Say, who wants an autographed Melvin Mora card? If you shouted "me, me!", you'd better make plans to attend Saturday's home game against the Red Sox. As part of OriolesREACH and the Oriole Advocates' 2009 Cardboard to Leather collection, volunteers will be positioned at the Oriole Park gates to accept donations of new and gently used baseball and softball equipment (gloves, bats, balls, shoes, uniforms, catchers' gear, bases, umpires' equipment, etc.). They'll also take cash donations. Anyone who donates will receive an autographed baseball card featuring Melvin. The proceeds from the collection will be sent to his foundation in Venezuela and to the Sebaco Valley Little Leagues in Venezuela. Even if you don't want the autograph, it can't hurt to give a little.It's going to be a pretty full weekend for Mora. On Friday night the team will honor him in a pregame ceremony; he recently passed Doug DeCinces for second place among all Orioles third basemen in games played. Tonight he's playing game number 794 at the hot corner, putting him only 2,076 games behind Brooks Robinson. In a great bit of news for O's fans, Brooks will actually be on hand Friday night as part of the celebration. As you may know, the Hall of Famer is very rarely seen on Eutaw Street, purportedly due to strained relations with the Angelos family. Let's hope he comes back again very soon.
