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When Zack Greinke signed the document shown here, he was a high school sophomore trying out for a collegiate showcase. Just three weeks past his 16th birthday, Greinke signed up for the prestigious Team One Florida showcase.

Among the pitchers to play for Team One Florida are Cy Young Award winners Roy Halladay, CC Sabathia, Justin Verlander. Position players include Mark Teixeira, Troy Tulowitzki, and David Wright.

The young Greinke lists his primary position as shortstop and his secondary position as catcher. Interestingly the two-time Silver Slugger also writes that he hits both right and left.

The 16-year old Greinke penned his signature toward the bottom of the document.

Two years later Greinke was voted the Gatorade National High School Player of the Year. Gary Sheffield (1986), Alex Rodriguez (1996), and Clayton Kershaw (2006) also received the honor.

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Zack Greinke filled out the tryout form and signed the bottom three weeks after his 16th birthday. Shown here is a closeup of Gerinke’s signature as a sophomore in high school. He signed this three weeks after his 16th birthday.

Because Greinke was underage, his father Don also had to sign the form. The elder Greinke signed his name just below his son.

It’s difficult to imagine any baseball-related signature from earlier in Greinke’s life. It’s likely that the pitcher will someday have a plaque in Cooperstown.

With more than 200 wins to his credit, a Cy Young Award, six Gold Gloves, and two Silver Sluggers, Greinke may have already punched his ticket.

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In the collection is this ESPN SportsTicker questionnaire filled out entirely by Zack Greinke on August 3, 2002. Greinke was just two months removed from his senior year in high school and still two years away from his Major League debut with the Royals.

Though he would win the 2009 Cy Young Award for Kansas City, his finest season came in 2015 with the Dodgers. That year Greinke led the league in ERA (1.66), WHIP (0.844), and Winning Percentage (19-3 .864) while earning the second of three consecutive Gold Gloves. Over the off season Greinke signed a gargantuan 6-year contract valued at $206.5 million.

Greinke has quietly built a resumé that includes All Star appearances, Gold Glove Awards, a Silver Slugger and that Cy Young hardware. In 2023 Greinke went 2-15 with a 5.06 ERA to end his career with a 225-156 record, 2,979 strikeouts, a 121 ERA+, and 77.5 WAR. An appointment at Cooperstown is likely.

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Everything on this website is in the private collection of CooperstownExpert.com’s Jim Smiley. The collection is the fruit of a 30-year labor of love.

Smiley was hired by SportsTicker – the same company for which Greinke filled out the publicity questionnaire – in 1992. Smiley covered the Dodgers, Angels, the Winter Meetings, and the World Baseball Classic for most of the next three decades.

Shown here is a business card of Smiley from his time in the employ of ESPN.

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In July, 2012 Zack Greinke made starts in three straight games for his team. The last time that happened was 95 years earlier when Hall Fame hurler Red Faber took the mound in three consecutive contests for the White Sox.

Greinke took the hill on July 7 against the Astros. His first pitch of the game was hammered for a triple to center by Houston leadoff man Jordan Schafer. Three pitches later Jose Altuve hit a sharp ground ball ball between first and second. Milwaukee first baseman Chris Johnson laid out and gloved it.

Greinke was a beat late getting off the mound then raced to cover the bag. Altuve sprinted out of the box. On a bang-bang play umpire Sam Holbrook called him safe. Knowing Altuve would’ve been out if not for the late start toward first, Greinke spiked the ball in disgust. Believing the the pitcher was showing him up, Holbrook ejected him. The Astros never looked back, winning the contest 6-3. Despite throwing just four pitches, Greinke took the loss.

In the Brewers’ next game skipper Ron Roenicke again gave the ball to his ace. Greinke wasn’t much better than the day before. In three innings of work he got tagged for three runs on five hits. After the game, baseball headed into the All Star break.

When Milwaukee opened the second half against the Pirates, Greinke started his team’s third consecutive game. In five innings he surrendered six runs on seven hits and two walks. The three outings lasted a combined 8 innings. Greinke gave up 14 hits and 10 runs. The right-hander emerged with a loss and two no-decisions.

Poring over history, the last time a pitcher made three straight starts for his team came in 1917. Cooperstown’s Red Faber started both ends of a double header on September 3 that season. It was a bad day for the 28-year old. Faber went a combined 6 innings and allowed 9 runs on 15 hits.

Despite the performance, Sox skipper Pants Rowland trotted Faber back out the next day. Red responded with a complete game victory. Faber made five more starts as the season wound down and completed four of them – one a 10-inning affair. For good measure, Faber also pitched the final three innings of the year in relief.

Shown here is a 1933 Goudey baseball card signed by Faber.