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3arod13
01-04-2008, 01:37 PM
Don't you agree that the market is just too flooded with current GU Stuff?

Years ago, you could find GU stuff. Today, the market is flooded. In addtion, you see so many minor league players and young major league players selling and signing massive amounts of their GU stuff. With it being so common and easy to get today, and the marked flooded with stuff, doesn't it take away from the items?

I do like that you get pictures with them holding the items, and the inscriptions are nice. However, there is so much. Upton, Wright, etc.

Do you agree?

jwasserman
01-04-2008, 02:03 PM
Game used memorabilia has become a marketable commodity. The same thing happened with baseball cards. Go for the older stuff- it'll always have value.

One thing positive that has come out of this though is that it's made it much easier to spot modern fakes and more accessible for the common fan to pick up a legitimate gamer. That has to be great for the hobby.

Don't you agree that the market is just too flooded with current GU Stuff?

Years ago, you could find GU stuff. Today, the market is flooded. In addtion, you see so many minor league players and young major league players selling and signing massive amounts of their GU stuff. With it being so common and easy to get today, and the marked flooded with stuff, doesn't it take away from the items?

I do like that you get pictures with them holding the items, and the inscriptions are nice. However, there is so much. Upton, Wright, etc.

Do you agree?

ahuff
01-04-2008, 02:29 PM
It is funny that you bring this up, because I was just thinking about this on the way into work. Honestly, I sort of like the modern stuff. Don't get me wrong, I love the older stuff because it shows so much wear and often is cool looking. However, it is so difficult to find photomatches of the older stuff. I think it is because there just isn't the amount of sources to locate some older photos and the clarity isn't always there. However, with Getty, flickr, and all the other sources, a collector has a great chance of locating a true photo match.

suave1477
01-04-2008, 02:59 PM
3arod13 I do agree with you but also remember with the exposure that this hobby has now it also has gained a lot more collectors.

So say for instance (Just an exmaple)
If you had one Washington Senators for sale on the market through ebay or another source you may have 10 possible buyers
If you have 10 Tampa Devils rays Jerseys you may now have 100 possible buyers

So in a way it does even out, but I do completley hear what your saying.

I think what floods the market more instead, a player should be putting a personal limit or teams putting a limit on there stuff instead of trying to over maximize there current financial potential it wouldnt be as flooded as much
Example the Mets have so many different variations of the same Jersey - Home Spring Trainging Jerseys, Away Spring Trainging Jerseys, Spring Trainging BP Jerseys, many set tags, worn for half a season Jerseys, Mothers Day Jerseys, Throwback game Jerseys, other special game Jerseys - plus remeber of most of the regular season Jerseys they are usually a Home & Road version.

Before you know it from one season of one player there is about 20 Jerseys out there.

TFig27
01-04-2008, 03:46 PM
As a collector, I can't complain about what is out there. We now have access to many great items we would have never seen if game used items never became a "business".

If you are buying items and looking to make profits, it is obviously going to be harder with the newer players due to the amount of material out there.

But who cares, collect what you enjoy!

ahuff
01-04-2008, 04:12 PM
As a collector, I can't complain about what is out there. We now have access to many great items we would have never seen if game used items never became a "business".



What a great way to say it. Back in the 80's, I would have loved to have had the opportunity to purchase game stuff. I even tried to track some down. As a potential collector, I couldn't even find a source to get such items - even though I had cash in hand and was eager to purchase.

To responde to Suave's point, I understand what you are saying. However, baseball (both to players and the clubs) is a business. If we were selling a product, and people were willing to shell out the cash would we limit it. Perhaps somewhat, but maybe not. If they limit the items, they certainly might be able to get a tad more per item. However, if they have many sets and several variations, does the value drop drastically to those die hard collectors trying to get them. Probably not. The fact that they make so many different sets, I believe, is their way of not oversaturating the market. I guess much like card companies put out the regular issue set and then make several different variations. It just makes more for the die hard collector to chase. That philosophy burned me out of cards, but I don't see the business hurting too badly - they are still around. I think there is someone to fill the gap I left, just as soon as I leave.

geoff
01-04-2008, 04:30 PM
I agree also with you guys on this one.The market is flooded with Game Used right now.You just have to do your home work on an item if interested.Also deal with people you trust in the market.

Thanks
Geoff

GoTigers
01-04-2008, 05:13 PM
I'd say "flooded" is a strong word. I'd say "accessable". How many jerseys or bats can one person use in an entire career? Let's say Manny uses 5,000 bats in his career (and I'm sure that's way off)....They'll never be worth as much as a Mantle bat, but that's still not enough to satisfy demand. As long as players dont use a new bat, for every at bat, or a jersey for every half inning, i think the market will always supply less than the demand. Baseball cards became worthless when there were too many manufactorers, and too many subsets with to many "limited editions". Imagine if Topps was the only card company, and said we'll only produce 5,000 Manny cards-Ever- They'd be very valuable.

indyred
01-04-2008, 05:39 PM
I wouldn't say flooded. Still some teams are really hard to find stuff from. I also like the fact more teams are working with Steiner and MeiGray.

geoff
01-04-2008, 05:48 PM
Its also cool that at some Stadiums they sell there Game Used in there Stores or a Stand.So you know that you are getting the real deal.

kylehess10
01-04-2008, 06:05 PM
Don't you agree that the market is just too flooded with current GU Stuff?

Years ago, you could find GU stuff. Today, the market is flooded. In addtion, you see so many minor league players and young major league players selling and signing massive amounts of their GU stuff. With it being so common and easy to get today, and the marked flooded with stuff, doesn't it take away from the items?

I do like that you get pictures with them holding the items, and the inscriptions are nice. However, there is so much. Upton, Wright, etc.

Do you agree?



I somewhat agree. I think that it just depends on the player. Players who purposley use as much equipment as they can to get money--YES, that is ridiculous and makes the market flooded. For example: Jose Guillen had a game used contract for all his 2005 equipment with Elite Sports Marketing. ESM then listed within the next year atleast 75-100 different pairs of his batting gloves from his 2005 season alone. That's atleast 1 pair of gloves for every two games. I own one of those pairs that they sold, which Guillen wore for his 17th homerun, and they do show only single-game use. Things like that make the hobby a little ridiculous. Also the same goes for Griffey, when he wore a different jersey every single inning on Jackie Robinson Day......that's just crazy.

joelsabi
01-04-2008, 08:57 PM
The amount of stuff out there is great. If you thinking of starting a individual player collection here are a few on Ebay that have a great selection for 1 player. If I collected Pence, I would be set.

HUNTER PENCE
baseball3122000

Mike Costanzosimplyawesome!



BradHawpepcm-sports

CARL CRAWFORDElite-Sports-Marketing

frikativ54
01-13-2008, 10:15 AM
Mike Costanzosimplyawesome!


Back when Costanzo was an Astros prospect (for the "10 days" they had him), I considered buying an item. But after looking at how much stuff that guy was signing, I thought, hey, this is a total joke. Here is a guy who hasn't even played a game of Big League ball asking $200 for a pair of cleats. I mean, you've got to be kidding me. I don't know if this kid has a beer tab he needs to pay or what, but that's insane. I myself don't like a player wearing a jersey an inning, unless the purpose is for charity. It's a total ripoff. Most of these guys will amount to nothing, and they will be laughing all the way to the bank.

bscott
01-13-2008, 10:52 AM
I agree that the market seems flooded with lightly-used items (which bring into question whether these items actually saw game use), but i think it is still hard to find really pounded game used pieces.

-bscott

allstarsplus
01-13-2008, 12:04 PM
To use your title "Enough is Enough" I would agree it is "enough" when i see $3,000 cleats from a player that plays 162 games a season and if I threw in 8 exhibition games the cleats (if they all sold for $3,000 and wore 1 pair per game) would be over $500,000.




Item # http://thumbs.ebaystatic.com/pict/3100141963628080_1.jpg
Ryan Howard Game Used 07 Addidas Cleats Phillies MLB (http://cgi.ebay.com/Ryan-Howard-Game-Used-07-Addidas-Cleats-Phillies-MLB_W0QQitemZ310014196362QQihZ021QQcategoryZ50117Q QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

http://pics.ebaystatic.com/aw/pics/s.gif http://pics.ebaystatic.com/aw/pics/paypal/logo_paypalPP_16x16.gif http://pics.ebaystatic.com/aw/pics/logos/logoBinBo_70x20.gif$3,000.00
Ryan Howard Game Used Under Armour Wrist Band Red (http://cgi.ebay.com/Ryan-Howard-Game-Used-Under-Armour-Wrist-Band-Red_W0QQitemZ310014241708QQihZ021QQcategoryZ50117Q QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

http://pics.ebaystatic.com/aw/pics/s.gif http://pics.ebaystatic.com/aw/pics/paypal/logo_paypalPP_16x16.gif http://pics.ebaystatic.com/aw/pics/logos/logoBinBo_70x20.gif$309.00
$12.50 8d 05h 10m310014241708 http://thumbs.ebaystatic.com/pict/3100142421768080_1.jpg (http://cgi.ebay.com/Ryan-Howard-Game-Used-Under-Armour-Wrist-Band-Gr_W0QQitemZ310014242176QQihZ021QQcategoryZ50117QQ ssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

bigtime59
01-13-2008, 12:56 PM
I think it's more a case of some sectors of the market being "flooded", while others are as dry as the desert.
Speaking of the desert, if the market is so flooded with stuff, I'm sure that everyone out there has all the game-used Diamondbacks jerseys they want. And let's not forget the Angels. Their current stuff is really "out there", isn't it? :rolleyes:

joelsabi
01-13-2008, 07:45 PM
Back when Costanzo was an Astros prospect (for the "10 days" they had him), I considered buying an item. But after looking at how much stuff that guy was signing, I thought, hey, this is a total joke. Here is a guy who hasn't even played a game of Big League ball asking $200 for a pair of cleats. I mean, you've got to be kidding me. I don't know if this kid has a beer tab he needs to pay or what, but that's insane. I myself don't like a player wearing a jersey an inning, unless the purpose is for charity. It's a total ripoff. Most of these guys will amount to nothing, and they will be laughing all the way to the bank.

I mentioned him just because there lot of item for him and that only. I never heard of constanzo just notice lots of items for him. Lots of items available for this no name.

B1SON
01-13-2008, 08:54 PM
Don't you agree that the market is just too flooded with current GU Stuff?

Years ago, you could find GU stuff. Today, the market is flooded. In addtion, you see so many minor league players and young major league players selling and signing massive amounts of their GU stuff. With it being so common and easy to get today, and the marked flooded with stuff, doesn't it take away from the items?

I do like that you get pictures with them holding the items, and the inscriptions are nice. However, there is so much. Upton, Wright, etc.

Do you agree?

This was my point this summer when I brought up the pink bats and got eaten alive about how I don't care about breast cancer. My point was that the fun of the hobby is the thrill of the chase and when they are marketing GU in that way to me they are taking the fun/chase out of the game. This is also why I collect lesser known players. Take the NFL for example. There are 10x as many payton Manning GU jerseys sold this year than his back up. So, #1 his backups aren't worth as much so they don't flood the market with them and #2 noone fakes them because its not worth the small amount of money they will make. Ok, t-off on me again now. :D

3arod13
01-14-2008, 08:03 AM
This was my point this summer when I brought up the pink bats and got eaten alive about how I don't care about breast cancer. My point was that the fun of the hobby is the thrill of the chase and when they are marketing GU in that way to me they are taking the fun/chase out of the game. This is also why I collect lesser known players. Take the NFL for example. There are 10x as many payton Manning GU jerseys sold this year than his back up. So, #1 his backups aren't worth as much so they don't flood the market with them and #2 noone fakes them because its not worth the small amount of money they will make. Ok, t-off on me again now. :D

No reason to t-off on you. I agree with you 100%.

3arod13
01-14-2008, 08:26 AM
Point I was trying to make is, the amount of so-called game used stuff out there is strickly made for the purpose of selling.

Much of this stuff is used slightly for the sole purpose of selling. I don't believe it's all "truely game used." Much stuff out there shows very light use. And there's much of it. Especially current players. I don't believe players change out their uniforms, cleats, etc. enough, as much as what is shown and made available out there.

For me, there's just way too much and so much of it is questionable.

frikativ54
01-14-2008, 09:57 AM
Point I was trying to make is, the amount of so-called game used stuff out there is strickly made for the purpose of selling.

Much of this stuff is used slightly for the sole purpose of selling. I don't believe it's all "truely game used." Much stuff out there shows very light use. And there's much of it. Especially current players. I don't believe players change out their uniforms, cleats, etc. enough, as much as what is shown and made available out there.

For me, there's just way too much and so much of it is questionable.

Here's an example from my personal collection. Can anyone tell me that Hunter Pence did anything more than apply tape onto this baby and take about 10 whacks?

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j16/frikativ54/Game%20Used%20Album/HPenceBat.jpg

3arod13
01-14-2008, 10:13 AM
Here's an example from my personal collection. Can anyone tell me that Hunter Pence did anything more than apply tape onto this baby and take about 10 whacks?



My point exactly! Thanks!

tigerhidden
01-14-2008, 10:19 AM
What year is the Pence bat from?

frikativ54
01-14-2008, 05:51 PM
What year is the Pence bat from? It is from 2006 in AA ball. It is for sale, in case anyone is interested.

ballofbases@hotmail.com
01-31-2008, 10:49 AM
The D-Bats that Hunter was using prior to 2007 and the beginning of 2007 broke early and often when used by him. Thus the reason he switched from D-Bat to Old Hickory after trying those out. Thanks!

Michael