My current collecting pet peeve

[CampWest]

Okay, let me preface this with: I appreciate sellers taking the responsibility to carefully and thoughtfully protect items that are being sent to buyers.

That said, I am really having bad luck with game used bats recently. A bat I purchased a couple months ago (from Canada - draw your own conclusions or insert your own punchlines) was wrapped in an old jacket and what appeared to be chaps... they were... wooly type material... kind of fur like... and had a really bad stench. I immediately sanitized myself after discarding. The main beef with this was the pine tar collected random samples of this wooly furry wrapping. So, my $150 bat, now shows nice use with seam marks, rack marks, ink transfers, cleat marks, moderate pine tar, and 60's era fur pants remnants.

A month ago I got a fresh bat that was placed in a USPS triangle tube and filled with peanuts. I spent the next 45 minutes arduously picking off hundreds, literally hundreds, of tiny specks of packing peanut particles. On the bright side, I now have a huge collection of peanut specks with varying light to moderate pine tar.

Now today, I just received a bat, for which I paid several hundred dollars (my biggest single bat purchase to date). This bat was recently used. Thankfully, no knappy old clothing was used, nor packing peanut particle dust, but the bat was *tightly* wrapped with bubble wrap, bubble side in. Since the bat was recently used, the pine tar is still very wet and tacky. So, now I have a pricey bat with nice ball seam marks, ink transfers, and moderate pine tar with random circular patterns.

But I guess as an added bonus, I have a sheet of bubble wrap that now shows evidence of game use with a light coating of pine tar.

So, I guess my point, if I have one, is... THESE ARE WOOD BATS, they are designed to be very sturdy they are designed to be swung at 90mph speeds into a tightly wrapped ball that is hurled at 90mph+. I do not see the need to ruin them with packing materials that provide little to no significant protection. If the sturdy cardboard package is slightly mistreated, no harm will come to the solid piece of wood. If the package is horribly mangled, a single layer of bubble wrap will not stop the damage.

Obviously broken bats may need a little added support... I guess I'd just prefer a carefully double boxed package to any of the above three options that have made my bats less than ideal and less than their original game used condition. And thereby less than what I thought I was paying for...

Of course if something were not properly wrapped and seriously damaged, I'd be equally frustrated. Cake and eating it too, would be nice. There are ways to safely package without the protection damaging the item...

There is irony for you Alanis Morisette - forget the rain on your wedding day and sing about the bubble wrap that messed with my pine tar.

Personally, I ship all bats in bat tubes inside a sturdy mailer... Seems less damaging to the bat and provides better support and protection.

Thanks for letting me vent, I know its silly, but these three bats have been frustrating, despite the best intentions of the packager - though maybe not the knappy fur pants, I think that was out of spite.

any other peeves? - And I dont want to hear "people that complain about packaging materials messing up their pine tar"

[bigtruck260]

I spent the next 45 minutes arduously picking off hundreds, literally hundreds, of tiny specks of packing peanut particles

I hear you loud and clear. This is a mess when it happens.

[bigtruck260]

One of the first jerseys I bought was disgusting - cigarette smoke thru and thru. I've had several things come thru the mail that reeked of smoke.

[suicide_squeeze]

One of the first jerseys I bought was disgusting - cigarette smoke thru and thru. I've had several things come thru the mail that reeked of smoke.

Dave,

The UPS guys, while on smoke break, apparently didn't like the player, as they closed it back up and eventually made the delivery to you....

[suicide_squeeze]

Okay, let me preface this with: I appreciate sellers taking the responsibility to carefully and thoughtfully protect items that are being sent to buyers.

That said, I am really having bad luck with game used bats recently. A bat I purchased a couple months ago (from Canada - draw your own conclusions or insert your own punchlines) was wrapped in an old jacket and what appeared to be chaps... they were... wooly type material... kind of fur like... and had a really bad stench. I immediately sanitized myself after discarding. The main beef with this was the pine tar collected random samples of this wooly furry wrapping. So, my $150 bat, now shows nice use with seam marks, rack marks, ink transfers, cleat marks, moderate pine tar, and 60's era fur pants remnants.

A month ago I got a fresh bat that was placed in a USPS triangle tube and filled with peanuts. I spent the next 45 minutes arduously picking off hundreds, literally hundreds, of tiny specks of packing peanut particles. On the bright side, I now have a huge collection of peanut specks with varying light to moderate pine tar.

Now today, I just received a bat, for which I paid several hundred dollars (my biggest single bat purchase to date). This bat was recently used. Thankfully, no knappy old clothing was used, nor packing peanut particle dust, but the bat was *tightly* wrapped with bubble wrap, bubble side in. Since the bat was recently used, the pine tar is still very wet and tacky. So, now I have a pricey bat with nice ball seam marks, ink transfers, and moderate pine tar with random circular patterns.

But I guess as an added bonus, I have a sheet of bubble wrap that now shows evidence of game use with a light coating of pine tar.

So, I guess my point, if I have one, is... THESE ARE WOOD BATS, they are designed to be very sturdy they are designed to be swung at 90mph speeds into a tightly wrapped ball that is hurled at 90mph+. I do not see the need to ruin them with packing materials that provide little to no significant protection. If the sturdy cardboard package is slightly mistreated, no harm will come to the solid piece of wood. If the package is horribly mangled, a single layer of bubble wrap will not stop the damage.

Obviously broken bats may need a little added support... I guess I'd just prefer a carefully double boxed package to any of the above three options that have made my bats less than ideal and less than their original game used condition. And thereby less than what I thought I was paying for...

Of course if something were not properly wrapped and seriously damaged, I'd be equally frustrated. Cake and eating it too, would be nice. There are ways to safely package without the protection damaging the item...

There is irony for you Alanis Morisette - forget the rain on your wedding day and sing about the bubble wrap that messed with my pine tar.

Personally, I ship all bats in bat tubes inside a sturdy mailer... Seems less damaging to the bat and provides better support and protection.

Thanks for letting me vent, I know its silly, but these three bats have been frustrating, despite the best intentions of the packager - though maybe not the knappy fur pants, I think that was out of spite.

any other peeves? - And I dont want to hear "people that complain about packaging materials messing up their pine tar"

Camp,

To be honest, the three bats sent to you were sent (packaged) by a typical idiot who has no common sense or concern about how to properly protect a little piece of history.

Whenever I win something that needs special care.......and a bat loaded with pine tar does.......I always make sure to ask if they plan on sending it in a bat tube. That is the only proper way to protect the bat.

I would be pissed too if I were you, and you are darn sure right to be pissed. I just don't understand what's up with most people today....it just seems like it's a battle to find someone who cares anymore. They're out there, and should be praised when deserved......and exposed if they show no care. Use these experiences as a learning curve and demand better care for the next shipment you receive. You are paying for it, so you deserve it.

[whatupyos]

Okay, let me preface this with: I appreciate sellers taking the responsibility to carefully and thoughtfully protect items that are being sent to buyers.

That said, I am really having bad luck with game used bats recently. A bat I purchased a couple months ago (from Canada - draw your own conclusions or insert your own punchlines) was wrapped in an old jacket and what appeared to be chaps... they were... wooly type material... kind of fur like... and had a really bad stench. I immediately sanitized myself after discarding. The main beef with this was the pine tar collected random samples of this wooly furry wrapping. So, my $150 bat, now shows nice use with seam marks, rack marks, ink transfers, cleat marks, moderate pine tar, and 60's era fur pants remnants.

A month ago I got a fresh bat that was placed in a USPS triangle tube and filled with peanuts. I spent the next 45 minutes arduously picking off hundreds, literally hundreds, of tiny specks of packing peanut particles. On the bright side, I now have a huge collection of peanut specks with varying light to moderate pine tar.

Now today, I just received a bat, for which I paid several hundred dollars (my biggest single bat purchase to date). This bat was recently used. Thankfully, no knappy old clothing was used, nor packing peanut particle dust, but the bat was *tightly* wrapped with bubble wrap, bubble side in. Since the bat was recently used, the pine tar is still very wet and tacky. So, now I have a pricey bat with nice ball seam marks, ink transfers, and moderate pine tar with random circular patterns.

But I guess as an added bonus, I have a sheet of bubble wrap that now shows evidence of game use with a light coating of pine tar.

So, I guess my point, if I have one, is... THESE ARE WOOD BATS, they are designed to be very sturdy they are designed to be swung at 90mph speeds into a tightly wrapped ball that is hurled at 90mph+. I do not see the need to ruin them with packing materials that provide little to no significant protection. If the sturdy cardboard package is slightly mistreated, no harm will come to the solid piece of wood. If the package is horribly mangled, a single layer of bubble wrap will not stop the damage.

Obviously broken bats may need a little added support... I guess I'd just prefer a carefully double boxed package to any of the above three options that have made my bats less than ideal and less than their original game used condition. And thereby less than what I thought I was paying for...

Of course if something were not properly wrapped and seriously damaged, I'd be equally frustrated. Cake and eating it too, would be nice. There are ways to safely package without the protection damaging the item...

There is irony for you Alanis Morisette - forget the rain on your wedding day and sing about the bubble wrap that messed with my pine tar.

Personally, I ship all bats in bat tubes inside a sturdy mailer... Seems less damaging to the bat and provides better support and protection.

Thanks for letting me vent, I know its silly, but these three bats have been frustrating, despite the best intentions of the packager - though maybe not the knappy fur pants, I think that was out of spite.

any other peeves? - And I dont want to hear "people that complain about packaging materials messing up their pine tar"

I'm sorry for your misfortune. That really really sucks. But I thank you for sharing because it gave me a good laugh. Not at your expense, and I sincerely don't mean that in a bad way, I just like how even though you're mad, you have a good sense of humor about it.

Aaron

[emann]

This is always a major drawback to buying most anything off ebay...

It's not always just dumb collectors though... I bought a $500 bat a little while back that arrived in a shipping tube. One end had a plastic cap taped down, the other had just tape and a white sock covering the end of the bat. It didn't look like the tube lost the cap in shipping, it looked more like this dealer couldn't find it when he packed it up and decided the sock and tape provided enough protection. Unreal.

[mariner_gamers]

If I ever got anything wrapped in chaps it would be well worth the stench just for the story. The chaps would be cleaned and nailed to the wall in my arcade becoming an instant conversation piece at all my parties. I have had well over 300 bats shipped to me in the past 10 years and have nothing on your chaps wrap........

[murfsteve25]

I am glad this thread was created. A few weeks ago I bought a GU Gary Sheffield bat from Mead Chasky through Ebay. The bat is black with a good amount of tar on it. Whoever packed the bat decided it was neccessary to place a very long tube sock over the bat. When i took the sock off, there were little white pieces of fabric all over the bat. Common sence goes a long way. I emailed the reps at Mead Chasky and told them that probably wasnt the smartest thing to do and I gave them a very suggestions on how to pack a bat. lol

[Dave4Reds]

I just received game bat yesterday that was autographed by the player. The seller in his infinite wisdom wanted to protect the autograph so he used clear packing tape to attached a paper towel over the auto leaving tape residue in several places that has been almost impossible to get off. Unbelievable!