Game Used Abuse

[spartanservitto]

Hey guys,

Ive had some problems recently with game used items I have purchased being uncared for neglected while being shipped to me (whether its third party carrier or person to person).

The first, was my previous 2010 Albert Pujols Game Used bat. Was sent in the mail with just the bat and peanuts. They stuck to the mid section of the bat, which I had to pick off for about 4 hours and eventually sent back... (it turned out to be the best bat they had). So now im stuck with a decent Pujols, about a ton of cash and the company looks at me like I should fine with it.

The second, was when I bought a certain bat, the seller while walking to bring it to me (wasnt a third party seller, he was with the team), was swinging it, knocking the head of the bat on the cement, kicking it off his foot... I just was amazed that someone would do this right in front of my face.

Anyways, I would like to hear some stories, or just find out that Im not a lone in this, Ive talked to several forum members about it. Just wanted to hear some thoughts.

-Tony

[onlyalbert]

I've never understood why a baseball bat would need to be shipped with packing peanuts. It's a piece of wood! And the USPS boxes are very durable anyway. How about an unwritten code among all collectors......if your bat is selling for about $X amound you should be required to throw in a free bat tube no matter what!

[spartanservitto]

I've never understood why a baseball bat would need to be shipped with packing peanuts. It's a piece of wood! And the USPS boxes are very durable anyway. How about an unwritten code among all collectors......if your bat is selling for about $X amound you should be required to throw in a free bat tube no matter what!

Agreed, you would think 3k would break the threshold requirement.

-Tony

[onlyalbert]

Agreed, you would think 3k would break the threshold requirement.

-Tony

The last Pujols I got was shipped in a free bat tube, and I didn't pay that much.

[dplettn]

I got cleats that were used for at least a significant portion of a player’s Rookie Season during the Rookie Season in which he broke a franchise rookie record. I was thrilled to have them signed, but in addition to being personalized (which wasn’t requested) they were signed “Season”, generally without any season being specified. I was actually pleased by the personalization (I’ll be keeping them forever), but it sure would have been nice that if the word “season” was on the signature, that the particular season would have been defined! I really want to catch up with the player, provide him with another of the same pen (which I need to find), and ask him to denote the season specifically so the signature doesn’t look sloppy.


Or am I being silly and “Season” generically should be a cool thing (even unspecified) on a signature on a guy’s Rookie Cleats. BTW, this is a situation where the Cleats were also signed his Rookie Year and came from his own locker, so it’s not a thing where the player was uncertain what season they were from.

[justinwc80]

The way some shipping companies throw around boxes I want my items, including bats, protected in some way. I always package bats I seel in a tube with padding on each end to stabilize the bat and add padding around the tube while in the box. It's simple courtesy to the person buying the bat. When I ship a jersey I put it in a waterproof envelope inside the box. If everyone took the same precaution they would want for themselves we would all avoid a lot of headache. My recent big purchase of a game used glove from Grey Flannel was only in a cardboard box with no protection. While I realize that gloves are used and abused I don't want the box getting wet and changing the glove forever from how it was when the player used it. Maybe that's just me.

[onlyalbert]

I got cleats that were used for at least a significant portion of a player’s Rookie Season during the Rookie Season in which he broke a franchise rookie record. I was thrilled to have them signed, but in addition to being personalized (which wasn’t requested) they were signed “Season”, generally without any season being specified. I was actually pleased by the personalization (I’ll be keeping them forever), but it sure would have been nice that if the word “season” was on the signature, that the particular season would have been defined! I really want to catch up with the player, provide him with another of the same pen (which I need to find), and ask him to denote the season specifically so the signature doesn’t look sloppy.


Or am I being silly and “Season” generically should be a cool thing (even unspecified) on a signature on a guy’s Rookie Cleats. BTW, this is a situation where the Cleats were also signed his Rookie Year and came from his own locker, so it’s not a thing where the player was uncertain what season they were from.

I think if you have a personal connection to the player he would understand and be cool with it.....if not, (and I was the player) I would think you were a little "nuts" ya know what I mean? I undertand it from out point of view. I had Colby Rasmus personalize a bat from his rookie year "2009 Rookie Season" and it looks awesome in silver paint pen on his black bat!

[spartanservitto]

The last Pujols I got was shipped in a free bat tube, and I didn't pay that much.

Was it from sportsmemorabilia.com, or a private collector. Im talking about a merchant doing , a person with particularized knowledge the specializes in the sale of these items.... Granted, John Smith a fellow collector may know better, but I paid the cost from a legit merchant. I expect protection.

-Tony

[onlyalbert]

The way some shipping companies throw around boxes I want my items, including bats, protected in some way. I always package bats I seel in a tube with padding on each end to stabilize the bat and add padding around the tube while in the box. It's simple courtesy to the person buying the bat. When I ship a jersey I put it in a waterproof envelope inside the box. If everyone took the same precaution they would want for themselves we would all avoid a lot of headache. My recent big purchase of a game used glove from Grey Flannel was only in a cardboard box with no protection. While I realize that gloves are used and abused I don't want the box getting wet and changing the glove forever from how it was when the player used it. Maybe that's just me.

Definitely agree on the plastic bag aspect. All jerseys I have received were in large zip locks which I would think would be a no brainer.

[dplettn]

I think if you have a personal connection to the player he would understand and be cool with it.....if not, (and I was the player) I would think you were a little "nuts" ya know what I mean? I undertand it from out point of view. I had Colby Rasmus personalize a bat from his rookie year "2009 Rookie Season" and it looks awesome in silver paint pen on his black bat!

To be clear.... I AM "nuts"! I spent money on another man's worn shoewear! But I think players understand that to us as fans, its in the course of celebrating the joy they bring us as fans. Players probably think we're even more nuts to spend so much money on tickets! And, in a sense, they are right again!

But ultimately, its a symbiotic relationship. They infuse us with Sports passion and team pride, which we cherish. They often cherish our applause too... in addition to the $.

[onlyalbert]

Was it from sportsmemorabilia.com, or a private collector. Im talking about a merchant doing , a person with particularized knowledge the specializes in the sale of these items.... Granted, John Smith a fellow collector may know better, but I paid the cost from a legit merchant. I expect protection.

-Tony

It was from a private collector. It was a nice touch as I didn't ask for that. I just wish there would've been a few more photos before it was shipped....but I didn't ask for that either :)

[Hog]

My worst experience would have to be the rookie Auto Andrew Bailey jersey that came in a large zip lock REEKING OF SMOKE! Who smokes around their game used jerseys! It was gross, I will probably never get the smell out 100%. It would be hilarious though if it was Baily who smoked in the jersey haha.

Also, Anything you buy over $100 should come in a protector of some sort. Whether it be a bat tube or a ball cube. These are investments and sellers should protect them for the extra few dollars. I hate opening mail to find either the bat just free in the shipping pyramid (or poster tube) or balls in sandwich bags. You definitely know when you are getting something from another collector.

[CampWest]

http://www.gameuseduniverse.com/vb_forum/showpost.php?p=152498&postcount=1

Thats all I got to say about that....

Though I recently received a bat in a USPS tube and about 40 packing peanuts total... Seriously, a 3foot tube and a total of about 40 peanuts... What good are 40 peanuts in 2 cubic feet of space? Naturally they all stuck to the fresh tar and did nothing to help out with actually protecting any part of the bat - all they did was damage the pine tar. Yeesh...

[10thMan]

I dont sell that often, but when I do...I always use a USPS Box, with a Bat Tube inside. This costs me another 2-3? bucks but why not protect the Bat, & know it`ll arrive the way I packed it.


Nothings more upsetting than spending hard earned Cash, Opening a Bat Box & knowing the other guy is all about CHEAP, simply dropping a Bat into a Box, even with fresh tar. All too common, even on Bats over a Grand!!!

I dont know one collector that likes ANY additional marks, scratches, dents etc on a Bat. We want our Bats as Original as possible, I rarely handle mine!

How about when your SIGNED Bat arrives & the Auto is scratched up? Seen that quite a bit!


Sean

[vonbrandingo]

Late last month I bought a $600 signed gu bat off a seller on ebay who sells lots of bats. Seller put a tube sock over the barrel, put the bat in a usps triangle box, and closed the box... that's it. Didn't even tape the box. When I picked it up, the box was hammered, ripped almost completely in half and you could see the wood inside.

Turned out to be a decent deal though because the next day I shipped it (the right way) to JT and it came back a GU 9.