Hounding Report: Detroit Tigers, June 25

I skipped Tuesday due to weather (apparently only Phil Coke and Joe Nathan signed). If I hadn't been so opposed to wasting $10 on two games that I didn't go to, I could have skipped tonight as well. I grabbed a Tom Thumb bag and a trash bag to take in with me for protection. It had been a while since I made an engineer's raincoat. Either the bag was kinda small or else I'm just fatter than I was when I last made one (smart bet: both).

I only had two big keys for the week: Wally Joyner (Tigers' hitting coach) and Rick Sutcliffe (ESPN announcer) for my Topps ATFF sets.  Anything else would just be a bonus if I could land either or both of them. I didn't hold out much hope though. Hitting coaches are usually tough to get since they're busy watching batting practice closely.

I arrived in a nice rain.  The typical group of graphers were there, waiting under the overhang for the rain to let up.  Which it didn't for a while.  Rick Porcello came in from the bullpen and signed for us , dodging the raindrops for one sig per.  Fortunately I was able to keep my book dry and it came out fine. Once the rain stopped completely, we headed down to the field... and only Drew Smyly signed (and not for me). Only the bullpen guys came out pregame, severely limiting any opportunities.

Meanwhile I looked up and saw a few by the press box, so I bolted for it, hoping to get Rick Sutcliffe, my need for Wally Joyner be damned.  Sutcliffe unfortunately only signed for a few people with Cy Young project photos, so I missed him.  I did go for the Tigers' broadcasters though-- Rod Allen signed two cards and Jim Price one (all I had on each).  Craig Monroe is a broadcaster too, which I forgot about as he isn't on their site.  I would have had him too had I known.

Overall, I should have stayed home. On the plus side, it was dollar hot dog night and I got to spend a few innings with a friend from Wichita Falls, so it wasn't a total waste.

TOTALS: Four autographs from three players.