Charlie Samuels

[Swoboda4]

From 11/5/2010 NY Daily News:

....According to another source, the team became suspicious when the Mets' online store asked Samuels for players' jerseys and Samuels said he had none, although he had ordered several hundreds for the team. Bats and balls had gone missing, too...

From 11/10/2010 NY Daily News:
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/ba...s_in_deep.html

......
"It was the worst-kept secret in the business," one memorabilia industry executive said of Samuels' dealings in the highly unregulated business. "Everybody knew Charlie was the guy to go to if you want Mets stuff."




Does anybody on the Forum have the onions to contribute to what I think is a significant story involving this hobby.

[ironmanfan]

I'll wait for the in-depth, hard hitting expose' in SCD

[metsbats]

I "ll take the 5th.

[metsbats]

I will say however that Charlie could have done a much better job flooding the market with Bobby M. Jones bats

[ironmanfan]

all kidding aside, since when is stuff leaving out the backdoor of a team's clubhouse a "significant story?"

the gambling issues is the thing that would concern me the most....just think of the information he could pass on to gamblers being so close to these guys?

[metsbats]

all kidding aside, since when is stuff leaving out the backdoor of a team's clubhouse a "significant story?"

the gambling issues is the thing that would concern me the most....just think of the information he could pass on to gamblers being so close to these guys?

I agree. The gambling is most disturbing and is the real problem here.

The memorabilia angle just adds more fuel to the fire. Actually more like rubbing alcohol.

It's like busting someone who works at a brokerage for insider trading then saying "and he also stole our office supplies to sell on ebay too!".

[sox83cubs84]

I do recall that, a number of years ago, when the Mets visited Wrigley Field, it was not uncommon to see Charlie "taking care of" friends and contacts with bats, caps, batting gloves, etc. Never any jerseys, though.

Dave Miedema

[Lokee]

from the article

Companies interested in becoming the sole licensees for Mets game-used memorabilia told team officials years ago that they were concerned that they would be competing with Samuels.
"Why should companies pay seven figures to sell Mets stuff when this guy is getting it for free?" one executive asked.
The market for Mets' game-used gear, meanwhile, is depressed, and although that has more to do with the team's disappointing on-field performance over the past two seasons, memorabilia executives also say they believe Samuels flooded the market.
Adds the executive: "You can't give Mets stuff away."


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/ba...#ixzz14vnuPx7F

[Mattapan03]

The last two years, Ive seen more Mets stuff floating around than ever before

[LastingsMilledge85]

The last two years, Ive seen more Mets stuff floating around than ever before

Really? I would argue that 2006 and 2007 are the two years that Mets stuff was one of the easiest to find because they sent all their items to Steiner. Steiner always had reps at the stadium promoting their company and auctioning off items.