally. Many people thought Hamilton's career was done.
Luckily for him, however, the Reds took him in the Rule 5 draft in 2006, and after hitting .350 in 11 games in the minors in 2007 he was called up, and the rest is history.
Because Josh Hamilton is one of the top stars in the game today, I name him the Autograph of the Month.
Month: November
Michael Griffin
Michael Griffin is a talented young football player. In 2007, he had a solid rookie season, picking off three passes and forcing a fumble. He also served as a useful kick returner, averaging 23.4 yards a return.
This season, Griffin is on pace for another good year, already surpassing last year's interception and sack totals. The Titans must have seen something good in him - he was their first round draft pick in 2007, so maybe his numbers aren't all that surprising after all.
Because he is such a promising young player, I name Michael Griffin this month's Autograph of the Month.
Month: October, 2008
Bert Blyleven
This is one of my favorite successes, because Blyleven is one of the games all-time underappreciated players, in my opinion. Honestly, I believe he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.
Blyleven went 287-250 with 3701 strikeouts and a 3.31 ERA in his career. His winning percentage doesn't seem that great, but that's because he didn't always pitch on the best teams in the league. In fact, if his stats were neutralized, he would have won well over 300 games in his career.
Although he won 15 or more games in a season 10 times, he only won 20 or more games once. And it's pretty impressive that he won 20 games the year he did too - the team he played for that year, the Twins, went only 81-81. To show just how unimpressive the Twins were that year, Jim Kaat - another should-be Hall of Famer according to many - went only 11-12 that season.
I could say a lot about Blyleven's Hall of Fame worthiness, especially considering I believe he should be in the Hall of Fame. However, I am going to make a few points. One: Except for Bobby Mathews and Tommy John, Blyleven has more wins than anyone not in the Hall of Fame - and he has a better case than either Mathews or John. For example, Mathews spent a large part of his career in the National Association, who many don't even consider a major league, and John doesn't have the strikeouts or grey and black ink (grey and black ink are a Bill James invention) that Blyleven has. Which brings me to point two: Blyleven has over 3700 strikeouts, making him fifth all-time in the strikeouts category. Only eight players have 3500 or more strikeouts, and besides Blyleven they are all in the Hall of Fame, or on their way there. Finally, Blyleven's grey and black ink are great, especially his grey ink. The average Hall of Famer's grey ink is 185 - Blyleven's is 237.
Because Blyleven was such a great pitcher, I name him the Autograph of the Month.
Month: September, 2008
Jeff Clement
It was a slow month, September was. I received only five successes in the mail. However, I believe Jeff Clement makes the best choice for Autograph of the Month.
Although he struggled mightily after Kenji Johjima himself struggled in 2008, I have hope that Clement will rebound and do well in the big leagues for many years. In the minors, he hit for both average and power, and he showed a good eye at the plate. He wasn't drafted third overall in the 2005 draft for no reason, after all.
Month: August, 2008
Curtis Granderson
I received a bunch of successes in August, but none were as awesome as Curtis Granderson. Despite being, in my opinion, one of the best all around players in the game today, Curtis signed my three items for me in less than a month.
Although he may never live up to his amazing 2007 season, in which he hit .302 with 38 doubles, 23 triples, 23 stolen bases and 26 steals, I believe he will be one heck of a player for a long time to come. Think about it - the Tigers drafted him in the third round of the 2002 draft, ahead of guys like John Maine and Pat Neshek. They must have known he was going to be good, and lo and behold, he is.
Because Curtis Granderson is such a solid player, I name him the Autograph of the Month.
Month: July, 2008
Garret Anderson
I had a bunch of great successes this month, including on the baseball front Garret Anderson, Adam LaRoche and Hong-Chih Kuo. On the football front I received Shawn Springs (after a 1032 day wait). It was pretty hard to decide who the Autograph of the Month should be.
In the end, however, I chose Garret Anderson. Sure, I've named him the Autograph of the Month before (from a different success, of course). But he keeps on producing at a consistent rate. Despite being in the "winding down" phase of his career, you can still expect 10-20 home runs and at least 80 RBI out of him. He'll still give you a .280 or better batting average, and a handful of steals if he's feeling up to it.
Although I don't believe he has done enough to merit Hall of Fame induction, what he has done will get him at least a few votes when he becomes eligible for the vote. Because he has done so well for so long, and because he is one of only 11 current players with at least 2300 hits, 250 home runs and 1200 RBI, I name Garret Anderson the Autograph of the Month.
Month: June, 2008
Jesse Crain
It was the battle of the young pitchers this time around - the three candidates for Autograph of the Month were Jesse Litsch, Shaun Marcum and Jesse Crain. Not only did I receive all three of these successes on the same day, but they are all viable candidates for Autograph of the Month - that is, they all have good arguments.
Through July 5, Litsch is 8-4 with a 3.69 ERA so far this season. Marcum is 5-4 with a 2.65 ERA, and Crain has a 2.80 ERA in 34 relief appearances. It's a tough choice, but I'm going to go with Jesse Crain for this month's Autograph of the Month.
Not only is Crain doing very well this year, he has done well in years past as well - in 22 relief appearances for Minnesota in 2004, he had a 2.00 ERA. He went 12-5 with a 2.71 ERA in 75 relief appearances in 2005. He had a 3.52 ERA in 68 relief appearances in 2006, and although he hit a bump in the road in 2007 (his ERA was 5.51) he seems to have gotten himself back on track this year.
So far in his career, Crain has a 3.10 ERA in 217 career appearances. Unlike Litsch and Marcum, Crain has shown he can do very well in the major leagues before, not just in one year (Litsch, for example, went 7-9 with a 3.81 ERA last year and prior to this year Marcum had a career 4.29 ERA). Because of this, Crain is June's Autograph of the Month.
Month: May, 2008
Pat Hentgen
For eight straight seasons, Pat Hentgen was a perennial 10-game winner. Four times he won 15 games or more. Once, 20 games. For that eight year span - from 1993-2000 - Pat Hentgen was a very solid pitcher. In that time, he posted a 115-86 record. That's a solid .572 winning percentage, and an average record of 14-11 each year. His solid pitching was highlighted by a couple of monster seasons (namely 1993 when he went 19-9 with a 3.87 ERA and 1996 when he went 20-10 with a 3.22 ERA, winning the Cy Young Award and the AL The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award). Not only that, in that time he was an All-Star three times.
Overall, Pat Hentgen posted a record of 131-112 with a 4.32 ERA. Although they aren't the greatest numbers in the world, they are the numbers of a pitcher who was solid for a relatively long stretch of career. And that's why he's this month's Autograph of the Month.
Month: April, 2008
Jay Bruce
The 2007 Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year, Jay Bruce hit .319 with 26 home runs and 89 RBI in the minors last season. Not only that, he hit 46 doubles and the year before he showed flashes of speed by swiping 19 bases as well. He was also a minor league All-Star in both 2006 and 2007.
Normally, I am very skeptical about prospects. I'm one of those guys who thinks, show me what they can in the majors, then I'll think they're worth looking at. But Bruce is the rare exception. I honestly believe that he is going to be a star.
Sure, he strikes out a lot. But he is still an amazingly talented ballplayer. And it's not like this is all a big surprise or anything - the Reds took him 12th overall in the 2005 draft for a reason.
Former Reds general manager Wayne Krivsky once said, "you just can't say enough good things about Jay Bruce," and aint it the truth? Because he is such a big prospect right now and because of his vast potential, I name Jay Bruce the Autograph of the Month.
March, 2008:
John Maine
John Maine
What an awesome success this was for me. Not only is John Maine a budding star, but he is also a New York Met!
Maine is a solid young pitcher with a ton of potential. Since coming to the Mets in 2006, he has posted a respectable 21-15 record with a 3.81 ERA. Not only has he done well in the regular season, but he has also shined in the postseason. In three career postseason starts, Maine has a 1-0 record with a 2.63 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings of work.
In 2007, he was in the top-ten in multiple categories, including wins, strikeouts, strikeouts per nine innings and shutouts. He even had the second most amount of sacrifice hits.
The Mets really got a steal when they traded Kris Benson for Maine and Jorge Julio. Yes, Julio was unimpressive while with the Mets, but Maine has proven to be a real gem. As a Mets fan, here's hoping Maine does well for years to come.
Because Maine is a solid young starter and a New York Met, I name him the Autograph of the Month.
February, 2008:
Roosevelt Brown
Are you kidding me?
That was the first thought I had when I went down the list of autographs I received last month.
Is this it?
Sadly, yes. I had basically two choices for the Autograph of the Month: Roosevelt Brown and Joe Borchard. I was going to pick Borchard, but I don't think I could live with myself if I picked a .205 lifetime hitter for Autograph of the Month.
So, instead, I picked a .251 lifetime hitter. Roosevelt Brown was a highly touted prospect for a couple years, and in 2000 with the Chicago Cubs he batted .352 in 45 games. Unfortunately, he flopped and .265 and .211 the next two seasons.
He may have flopped in the Majors, but at least he hit .300 in his minor league career.
Because I had such a terrible month getting recognizable names through the mail, I name Roosevelt Brown - who is the only player I received whose career can be considered something of a success - the Autograph of the Month.
January, 2008:
C.C. Sabathia
This is the first time I've ever had a repeat winner of the Autograph of the Month, but Sabathia is well deserving of that honor. His 2007 statistics alone make him worthy of the Autograph of the Month: He won 19 games and posted a 3.21 ERA, struck out 209 batters, was an All-Star for the third time, he led the league in games started, innings pitched, batters faced...
Oh yeah, he also won the Cy Young Award.
He already has 100 career wins and is only 27 years of age. I truly believe he may be a Hall of Famer one day.
Sabathia is the Autograph of the Month...and for good reason.
December, 2007: Jim Thome I had some great successes last month. Josh Hamilton, Jeremy Accardo, Matt Capps, Andre Ethier, Jim Thome - all had good seasons in 2007 and all are talented players. But how could I not choose Jim Thome for Autograph of the Month? Sure, there are rumors that he uses a ghostsigner, but I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt here. I mean, the man has hit 507 career home runs, has been an All-Star five times, has a .565 career slugging percentage. Again I asked, how could I not choose him? He is a future Hall of Famer, and - at his current rate - is projected to hit over 600 home runs in his career. Because of the great career he has had, Jim Thome is the Autograph of the Month.
November, 2007: Cole Hamels I didn't get very many autographs in November, however I got some good ones. Some of the most notable were Cole Hamels, Chris Duncan, Pat Hentgen and Mike Lieberthal. Hamels, however, was my best success this month. Prior the start of the 2007 season, Hamels made the bold prediction that he was going to win 20 games this past season. He did not win that many, however he did post an impressive 15-5 record with a 3.39 ERA in this past season at the young age of 23. An All-Star this past season, Hamels has 322 strikeouts in 315 2/3 innings of work so far in his career. If he keeps up this pace, he could have over 3000 strikeouts in his career by the time he's done. I myself made a bit bold in saying this, he I believe he has Hall of Fame potential. Because he is young and he has already proven himself in the big leagues, I name Cole Hamels the Autograph of the Month.
October, 2007: James Loney In October, I received multiple autographs but only three were in the running for Autograph of the Month. Those three were Orioles designated hitter/first baseman/third baseman Aubrey Huff, Dodgers first baseman James Loney and Pirates reliever Matt Capps. Huff had a solid year, playing in 151 games, batting .280 and hitting 15 home runs. Loney, in just 96 games, hit .331 with 15 home runs and 67 RBI.
To go along with a great 2.28 ERA, Capps saved 18 games in 76 appearances. In the end, I chose James Loney. A young 'un at only 23 years old, Loney has already proven himself a force to be wreckoned with. He tore up the minor leagues, hitting .371 in 47 games with Great Falls in 2002 and .380 in 98 games with Las Vegas in 2006. A first round draft pick, a lot of things were clearly expected of him - and it would seem as if he is living up to those expectations. He made his debut in 2006. On September 28th of that year, he drove in nine RBI and was only one hit away from the cycle that day. His final hit of the 2006 season - which occurred on October 1st - was a home run off of Jason Schmidt. Interestingly, his second to last hit of the 2007 season was a home run as well. Because James Loney has so much potential - and because of what he has already shown in the big leagues - he is October 2007's Autograph of the Month.
September, 2007:
Orlando Cabrera
Boy, I had some great successes this month! I had four main choices out of all the autographs I received to be Autograph of the Month: Matt Holliday, Ian Kinsler, Miguel Batista and Orlando Cabrera. They are all deserving of a mention at least because they all had great seasons in 2007.
Matt Holliday had career highs in home runs with 36 and RBI with 137. He hit .340, leading the league. He was also an All-Star who collected 216 hits.
Ian Kinsler had a 20-20 year, hitting 20 home runs and stealing 23 bases. He scored 96 runs in 130 games.
Miguel Batista had perhaps the best year of his career. He won 16 games and posted a respectable 4.29 ERA.
Orlando Cabrera had career highs in at-bats (638), runs (101), hits (192) and batting average (.301). He also stole 20 bases and drove in 86 runs.
Of course, Matt Holliday looks like the obvious choice. However, there are rumors that his autographs could be ghostsigned. So, I am making Orlando Cabrera the Autograph of the Month because of that.
Cabrera, although he has never been an All-Star, is a very solid athlete. He had a career year in 2007, one that perhaps should have merited an All-Star selection.
I am happy to make Orlando Cabrera the September, 2007 Autograph of the Month.
August, 2007:
Pat Neshek
I had three main choices this month: Neshek, Mark Teahen and football player Mike Nugent. I chose Neshek.
Pat Neshek is known for being one of the fan-friendliest players in all of baseball, and quite possibly in all of sports. He understands autograph collecting the way we understand it, because he is quite the collector of autographs and baseball cards himself.
But that's not the only reason why he is the Autograph of the Month.
Neshek is also the Autograph of the Month because of what he has done on the field. In his 2006 debut season, he posted a tiny 2.19 ERA in 37 innings of work, all the while striking out 53 batters. This year, he has posted an impressive 2.83 ERA to go along with 68 strikeouts in just over 63 innings of work.
Known for his peculiar side-arm style of pitching, Pat Neshek is a fan favorite on and off the field. That - along with how well he's done since coming to the Majors - makes him this month's Autograph of the Month.
July, 2007:
Terry Francona
This month's Autograph of the Month is Terry Francona.
Francona was a fairly solid outfielder/first baseman in his day, batting .274 with 16 home runs and 143 RBI in 708 career games. In his 10 year career, he was never really a starter, but he was still pretty good.
But, that is not the reason why he is the Autograph of the Month. It is how well he has managed the Boston Red Sox since 2004 that make him the Autograph of the Month. As of August 6, 2007, he has helped the Red Sox to a .581 winning percentage, and - oh, yeah - he helped them win a World Series in 2004.
Often called "Tito" by his players, Francona has established himself as one of the best managers in the big leagues today. And that is why he is the Autograph of the Month.
June, 2007:
Mark Buehrle
This month's Autograph of the Month is Mark Buehrle.
Except for 2006, Buehrle has been one of the most consistent starters in the American League since he had his breakout 2001 season.
A three time All-Star, Buehrle has won over 15 games four times in his career, with his high being 19 wins. He boasts a .593 career winning percentage, which is better than pitchers of note such as Chris Carpenter, Phil Niekro, Nolan Ryan, among others.
He was one of the stars of the 2005 NLCS against the Angels, tossing a five hit complete game, striking out four and surrendering only one run.
Overall, Buehrle is a talented pitcher who is still only 28 years old. Taking that into consideration - and all that he has already accomplished in the Majors - Buehrle makes a wonderful choice for Autograph of the Month.
May, 2007:
Bo Hart
Wow, May was not a good month for autographs. I got a good amount, but nobody really noteworthy. So I chose Bo Hart.
What made me choose Hart is the fact that he was all the rage for a short while in 2003, when he got off to an amazing start in his big league career. He had two four hit games in his first 10 games played and he was hitting over .400 until his 16th big league game of the season. He finished the season with a respectable batting average of .277, and was overall a pleasant surprise for the Cardinals.
Except for a handful of games in 2004, he hasn't seen anymore time in the Major Leagues. His career started out in a promising fashion, but like with so many other players, he was unable to carry his success over into the long run.
Still, he is May's Autograph of the Month.
April, 2007:
Cliff Lee
Cliff Lee is April's Autograph of the Month.
Lee is one of those pitcher's that does well but doesn't get the greatest amount of attention in the world. Sure, he led the league in winning percentage and was second in the league in wins in 2005. Sure he was fourth in Cy Young Award voting. He was all this - and he didn't even make the All-Star team. In fact, even though his record from 2004 to 2006 was 46 and 24 - that's a .657 winning percentage - he has never been on an All-Star team. His statistics match up with those of two other underrated pitchers - Aaron Harang and Chris Capuano. They, like him, have good success and don't receive much recognition.
Cliff Lee has done very well these past few years with not a lot of fanfare. That is why he is the Autograph of the Month.
March, 2007:
Kevin Youkilis
The Greek God of Walks is this month's Autograph of the Month.
Youkilis has an amazing eye at the plate, hence his nickname. That might be what leads to his success in the Majors - that, or his knack for collecting extra base hits. In 2006, for example, "Youk" collected 57 extra base hits - 42 doubles, two triples and 13 home runs. That was more than Barry Bonds collected in 2005 and 2006!
I see great things in Kevin Youkilis' future. He is a very talented baseball player.
February, 2007:
Steve Reed
I was stuck between three this month: Orlando Hudson, Aaron Hill and Steve Reed. He may not be the popular choice, but I chose Reed.
Reed was one of the most reliable and durable relief pitchers in his 14 Major League seasons--and what's more amazing is he spent half of his career with the Colorado Rockies in the home run haven ballpark that is Coors Field.
2005, in which he was the ninth oldest player in the league, was the first season he posted an ERA high than 5.00. His previous high had been 4.48.
A very consistent pitcher, he appeared in at least 57 games 12 seasons in a row-between 1993 and 2004.
I know that Hudson and Hill are young and promising, but Reed was such a solid pitcher in his time in the Majors, he deserves to be named the Autograph of the Month. Plus, he appeared in 24 games for my beloved New York Mets. That's got to count for something.
January, 2007:
Khalil Greene
I was in quite a dilemma this month. Should I go old school and pick now over-the-hill Damion Easley to be the Autograph of the Month, or do I go new school and pick Khalil Greene? In the end, I picked Greene.
Greene, who has fair power, hits fairly consistently in that area (he's hit 15 home runs that past three seasons). I have the feeling that that can only improve, and when it does, I'm sure he be more popular and more talented than he already is.
December, 2006:
Jake Peavy
Without a doubt, Jake Peavy was December's Autograph of the Month. Even with a less than stellar record of 11-14 in 2006, he still was able to strikeout 215 batters in about 202 innings, leading the league with a strikeout ratio of 9.56 per 9 innings.
Obviously his two best seasons so far have been 2004 and 2005-he was an All-Star in 2005, and in 2004 he led the league in ERA with 2.27. He has also been averaging more than one strikeout per inning for the past three years, all the while keep his walk totals in check.
It looks like Peavy is going to be a star for many years to come, and if he can get away from San Diego and settle in with a better team, he might even be a hall of famer one day. In fact, if he can duplicate his 2004 and 2005 seasons multiple times through out his career, he might end up with numbers like those of Bob Gibson...
And it is that possibility that makes him December's Autograph of the Month.
November, 2006:
C.C. Sabathia
I was stuck this month. I had a few great successes-Matt Hasselbeck and Derrick Johnson in the football category, and Philip Hughes and C.C. Sabathia in the baseball category. After hours of deliberation, I decided that C.C. Sabathia was the best choice.
Sabathia, though just 26 years old, is already one of the better pitchers in the American League. Boasting a career ERA of 3.95, he had perhaps his best season in 2006. Although his record was not really noteworthy (12-11) and nothing like his 2001 season where he went 17-5, he still pitched a career high six complete games, which was first in the AL. Not only that, had he a career low ERA with a mark of 3.22 (which was third best in the league), and a career high in shutouts with two-which also led the AL. There is more, too:
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For one, he tied a career low in home runs surrendered in a season.
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He was eighth in the AL in strikeouts at 172, which was also a career high.
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He led the AL with the best hits allowed per nine innings ratio in 2006 with 7.44/9.
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He was sixth in the league in strikeouts per nine innings at 8.03/9.
This is not to say the rest of his career hasn't been great either. For example, Sabathia-who was the youngest player in the AL in 2000, went 15-10 in 2005. And he finished with a good 3.60 ERA in 2003.
And he's been an All-Star twice, in 2003 and 2004.
And that is why he is the Autograph of the Month.
October, 2006:
Jonathan Vilma
One of the top young linebackers in the NFL today, Vilma has continued to impress most people who see him play. Hopefully he will continue to improve and become even better than he is today.
September, 2006:
Austin Kearns
I had much more success this month than last month. Of all the successes I received, I widdled my Autograph of the Month options down to three-Kearns, Hank Blalock and, sort of surprisingly, David Dellucci. I ended up choosing Kearns because Blalock has already been an Autograph of the Month, and although Dellucci did pretty well this year, he hasn't been more than average in years past.
Kearns, I believe, is a real talent. Sure he's been hurt more in his four years than some players in their entire careers, but when he's been healthy, he's shown what he can do. For example-at one point in 2003, he was actually nearly leading the league in home runs with 13.
Aside from his great hitting, he is also a good fielder (although in 2006 he had a career high in errors committed).
So, why exactly is he the Autograph of the Month? Because, he has power, defensive skills...and when he's not hurt, he should become a great player.
August, 2006:
Freddy Sanchez
This month, I had to main choices-Freddy Sanchez and Darrell Jackson. I chose Sanchez.
Sanchez might not have home run power, or speed, but he does have one quality that not too many others have-the ability to consistently hit over .300 each year. His fine hitting should come as no surprise-in 2005, he hit .291, and in the minors he'd constantly hit .320 to .330. It's not that he doesn't have ANY power, either-he's on pace for over 50 doubles in 2006, and he has shown some pop when it's been necessary.
Because he knows how to get on base-that's why he's the Autograph of the Month.
July, 2006:
Kevin Millwood
I had two real choices this month-Pablo Ozuna, because he's done so well this year, and Kevin Millwood. Millwood has always been a solid pitcher, who seems to be reverting back to his early Braves days. Millwood, who has been an All-Star once (1999), led the AL in ERA in 2005, with a 2.86 ERA. And this year, he's on pace for 15 wins. He's a good pitcher with good stuff, and that's why he's the Autograph of the Month.
June, 2006:
Zach Greinke
This was one of the worst autograph months in recent history for me, but I was able to make a solid choice as to who should be the Autograph of the Month-Zach Greinke. He's young, he's talented...the only problem is he plays with the Royals. If he can get away from there, he'll be an All-Star.
And that is why he's the Autograph of the Month.
May, 2006:
Joe Mauer
Blalock or Mauer...that is the question. After Mauer's recent surge, I decided it had to be him-and, oh yeah, Blalock had been Autograph of the Month once already.
Joe Mauer has been highly touted since day one it seems-and deservingly so. His WORST average in the minors was a .302-so many people would love to see that type of average. And now, he's doing it in the majors. Mauer, who isn't even 25 yet, already has established himself as one of the best catchers in the major leagues. And he's only getting better.
He is young and talented-that is why he is the Autograph of the Month.
April, 2006:
Morgan Ensberg
I had three main choices this month-Morgan Ensberg, Carl Everett and Jerry Hairston Jr. (only because I heard he's pretty hard to get TTM). In the end, I chose Ensberg.
Ensberg is one of the top players in the league today-even if he was a "late bloomer". In 2005, he had a great season with 36 home runs and a .283 batting average. He earned his first All-Star appearance in 2005, and he also won the Silver Slugger for third basemen in '05 as well.
Ensberg has been compared statistically to Hank Blalock and Kevin Mench-two very prolific hitters in the game today. The reason I chose Ensberg as Autograph of the Month is because he is a great player who should have many more great seasons in the future.
March, 2006:
Daryle Ward
Daryle Ward is a solid first baseman/outfielder. When he is "on", he has gargantuan power that can drive balls way out of the park-he was actually the first player ever to hit a ball into the Allegheny River behind PNC park while the ball was still in the air.
Anyone who followed him as he made his voyage through the minor leagues will never forget his three amazing consecutive seasons, spanning from 1997-1999. In 1997, he hit 19 home runs with 90 RBI and a .329 batting average. In 1998, he hit 23 home runs with 96 RBI and a .305 batting average. Many would argue his 1999 season was the best thus far in his professional career-28 home runs, 65 RBI and a batting average that bears a resemblance to one that Tony Gwynn might have posted-.353.
Of course, Ward's success has not quite carried over into the Majors, although he has posted home run totals as high as 20 and RBI totals as high as 72. An interesting note about Ward's career-on May 26, 2004, Ward hit for the cycle, therefore making him and his father, Gary Ward, the only father-son duo to hit for the cycle in history.
February, 2006:
Bobby Crosby
Not an easy month to decide. Not because I got so much, but because I got so little. It was down to Todd Collins, Reed Johnson and Bobby Crosby, because those are the only three athletes who actually played in the NFL or MLB. I think the obvious choice out of those three is Bobby Crosby.
Crosby, who won the 2004 AL Rookie of the Year Award, is a solid young shortstop. He has shown good power throughout his career, and has drawn comparisons to players such as Earl Averill and Khalil Greene. If he can calm his free-swinging bat, he may be even better one day.
I made him February, 2006's Autograph of the Month because, well, I really had no other choice.
January, 2006:
Mike Sweeney
Unlike last month, I had a bunch of good successes this month. They included Jim Abbott, Joe Crede, Mike Sweeney and Brian Urlacher. I eventually narrowed my choice down to two names-Sweeney and Urlacher. It was really hard to choose, but I ended up choosing Mike Sweeney. But because it was such a tough choice, I'm going to give Brian Urlacher an "Honorable Mention".
Sweeney is an offensive force that can do great things when he is healthy. Unlike most power hitters, Mike has a good eye at the plate and normally produces a very small amount of strikeouts each season. Sweeney also has a knack for the extra base hit-not only can he perenially hit 25 home runs each year, he can also be a threat to hit at least 40 doubles each season.
Sweeney is not any slacker on the basepaths either. Even though he doesn't produce Hendersonian stolen base numbers, he has been known to swipe a bag or two with a career high of 10 in a season in 2001.
It's Sweeney's consistency that makes him January's Autograph of the Month.
December, 2005:
Matt Holliday
Wow. What a slow, slow month. It was between Matt Holliday or Kevin Faulk, and Holliday eventually took it.
Holliday followed a very impressive rookie season with an even more impressive sophomore season, which is hard to do. He hit .307 with 19 home runs in 2005 while striking out only 76 times in 479 at-bats, as opposed to 89 times in 400 at-bats (which is what he did in 2004).
On September 20, 2005, Holliday drove in 8 RBI, which tied the highest ever total in Colorado Rockies history.
Even though Holliday had fair success in the minors, his Major League success has been a pleasant surprise. Hopefully he'll continue to be as successful as he's been in the past, because his success is what makes him the December Autograph of the Month.
November, 2005:
Jason Bay
Jason Bay is this month's Autograph of the Month for obvious reasons. Not only did he live up to his expectations, he far surpassed them by hitting .306 and 32 home runs in only his second major league season. He also showed very good speed by swiping 21 bases, hitting 44 doubles and 6 triples. In my opinion, Bay is one of the most promising baseball players today.
October, 2005:
Terry Glenn
Terry Glenn: Wide receiver. Rookie of the Year Award winner. Crybaby. Autograph of the Month. Many things can describe Terry Glenn. But for now, he is the last on the list.
Glenn was a former first round draft pick, and actually lived up to his expected talent in his rookie year by catching 90 passes and scoring 6 touchdowns. But, soon after his Rookie of the Year season, injuries set in. His catch total dropped to 27 in 1997. He played in only 9 games that year, and 10 the next. The once great wide receiver was turning into a fluke.
But it hasn't only been major injuries that have limited his playing time throughout his career. If he got a minor injury or into an arguement with a coach, he'd refuse to participate. Glenn, to say the least, has never been a very good role model.
Thankfully, though-at least thus far in 2005-Glenn is on pace for a great season. He is on pace for 72 catches and an 18.9 yards per catch average.
So why is he the autograph of the month? He may not be the greatest player in the league or have the best attitude, but from what I understand, he's incredibly challenging to get through the mail. That's why.
September, 2005:
J.D. Drew
Without a doubt, J.D. Drew was September's Autograph of the Month.
Drew was supposed to be the next big thing after hitting home runs in his final three at-bats in a college World Series and setting a new record. He was drafted high in the first round after playing for the St. Paul Saints of the Northern League for two years, and blasted his way through the minors.
In 1998, the same year he was drafted, Drew made his ML debut. In 36 at-bats, he hit .417.
But, injuries set in, and he hasn't been able to perform as well as he should be able to because of them. In 2004, his first real injury-less season, he hit .305 while belting 31 home runs and showed what he can do when he's not hurt.
And it was his 2004 season-and the fact that he can be very successful when not hurt-that makes J.D. Drew September's Autograph of the Month.
August, 2005:
Hank Blalock
It was between Blalock, Bernard Gilkey, Edwin Jackson and Ryan Langerhans (I got a lot more than that but those were the only ones worth considering). After careful consideration, I named Blalock to be this month's Autograph of the Month.
It's hard to believe Blalock, a guy who started his career hitting .211 and whacking only 3 home runs in 49 games, could turn into the monster of a hitter he is today. He was very highly touted, but after his first season, many thought he was a minor-league-star turned major-league-flop.
But now, after two very successful seasons, scouts are beginning to call Blalock a George Brett-esque player. He's only 24 too, which means he has many, many more years to solidify himself as one of the top players in the league.
July, 2005:
Brandon Phillips
It was between Brandon Phillips and Omar Quintanilla...because I didn't get very much else worth naming this month. So, I chose Phillips.
He was the Indians top prospect in 2003, according to Baseball America. He was the 5th youngest player in 2002, and 10th youngest in 2003. Phillips, in my mind, will have many more successful years ahead of him.
June, 2005:
Craig Wilson
This month was a challenging choice-because I didn't really get anybody all that noteworthy. So, Craig Wilson is this month's autograph of the month.
Last year, he showed a surprising amount of power, belting 29 homers. This power did not come as a huge surprise, though-he'd averaged about 16 homers the three years before, while attaining only about 278 at-bats for those three years. That's one home run every 17 at-bats-better than former sluggers Darrell Evans, Roy Sievers and Greg Luzinski.
If Wilson keeps up his current average of 19 home runs per season (not including the 2005 season), he'll have hit 323 home runs in his career, by the age of 40. But that's an unrealistic number, because that average takes into account the years he spent as a bench player.
If he get 525 at-bats a year, from 2006 on, he will have hit about 418 home runs in his career, making him a fringe Hall of Fame candidate.
Because of Craig Wilson's amazing power, and the fact that it took only 14 days for this card to come back to me, I am naming Craig June's Autograph of the Month.
May, 2005:
Carl Erskine
David Aardsma, Hank Blalock, Carl Erskine. Those were the main players I was thinking about for being the autograph of the month. But there could only be one...
So, I chose Carl Erskine, because he seemed like the best choice. Carl Erskine was one of the better pitchers in Brooklyn-LA Dodgers history. Thrice, he won over 15 games, and one of those seasons he won 20 games (1953, his record was 20-6). Strangely enough, Carl's lowest career ERA, 2.70, was not in one of his 15+ win seasons. No, he never had an ERA under 3.00 when he won more than 15 games, as he had that 2.70 ERA when he went 14-6 in 1952.
Oisk, as he was nicknamed, was a 1954 All-Star. This was his only Mid-Summer Classic appearance. Although his 20-6, 3.54 ERA 1953 season would seem more deserving for an All-Star appearance, his 1954 record of 18-15 with a 4.15 ERA was not too shabby.
Erskine completed over 10 games three years in a row from 1952 to 1954, finishing as high as 16 in 1953. He also had a rarely seen 4 shutouts in 1952 and 1953.
It may be interesting to note that Carl Erskine threw his first of two no-hitters on June 19, 1952. He was one baserunner away from a perfect game, as the only baserunner was relief pitcher Willard "Willie the Knuck" Ramsdell. His second came on May 12, 1956. He walked two batters in that game.
Carl also set a World Series record by striking out 14 batters in Game 3 of the 1953 World Series against the Yankees. That record stood until Sandy Koufax broke it with 15 in the 1963 World Series against none other, the Yankees.
April, 2005:
Oliver Perez
This was a slow month for autographs. But, for the ones that I did get, I was deadlocked between three-Randy Wolf, even if he had a bad season last year, Oliver Perez, and Sean Burnett. I put those names in a hat and pulled out Oliver Perez. So, he is this month's autograph of the month.
Perez, who was originally drafted by the Padres and was traded to the Pirates with Jason Bay and Cory Stewart for Brian Giles, showed a promising first two seasons in the majors, having a combined K total of 235 in 216 innings. These stats were enough to keep him in the starting rotation, as he had his best season last year (12-10, 2.98 ERA, 236 K in 196 innings).
But, these surprisingly wonderful statistics did not come from a guy who was thought of as nothing. No, people knew he was really going to be something after his stint with Lake Elsinore in 2002. Even though he compiled a lackluster 2-4 record with Lake Elsinore, he did strike out 62 in 53 innings, while compiling a 2.72 ERA. The next year, he had a combined 100 strikeouts in 71 innings, and an ERA under 1.85. This earned him a mid-season promotion, and that is where he started his reign as one of the best young pitchers in the NL. That is why he is April's Autograph of the Month.
March, 2005:
Garret Anderson
When Garret Anderson made his major league debut in 1994, he hit .385 in 13 at-bats. That short stint was a foreshadowing to what he would become-one of the most consistent players in the major leagues today. He has some speed, power, and has hit .300 or better the past three seasons.
Even though he is not the hardest person to get through the mail, he is still March's Autograph of the Month because he is one of the best players in the American League.
February, 2005:
Phil Niekro
Phil, who was inducted in 1997, was originally drafted by the Milwaukee Braves, and spent nearly 30 years playing professional baseball. Niekro, a 5 time All-Star and 5 time Gold Glove winner, is one of the more deserving Hall of Fame pitchers: 318 wins, sub-3.50 career ERA, 13 seasons with 15+ wins, 3 seasons with 20+ wins, and 3000+ K's.
Three's the charm, as it took me three tries to get him. Because he had such an illustrious career, and it took so many attempts to attain his autograph, he is February's Autograph of the Month.
January, 2005:
Barry Zito
Barry is the only remaining pitcher of the big three-Hudson, Mulder and himself-on the Athletics. The former 20 game winner and Cy Young Award winner is coming off two sub-par seasons, but is still considered one of the premier pitchers in the American League.
Because it took 512 days for this success to return to me, I am naming it January's Autograph of the Month.