MAB Catcher's Show - Saturday Report

I only made it to one day of MAB's catcher-themed show. I was Secaucus, NJ for part of Saturday's autograph signing.

I thought this show was much more organized than the previous one they hosted in Long Island, NY. Why? Was it a return to familiar grounds at the Crowne Plaza? Were things easier because there were not as many tables and booths? Was it less chaotic because there weren't as many people attending the show?

I think those reasons played a factor. However, MAB was much better organized from the last show I went to. They had a clear entry/exit point with a table in the front and they did a better job preparing for their big name guest (Joe Torre).

An entire section of the room became the Torre area. In the past, people waiting for the big name guests were mixed in with all the other collectors. You wouldn't think it's a big deal, but when you consider Torre easily had 300 people waiting for his signature, it made a lot of sense to reserve a bigger section of the room for them.

I'd still like to see more MAB people helping patrol the entry/exit points. I thought there were still too many people jumping in when the MAB workers weren't looking.

I'd also like to give the players more of an official announcement when they are entering the autograph area and exiting. I believe they deserve it and as fans/collectors, we'd like to give them another round of applause. Why not provide a simple, "Fans, please welcome Carlton Fisk to the autograph area." When the players leave, it would be nice to hear, "Fans please join me in thanking Carlton Fisk for his autograph time today." I'm not asking for a wave, but I think it would be a polite gesture to clap for the players as they come and go.

I didn't get too many autographs, but I'm really pleased with the two autographs I picked up on Saturday. I'll post some pictures this week on the blog.