Goodbye Dr. Smooth

hello all and Happy New Year's Eve. as we're about to close the book on 2018, the time has come for me to finally say my goodbye to Michael Brantley. i don't want to, but i have to. i've written several goodbye blogs to former Cleveland Indians players in the past after they were traded or signed with another team as free agents, yet none were ever as hard for me to compose as this one. i'm still trying to accept the reality of how different everything's going to be next year and i'm simply not okay with it.😭

if you don't already know, Michael officially signed a two-year, $32 million deal with the Houston Astros on December 19. he parted ways with the Indians following a 10-year tenure because they weren't in a position to retain him. that was made clear five days after the World Series ended, on November 2, when they didn't even extend a one-year, $17.9 million qualifying offer to Michael, so he entered into free agency for the first time in his career. and it led him to the 'Stros.

My Final #s for the Cleveland Indians' 2018 Season

this is my annual My Final #s blog, where i go through everything i collected throughout the latest baseball season. i wrote it a little earlier than usual because i'm still having a hard time dealing with the Indians' postseason elimination (which is why i pushed back my Analyzing the Tribe's Season post) and the fact that Michael Brantley is about to explore the free agent market for the first time in his career and he's all but done in Cleveland. yeah.😞

this post mainly features the number of games i went to in 2018, how many games i missed, the number of player autographs and baseballs i got at games, and the grand total of pictures and videos i took at games. there's also a section where i've noted which players usually sign autographs and where it's best to get those autographs, for those looking to increase or begin their own collection. i understand this won't be everyone's cup of tea, and that's why i don't really promote it too much. i'm not trying to come off as bragging. i know i'm very lucky to not only go to the games that i do, but also occasionally come home with a nice souvenir. so my intentions are not to throw anything in other people's faces, i just want to see how this season stacked up compared to past seasons for me personally. if you're not interested, you don't have to read this. i won't be offended and i'll see you in the next one.👊 otherwise,

My Final #s for the Cleveland Indians' 2017 Season

after weeks of focusing on Michael Brantley and the rest of the Tribe's performances for the 2017 season, now i get to look back and see how i did. this is my annual My Final #s blog, where i peruse through all of the baseball stuff that i acquired in 2017. my collection generally consists of player autographs, baseballs, pictures and videos i took while at games, and photos of me with baseball players. i never heavily promote this blog because it's one of my more delicate posts on here and can be perceived as bragging. but if you're subscribed to my mailing list, then you got direct access to the link. so let's see if i achieved any records or personal bests during this past baseball season.


Background

for those of you who don't already know, i am a Ride or Die Tribe fan currently living in the Western New York area outside of Buffalo. this is not the most ideal location to be a fan of the Indians because STO is blacked out on the MLB Package here. so i cannot watch the games on TV unless they're on a national channel such as FOX, MLB Network, ESPN, or YES. thankfully, i can rely on the internet for game highlights and photos, and i always listen to Tom Hamilton broadcast the games on WTAM 1100 and/or 100.7 WMMS through my Gameday audio subscription. Hammy's the best! when i do go to Cleveland for Tribe games, i still

My Final #s for the Cleveland Indians' 2016 Season

finally, i get to take off the baseball statistics hat and focus on my own numbers from this season for a minute. this is the My Final #s blog, where i go back through all of my baseball stuff and see what i acquired during the year. typically that includes player autographs, photographs taken with players, baseballs, and pictures and videos that i took at games. i don't generally promote these blogs because they can be presumed as bragging, but if you're subscribed to my email list, then you're getting the direct link sent right into your inbox. honestly though, i just like to see if i can set new records and accomplish personal bests with each new baseball season.


Background

in case you're a new reader and/or unaware of my current situation, i am a diehard Tribe fan living in the Western New York area. my exact location unfortunately does not allow me to watch Cleveland Indians games on TV unless they're on a national channel because STO is blacked out on the MLB package here. luckily, in this day and age, i have the ability to get online and see game highlights and photos on a nightly basis. still, i prefer to take my own pictures and record my own videos when i attend ballgames. then, once i get home,

My Final #s for the Cleveland Indians 2015 Season

truth be told, this is one of my favorite yearly blogs to write. this is when i go through all my organized baseball stuff and tally up my personal numbers for the Cleveland Indians season. i love to see everything that i accomplished during the year. like always, i collected some player autographs, acquired a few baseballs, and took a multitude of pictures and videos at the games i went to. and because i got a new digital camera with 30x zoom and invested in a larger SD card, i was able to capture even more/better quality pics than ever before. i like to take as many pics as possible since i can't watch my boys on TV unless they're on a national channel due to STO being blacked out on the MLB package in my area. these mementos also help lessen my rage over the fact that i live 2 plus hours away from the 216 and can't go to the ballpark as much as i want to.

in true diehard fan form, i spent the entire year, from the beginning of the offseason straight through to the end of the season, engrossed in Indians baseball and Michael's season. 2015 represented the 5th straight year when i didn't miss one out of one inning of one game in real time. once again, i was present for all the Tribe's preseason games and all the 161 regular season games. (i can never say "watched" since i listen to the games on my laptop.) i surprised myself because i really believed this was gonna be the year i'd end my run and miss some games due to life getting in the way. as luck would have it, that was not the case. i managed to set up everything that i needed to do, appointments and such, around the Indians' schedule to make certain that i would not miss any part of any game.

My Final #s for the Cleveland Indians 2014 Season

this is my annual blog where i take a look back at all the "work" i did and calculate all my personal numbers for the Cleveland Indians season. as usual, i have many memories in the form of pictures and videos that i took, as well as player autographs and baseballs that i received at games. you won't ever see me at an Indians game just sitting back and relaxing. i bust my ass to get as much as i can, so that when i go home and get everything organized, i can reflect on it and be happy. these things are what help me to not be so angry that i 1. don't live closer to Cleveland, 2. can't go to as many games as i'd like, and 3. don't get STO where i live because of blackout restrictions.

i spent the last 8 months of the year totally encapsulated in Indians baseball and Michael's season. for the fourth year in a row, i did not miss so much as one out of one inning of one single game in real time. i was present for all 162 games, plus the preseason games. (again, i can't say "watched" because i have to listen to most of the games on my computer.) fortunately, despite my crazy schedule and life obligations, i was able to arrange everything that i needed to do around the Tribe's schedule for yet another season. i scheduled appointments around games and skipped out on certain social outings to ensure that i didn't miss one second of anything. do i regret it? absolutely not. especially since this turned out to be a career year for Michael. i was present for every single plate appearance of his and i am very grateful that i was. i can't guarantee that i'll be lucky enough to continue this trend next season, so i really am appreciative that i've been around for as much Tribe baseball as i have--all of it--in these last 4 seasons. the laughs, the smiles, and even the tears that the Indians bestowed upon me, it was all worth it.

last year, i had some serious health problems. this year, it was more of the same. except this time, i had a new health issue pop up. figures, right? just like last season, i went to 8 games, but we paid for tickets to 10. i had to skip 2 games because my body could not tolerate sitting through them. i couldn't tolerate anything other than lying down to be honest. i was hoping that 2013 would be the end of my bad health, but those hopes were quickly squashed.

so what happened? get ready, because i'm about to get real. it all started a week before preseason games began in February. after many doctor's appointments and testing, my issue was properly diagnosed in March. i started taking medication for it, medication that i was warned had some unpleasant side effects. i was also told that if the specific medication they prescribed was making me sick, i could stop it and try another one, because there were a dozen different pills for my particular problem.

i took this pill for about 2 weeks until, as if right on cue, it made me sick on (the Monday of) Opening Day 2014. when consulting with the physician's assistant, i was told that this pill could potentially make me sick for a short period of time and then things would go back to normal. so if i felt better the next day when i got up, i should continue taking it. well i did feel better the next day, and i (stupidly) kept taking the pill. i should have known better. i should have known what was at stake.

i've been going to Indians' home openers for the past 3 years. i made it a tradition. and this year, the schedule allowed me to go to Cleveland the day before the home opener--on Thursday, an Indians' off day. we booked a hotel room for 2 nights and planned to see not only the opener on Friday, but the Saturday game as well. my health issue still hadn't been fully rectified, but i felt good enough to go on this trip. everything was fine with me on Thursday. then the Home Opener came on Friday. i arrived at Progressive Field 2 hours before the game was supposed to start. however, the 3 pm start time was being delayed due to rain in the area. they anticipated a quick shower would pass through and then we could play ball uninterrupted.

at about 2:45 during the rain delay, the sun was shining and no rain was in sight. but the forecast on my health was getting cloudy. i started feeling weak and dizzy and my stomach was kicking my ass. by 3 o'clock, i made the decision to go back to the hotel room. (thank god we had one.) i barely made it and by the time i got there, i was in horrible pain. my stomach hurt so bad i couldn't stand up straight. soon after, i threw up in the bathroom. there was no way i was going to be able to go back to the home opener, which officially began shortly before 5 pm. i stayed in the hotel room all afternoon and had to listen to the game on my computer, in between crying in the bed in pain and throwing up more in the bathroom. when i woke up on Saturday, i still felt very weak. so instead of going to that game like originally planned, i sadly just drove home while listening to the game on the radio, which miraculously came in for the entire drive back to NY.

if i thought it was devastating missing out on 2 games due to illness last year, well i was utterly destroyed about what happened this year. NEVER IN MY LIFE have i walked out of a Tribe game before it even got started. i was embarrassed even though nobody other than my mother knew what was going on. i mean, what kind of Ride Or Die fan punks out like that? it's a good thing the game didn't start on time, cause i would have been totally mortified having to leave during it. actually being in Cleveland and NOT being able to watch and enjoy a home opener because of something that could have been avoided left me heartbroken.

and you better believe i let my doctor have it. he took something away from me that i'll never get back. there will never be another Indians Home Opener 2014. i lost out on seeing the entire 2014 roster being announced, something they only do at the Home Opener, and the special tribute to the late Mike Hegan, which i had been looking forward to since Christmas. i missed the chance to see a great game, take lots of pics and vids, possibly get several player autographs, and, my favorite, do some daylight parking lot stalking. that's unforgivable.

so after that disastrous ordeal, i finally got put on a different medication, one that didn't cause me any major side effects. it took a good 5 weeks, like they said it would, before my health issue subsided. by May, i was getting better, but still felt a little lethargic at times. i fought through that though, and didn't need to miss any more games that i wanted to go to. by June, i was pretty much back to my normal self and i've been doing fine ever since.

much like last year, i know i should just be grateful for the games that i was able to go to, but i can't not be maddened about the circumstances that forced me to miss 2 games this season. i think about all the money that was wasted and it really pisses me off. my doctor offered his apologies, but that doesn't reimburse my family the money or give me back all the moments i missed out on. baseball means everything to me, and this is something that i'll always be sad about. however, since there's nothing anyone can do about it now, i guess i ought to try and focus on all the happy times i had this season. there were plenty of those. but maybe luck could cut me a break and give me good health next year, whaddya think?


now here are my 2014 #s:

i went to 8 games this year
--but missed 2 due to illness.
(8 in 2013, 11 in 2012, and 7 in 2011)


i took 5445 pictures
--including batting practice (but no BPX), player warm-ups, the actual game, and of course parking lot.
(4,809 in 2013 and 6,680 in 2012)


of those pictures, 1290 were of Brantley
--he played in 7 of the 8 games i went to, sitting out the season finale.
(853 in 2013 and 2,010 in 2012)


i took 176 videos
--it would have been over 200 had i not missed those 2 games in April.
(199 in 2013 and 300 in 2012)


other mentionables:

--i got 6 baseballs, the most i've ever got in 1 season.
(3 in 2013 and 4 in 2012)

--i got 25 autographs
(16 in 2013 and 40 in 2012)
     --1 from Brantley
     (1 in 2013 and 6 in 2012)

--i got my picture taken with 1 player
(0 in 2013 and 3 in 2012)


between game tickets, food, souvenirs, merchandise, and hotel costs, we spent approximately $3700 this year. for the previous 3 seasons, that total was around $2500, so we finally increased our spending. i think that was mainly due to the ticket prices. i had tickets in Row A for every game except the opener and they weren't always the cheapest. in the grand scheme of things, our monetary total probably doesn't do much for the Indians, but i'm always trying my best to help them out.

as i mentioned last year, it is really tough to get player autographs now. it's more up to chance at this point. you can't lure players over to where you are anymore; they either want to sign or they don't. and from my experience this season, no players had any interest in signing in front of my section(s) during warm ups before games.

i sat in Section 171 for every game i went to except one, when i was in 172. 171 is directly behind the tarp on the 3rd base side, and nobody ever came over there. it's like, what, are they afraid of the tarp all the sudden? and it was rare that anyone would go down into the left field corner near Sections 174 and 175 anymore either. from what i observed, Sections 167 and 169 got the most action this season. once in a blue moon, one player would start signing autographs right outside the dugout and then go ALL the way down the left field line, but only if they came out extra early with the intent to sign. players sure as hell can't do that during their warm ups.

the main way i got any autos along the 3rd baseline this year is when i got into the ballpark early and the relief pitchers were all still playing long toss on the field. then, most of those guys, if you called to them, would come sign for you before going into the dugout and doing the rest of their pregame routines. other than that, 171 was a dry area. but i really like that section and don't plan to move if i don't have to, so it's probable that i'm just not gonna get many pregame autos from here on out.

as for the players parking lot after games, it seemed as though only the same people signed every time i went. after i got them once, i didn't need them again unless i had multiple baseball cards of theirs. so i could have gotten a lot more of the same player autographs, but chose not to. and to my disappointment, none of the big name players ever signed when i was there. no Jason Kipnis, Lonnie Chisenhall, Michael Bourn, or Corey Kluber autos. Nick Swisher only signed in the parking lot after the season finale, but he didn't sign for everyone and i didn't get his. and Asdrubal Cabrera never signed before he got traded to Washington either.

maybe the lack of autos from all these guys was just bad timing on my part. it's very likely that they signed on the other days i wasn't there. but you'd think i could have got some of them at least once out of 8 tries...like i did with Michael Brantley. Michael has never been one to sign autos in the parking lot. however, when he took over Justin Masterson's parking spot in the back corner next to the side gate, he started to sign after games. but he would only sign for like a dozen people or less, so you really needed luck to get him. he signed 4 times that i was there and i got him once, after the final game of the year.


in spite of everything, i think i personally had a good season. i managed to get 6 baseballs this year, which i was pretty excited about. i took a lot of great pictures and have a lot of great moments captured on video. i also got my picture taken with Zach Walters, who's a very nice guy. all of these things will help cheer me up while i'm going through my annual offseason withdrawal and missing my boys terribly. these are all memories that i can treasure not just now, as i'm waiting for next season to get underway, but for the rest of my life. thanks to all the Cleveland Indians for providing me with another unforgettable baseball season and hopefully next year we can get back to the postseason. regardless, you know i'm still Ride Or Die Tribe. always.

My 10 Michael Brantley Autographs

i'm not sure if athletes and celebrities truly understand the impact they can have on their fans. it can come in the form of signing an autograph for a fan, or by way of a smile, or maybe even giving out a hug if they're willing. sports often provide a distraction from every day life and the real world for many people. therefore, an encounter with an athlete can literally make someone's day. for some fans, just having a moment with a player, ie. making eye contact and exchanging smiles, can be incredibly special and heartwarming. it's only a few small seconds of their time, but it lasts a lifetime for the recipient. it becomes a memory that nobody can take away, and creates a story that can be shared and cherished forever.

before i got my first Brantley autograph, i had made it my mission to make him smile. i wanted him to know he had a fan and feel good about himself. he wasn't having the best year and was even sent down to Columbus a couple times, but i had his back throughout everything. i knew he was going to become something special, and i was right. but at the time, he needed to know that while some fans didn't know who he was, i not only knew, but was supporting him hardcore. so the night before the game, i made a sign for Michael that i was sure would make him happy if he saw it. i declared myself to him as his #1 fan, and i have upheld that title ever since, proven by my monthly blogging, documentation of Michael's season numbers in a notebook, and of course with my ride or die attitude.

through the Indians 2013 season, i have now obtained 10 autographs from Michael Brantley. that's the most i have from any player. (the second most is 6 from Chris Perez.) sometimes when an opportunity to get a player's autograph comes up, if i know i've gotten that player's auto a few times before, i won't get it again. but that does not go for Michael lol i still have 2 baseball cards that i need him to sign, and once i get his 2014 card, then that will be 3. so i already have an objective for next season. but while i'm waiting for that, let me tell you exactly how i got Michael's autograph 10 times so far.

the first time i got Brantley's autograph was August 28, 2010, before the game against the Kansas City Royals. i have a very detailed account of exactly what went down because i wrote all about it when i got home. so without further ado, this is the story of how my very first autograph from Michael Brantley came about.

i was in the front row in Section 170, waiting for the guys to come out and i had my sign ready. this was the sign i made:

it was a little plain because i really didn't have that much time to work on it, but it was clean and got my point across. my main goal with this was i wanted Brantley to see it while he was warming up. back then i knew not many (if any) fans made Brantley signs, so if he saw that, it would make him happy and he'd definitely know he had someone supporting him here. i also really wanted to make him smile. so i waited.

at 6:45 pm, no one had come out yet. i was starting to freak out because the players are usually out there by then. that made me think 2 things: 1. omg they aren't gonna come out today and 2. if they do come out, it's gonna be so late and Brantley will probably be so focused on stretching that he won't even look over and see my sign.

at 6:47 pm, Matt LaPorta came out. then all these screaming kids ran down to the front row and surrounded me. and they kept screaming for him, so he came over to Section 170 and signed autographs. when he moved over towards me, he read my Brantley sign and smiled. that made me happy because i knew if Matt smiled, then Brantley certainly would. i was hoping that maybe when Brantley finally came out, Matt would be like, "hey, some girl made a sign for you, you should go sign an autograph for her." turns out, that wasn't necessary.

as Matt was signing, Brantley came out. then i got worried and thought oh no, Matty's gonna block me and my sign lol but Matt left after another minute or two. i was watching Brantley doing his running. he walked back towards the baseline and then talked with Joe Kessler and Matt. then he did some stretching. i was getting nervous, looking at the clock every couple seconds and wondering if anything was going to happen. the kids next to me were screaming but they didn't know his name. one kid was like, "who is 23?" facepalm.

after what seemed like an eternity, i noticed Brantley was reading my sign! he smiled and kinda put his head down, then looked away. was he surprised? embarrassed? excited? all of the above? more players started coming out then and there wasn't much time left, so i was focused on trying to snap pics of all the guys running and stretching. then before i knew it, Brantley was walking over towards me. and then he was standing right in front of me! at that point, my nerves really kicked in. he looked at my sign again, then he looked me directly in the eyes and smiled at me. i made him smile!!! he signed autographs for a couple kids next to me, and then he signed my baseball. my heart was racing. i totally froze, i couldn't even say anything to him. he probably thought i was a mute or something lol

as Michael gave my ball back, i managed to say, "good luck tonight" but i was so quiet i doubt he heard me. he seemed pretty shy and i wondered if he signed autos much. but how could he resist signing for me after seeing my sign? lol he signed for 2 other boys and then left because the National Anthem was about to start, so i got his autograph just under the wire. and for the record, Michael didn't smile at any of those kids ;D

i really don't believe he would have come over if i didn't have that sign. (hey kids, you're welcome! =P) i hoped it made him happy. i will venture to say i made the very first #1 fan sign for him, and you never forget your first. regardless of how many other signs like that showed up at the ballpark after that night, i think mine stayed on his mind for a while. during the game, Michael hit a leadoff double (this was back, back, back in the day when Michael was our usual leadoff hitter), and i like to think that i may have inspired him and brought him luck lol

i remember i also tried to get Michael to sign for me in the players parking lot when the game was over. instead, i unnecessarily got Lou Marson's autograph and i was so PISSED because he signed right under Brantley's auto and a little on top of it, too. grrr. i say it was unnecessary because i'd already gotten Lou's auto once before, so it was sort of a waste. anyways, after that fiasco, i was thinking how cool it would be if i got Michael to sign my sign. so i propped it up on a high part of the fence and waited. by the time i realized Michael was out in the lot, he was almost at his car already. not many cars were left and i got nervous AGAIN and i just couldn't yell his name. (back then i thought if he had seen me and my sign again he probably would have come over. now i know better; he rarely signs in the parking lot.) so that didn't go down. for the second time that day, i was just too awestruck and couldn't speak. however, it was still an amazing day that brings a smile to my face every time i think about it.

as time went on, i did not let Michael continue to intimidate me as much. in fact, i became a little bold in some of my quests for his autograph. and you will see that as you continue reading.

i didn't get my second Brantley autograph until the following year.

i told my friend who works at Progressive Field that i was a huge Brantley fan and would love to get an autographed picture of him if my friend could oblige. yes, they do sell these player photos in the team shop, but they aren't autographed. my friend grabbed a Michael photo, then put in a call to someone who could get Michael to sign the photo for me. Michael did, and my friend then mailed me the autographed picture, which i received in the mail on May 19, 2011. i was elated.

on June 4, 2011, i got my third Brantley autograph along the 3rd baseline before the game against the Texas Rangers. i brought my custom made blue Brantley shirt to the game in hopes of luring him over to me. i didn't wear it, i just kinda laid it over me and had the back BRANTLEY name part showing during player warm ups. and he definitely noticed it. i was taking video of him taking practice swings and before i knew it, Michael was walking directly towards me. he signed for 2 boys next to me before signing for me. at that time, all i had for him to sign was my Batter Up!

i thanked him when he handed it back to me, but he didn't reply to me. i remember that bummed me out. i thought he would at least give me a smile because i had his shirt and no one had that shirt back then. i stupidly also thought that maybe he'd remember me and my sign from last year... in any case, it got his attention and gave me my 2nd Brantley auto in 2011 and 3rd overall. (and ftr, i got Grady's auto earlier when he was outside stretching alone and Hammy's after the game in the parking lot.)

i was lucky enough to get Brantley's autograph a record 6 times during the 2012 season. here are those details.

on April 5, 2012, the Tribe's Opening Day game against the Toronto Blue Jays, i got my fourth Brantley autograph. and i have to keep it real, not all of these stories are 100% happy memories. as usual, i was standing front row along the 3rd baseline before the game and Brantley came over towards my area after he did some stretching. first, i took some photos of him when he came over, and then i switched to my Bloggie to take video. Michael was to my left and he signed 2 baseballs before he came to me. my father was also standing next to me on my left, and because he can't ever just stay seated and shut up, he embarrassed me a little bit. i held out Brantley's 2011 baseball card for him to sign, and when he gets in front of me and grabs it, my father blurts out, "my daughter has your card." DA FUCK? why was that necessary? why did he have to make himself known to Michael? and he didn't stop there. as Michael begins to sign, my dad says, "nice, nice, thank you very much!" you know that made me livid. (and whenever i re-watch that video and hear him saying that shit, i get angry all over again >O)

to make matters worse, when Michael began to sign my card, he did so without removing the cap off my sharpie. when he realized that a second later, he took it off and then signed my card. in the past, i did have the cap off and ready to go for him, but this time i didn’t because i was busy taking pics and then video of him. the previous person he signed for had their sharpie cap off, so maybe he just assumed/expected my cap to be off, too. not every fan does that though. in fact, most do not. still, i felt bad and uncomfortable, and like i had inconvenienced him and wasted some of his precious time =/

after Michael signed my card, as he gave it back to me, my dad AGAIN thanked him at the same time that i said, "good luck this year." like last time, Michael never responded to me, but it's safe to assume he thought both my father and i were retarded =( and yes, i had previously told my dad not to say stuff to players while i'm getting their autographs (no, this was not the first time he's done this) because it makes both of us, me especially, look stupid. you can tell me i'm nitpicking and being a shitty daughter, but this shit is embarrassing! and if i ask my father not to do something because it upsets me, you would think he would care enough to cut it out. when we're sitting in the front row and the players come out and over to sign, i don't know why my father feels a need to stand up anyways. he's not trying to get anybody's autograph. why can't he just stay sitting in his seat and be a quiet observer? i can only assume he does this shit because he has a sick constant need for attention. and that sucks for me. but this isn't about the messed up relationship between my father and i, so let me move on.

i got 2 autographs from Michael on the same day, May 28, 2012, before the Memorial Day game against the Kansas City Royals. once again, Michael just happened to walk over towards my section during warm ups. he stood in front of the middle of Section 170 and i was front row at the end of 171. i decided to record him signing autos with my Bloggie. he signed for four people before he came over to me. i got my fifth Brantley autograph on my Batter Up! as he was signing that, i told him he made a great catch on Saturday. (it was a home run robbing catch.) as has been the norm, he didn't say anything back to me though, not even a thank you. again, i have to be honest, that bummed me out. i think he was just still kinda shy around fans at this point. (or else he remembered me and my dad and all that strangeness from last time and decided to ignore me =/)

after he handed my Batter Up! back, he stood there for a sec and lifted up his hat (probably to get some air because it was really hot), before signing more autographs. to my surprise and dismay, my father who of course was standing next to me, then decided to take off his Indians hat and hold it out to get Brantley's autograph! i had to stop myself from smacking him. quick backstory, for a while my father didn't even know Michael's actual name. and when Michael was still struggling as a big league player, my father said he sucked. do you think i was gonna allow someone who spoke ill of my boy to get and keep his autograph? i don't fucking think so. you better believe that hat became mine after the game. so count that as my sixth Brantley autograph.

i took video of Michael signing for one more fan before i stopped because they were just about to announce the Indians starting lineup and i like recording that. so i'm not sure how long he signed for after that. it's a good thing Michael signs so much before games because he never signs after games in the players parking lot.

my next 2 Michael autographs also came on the same day. when i went to the July 4, 2012 game against the Los Angeles Angels and i entered the gates, i was so happy to see that Brantley was finally on the cover of the Batter Up! naturally, i took a ton of those home. i was in my usual spot, at the end of the front row in Section 171. i was taking video of the Indians starting lineup on the scoreboard before the game, when Brantley decided to start signing autos. he walked over in front of Section 170, and it looked like i would get my shot at another autograph. a girl who was standing behind me told Michael it was her friend's birthday, who was standing in the aisle. he then wished her a happy birthday, which was heard in my video. i was just praying he didn't come over to me in the middle of the lineup announcement because i didn't want my video to be incomplete. luckily, the lineup finished right as he made his way in front of me. and it was weird too because there were people in the aisle on my right, including the birthday girl, and he just sort of skipped over them to come to me, i'm not even exaggerating. since i already had my Bloggie recording the lineup, i kept it on and recorded Michael when he got in front of me.

i was prepared in case Michael came over and signed. i had my sharpie cap off and my Batter Up! opened to his featured article, where there was also a nice photo of him. so for my seventh Brantley autograph, i had him sign that page with the photo. and i must have been the only person who thought to do that because when he took the BU and looked at the photo of himself, i saw a surprised expression on his face, as if to say, "what's this?" it's likely he didn't even know that was in there. but i thought it would be much better to have him sign that pic than the BU cover. it was undoubtedly unique.

after he handed back the Batter Up!, he still had the sharpie in his hand so i handed him my 2012 Brantley baseball card. i think he was still in shock from that feature photo lol but he signed my card, giving me my eighth Brantley autograph.

when he gave my card and sharpie back, i thanked him. sadly, like all previous times, he didn't reply. after he signed for me, he backtracked to the people he skipped over before. he signed for the birthday girl, who was then standing next to me, and then her friend. when Michael finished signing for her, he wished her friend a happy birthday again, waved, and then ran over to the baseline just in time for the National Anthem. at that point, i stopped recording. i know this all sounds like a lot, but he literally signed four things in under than 30 seconds. my boy's quick ;D

the ninth Brantley autograph i received was by fate if i ever knew it. i went to the Indians Batting Practice Experience on July 21, 2012 before the game against the Baltimore Orioles, where you actually get to be on the field and watch the Tribe take batting practice. during this time, a few Indians players usually come over and sign autographs for people, but it's a total luck of the draw as to which players are chosen to sign on which day. the night before i was going to this, i imagined what i would say if Michael was one of the players signing on my day. i had some smart, witty dialogue planned. as i took pictures and video of Michael during batting practice, i noticed him looking back towards the BPX line a few times. i wanted nothing more than for him to just come over. so when i saw Michael actually walking over to the BPX line, i almost screamed out loud (i definitely screamed inside lol), i was so happy. when it was my turn and he finally approached me, i smiled at him and said, "what's up, Smooth?" and he smiled back at me and said, "hey, how ya doin'?" as he grabbed my on-field pass and signed it. omg he finally talked to me! haha i should have said more of what i imagined i'd say, but there's just something about Michael, that when he gets around me i get a little tongue tied and the words don't always come out lol so that was all that was exchanged between us.

not only did i get Michael's autograph, but i also got my first photo taken with him! (sorry but i won't be posting that pic on a public forum.) that's a memory that i'll treasure forever and never forget. i even remember the song that was playing during this part of batting practice: The Black Keys' "Gold On The Ceiling." i always smile every time i hear that song, and i probably always will.

when i got my tenth Brantley autograph, it was very unexpected. the Indians played the Texas Rangers on July 27, 2013, and it was Michael Brantley replica jersey giveaway night. Michael signed autos for a few people before the game, but he signed over in front of Section 169, and i was front row in 172. after the game, i went to the players parking lot, as usual, in an attempt to get (anybody's) autographs. many players had already left by the time Michael came out. after standing around chatting with family and friends for a good 10 minutes, he went over to the long fence to sign autographs! i couldn't believe it because Michael never signs for fans in the parking lot, he normally just signs autos before games. maybe because it was his jersey night, he thought he should sign after the game as well. or perhaps he was ordered to do so by his agent (who was also there) to stay in good graces with his fans lol who knows. whatever the reason, i'm glad he did because Michael then signed my replica Brantley jersey--my first and only Brantley autograph of 2013.

he signed for just a few more people before leaving. i don't think he signed for more than 30 people total. so maybe getting that 10th auto in my collection was destined to happen for me that night. maybe because i truly am his #1 fan, it was simply meant to be =D

my desire to acquire Brantley's autograph all started out so innocently. i just wanted to make Michael smile and i really wanted his autograph in my possession. now this has turned into a competition. everything i do, i try to be the best at, and this is no exception. i want to attain Michael's autograph so much that my collection will be untouchable. i want it more times than his school teachers have it lol well that might not be possible, but as long as i continue going to Indians games, and Michael is part of this franchise, i will be seeking more autographs from him. the more i have, the further i can prove my case that i am, hands down, his #1 fan.