Are you ready for some nice weather and baseball season yet? I sure am and to prove it I have mailed 100 autograph requests to current players in care of their spring training addresses.

In the March edition of Autograph we provided the spring training addresses for all of the major league teams. This is the ideal time of year to write to your favorite baseball players, coaches and managers and you still have time. During spring training the autograph successes are far better than what I typically receive during the baseball season and they tend to come much faster, but not always quickly. Last March I received a response from Terry Pendleton who I had mailed to the prior spring. Last week I received a response from Kyle Lohse that came back from a spring mailing that I did 4-years ago, so you can never give up on a request that has been mailed.

The Baltimore Orioles have moved into the Cincinnati Reds old complex in Sarasota. With the Reds I had responses in care of 12^th Street and Tuttle Ave. as well as the address below, but my requests to 12^th and Tuttle came back return to sender this spring, so I recommend that you use:

Baltimore Orioles

Ed Smith Stadium

2700 12^th Street

Sarasota, FL 34237

Two weeks ago I received my first spring training through-the-mail success from the 100 players that I have mailed to this spring and it came from Cincinnati Reds pitcher Mike Lincoln who is a consistent through the mail signer. Yesterday I received a huge surprise when San Diego Padres All-Star slugger Adrian Gonzalez responded. I’m on track for my best spring training results ever and I looking forward to reporting to you on how the 100 players will respond in 100 days.

For the best spring training results try to mail your autograph requests by the end of the first week of March so that players have nearly a month to sign, but you still have time if you act right away. Also look and listen for former greats that may be appearing at spring training as a special instructor or special guest and mail to them as well.

If you receive any spring training successes or surprise stories please let me know and we can pass them on to fellow readers. How many out of 100 do you think will respond?

I can be reached at jayneill@autographmagazine.com