How rare are actual hit balls that are mlb authenticated?

[brianborsch]

Hello all,

I managed to pickup a couple of game used baseballs that were the actual balls hit in a game from mlb.com auctions a few months back. I was glad as usually what's for sale are balls from a particular game, but not necessarily the actual ball hit.
So my question is, how rare are the actual hit balls from games that are mlb authenticated? I was hoping to see much more, but alas, there aren't any! How does one find these things? I am sure there is a demand.....

Brian B

[allstarsplus]

Re: How rare are actual hit balls that are mlb authenticated?

I think it would depend on the authenticator for the particular stadium.

From experience, I know for significant games like All Star Games, HR Derbys, and the World Series they try to document as much info as possible such as pitcher, batter and outcome such as "single", "ball in the dirt", etc.

From experience with the Washington Nationals, their authenticators only write "game used ball" and the date unless it is a HR ball. Since most of RFK Stadium's HRs never make it into the seats, the authenticator collects the HR balls that go over the fence. I was fortunate to get some great HR balls including 1 from Alfonso Soriano and his 40/40/40 season in 2006.

Let's hope all authenticators document all balls which make great collectibles!

Andrew

[skyking26]

Re: How rare are actual hit balls that are mlb authenticated?

A very neat collectible, but not sure how much interest there is. I have owned actual Dave Kingman HR baseballs shagged by notable hobby names that you can trust. Keeping 1 from 3 teams he played with - but have always had difficulty selling them in the past. People just don't have the interest that they have in other GU items. All personal preference.

RK

[allstarsplus]

Re: How rare are actual hit balls that are mlb authenticated?

These are some of my favorite collectibles in my entire Game Used collection!

Ryan Zimmerman from 2006 which I eventually got signed by Billy Wagner too.



April 14 2005 1st Nationals Opening Day



Andrew

[ironmanfan]

Re: How rare are actual hit balls that are mlb authenticated?

Andrew....Great Pieces! I'm curious what your collecting focus (if you had one) was "pre-Nationals."

[allstarsplus]

Re: How rare are actual hit balls that are mlb authenticated?

Andrew....Great Pieces! I'm curious what your collecting focus (if you had one) was "pre-Nationals."

Bill - I have a very eclectic focus which is game used items, some auto'd memorabilia, and sports art.

Pre-Nationals collection includes:

Baltimore Orioles stars like Boog, Brooks, Frank R. and Cal and the 4 pitchers (Cuellar/Palmer/McNally/Dobson) who were O's 20 game winners.

Collection also includes Washington Redskins items.

Home Run hitters especially the 500 HR club.

Shaq & MJ items.

I started collecting in 2000 historic game collectibles from various games.

Andrew

[allstarsplus]

Re: How rare are actual hit balls that are mlb authenticated?

Here is the printout from my Soriano HR ball that was the 1st of 3 HRs he hit that game!


MLB Authentication Program

The hologram number you entered was located in the MLB Authentication Database.

Hologram Number:BB75803
Product Type:Balls
Product Description:Soriano HR #1 1st inning
Session Product Description:Game Used Baseball
Session Name:Atlanta Braves¿Washington Nationals
Session Date:4/21/2006
Autographer:
Authenticator:Deloitte & Touche

[kellsox]

Re: How rare are actual hit balls that are mlb authenticated?

I love the milestone/home run GU baseballs but I would think that the market would be watered down very quickly if MLB starts to document the use of baseballs used in "regular" games(ie Julio Franco 2nd inning single off Kyle Loshe in a meaningless May game....). MLB did this with the WBC/ All Star games and was selling documented foul balls/singles, etc... I can't imagine that there would be much demand for these pieces especially if you attempt to resell. I think I read recently that the average"life span" of a baseball used in a game is around 4 pitches. Plenty to go around.
kelly

[brianborsch]

Re: How rare are actual hit balls that are mlb authenticated?

While that's true, the only gu baseballs I have seen recently are just balls used in games with no specifics attached to them. That Soriano HR ball is sweet.

I have two documented hit balls from the 2007 Futures game (one being Jay Bruce's triple) which is documented as the most exciting and possibly the hardest hit ball in the whole game. I plan to display these two balls with a photograph of AT&T Park (which was taken during the 2007 Futures Game) and having details on the display of the balls, who pitched, who hit, along with the date and location.

But these items make collecting fun and makes for interesting display pieces, which is why I want these kinds of items and wish that mlb.com would have more of them. That's why I was asking if it happens often, because I picked up these balls and was hoping that mlb.com would one day have more from other games/events.

[OaklandAsFan]

Re: How rare are actual hit balls that are mlb authenticated?

I can tell you right now that if you get any baseballs from Oakland that are authenticated as being a specific ball its impossible because the ball boys just throw all the balls back into the same bag which is kept out where they stand by the batter box so there is no way anyone would know which ball was a hit or just a game used ball.

[indyred]

Re: How rare are actual hit balls that are mlb authenticated?

You don't see many around. I would love it as well if MLB did offer more hit/home run authenticated balls. I doubt it would get watered down much at all. People would go nuts bidding on favorite player home run/ hits balls, milestones ect. It would have been cool seeing Biggio hit balls come up for auction this season. MeiGray had the NHL game used puck program where they worked with a bunch of teams and authenticated a bunch of goal pucks and just game used pucks from 2002-03 season. Big name goal pucks went for nice money. You got a real nice COA with matching holograms on the puck. Gave out who was in goal, who assisted on the goals, the game results.. ect. Now they just authenticate pucks in Finals and Conference Finals games.

[allstarsplus]

Re: How rare are actual hit balls that are mlb authenticated?

]MeiGray had the NHL game used puck program where they worked with a bunch of teams and authenticated a bunch of goal pucks and just game used pucks from 2002-03 season. Big name goal pucks went for nice money. You got a real nice COA with matching holograms on the puck. Gave out who was in goal, who assisted on the goals, the game results.. ect. Now they just authenticate pucks in Finals and Conference Finals games.

I bought a couple of the pucks from the MEIGray program and thought it was a great idea. I would pay big $$$ for an Ovechkin goal or Sidney Crosby!!!

OaklandAsFan I can tell you right now that if you get any baseballs from Oakland that are authenticated as being a specific ball its impossible because the ball boys just throw all the balls back into the same bag which is kept out where they stand by the batter box so there is no way anyone would know which ball was a hit or just a game used ball.

I think the ball bag is the typical way teams collect the balls and the authenticator will pick out only 10 to 12 balls to authenticate.

If I am doing an autograph signing, I would much rather find a GU ball from a game the player did something special in and get that signed which makes it into a real nice collectible with some significance. In my opinion, you pay $12 for a OML Rawlings out of the box or you can pay $50 for a typical game used ball.

The problem with HR balls is that most of them end up in the stands and can't be retrieved. It would be a great service if ushers in the outfield seats could authenticate HR balls with holograms. Think of all the HR balls listed on auction that have no documentation with no real way of proving that they are HR balls except the solemn pledge that they are the "real deal" by the seller.

Andrew

[Chris78]

Re: How rare are actual hit balls that are mlb authenticated?

I personally would prefer to know who hit the ball, who threw the ball, what game, what inning and number of outs, etc., but it would be very difficult to authenticate every ball like this. I personally keep track of who hit the ball, pitched a ball, inning and number of outs, what stadium, etc. when I obtain a foul ball (all have been at minor league games) and that makes it more interesting when obtaining the ball. Sometimes these guys will make it to the major leagues after you obtained there foul ball in the minors.

Some of the teams that I have bought the authenticated MLB game used balls at include the Phillies and Nationals. I bought the 2003 Final Season Veterans Stadium ball, 2004 Citizens Bank Park ball, and the 2005 Washington Nationals ball because they could be identified easier with the extra markings, and it is nice to own these balls for that reason. For me personally, though, unless there is something like this on the ball, I would not just want a regular MLB game used ball with hologram that came from a particular game.

Chris

[brianborsch]

Re: How rare are actual hit balls that are mlb authenticated?

Mt feelings exactly! My two futures game balls have all of those details. It states who pitched, who hit, what kind of hit, and what inning. If mlb can get that kind of detail, there would be much more demand.

[indyred]

Re: How rare are actual hit balls that are mlb authenticated?

I bought a couple of the pucks from the MEIGray program and thought it was a great idea. I would pay big $$$ for an Ovechkin goal or Sidney Crosby!!!

I think the ball bag is the typical way teams collect the balls and the authenticator will pick out only 10 to 12 balls to authenticate.

If I am doing an autograph signing, I would much rather find a GU ball from a game the player did something special in and get that signed which makes it into a real nice collectible with some significance. In my opinion, you pay $12 for a OML Rawlings out of the box or you can pay $50 for a typical game used ball.

The problem with HR balls is that most of them end up in the stands and can't be retrieved. It would be a great service if ushers in the outfield seats could authenticate HR balls with holograms. Think of all the HR balls listed on auction that have no documentation with no real way of proving that they are HR balls except the solemn pledge that they are the "real deal" by the seller.

Andrew

MeiGray site does have a bunch of goal pucks up from Flyers games it looks like. Including a Ovechkin. It's even from recent playoffs.

http://www.meigray.com/edealinv/servlet/ExecMacro?nurl=control/StoreItem.vm&ctl_nbr=2381&siId=3289685&catLevel=0&scLevel=&thisCatLevel=&oldParentID=&catParentID=4555&scId=4555