With all this talk and controversy about Jorge Posada, I thought I might share my autograph experience with the Yankee DH. It was in 2008, and I had gotten tickets to YES Network’s Centerstage program, to watch the taping of the Posada interview.I have been to many Centerstage tapings in the past. The format is rather simple - Michael Kay generally asks most of the questions to the guest, and some are taken from the audience later in the show. What is very interesting about Centerstage (and probably about any show) is what is left in the final edit of the show for the tv audience to see and what is not. Being at the taping live versus watching the show on television gives a fan two different perspectives. So if you are in New York, I suggest you get tickets to one of the tapings and see firsthand what I mean.
What I was most impressed about during the taping was how much Posada talked about family. Much of that was put on the final tv show. One of the things he talked a lot about was his son, and how difficult it was dealing with his craniosynostosis. You can watch that portion of the interview here: http://youtu.be/A5drhlRU2yo. Posada’s wife Laura is often panned to during that segment.
After the interview, most fans wanted to get an autograph. Most of them brought baseballs, bats or jerseys. My wife Paige, who was in the wine business at the time, discovered a bottle of wine called Jorge Cabernet by Longball Cellars. Most of the wines are produced in California and support charities of the players they feature. A portion of the proceeds from Jorge Cabernet goes to the Jorge Posada Foundation which helps children and families affected by craniosynostosis. She had purchased two bottles for me (well, one for me and one for my brother). I had brought both of bottles and a sharpie to the taping in the hope to get them signed.
I was on a long line of people to get an autograph. Posada signed for a few minutes, but his agent decided it was time for him to leave. He was not going to sign any more items. I caught the agent’s eye and held up the bottles for him to see. He amended his statement, with, “except those two bottles.”
Needless to say, I got both of them autographed. I keep one in my collection and sent the other to my brother for his collection. Since then, my wife has discovered a sangria from Spain called Cinco Anillos that also supports the Jorge Posada Foundation.
I learned from this experience that just like everybody else, family means a lot to Posada. That makes him sort of a regular guy, with many regular issues like everyone else. He has family issues, health issues and sometimes work and boss issues.
Another thing I learned from this experience is the value in getting to know your favorite players’ passions. In this case, I stood out among the throngs of fans because Posada understood I went the extra mile to help support a cause that means a lot to him. When looking for an autograph, you can increase your chances by doing the same.
