Ocean Gabonia

I met him at a Minor League game at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida in 2024, when the Tampa Tarpons came to play the Clearwater Threshers.

Ocean signed a 2023 Tampa Tarpons Team Set card.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=gaboni000oce

Daury Arias

I met him at a Minor League game at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida in 2024, when the Tampa Tarpons came to play the Clearwater Threshers.

Daury signed a 2023 Tampa Tarpons Team Set card.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=arias-000dau

James Cooper

I met him at a Minor League game at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida in 2024, when the Tampa Tarpons, whom he was managing came to play the Clearwater Threshers.

When I called for him, I asked if he remembered me. A month prior, I attempted to hand him the wrong James Cooper card. He did indeed remember, and so I told him that I mailed my card to the other James Cooper and that he returned it signed with a really nice letter. He asked if I mentioned the whole mixup, but I said no.

James signed a 2004 Tri-City ValleyCats Team Set card #10.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=cooper006jam

Jeremy Cologna

I met him at a Minor League game at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida in 2024, when the St. Lucie Mets, whom he was the bench coach for, came to play the Dunedin Blue Jays.

Jeremy signed a 2023 Binghamton Rumble Ponies Team Set card #36.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=cologn000jer

James Cooper

On April 30, 2024, I went to see the Tampa Tarpons play the Dunedin Blue Jays in Dunedin, Florida. I had a few cards of the Tarpons players that I was hoping to get signed, including their manager, James Cooper. When I saw Mr. Cooper approaching, I held out my card and asked for an autograph. He stopped, looked at the card in my hand, shook his head, and said, "That's not me." 

Now, when I ordered this card, I knew that there were two James Cooper's who were roughly the same age and played around the same time frame. There was a James Cooper who came up in the Yankees organization and spent time playing at their Tampa affiliate, and the other James Cooper came up with the Astros. Not knowing a single thing about James Cooper, I felt the odds were in my favor to get a card of the guy who came up with the Yankees. 

Even Google's A.I. search engine, Gemini, mistakes the two James Cooper's.

When Mr. Cooper told me that it wasn't him, I jokingly replied, "Doesn't it make sense that a guy who once played for Tampa would come back to manage them?" He said, "I came from the Astros but I do know the guy." I held out the card again and said, "Want to send it to him?" He laughed and said, "I don't know him like that."

The next day I ordered a card of the James Cooper that I had spoken to.

Having this Yankees card of James Cooper, I decided to see if I could find an address for him to request his autograph. With such a common name, it was challenging but I felt confident with one particular address I found so I sent him my card and the following letter.

19 days later my card came back signed and he included a nice note.

James signed a 2007 Tampa Yankees Team Set card.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=cooper007jam

Andruw Salcedo

I met him at a Minor League game at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida in 2024, when the Daytona Tortugas came to play the Clearwater Threshers.

Andruw signed a 2023 Daytona Tortugas Team Set card #02.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=salced000and

George Lombard, Jr.

I met him at a Minor League game at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida in 2024, when the Tampa Tarpons came to play the Dunedin Blue Jays.

George signed a 2023 Tampa Tarpons Team Set card #21.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=lombar002geo

Erubiel Armenta

I met him at Paul Owens Training Facility at Carpenter Complex, the Philadelphia Phillies spring training facility in Clearwater, Florida in 2024.

Erubiel signed a 2022 Jersey Shore Blueclaws Team Set card #04.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=arment000eru

Benony Robles

I met him at Paul Owens Training Facility at Carpenter Complex, the Philadelphia Phillies spring training facility in Clearwater, Florida in 2024.

Benony signed a 2023 Great Lakes Loons Team Set card #21.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=robles001ben

Yoldin De La Paz

I met him at a Minor League game at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida in 2024, when the Bradenton Marauders came to play the Clearwater Threshers.

Yoldin signed a 2023 Bradenton Marauders Team Set card.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=delapa000yol

Carlos Jimenez

I met him at a Minor League game at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida in 2024, when the Bradenton Marauders came to play the Clearwater Threshers.

Carlos signed a 2022 Bradenton Marauders Team Set card #19.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=jimene006car

Jesus Castillo

I met him at a Minor League game at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida in 2024, when the Bradenton Marauders came to play the Clearwater Threshers.

Jesus signed a 2023 Bradenton Marauders Team Set card.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=castil008jes

Jauri Custodio

I met him at a Minor League game at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida in 2024, when the Bradenton Marauders came to play the Clearwater Threshers.

Jauri signed a 2023 Bradenton Marauders Team Set card.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=custod000jau

Justin Miknis

I met him at a Minor League game at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida in 2024, when the Bradenton Marauders came to play the Clearwater Threshers.

Justin signed a 2023 Bradenton Marauders Update Team Set card #08.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=miknis000jus

Nate Irving

I met him at a Minor League game at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida in 2024, when the Daytona Tortugas, whom he was the hitting coach for, came to play the Bradenton Marauders.

Nate signed a 2022 Chattanooga Lookouts Team Set card #35.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=irving000nat

Taylor Jackson

I met her at a Minor League game at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida in 2024, when the Daytona Tortugas, whom she was a development coach for, came to play the Bradenton Marauders.

Taylor signed a 2023 Greenville Drive Team Set card #35.

Yassel Pino

I met him at a Minor League game at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida in 2024, when the Daytona Tortugas came to play the Bradenton Marauders.

Yassel signed a 2023 Daytona Tortugas Team Set card #9.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=pino--001yas

Osmin Melendez

I met him at a Minor League game at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida in 2024, when the Daytona Tortugas, whom he was a coach for, came to play the Bradenton Marauders.

Osmin signed a 2016 Tennessee Smokies Team Set card.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=melend001osm

Brenny Escanio

I met him at a Minor League Tampa Tarpons game at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida in 2024.

Brenny signed a 2023 Tampa Tarpons Team Set card #20.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=escani000bre

Aaron Holiday

I met him at a Minor League game at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida in 2024, when the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels came to play the Clearwater Threshers.

Aaron signed a 2023 Fort Wayne TinCaps Team Set card #13.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=holida000aar