I'm hoping if I'm able to have a conversation with the promoter and/or handler, supply the blue ball point pen and put a legal sticky tab that says "sign here" the handler will do their best to make sure the ball is handled and signed properly. I rather it not be signed and sent back to me then to have the piece ruined. I'm sure we've all seen the recent YouTube videos of Willie signing and as long as the person is persistent on where, how, and what pen to use Willie will eventually comply. But not being their in person will not help the situation. I'm always worried when you have to depend on someone else to go to bat for you -see what I did there
The "sign here" might be over kill. I'll just use a regular tab instead that doesn't say anything. There is real estate on the bottom part of the west panel below Tony Taylors signature for him to sign. It's not ideal to have him attempt to cram his signature in a tight space but we'll see.