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View Full Version : Minor League Game Used - Opinions on Collectability



CampWest
07-07-2008, 07:48 PM
Just wondering what everyone's thoughts are on game used Minor League Baseball items for baseball players, particularly players that play a relatively short Minor League career and a lengthy Major League career. Take for instance a player that plays 3-4 years in the minors then moves on to a lengthy productive 12+ season major league career.

Do you differentiate between regular minors versus instructional leagues, such as Arizona Fall League and Mexican League? Do you place more collectability on lower level minors or higher level?

What are the pros and cons of collecting minor league game used items?

Thanks for your input.

mariner_gamers
07-07-2008, 08:28 PM
Just wondering what everyone's thoughts are on game used Minor League Baseball items for baseball players, particularly players that play a relatively short Minor League career and a lengthy Major League career. Take for instance a player that plays 3-4 years in the minors then moves on to a lengthy productive 12+ season major league career.

Do you differentiate between regular minors versus instructional leagues, such as Arizona Fall League and Mexican League? Do you place more collectability on lower level minors or higher level?

What are the pros and cons of collecting minor league game used items?

Thanks for your input.

For me the pros and cons are pretty clear cut.

Pro....If you can get a minor league item with pics and an early signature you can't go wrong if the guy makes it. That being said you have got to have definitive proof the player used the item since they often change equipment/bat/gear dressing to try and find their favorite combo. Ten years into his pro career many folks will be wary of your AA pro-stock bat used by Sam Superstar. Once a player is established in the Bigs they follow a relatively steady pattern and their equipment is much better documented.

Another big plus is often you will get to talk to the player without be drilled about where you got said item. They are usually more friendly and willing to sign items. Another pro is even if they don't make it you may have someone someday down the line who went to school with the player inquire if you have any of their game stuff. It is cool when you are able to help someone find an obscure item of a relative or classmate.:D For me personally I prefer bats with at least the players name on it and unless they are a 1st round pic it may take until AA or AAA to find one. I personally would prefer single, double or triple A over AZ Fall or a different league.

Cons....Dude never makes it or does not live up to the hype. Jose Cruz Jr. cost me a pretty penny when he was at AAA and never fulfilled the potential that was built into the price I paid. I also have several bats of players that never got an AB in the show.

It can be fun and can pay off big but like anything else ESPECIALLY minor league items get photos and GOOD provenance!!! I still find myself speculating from time-to-time and there is a different excitement factor to it!!

Thanks!
Davis

mr.miracle
07-07-2008, 08:33 PM
Just wondering what everyone's thoughts are on game used Minor League Baseball items for baseball players, particularly players that play a relatively short Minor League career and a lengthy Major League career. Take for instance a player that plays 3-4 years in the minors then moves on to a lengthy productive 12+ season major league career.

Do you differentiate between regular minors versus instructional leagues, such as Arizona Fall League and Mexican League? Do you place more collectability on lower level minors or higher level?

What are the pros and cons of collecting minor league game used items?

Thanks for your input.

Because Game Used anything has become such a huge business over the past ten plus years and keeps growing all the time, minor league teams and even companies that focus almost exclusively on minor league items are becoming more and more the norm. Everyone is trying to cash in on this collecting phase. I believe you are seeing more and more solid documentation and as a result, items are going for more of a premium than ever before.

I would agree with Mariners-gamers though, some of the prices for items of guys who have done nothing are out of control. It is all speculation based upon where someone has them rated. You could spend hundreds if not thousands on minor league gear of a top prospect and they might never see an at bat in the big leagues. It is however fun to speculate.

Thanks

mr.miracle
07-07-2008, 10:57 PM
Just wondering what everyone's thoughts are on game used Minor League Baseball items for baseball players, particularly players that play a relatively short Minor League career and a lengthy Major League career. Take for instance a player that plays 3-4 years in the minors then moves on to a lengthy productive 12+ season major league career.

Do you differentiate between regular minors versus instructional leagues, such as Arizona Fall League and Mexican League? Do you place more collectability on lower level minors or higher level?

What are the pros and cons of collecting minor league game used items?

Thanks for your input.

As someone that focuses on Cal Ripken Jr. game used items, I can definitively say that I would love to pick up many Ripken minor league items and the earlier the better. Unfortunately, they are pretty much impossible to find. When a Ripken LS M110 game used bat came up at auction at Mastro last year that was one of two from Cal's original ever bat order in 1978 and had solid backing from both MEARS and PSA/DNA, I was salivating at the thought of possibly adding this piece to my collection. You just never, ever see anything game used of Cal's from Bluefield or even higher minor leagues and rarely anything from Rochester AAA. Sadly, that bat went way out of my price range and probably now hangs in the private collection of some very wealthy individual. If you can grab something minor league from a current star I would say go for it. I also do know however that certain collectors say that minor league game used does not really count as it is not from the major leagues. It is all about what you enjoy and what you want to collect. That is just my two cents for whatever it is worth.

Thanks

godwulf
07-07-2008, 11:49 PM
I love collecting minor league/independent league jerseys; I probably have at least twice as many of those as major league jerseys. I've paid less than fifty dollars for a single-A jersey of a favorite player most people have never heard of, and I've paid $500-$800 for a jersey of some very hot prospect who could very well be a flash in the pan and be back in the minors - permanently - in a couple of seasons...and even if they're not, and they have a great career, I'll likely never recoup the money I put into acquiring some of those jerseys. I just really enjoy owning them, which for me is the only reason to have a hobby.

Before the Diamondbacks signed Stephen Drew, he played for a few months with the independent league Camden Riversharks, and after he left, the team auctioned a couple of his jerseys, and I got one - the first pro Baseball jersey of one of my favorite players...and he was really jazzed to see it when I went to get it signed, too.

When Brett Butler, managing the Mobile BayBears, had a stroke last year, Matt Williams flew out to fill in for him, and I bought two of Matty's jerseys from the team after the end of the season...and those jerseys are nearly as important to me, and to my collection of Matt Williams items, as the Major League jerseys, all the bats, or anything else...and the best part is, they come with a great story.

I'm betting that there are some beautiful old Aurelio Rodriguez jerseys in private collections out there - but I wouldn't trade the blue nylon field jacket he wore while managing in the Mexican League for any one of them.

nomarmauerfan
07-08-2008, 06:43 AM
About 2 months ago, I traded for a GU Justin Morneau Quad Cities River Bandits road jersey. It was put up for trade by an employee of the River Bandits on another site, and being a big Morneau fan, I went after it. I looked everywhere for pics of him wearing a road jersey, but couldn't find any. I traded away a bunch of autographs and $100 cash. I was completely unsure if I had a legit gamer or not. Then, I went to the Twins Auto. Party. When I handed it to Justin, he lifted it up and said, "Where did you get this?" I told him that I had traded for it and asked if it was his. He said,, "Oh yeah, that's mine". Besides having a big smile, I was relieved that what I purchased was real.

To me, the toughest part of my search was finding a photo. Minor league photos, even from 2001, are not super-common. If you can find it, your confidence will be high. If you can't, then its cross-your-fingers-time. Like has been said before...if its someone you collect, then go for it.

Best wishes,
Mike

CampWest
07-08-2008, 10:37 AM
Thanks for the great responses guys.

I am definitely looking at these items as rare additions to my collection, and I feel that there is strong provenance for the items I am considering. I'm not really looking at it as an investment or speculating. Though naturally, it wouldnt hurt my feelings if they appreciated in value.

Anyhow, I am glad to hear that there is credibility and interest in minor league items, at least from player collectors and team collectors.

Thanks and if anyone else has any thoughts to share, I'd still appreciate hearing those.

jwasserman
07-08-2008, 11:19 AM
I could be imagining things but it almost seems like there became a frenzied interest in minor league GU items (particularly of prospects) after the disccovery of the Mays minor league jersey on Antiques Roadshow and it's subsequent hefty sale. The market seems driven mostly by those hoping to catch a player before they become or star (or perhaps those who've been chased away by the MLB's heftier and heftier price tags).

As game used becomes more and more of a marketable commodity, I think we're going to see more teams at all levels offering this stuff as part of their 'product'.

Interestingly, this article on colleges and game used just showed up today: http://www.charleston.net/news/2008/jul/05/dawg_jerseysale_unfair46654/

The proliferation and availability of game used has actually served to dampen any interest I have in most post 1990 items. I can't imagine the market sustaining any value if there is a constant flux of new items streaming directly to the public. Gone too is some of the allure, the chase, and mystery. Or maybe I'm just unhappy to be back to work after four days.

mr.miracle
07-08-2008, 11:41 AM
I could be imagining things but it almost seems like there became a frenzied interest in minor league GU items (particularly of prospects) after the disccovery of the Mays minor league jersey on Antiques Roadshow and it's subsequent hefty sale. The market seems driven mostly by those hoping to catch a player before they become or star (or perhaps those who've been chased away by the MLB's heftier and heftier price tags).

As game used becomes more and more of a marketable commodity, I think we're going to see more teams at all levels offering this stuff as part of their 'product'.

Interestingly, this article on colleges and game used just showed up today: http://www.charleston.net/news/2008/jul/05/dawg_jerseysale_unfair46654/

The proliferation and availability of game used has actually served to dampen any interest I have in most post 1990 items. I can't imagine the market sustaining any value if there is a constant flux of new items streaming directly to the public. Gone too is some of the allure, the chase, and mystery. Or maybe I'm just unhappy to be back to work after four days.


I hear you brother I am unhappy to be back to work after 1 day off but then again, my job sucks, my career sucks and there is never a happy moment. I would have killed for even a two day weekend.

godwulf
07-08-2008, 11:45 AM
One aspect that I don't believe has come up in this discussion is relative rarity. A player who spends a few years in three minor league organizations will probably have worn a dozen jerseys (with even most minor league teams now having home, road, and a couple of alternates - maybe a vest-style jersey and a bp jersey) total. How many years in the Major Leagues is it going to take him to go through a dozen jerseys...two? And if he stays up for 10-15 years, he's going to be generating game-worn jerseys that whole time, but the number of his minor league items is (barring rehab assignments) never going to increase.

rose14
07-08-2008, 10:12 PM
I have been collecting Vladimir Guerrero minor league items for quite some time. I have two of his minor league jerseys. I have his 1994 Gulf Coast Expos (Rookie League) jersey that has been photo matched with a couple of Upper Deck cards. I even obtained a letter from the Gulf Coast Expos orginization several years ago when I went down to one of their games and brought the jersey and showed it to one of their executives.

I also have Guerrero's 1995 Albany Polecats (Class A) jersey that has also been photo matched to a couple of ball cards. It comes with a letter from the late great Dick Dobbins who was a mastermind when it came to minor league items.