Skyrocketing Signatures

[skyking26]

Everybody out there probably has to ask themselves this question from time to time. Here it is, and I'd like your imput...

I have been a collector of memorabilia in many areas now for almost 30 years. My Topps sets stretch from 74 on, and many know I collect Dave Kingman, McGwire, Jim Thome and Adam Dunn, as well as members of the 68 and 84 Tigers bats... After obtaining items I always seek to get it signed as a way of "completing" the item before it is properly displayed. With Kingman, the difficulty has not been price but his availability to do shows. When he does one you travel to it. McGwire is a differnent story altogether. Thome will appear Nov 17 to do a show for Mounted Memories in Chicago. I have a White Sox bat and a pair of Indians cleats I'd love to get signed. Equipment costs $149 each, and to write something simple like "2006 AL Comeback 40 HRS" would be another $49... So, to get both items signed with an inscription would be in access after parking and show admission over $400!!! If this would be affordable I could see me taking the wife and 2 kids over for the 6 hour drive and getting the auto's and meeting Jim. I have talked myself out of this because of the ridiculous expense. I emailed Mounted Memories about it and got no reply.

What is everybodys thoughts on this - what would you do?

RK

[bigtruck260]

Re: Skyrocketing Signatures

Kingman was just in STL last year...did you get him then?

I am in the same boat with my collection. Anyone high end is going to be difficult financially..but my outlook is this:

If it is hard for me to get a sig now...and the price is high now - will it go higher at some point? $400 seems like a lot, but will it increase the value of your collection? With Thome, you have a future HOF, and a probable 600HR stud. I think it will.

With McGwire (I have noticed his sig price dropping drastically) BUT, he still does not sign, and his sig is still valuable. IF you can get him to sign any kind of game used item, it has to be worth it....unless you live in STL and are forced to make travel arrangements to CA.

I have a Taguchi bat that I would love to get signed, but if he retires...does he stay in Japan forever? Will that increase the $ of his items becasue he will be harder to track down? I wonder....

Good post. Thought provoking.

Dave

[bigjimsguitars]

Re: Skyrocketing Signatures

I'm with you, it's outrageous what some players are charging for their autograph/signature and or inscription.

Just a thought, try and find out what hotel he is being put up at and see if you can get lucky in the lobby after he is finished signing at the show.

Funny but true story, I was staying at a Hotel once and Got Mohammed Ali's Signature as he was also staying at the same hotel (the hotel a Show promoter put him up at) and he was more than happy to sign the back of my business card that I later mated with a nice picture of him and matted and framed it....

[bigtruck260]

Re: Skyrocketing Signatures

I have also noticed players charging for a "photo op" Rickey Henderson will charge and extra $50 for that too...

[skyking26]

Re: Skyrocketing Signatures

Yes, I drove the 9 hours from my home down the STL for the Kingman signing summer or 06. I have known Dave personally for 15 years, and if he is in the midwest I will make the attempt usually. With him, I have driven to Iowa, FL, NY and Chicago many a time.

I admit I would love to get Thome to sign these pieces. The cost is overwhelming, and taking a family of 4 for a 6 hour drive, hotel stay etc. before I plunk down $400 for a 2 minute meeting - regardless of what may happen in the future - I can't see myself doing that at this time. Kingman's sigs have always been affordable, usually $10-20 for a flat and never more than $30 for equipment. I know players are demanding more and thus the promoter must apply that to the consumer, but there is a point where the word RIDICULOUS applies and I think it applies here. Thome lives in Peoria, so hanging out in a hotel would be a pointless idea.

The sad thing is, I have always understood the need to pay as a player is making use of their time. It has simply gotten out of line. Thome has always been known as a great guy, and I am afraid that I won't see that!!

[skyking26]

Re: Skyrocketing Signatures

The photo-op idea is another promoter or player induced opportunity to suck more hard earned money out of the working guys wallet. The ultimate insult. Like hell will I pay a guy an over the top fee and then turn around and have them say they will take a pic with me for money. Would love to have Rickey on a ball as I collect HOF balls to - but he can kiss my ass...

RK

[bigjimsguitars]

Re: Skyrocketing Signatures

Sky...

Just another thought or two....I'm not sure where you live, but here's a couple of options at getting his autograph(s). Spring training or if that's not plausible, attend a game nearest to you and get seats in the field level and on the visiting teams dugout side of the field....yes this will cost money, but you will be seeing a game and have a good chance at getting his autograph.

On the road most teams use Team Buses to travel back and forth between the stadium and team hotel and if you don't get the auto at the game, maybe you will have access to the team bus (as is often the case at many stadiums) that will give you another chance to get his autograph.

Then there is the team hotel....

I used to pay for Autographs, but it's silly as I believe the players owe something back to the fans who are paying to see them play and help pay those humongous salaries. Some players don't mind those who seek there autographs if the person seeking them are professional and courteous when seeking.

Good luck and I hope that you do get his autograph on the items you have of his.

[WHAlers]

Re: Skyrocketing Signatures

I have a White Sox bat and a pair of Indians cleats I'd love to get signed. What is everybodys thoughts on this - what would you do?

RK

I have always preferred that game worn jerseys and game used equipment to be maintained in their original unautographed condition. I beleive that keeping the items in their original condition maintains the integrety of the item. You don't see game used / game worn items in any of the Hall of Fames displayed with autographs on them. I would say, get a photograph or baseball signed by the player and then display it next to his game equipment.

If I was to pay anything extra at a signing I would spring for the photo with the player. Just a side note, I do not agree with paying for autographs (although I have done it one or two times in the past), I much prefer some of the other methods already suggested in this post such as the hotel or the parking lot. I have found that with a few exceptions, most players that you encounter will sign as long as you don't come on too strong and are polite.

[stlbats]

Re: Skyrocketing Signatures

As far as balls or photos, autographs at the ballpark or hotel are great and very rewarding. However, for game used items or any item that is very special, GO TO a show and have it signed in a controlled environment. Most players have a "ballpark autograph" that is very quick and sloppy and you take a great chance at getting your item screwed up. This happens all the time. I no longer even take special items to games.


Thanks
Jason
ripken8@bellsouth.net

[godwulf]

Re: Skyrocketing Signatures

Paid signings are not always the "controlled environment" one hopes for. Remind me to relate my Randy Johnson story sometime.

I swore off most "free signing" opportunities, when it comes to Major League players, years ago...too much in the way of stress, confusion, hard/hurt feelings, disappointment, etc...it can put a serious damper on a whole game or day, if you let it. That, and little kids make the damnest noises when you step on them.

Paid signings can have benefits - in getting questions answered, or in gaining insights into a player's thinking or experiences - that are worth far more than any autograph. I'll never forget talking to David Dellucci about what was going through his mind as he slid into Second in the bottom of the 9th in Game 7 of the '01 World Series, and Rivera's throw whizzed by between Jeter's glove and Dellucci's face. ("Did you see the ball?" Smiling, "No, but I heard it!") Or putting one of Steve Finley's old Cooper bats, from his early days in Baltimore, into his hands, and watching his face light up as he savored its feel, and stood up to take a swing with it. Or chatting with a recently retired Bobby Witt about his injuries, and plans for his post-Baseball future.

Fortunately, most of the players whose sigs I want to get on my bats, jerseys, photos, etc, only cost $15-$20, with the occasional $40 exception, like Luis Gonzalez. There are sometimes advantages to not having any World Famous Superstars on your home team's current roster. (Well, there's the Big Unit, but he normally doesn't do signings, anyway...and when he does, he does them very much on his own terms.) Two of the team's most popular players, Orlando Hudson and Eric Byrnes, are doing signings next month, and their signing tickets are going for $20 and $29 respectively - any item.

Funny that this thread should have appeared right now, as I've just come from an Arizona Fall League game - one of the great free signing opportunities available, if you're willing to wait for that AA or AAA guy whose autograph you get to become famous. (Last year, all the Brewers fans were swarming all over some dark-haired young kid, name of Braun. Seemed like a really nice guy. Wonder what's become of him? )

I'm going to be attending a lot of Fall League games in the next couple of weeks - I've taken a vacation from work for just that purpose - so I'm in no rush to get all the autos I want on any given day. Tonight my mission was to get current Toronto (and former DBacks) farmhand Sergio Santos to sign one of his old DBacks bats for me - I even bought a new silver paint pen today for that purpose.

The first couple of times I asked, he ignored me, and the last time, after the game, when I said, "Sergio...please?" he just said "No!" and ran away. I have to say that this has been, to date, the only really negative signing experience I've had at these games.

In contrast, Matt Williams was coaching at Third tonight, and as anyone who has ever met the man will attest, Matty is a class act all the way and a wonderful signer. The contrast between these two guys is all the more striking when one considers that the one has never, I believe, played above Triple-A, and the other is a retired MLB All Star.

So the Santos bat will go back into its place in the collection unsigned, and that's okay - my world will not come to an end. Maybe I'll haul one of my unsigned Matt Williams gamers out to the ballpark next Monday, in case Matty's still coaching at Third.

[geoff]

Re: Skyrocketing Signatures

When I go to Oriole Games I go aroung 1pm for a night game and stand outside the stadium and get autographs as the players pull up or drive in to the player parking lot.
I was lucky to get some good players this year and had fun doing this.

[skyking26]

Re: Skyrocketing Signatures

Everybody has a preference about their equipment: from cracked to uncracked bats to signed or unsigned equipment. I have no issue getting my equipment signed and enjoy comments from the player when they sign it. And, there is no better authentication than with the player - although they themselves screw up from time to time.

Examples: Dave Kingman in STL last year, I had a H174 bat, he had ordered only a few I believe in 75. He says, "Bob I think these were made for a show or something..." I have the Louisville records that show he used that! Or, having him sign an Adirondack he stated he didn't use many. I have photos of him using them with all teams he played with. A pair of Converse GU spikes - these aren't mine... I have a 2'X3' poster with him wearing blue converse...hmmmm.

Players tend to remember what they preferred or used most. Dave always used an S2 Louisville. He experimented with different bats all the way, but drifted back to S2's. McGwire was a 256B Adirondack guy, Thome a M356 Louisville guy - both using specific models that differed at times. Mac tried Louisvilles early, Thome at times will use still an I13 Louisville, Xbats, etc. Getty is great today for seeing what they use.

I got off topic a bit! Back on, I'm sure it is promoter induced inflation mostly with Thome. 500 HRS and they feel that is automatic enshrinement to the Hall and time to rape the public. Unfortunately, guys like me are not going to drag a bank with them or remortgage the house to get 2 things signed. I have had a Cooper early Thome bat on here a few times at $400 ppd. Funny, the cost of a bat would be 2 signatures. How crazy is this?

RK

[bigjimsguitars]

Re: Skyrocketing Signatures

One of the problems now is that even the average player in the major's (heck, just to make the major's is a big time accomplishment) and stay around for several years are pretty much financially set for life and don't need to do the signings post career like they once did. Sometimes you need to bite the bullet if you really want it bad enough.

The sad thing is to see some mom or dad pay say $100.00 or so for a signed ball from a team store when earlier that same day you see the same player sign for 5 or 10 minutes for free with the fans.

Maybe there should be a thread on how to collect auto's for free where people from around the country could chime in and lend their experiences at the different ball parks around the country.

With that let me give some free pointers about Dodger Stadium:

The gates open for the parking lot 2 hours before the game, and while it's stated that the gates to the stadium open 90 min before the game, there is the field level gate at the left field side that opens 2 hours before the game and all fans regardless of where they are sitting can come in and get an opportunity to watch the last part of the Dodgers during Batting Practice and maybe shag a ball and get an autograph...fans's are allowed to stay until batting practice is over for the visiting team and that also means that they can get some auto's from the visiting team.

The visiting team buses typically park outside of the right field pavilion and the players walk to it at the end of the game and they often sign and allow you to take pictures with them, but you have to hang around for about an hour or so at times. This is okay as it allows for the traffic to die down anyway.

[harpt]

Re: Skyrocketing Signatures

I have also noticed players charging for a "photo op" Rickey Henderson will charge and extra $50 for that too...

I wish shows would offer this service exclusively. I do not collect autographs, but sometimes get them at shows just for the experience of meeting the player and getting a photo taken (see pic below with me, my son, and Ted Simmons).

Put anonther category on the priceslist:

Flats $50
Jerseys $100
Photo Op $25

I would love this option

[skyking26]

Re: Skyrocketing Signatures

Yea, back in the day I used to know all the good places to get signatures at the now defunct Tiger Stadium. I would stand outside the broadcast booth to get the former major leaguers that do tv and radio. I got Bob Uecker, Jim Kaat, Kaline, Kell and many others this way, and most were very nice about signing with exception to Kaline who is very surly most of the time. You could also stand out by the team buses on the final day as the players were headed for the airport. I remember getting Wade Boggs thru the bus window, Andre Dawson and Paul Molitor. As previously mentioned, this is less controlled and you often ended up with a crummy autograph on a $15 ball and waited long lengths of time in a very bad area of town.

Today, there is Comerica Park. I have small children now ages 6 and 10, so the days of waiting for autographs are gone. I am not going to stand there in a dangerous area with my kids to save a few bucks. Also previously mentioned, it just isn't worth it to me to try and drag a bat or pair of Thome's cleats into the ballpark for a free auto. attempt - especially when the park probably would not allow me to do it as it would be deemed a "weapon." Comerica is in a better spot than Tiger Stadium no doubt as that was located in a crack and drug filled, crime laiden area. Comerica is right downtown, but... take a few steps out of the streetlight and you are back in a similar situation.Not a good idea to walk around with expensive GU stuff for a "chance" at an autograph in a mob of people. Just not worth the hassle.

I did the Florida stuff back then too. That was fun. Only issues there were the jerks. I remember Gary Carter finally coming over to sign, then when other fans came over he got pissed and started screaming at me. That was an isolated incident as most games were very laid back and fan friendly atmospheres. That too was before I had a family. Now the attractions are our destination, as they should be, and the paid show is my platform and my decision as to whether I pay the freight. At $400 for 2 Thome pieces of equipment, I will decline...