2004 Albert Pujols LVS bat M9 Model M356

[Birdbats]

Evidence Pujols used this bat:

• Pujols ordered the bat
• Pujols wrote his #5 on the cup
• Pujols wrote his #5 on the knob
• The #5 was not crossed out, etc by someone else on either end
• Deep seam indentations were embedded on the right hand hitter side of the barrel
• Seam impressions were on the sweet spot, high avg and power
• Blue ink transfers are present
• Red bat rack streaks are present
• Pine tar on center label consistent for Pujols

Just to play devil's advocate...

• Pujols ordered the bat (Not proof he used it. At that time, he probably used less than half of the bats shipped to him.)
  
• Pujols wrote his #5 on the cup (Again, not proof he used it.)
• Pujols wrote his #5 on the knob (Ditto.)
• The #5 was not crossed out, etc by someone else on either end (Not unusual for one player to use another's bat and not mark out the number.)
• Deep seam indentations were embedded on the right hand hitter side of the barrel (Just means it was used by a righty... or a lefty who bats label down.)
• Seam impressions were on the sweet spot, high avg and power (I have pitcher's bats that show just as much use.)
• Blue ink transfers are present (Nearly all bats have blue ink transfer.)
• Red bat rack streaks are present (Almost every 2005 Cardinals bat has red paint on the barrel end.)
• Pine tar on center label consistent for Pujols (and Hector Luna and other guys, also.)

I'm not trying to be the bad guy here, and I have no affiliation with PSA/DNA. I just want you to understand that different people can interpret the same evidence in different ways. You seem to want unimpeachable proof that your bat was used by Pujols, but nobody can tell you that based on the evidence. The letter basically says it's a Pujols bat that might have been used by Pujols, but shows characteristics suggesting use by someone else. If the letter was more specific than that ("Only Pujols used this bat," "Pujols used the bat first" or "It was used by only one player and it was someone other than Pujols"), those statements wouldn't stand up to scrutiny.

You have a nice bat. It's a Pujols model, likely one of just 3 M356C natural 34" M9 bats shipped to him in his first MVP year. It may well have been used by Albert during a game or BP. It has a couple characteristics (lower handle tar and lack of weight marks) that aren't consistent with known Pujols exemplars from that period. It is what it is, and no letter from any third-party authenticator can make it more or less authentic.

[Clutch_Hitter]

Jeff, you're a generous man and a great asset to the hobby. I still have questions and will likely post them to this thread at your convenience.

Tony and Jeff, your enthusiasm is contagious.

This forum is loaded with information and obviously a tremendous asset to the hobby.

I collect and process evidence for a living, which may explain some things. I have taken many, many pictures, so I will probably post a few more.

As for PSA, as I have said, I have been submitting pre-war cards for several years. When I received the full letter for the bat and the description didn't include obvious details, I did not trust their final opinion. I will not submit another.

And whoever changed the title of this thread, thank you.

[Clutch_Hitter]

Jeff, the right hand hitter's side is warped from contact. That's common?



It seems to me that the barrels of BP bats would be dirtier than strictly game used bats because the balls should be somewhat dirtier than the game balls. The barrel of the M356 is fairly clean.
____________________________________________

This bat looks a lot like my bat in every respect. Since Albert apparently wrote his number over the existing number, isn't it safe to assume he used this bat in BP and/or a game?



Here's a few more pictures:

[lakeerie92]

It seems to me that the barrels of BP bats would be dirtier than strictly game used bats because the balls should be somewhat dirtier than the game balls. The barrel of the M356 is fairly clean.

Actually the opposite of that is true. Most BP balls are brand new. I have actually caught BP balls that I later got autographed because they looked like a brand new ball.

[Clutch_Hitter]

Would it be safe to say that BP balls are used more than game balls? For example, during a game, it seems like the slightest flaw leads to the catcher, pitcher, or batter asking for a new ball. Does that happen in BP too? Does each hitter start each of his hitting sessions with unopened boxes? I'm not trying to be smart, just never knew that if it's the case. I would expect BP balls to cause sloppier looking barrels, with blotchy marks. My Gwynn bats has a few areas like that, and my co-worker has a Murph bat that has those characteristics. Thank you

[Birdbats]

Actually, game balls are rubbed in mud prior to each game and actually are quite dirty compared to most BP balls. Forgot to mention Renteria also used Pujols' bats (he left the team after 2004). The "warping" to which you refer is caused by the surface of the wood being compressed by repeated contact with baseballs. As I mentioned in a previous post, some players want their game bat barrels to be has hard and smooth as possible (in the old days, players would rub their bats with bones and bottles). Sometimes, when a bat becomes this hammered, it's retired or relegated to BP. Depends on the player.

[Clutch_Hitter]

That's very interesting. Thank you

[Clutch_Hitter]

Mr. Pujols never wrote his #5 on this Louisville Slugger I13L bat:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Albert-Pujols-St...item5adc2bf1a1

[spartanservitto]

Mr. Pujols never wrote his #5 on this Louisville Slugger I13L bat:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Albert-Pujols-St...item5adc2bf1a1

That bat was more than likely not used by Pujols.

-Tony

[Clutch_Hitter]

Thanks Tony,

Evidently Pujols didn't write his number on EVERY bat he ordered, but probably just about every bat. Yadier Molina was number 41, so apparently Pujols gave him the bat when he received it without writing his #5 on the knob first.

Therefore, Pujols' #5 written on the knob and barrel end are pieces of circumstantial evidence, albeit small pieces.

It is obvious that Pujols typically used bats with fairly clean handles. Trust me, I've searched through hundreds of photos, and I'm sure others have as well, and there aren't very many Pujols bats with noticeable substance on the handles. People are fairly predictable until circumstances begin to change though.

The summer months here in the southeast US are very hot. It's not uncommon to walk from the front door to mailbox and have a wet shirt when walking back inside, and to play a round of golf requires three or four gloves.

What team(s) had baby blue bat racks in '04? What about black?