Any Thoughts on the Mets Motherlode

[soxbats]

With the criminal guilty plea entered in the case of the Mets clubhouse manager, any thoughts on what happens to the mountain of mets memorabilia that was involved?

See the following article from the NYT, especially the picture.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/22/sports/baseball/ex-mets-clubhouse-manager-pleads-guilty-in-theft-case.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Mets%20clubhouse%20manager&st=cse

Dave L, I have no doubt you have been following this closely, any idea what 86 WS and playoff bats were involved? Sounds like a stunning collection.

[metsbats]

Re: Any Thoughts on the Mets Motherlode

Love that photo of all the memorabilia.

It certainly would be interesting to see what happens to all that memorabilia. Myself and I'm sure a few other Met collectors would love to be first on line to buy if they ever would consider releasing the stuff for sale.

However with alot of the known game used jerseys from 86 out there in various collections (including almost full sets of home and roads from that year) one has to wonder what is really left in the Samuels "collection".

I know alot of players kept their set "P" 86 World series jerseys as momentos.

[MLB~NUT]

Re: Any Thoughts on the Mets Motherlode

All I can say is, why would you be soo DUMB to F**K a great job like that up!!! What a LOSER and a LOWLIFE!!!

[OaklandAsFan]

Re: Any Thoughts on the Mets Motherlode

This is why people commit crimes, the punishments do NOT fit the crimes.

Steal over 2 MILLIONS dollars worth of good from the team and only has to pay less than 50k in fines and fees and no restitution to the team at all and no jail time. absolutely ridiculous!!

[gingi79]

Re: Any Thoughts on the Mets Motherlode

This is why people commit crimes, the punishments do NOT fit the crimes.

Steal over 2 MILLIONS dollars worth of good from the team and only has to pay less than 50k in fines and fees and no restitution to the team at all and no jail time. absolutely ridiculous!!

Exactly, dude was fired and essentially gets $2 million worth of stuff for $50k. Hell of a deal, no?

[TNTtoys]

Re: Any Thoughts on the Mets Motherlode

Exactly, dude was fired and essentially gets $2 million worth of stuff for $50k. Hell of a deal, no?

I don't think it works that way. I don't believe he gets any of the stuff. Didn't the police confiscate it as evidence?

[OaklandAsFan]

Re: Any Thoughts on the Mets Motherlode

and what about the stuff that he has made a profit off of already in the last 40+ years. Sure he had some stuff confiscated but you know he made butt loads off of sales before being caught.

[BULBUS]

Re: Any Thoughts on the Mets Motherlode

This is why people commit crimes, the punishments do NOT fit the crimes.

Steal over 2 MILLIONS dollars worth of good from the team and only has to pay less than 50k in fines and fees and no restitution to the team at all and no jail time. absolutely ridiculous!!

At the end of the article is says:
The prosecutors on Tuesday allowed Samuels to keep some items he was able to prove were lawfully purchased at stores.

[jppopma]

Re: Any Thoughts on the Mets Motherlode

Yes the police would seize stolen items as evidence and turn them back over to the victim. If by some chance the Mets don't care about getting them back, then they would likely go to a salvage company or police auction depending on the department.

Showing how much else he stole and already sold is very very hard to do. Therefore, the Met's could have received restitution for only the extra items that they were not able to get back and which they could show through inventory were missing. Bottom line on that is that the equipment managers have historically had a big say in what was done with jerseys at the end of the year. If the Met's put him in a position to "dispose" or otherwise handle the jerseys, then he would have been allowed to take them for his own collection.

The tricky part of any case involving collectibles is value, while the Met's say it was $2 million worth..they have to prove that in court that they were victimized for that amount. Seeing that the case is just coming up now, you also have to realize that value can only be assigned at the time of embezzlement or theft.