My Kyle Quandary

So this Saturday, in case you’ve missed it, KellyO and I will be going to Pawtucket to see the PawSox play the Bisons and to see Kyle Snyder, Bobby Kielty, Brandon Moss, Devern Hansack and Jeff Bailey get their World Series rings.

Ever since I’ve begun talking about this, people keep asking me if I’m bringing the Snyder batting practice jersey I bought just before Kyle was dfa’d. Initially, it hadn’t even occurred to me to do that. I don’t generally ‘go’ for autographs. If there’s a signing and I’m going to be available to make it, I’ll go then (and EVEN then I find myself uncomfortable asking for autographs) but I never go around the park before a game (or after a game) looking for a player’s autograph. And I would never bother a player on his own time to ask for an autograph. I just don’t like doing it. So I’m probably not going to bring the jersey.

In my mind there are three kinds of autograph seekers: 1) the fans who just genuinely want an autograph from a player they like, 2) the groupies who hang around using wanting an autograph as a ruse so they can get close to the players, and 3) the jerks who would knock over a kid to get to a player so they can have something signed and then go sell it.

I loathe being associated with numbers 2 or 3 and while I suppose I fit into category number 1, it really doesn’t fit me. I can count the autographs I’ve ever actively sought out (I might be missing one or two here but this is pretty comprehensive):

* Kevin Millar in 2003 (because I had his jersey and he was doing a signing so I thought it would be cool to get the jersey signed).

* In 2006 I went to Jillian’s for the “New Stars for Young Stars” signing (hey it was for charity!)

* Kyle Snyder in 2007 (again, he was doing a signing, just after the World Series, and since he’d become a favorite of mine, I wanted to congratulate him on the Championship)

* Mike Timlin in 2008 (another signing – this one actually being run by a friend of mine who emailed me to make sure I was going to be there) and I went to the “Fan Day” for the PawSox.

* Oh yeah, and Bronson Arroyo a handful of times. 🙂

In 2007, I met Mike Timlin at the Angel Fund’s annual gala and DIDN’T ask for an autograph (hell, Kelly had to force me into asking for a picture) and in 2008, at the Boston Baseball Writer’s dinner, Jim Rice (unbeknownst to me before hand) was signing autographs. Man was a childhood idol of mine so, yes, I jumped right in that line. And in 2005, my friends caught a Kevin Millar foul ball (while dousing me in beer to get to it) and tried to convince me to wait at the player’s parking lot to try and get him to sign it. I didn’t. It was after the game, off hours in my mind. And I don’t regret it.

So there you have it. In all my years of being a fan, those are the only autographs I actively went after.

What am I babbling about? Well, I’m torn between showing up at McCoy with my Kyle jersey and trying to get him to sign it, thus having him possibly think I’m a groupie or someone who’s going to sell his stuff – or just a nut, and showing up without it and kicking myself for missing an opportunity to show Kyle that there are fans who appreciate what he did for the team.

So what do you all think? Is bringing the jersey a bad idea? Should I just be happy I get to see the ring ceremony and call it a day? What would you do? (Besides ask less questions!)