Just a little bummed out right now ......

[camarokids]

Thanks to forum member wllump52 , I was awarded the chance to contact a MLB player , I was given contact info for Terrell Lowerey . I need (wrong , you need something to eat or drink , you need to breath) , I want a T. Lowerey bat from his Devil Rays days in 1999 for my DRay collection .

So thanks to wllump52, I called Mr. Lowerey . First I tried to tell him how I got his information from a member of GUU . His response was , "what is the purpose of your call !" I didn't hear him clearly and responded "what am I calling for?" . He said , yes .

I went and told him I collected Devil Rays g/u stuff and I asked about buying a Devil Rays game used bat from him . He said he didn't think he had a bat from when he played for Tampa Bay and that it had been almost 10 years ago since he played for them . I said , yes sir back in 1999 . Then he said his playing equipment was in storage and how he would have to go through his stuff to try and find it . I asked also about buying a fielding glove too . He replied he used the same glove his entire pro career and the glove IS NOT for sale.

Then the killer was when he said "I don't think it would be worth my time to sell you a bat ".

So I politely thanked him for his time and for him to have a good day .

I believe he was not happy with the call and I can respect that . But it would have been nice to have worked out a deal .

So I am hoping for one to turn sooner or later on ebay or here, not in no hurries .......

[metsbats]

Re: Just a little bummed out right now ......

David,

You took a big chance cold calling Terrell and it was no wonder he was non responsive. He's been out of baseball for 8 years and played only 4 years so may not be the most happiest ex-baseball player with a shorten career so perhaps it may have pained him to even been reminded of a career which may have been longer.

Ex-players get miffed when they are solicited at home via snail mail so the direct phone cold call may not have been the best approach.

Since you got the phone number from someone who evidently knows Terrell the better approach may have been direct your request to thru that person or someone closer to him. It may have been less of a shock and he may have been more receptive to an offer if someone he knew approached him for you.

Just my thought.

Good luck in your search.

David

[Vintagedeputy]

Re: Just a little bummed out right now ......

I think that a phone call was terribly bold, if not a little intrusive. Imagine his side....here's some stranger who got his phone number and is calling about buying something that is probably not for sale.

I think the better course of action would have been a letter or an email if you had that address. That way, he could answer you at his leisure or just ignore you if he so desired. A cold call probably put you on the same level as a telemarketer in his eyes.


Sorry, just being honest...

Jim

[camarokids]

Re: Just a little bummed out right now ......

I think that a phone call was terribly bold, if not a little intrusive. Imagine his side....here's some stranger who got his phone number and is calling about buying something that is probably not for sale.

I think the better course of action would have been a letter or an email if you had that address. That way, he could answer you at his leisure or just ignore you if he so desired. A cold call probably put you on the same level as a telemarketer in his eyes.


Sorry, just being honest...

Jim

You are 100% correct Jim! That is exactly why during the entire phone call I was polite and respectful to the man . Nor did I get upset and try to give him any grief. I did try and email first but it was returned undeliverable , so I just tried the phone number not expecting any results and was shocked when he answered. Afterwards , I actually felt bad that I called and interrupted his day. More so than being bummed out about not working out a deal....

That is why I am "just a little bummed out" .......

[ironmanfan]

Re: Just a little bummed out right now ......

Count me in as among those who think it was incredibly rude & intrusive to "cold call" Mr. Lowery...Whatever happened to the "good old days" of putting pen to paper & actually composing a letter & sending it to him with a SASE?

You said when you called his house you were "shocked" that he answered..Do you answer the phone at your house or did you think he had a butler or something?..LOL

[wllump52]

Re: Just a little bummed out right now ......

I was the one who passed on the contact information. The phone and email were posted on the Christian Brothers High School web site under the Head Coaches section of their Athletics page.

I know of Mr. Lowery and knew he had coached high school baseball here in Sacramento the last few years at a couple of different high schools. Figured I would pass on the information as it might help a collector out. Just like with any contact-- email, letter or phone-- you never know what the response may be

[Vintagedeputy]

Re: Just a little bummed out right now ......

You are 100% correct Jim! That is exactly why during the entire phone call I was polite and respectful to the man . Nor did I get upset and try to give him any grief. I did try and email first but it was returned undeliverable , so I just tried the phone number not expecting any results and was shocked when he answered. Afterwards , I actually felt bad that I called and interrupted his day. More so than being bummed out about not working out a deal....

That is why I am "just a little bummed out" .......

I have no doubt that you were polite and respectful. You'd be silly to be anything else. I just think that you were asking for trouble cold calling.

Yesterday, I was sorting through some old baseball cards and noticed that Eddie Kasko, former Cardinals player form the 50's and 1970 Red Sox manager had a home town listed as Richmond, Va. (where I live).

I did a quick search of the net, and found that he was still alive. I used my handy dandy search engine and came up with an address a few miles from me. I wrote him a nice letter asking him to autograph my card and inquiring about whether he had any items from his career that he'd consider parting with. Now he should be about 75 years old so maybe anything he has doesnt mean that much to him anymore. I probably wont get a response, but at least he can answer me at his leisure, increasing my chances of a favored response.

I wish you the best of luck trying to find your bat.

Jim