Ridddle me this Metfan...

[Swoboda4]

Hologram game used Sept 30,2015. Answers to follow...

[Swoboda4]

Re: Ridddle me this Metfan...

The blue alternate away style jersey (was collected and hologrammed 9/30/15 after playing Phila.)was never used by the Mets in the 2015 postseason against the Dodgers or the Cubs, but was given a patch just in case it was to be used. Murphy hit his 14th homer of the season with this jersey and Granderson collected two hits one being a double.

[truvalue123]

Re: Ridddle me this Metfan...

Swoboda, are you now the proud owner of these jerseys??

[Swoboda4]

Re: Ridddle me this Metfan...

Yes, a little Christmas present(s) from the family. A few thoughts though, if the Mets had used this set, say for game 2 in L.A., would they have given these jerseys it's second hologram? Also, MLB who changes bases every three innings, why wouldn't you at least use different jerseys every game?(It appears the Mets used the same alternate gray set jerseys for all away games in the NLDS.)

[sctizzle]

Re: Ridddle me this Metfan...

Most likely these were only marked with invisible ink and hologramed after the season was ended. Teams have the authenticators mark items to be able to classify as game used and then at a later date they re-authenticate and hologram. This is done by many teams to help prevent items being authenticated simply as issued--this is why you can often times match an item to a date after the hologram date.

[Swoboda4]

Re: Ridddle me this Metfan...

Thank you my sctizzle. Another piece of the puzzle revealed. Now, is there the possibility that a jersey could have been used prior to authentication date?

[sctizzle]

Re: Ridddle me this Metfan...

Definitely--unless the Mets wear a new set every time they wear that style there is a good chance it was used prior to that game. Not all teams do it this way as many teams bring in their authenticators to pull jerseys after a certain game but others have them marked to continue to be used but they arrange with the authenticators to at least be able to authenticate a certain set so they are at least seen as game used and then the authenticators sit down whenever the set is pulled again and look for their markings to verify when it was authenticated and used. This is why some teams you'll see pictures with hundreds of jerseys being authenticated and all are marked as used and not issued. I don't know how the authenticators mark it or with what, other than they do and they know what they're looking for at a later date.

I'm sure this has led to confusion with a jersey being unwashed and not matching the authentication date if it turned out to be worn earlier and marked and reused and not being authenticated again to the new date. I have seen jerseys with multiple dates as the authentication date but not always.

[Swoboda4]

Re: Ridddle me this Metfan...

So this photo, taken after game 1 of the 2015 NLCS, I believe shows the MLB Authenticator scanning the bar code on the bottom label of the jersey. So you can launder the jersey to your hearts content and it's in the database as game used to the noted date; as good as your car being scanned for a parking ticket. So like you say , you can use the jersey for 5 games straight and one hologram should be capable of detailing more than one day of game use.

[Swoboda4]

Re: Ridddle me this Metfan...

So these jerseys were scanned more than likely to game used 9/30/15; but not given holograms? They were given postseason patches and taken for possible use. For some reason this style was not used in either postseason series. Then after, given hologram stickers to last date used. If not entirely accurate at least I think were closer to the story

[sctizzle]

Re: Ridddle me this Metfan...

I forgot the Mets have the barcode--so yes I assume it's even easier. Other teams who don't the authenticators have to mark something else like the wash tag or somewhere else they know to look with whatever their secret device is...

But yes I bet they were all scanned 9/30 and later after the season they were rescanned and then hologramed. I'm sure all teams do something slightly different but I bet this is what the Mets did...or they added patches knowing they would sell to fans who wanted a patch jersey...

[metsbats]

Re: Ridddle me this Metfan...

Judging from the JB prefix on the holograms these jerseys were definitely authenticated and hologramed by MLB on or about 11/24. All the post season bats I own were authenticated that week (I had to wait for MLB to come in to do the Cespedes WS bat I brought) and it and others have the JB prefix.

So yes what was stated certainly happened. These were authenticated as 9/30/15 game used, kept in inventory for use in the post season and patched as such, never used and finally hologramed as 9/30 game used.

[johnsontravis@ymail.com]

Re: Ridddle me this Metfan...

I am going to disagree that these jerseys were hologramed during postseason time. Going in order the next hologram numbers list items from the next series with Philly at the start of October. So in my mind these jerseys were given their holograms on September 30th. I think most that are covert marked actually mention that and the session date will be that later date they were authenticated. As you can see on these jerseys they have a session date of September 30th.

As for scanning the tag on the jersey does anyone actually know exactly what that is for? That is new this year and I have never seen something specifically describing their purpose. I doubt the authenticator was scanning that tag and instead scanning those bigger barcodes you see next to him. Possibly the mini holograms too, but not sure that is needed in the authentication process.

My guess is that they took their extra patches laying around and added them to the jersey. Probably having no intention for postseason use, but maybe so. I know teams have been know to just add them after the fact.

Maybe I am missing something here, but that is my understanding.

[johnsontravis@ymail.com]

Re: Ridddle me this Metfan...

Also if that barcode on the jersey could act as a covert mark why aren't jerseys having info added every time they are used. Wouldn't they be more valuable if they were covert marked every time they got used if it was that easy? Then they could be authenticated to many games not just one.

[Swoboda4]

Re: Ridddle me this Metfan...

Here's a scary thought. The jerseys get a hologram on the date listed (9/30) and could that have ultimately prevented them from being used; because has anyone known a player to have ever used a jersey already given a hologram sticker? I believe no. So why the patch; which has always made me entertain the thought of removing the postseason patch. I'm not going to do it, but it requires me to do a lot of explaining to someone when the last time the jerseys were worn in a game, the patch was not on them. It looks cool but it has nothing to do with these game used jerseys.

[Swoboda4]

Re: Ridddle me this Metfan...

I'll leave you with this, the LAST time they were used, there were no postseason patches on them. Would you remove them?