Game Changer:Escobar inside-the-park ball sells for 19K

[Swoboda4]

MLB.com/auctions has sold the Alcides Escobar 2015 World Series game 1 inside-the-park home run baseball for $19,200. A game changer in which a new type of buyer (not a collector, not a dealer) has basically defined what is the most coveted type collectible: a baseball. More high sells are on the way for baseballs from this postseason.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/14...es-sells-19000

[yanks12025]

How do you know a collector didn't buy it.

[Swoboda4]

It's my belief that it's not an everyday collector unless its someone like Stephen Wong. I always wondered why a rich person couldn't just buy everything and never noticed them doing it, until now. They're definitely not a collector we know from here. Would you agree there are too many astronomically high bids on baseballs( Syndegaard game 3 first pitch realized $9,020, Matz first pitch for game 4 is currently active at $1,125)? I spoke to a few Forum members who came up with celebrities and extremely wealthy people who are probably propelling the prices. But what's particularly interesting is that they chose the baseball as their item of choice (Jerseys are also in the mix but not primary targets). Again, I find what's happening remarkable and that MLB auctions now have placed themselves as a primary location where we have to look when considering items, especially current items who authenticity is 99.999% without question. An interesting year in collecting to say the least.

[beachpetrol]

Its amazing what a 4-base error game used baseball will go for these days.

[Buccaneer Madden]

Its amazing what a 4-base error game used baseball will go for these days.

Two years from now nobody will care one bit about that ball. Not like it was the first one ever in a WS nor is it even a super popular player. Instant hype and that's all.

[lengthwise1]

The Syndegaard first pitch of game 3 went for 9k

[metsbats]

Interesting that when you click on the bid history you are directed back the ball auction page. If this happening to you guys?

[metsbats]

Two years from now nobody will care one bit about that ball. Not like it was the first one ever in a WS nor is it even a super popular player. Instant hype and that's all.

So true!

[metsbats]

I think this has been commonplace with balls if you look at the 86 WS mookie ball which was brought by Charlie Sheen for 93k, Todd McFarland paying 3 million for McGwire's 70th home run ball as examples. Rich folk with money will always be able to outbid the common joe collectors and raise the prices to unrealistic astronomical levels.

Of course there are the Stephen Wong class of collectors who are out there and are not members of this forum and have always been around.

While we may be the game used universe site there are plenty of collectors who are in a world to themselves.

[Swoboda4]

David yes to both. There's that other class who only jumps on the World Series stuff and correct you can't check the bidder list like other completed auctions. But I'm intrigued, and reminded that it's the baseball these folks go after.