Not all minor leaguers

I'm sure I said this last summer, but it's possible to find former big leaguers serving as coaches and managers in the Florida State League. Just a couple weeks ago, Dunedin Blue Jays pitching coach Darold Knowles, a 15-year big-league pitcher and a member of the 1973 World Series champion Oakland Athletics, was nice enough to sign these four cards as well.

Appreciate it

It was billed as Fan Appreciation Night at Dunedin Stadium. A gas-sipping scooter was given away. So was a free year of pest control services. And kids got a backpack full of school supplies.

At game's end, though, after the Dunedin Blue Jays beat the Lakeland Flying Tigers, 4-3, in a Florida State League contest, we were the ones who were most appreciative.

Though we had to wait until middle August to get our grubby little mitts on the 2009 D-Jays team set, Colin made short work of it, getting 20 players (including D-Jay, the team's mascot) to sign their cards on our past two trips.

On Saturday, during our final visit to Dunedin in our Summer of Baseball, we added another nine cards (including one from the 2008 team set) from Alan Farina, Dumas Garcia, Jesus Gonzalez, Chuck Huggins, Jonathan Jaspe, Moises Sierra, Eric Thames and D-Jay.

And, for good measure, we had Thames, fresh off the disabled list, sign an official FSL ball. Provided he stays healthy, we're sure he'll make his way up the organization's ladder.

It's all a matter of timing

Ever since the Tampa Yankees came out with their team set for the 2009 season, we've kept our eyes out for team sets from our other local Florida State League clubs. Not too long ago, we picked up and, subsequently, worked one from the Clearwater Threshers. That left one for the Dunedin Blue Jays.

Last Wednesday, after repeated trips to the team's souvenir store over the past few weeks, we finally picked up a team set for the D- Jays. From what I hear, though, we should've went to Tuesday's game, as the set was given away to fans. Our one-day delay, however, meant we spent $10 for the set.

Though the game got rained out -- the third of our Summer of Baseball campaign -- we were able to snag a dozen autographs:

Top row: Kevin Ahrens, Raul Barron and Bobby Bell; and
Bottom row: Matt Liuzza, Adam Loewen and manager Omar Malave.

Top row: Bradley McElroy, Ryan Page and Mayy Rodriguez; and
Bottom row: Sean Shoffitt, John Tolisano and trainer Bob Tarpey.

We're heading back to Dunedin Stadium this Saturday, in what could be our final FSL game of the summer. If we're lucky, we'll add a few more signed cards to the D-Jays team set.