Player asking how game used item was received

[grenda12]

I was at spring training this past weekend in AZ. I had a pair of batting gloves that I wanted to get signed. As the player was signing them, he was asking me a bunch of questions on how and where I got the gloves. I told him exactly how I came upon them. It felt as if he wanted to take them back.

Just wondering if anyone else has encountered this and what you did/said?

[Eurostar09]

did he sign them? I would ask if perhaps they would like them for their collection & offer a trade or sell for what I paid for them or even less depending how much I admired the player. Thats just me

[Birdbats]

Happens all the time. I just tell them "eBay."

[godwulf]

I've had Chris Young (the outfielder, not the pitcher) sign a bat for me on two occasions, and both times he asked where I got it. (I told him, "I dunno, I've had it for awhile, probably eBay.") I think he's the only player who has even asked me that once, let alone twice. (Unless you count Matty Williams' frequent, "Where do you find these things?")

[legaleagle92481]

did he sign them? I would ask if perhaps they would like them for their collection & offer a trade or sell for what I paid for them or even less depending how much I admired the player. Thats just me

Tough luck on the player unless it is an item from a special moment in the guys career, why would you offer it back to the player? What would he trade you for it? He has access to all of his own equipment so it is not like he has an incentive to give you anything of value for an item that was not from a special moment in his career. Maybe he will give you an autographed baseball or something. Alot of players are slow on the uptake and don't realize that alot of the stuff out there was originally sold by the team/league. Yes some stuff is stolen but unless your the person that stole it it is not your problem.

[michael47]

I took a 1990 Tony Gwynn game used bat to have him sign at a NYC show in 1991. As soon as I approached the table & started to hand him the bat, he said "Now that's one of my gamers." He could tell even before he had the bat in his hands. He then asked where I got the bat. I told him that I was told he gave it to a batboy at Shea Stadium the year before. As soon as I told him that he said "Oh, I remember this bat." He then flipped the bat around & told me that he cracked the bat in at least two different areas & he pointed out each crack. He clearly remembered the bat in detail.

I also had a similar experience with George Brett around the same time. George did not remember the specific bat but he also said the bat was one of his game bats as soon as he held it & saw the pine tar & the writing on the knob. He commented that sometimes people bring him game used bats but they were never used by him & that he did not have the heart to tell them that they were not used by him. He was actually happy & almost excited in telling me that this was definitely one of his game used bats.

[obpercent1]

I went to spring training in 2008 and had Jon Lester's cap from the previous season in Pawtucket. I asked him to sign it and he looked at the cap and I could def tell he was pissed. He asked where I got it, and I told him the person I got it from and he was OK with it after that. It has a really good bible quote in his own hand under the bill. The only bad part is I had him sign it with a silver sharpie and you can barely see it now(the cap is blue). I should have had him sign it with a paint pen. Lesson learned

[murfsteve25]

The only bad part is I had him sign it with a silver sharpie and you can barely see it now(the cap is blue). I should have had him sign it with a paint pen. Lesson learned

Ya...I had Andruw Jones sign his jersey with a silver Sharpie on the back number. Looked good for the first day, now you cant even tell its there unless you put your face right up to it. Also a lesson learned.

[jgoldstein2000]

I went to spring training in 2008 and had Jon Lester's cap from the previous season in Pawtucket. I asked him to sign it and he looked at the cap and I could def tell he was pissed. He asked where I got it, and I told him the person I got it from and he was OK with it after that. It has a really good bible quote in his own hand under the bill. The only bad part is I had him sign it with a silver sharpie and you can barely see it now(the cap is blue). I should have had him sign it with a paint pen. Lesson learned

Would love to get that hat

[suave1477]

I actually like to joke with the players when they ask me that. It usually takes the awkward feeling at of the moment.

One incident I met Julio Franco and has his Batting Helmet from the Mets 2006 Playoffs.
(As another member here pointed out a lot of players do not realize the teams and such are selling there stuff)
This helmet I got directly from the Mets.

He asked me where did I get this from? (in a bit of a perturbed tone)

I said (jokingly) when he was sleeping the other night I went through his trash and found it. He started chuckling.

Then I said at home I got his under wear too. He started hysterical laughing. He said I can keep those lol lol.

At that point he was more than happy to sign it.