Jeff Scott is this ture?

[jetersbatboy]

Did you really want to buy this bat? Is this really a photo match? Just wondering, because I can't see the match. If it is that bat, is it worth that much? Jeff thanks for your time.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Albert-Pujols-20...6#ht_500wt_948

[allstarsplus]

Only $100,000 for the bat. A bargain!

[shoremen44]

I love the logic about the Ruth bat...lol... people on ebay crack me up

[Birdbats]

Yep, it's true. I certainly would like to have this bat. I did a good amount of research trying to find photos of Albert using black Rawlings bats in 2001 and then trying to determine when those photos were taken (including a few baseball card shots, which I believe were taken 4/5/01 in Colorado). I found shots of Albert using a black Rawlings as late as 7/8/01 in Cleveland. Given the photo proof of his using that style of bat and the letter from Mike Shannon's charity event, I felt this was a rookie bat worth owning.

I could not, however, call the bat a photo match, which became a point of contention between the owner and I. He thought the bat matched the April 5 photos because of the black streak that runs through the silver band and center brand. He felt I wasn't seeing the match on purpose because I wanted the bat. I simply didn't feel the evidence was conclusive and actually thought the bat was a closer match to the one Albert used in July (because of the location of the ball marks). Even that, though, wasn't conclusive in my eyes.



I also tend to believe the bat likely was used closer to mid-season since I assume the event where it was auctioned was held in late summer (Shannon does this event annually). I just seems more reasonable to believe Mr. Shannon got donations from players as the event approached. For this to be a bat from April, you'd have to accept that either: 1.) Shannon grabbed the bat in April and held onto it; or 2.) Albert kept the bat in his locker for a couple months and just happened to pull it out of his locker when Shannon asked for a bat. Beyond that, knowing how protective Albert has been with his gamers from day one, I'd be absolutely shocked if he just gave away the bat he used to get his first MLB hit.

Of course, those are just my theories, which is all anyone can offer unless they have hi-res photos that undoubtedly match the bat to a particular date. All I can find are online shots and small halftone photos (baseball cards), and those just aren't conclusive enough to call the bat a definitive match.

So, bottom line, I think this is a legit gamer from Albert's rookie season. I just don't have the evidence to pinpoint it to any date or event.

For the record, Albert got his first hit in his debut game on 4/2/01. I do not know what brand of bat he used. He was 0-5 in his second game on 4/4 (a night game). He was 0-1 (K as a pinch hitter) on 4/5, the day I believe the baseball card photo was taken. He hit his first HR on 4/6 in Arizona, though if memory serves, he hit that with a natural Sam Bat.

Also for the record, the current seller bought this bat on eBay from seller tws6254 on 2/6/06 for $4,060.88. Given what I've seen other signed Pujols rookie bats sell for, I think this bat is worth around $6K and could pull more in the right auction.

[rj_lucas]

To my eye, it looks like it could, in fact, be a match to the bat in the card, based on the black line that cuts through the logo. But not having seen it up close and in person I would defer to Jeff on that score.

Jeff, where did you find those batting sequence images? I can't quite make out the name of the site from the watermark. I've been trying to photomatch my late season 2001 Pujols gamer for several years, and as you know it's pretty slim pickings in regards to photos and video.

Sounds like this is the same bat referenced in a GUU post from January 2006 per the attached PDF. I suppose a prospective buyer could contact the gentleman named in the post to confirm the details surrounding the Shannon event.

As much as I'd love to see a signed Pujols rookie gamer bring anything close to 100K, the seller may be a couple of decades ahead of the market. More power to him though

Rick
rickjlucas@gmail.com

[Birdbats]

Rick, here's the site where I found those photos: http://www.photoshelter.com/c/sportschrome

Unfortunately, I just did a search for Pujols and photos of him go back to 2004 only. They must kill off older photos as newer ones are added.

The file you attached references the same bat. Tom was the original owner. He doesn't live too far from me.

[jetersbatboy]

Thanks Jeff,
With the seller high starting bid, and some what questionable photo match. I thought he was blowing smoke up, you no what with his listing. Looks like a great bat and the seller must really believe this to be the bat. Good luck to him in his auction, and I apologize for questioning his description.

[fandango]

i too was wondering about this auction also....

it is not easy to photomatch a bat, i have been trying for a while now...

here is mine dated 4/11/01




here is it photomatched (crack in handle exact match)
........may have a bead on this bat...i believe it was from the 4/16 -4/18/01 series....