Let's try this again

Earlier this season, I had the bright idea of using a foul ball, one of many that Colin has collected over our Summer of Baseball, to create a team ball of players named to the Florida State League All Star Game.

Though it got off to a decent start, my lack of attention led to a few non-All Stars signing the ball. Then, thanks to Brett, one of Baseball Mondays correspondents, I got my grubby mitts on a souvenir ball from the FSL All Star Game. The idea was that I'd use it for Daytona's Starlin Castro, the game's MVP. Well, Castro got promoted before I could have him sign the ball.

Rather than have it sit on some box, destined to be forgotten well beyond its usefulness, we brought it along last Wednesday to the Brevard County Manatees-Dunedin Blue Jays game. Though it's unlikely that we'll get the ball filled, we did add these players to it:

Brevard County's Eric Ferris, top and Dunedin's Raul Barron; and

Brevard County's Caleb Gindl.

On Saturday, we'll look to add Dunedin's Moises Sierra to the ball. And, if we can somehow fit in a trip over to Tampa before season's end, we might add signatures from Austin Romine and Jonathan Ortiz.

My bad

I should've been paying more attention. But, I wasn't. It was an 11 a.m. start, there were hundreds of kids armed with squirt guns (Camp Day at Dunedin Stadium) and it was hot, with a feel-like temperature of 100-plus degrees.

That's how Colin's so-called Florida State League All Star player ball gained a few signatures from Fort Myers Miracle players who didn't participate in the game.

Really, though, it's not a big concern. It was, and still remains, all about Colin having fun. An autograph is an autograph, no matter what's signed. Right?

Besides, we have one panel remaining. The next time, I'll try to pay more attention.

Good or bad, mistakes or not, here's who Colin added to the ball:

David Bromberg, who was named to the FSL All Star Game, Allan de San Miguel and Santos Arias; and

Jair Fernandez, Tyler Robertson and Henry Arias.

A Fort Myers Miracle team ball, however, does contain autographs from some of the Miracle's other All Star Game representatives: Chris Cates, Chris Parmelee, Ben Revere, Steve Singleton and Spencer Steedley.

Put to good use

Considering the small crowds and fan-friendly approach of Florida State League games, it's been easy for Colin to collect a handful of official FSL baseballs, either through foul balls, players or umpires.

Rather than have them sit around the house collecting dust, though, we started a FSL All Star Game ball during Shark Week, when the Jupiter Hammerheads played the Clearwater Threshers. Though we won't be making the trip to Fort Fyers for the game, the ball, given to Colin by an umpire after a Charlotte-Tampa game, will become a staple for the remaining FSL games in our Summer of Baseball.

Three members of the Jupiter Hammerheads, the Advanced-A affiliate of the Florida Marlins, were the first to sign: catcher Miguel Fermin, from top to bottom, and pitchers Alejandro Sanabia and Jeff Allison.

We hope to add a few more Wednesday, when we'll catch the Fort Myers Miracle, the Minnesota Twins' FSL club, play the Dunedin Blue Jays, a stop within Toronto's organization.