"Team Source"

[godwulf]

Maybe I'm just being dense today, but I'm having a difficult time understanding the essential difference between (a) a bat that you buy from the Team Shop, (b) a bat that your brother's friend, the clubhouse guy, smuggles out of the equipment room, and (c) the bat that you buy on eBay from some dude who claims he doesn't really know where it came from.

If it's a brand that you know that player uses or has used, and it displays characteristics (pine tar, tape job, whatever) of other bats from the same player (if you're into that sort of thing)...um, well, exactly what bad place do you think the bat might have come from, if it has a sub-par "provenance"? In other words, what's wrong with it, or potentially wrong with it?

[Masimen]

Maybe I'm just being dense today, but I'm having a difficult time understanding the essential difference between (a) a bat that you buy from the Team Shop, (b) a bat that your brother's friend, the clubhouse guy, smuggles out of the equipment room, and (c) the bat that you buy on eBay from some dude who claims he doesn't really know where it came from.

If it's a brand that you know that player uses or has used, and it displays characteristics (pine tar, tape job, whatever) of other bats from the same player (if you're into that sort of thing)...um, well, exactly what bad place do you think the bat might have come from, if it has a sub-par "provenance"? In other words, what's wrong with it, or potentially wrong with it?

The item is not a bat. It's a batting helmet and something was just a bit off with the use. Which is the reason I passed, in the first place. It wasn't until after the fact that I discovered that it was obtained a pawn shop.

[frikativ54]

I've been buying bats - a lot of bats - from a guy who I know, without question, has routinely lied to me about where he got them. I've been a regular customer of his, both in online auctions and private deals, for twelve years now. He has told me stories about getting them from batboys, clubhouse people, etc, when I know for a fact that he bought them from the Team Shop. How he is somehow able to sell them to me for less than I suspect he paid for them - I don't know. It's a very weird situation, with which I'm not entirely comfortable.

I had a similar thing happen to me once. Some people have backdoor deals with people and are getting stuff for wholesale prices. My advice to you is if you suspect he's lying, go somewhere else. There are plenty of game used items to go around, and no one source has a monopoly on the items.

Good luck!

-Frik

[godwulf]

The item is not a bat. It's a batting helmet and something was just a bit off with the use. Which is the reason I passed, in the first place. It wasn't until after the fact that I discovered that it was obtained a pawn shop.

Sorry if I appeared to be hijacking your thread. I was responding to another poster, who was talking about "forged" bats.

[Masimen]

Sorry if I appeared to be hijacking your thread. I was responding to another poster, who was talking about "forged" bats.

No worries at all. Thanks!

[jppopma]

Steve, I see what you are saying. It's amazing how people will offer something and not expect you to do research on that item. Whether it be old posts on here, another forum, or from ebay, the history sometimes changes very very much.

Now I just need to see who you collect and pull up the "finds" thread...be it pawn shop, salvation army, etc....

[legaleagle92481]

I love when people say they got it from a team source. Alot of people say it to make it seem like they have connections they don't have. Yes, alot is sold out the back door of the coubhouse ala Charlie Samuels and Mets stuff but to me an unsubstantiated statement like that adds no value to the item unless it comes with some sort of proof i.e. a letter from said source that describes the item.