I use paypal to print my own labels to send it to the player. Use a small box, figure out the weight, buy some prepaid stamps (our PO has a "mail-it-yourself" machine that'll print out whatever denomination), enclose a name tag with my return address on it, and put it in my box for the mailman.
The one I just sent needed $2.80 for return, that depends on the size of the box. I include a pen, which is a problem if you use a 4x4x4 box, the best small size, because I have to snip off the back end of the pen. (put the pen and ball in separate baggies, one pen let loose on me once.)
I used to use a bubble mailer, and never had a problem with that method, either, except you can't re-use them. That way you can use a larger one to ship to the player, and have the ball ready in a pre-addressed, pre-stamped smaller one for return.
Often, since so many of the players I've written to have signed for free, I'll make a donation to a worthy cause, photo-copy the check, and send it as a thank you to the players.
Ken
PS: Warning: once you start this, you cannot stop. The thrill of going to the mailbox is highly addictive. I like the more obscure players, the ones with really cool stories, so I started reading more about baseball history and sending out tons of auto requests (I'd send a request first, with a return postcard.) If you don't have Jack Smalling's address book, it'd make a great after-Christmas present to yourself. I'd estimate about 400 of my baseballs are through the mail.
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