Robin Ventura Mini Interview

[Swoboda4]

Went to the MAB autograph festival this afternoon in Queens NY
http://www.mab-celebrity.com/c-593-shea-goodbye-sept-27-2008.aspx
The key to a big signing going smooth is NOT to have a card show with it. Most people had pieces to sign and with such a big line-up in a small place I was amazed. Anyway,brought the Mets away Ventura jersey and a bat for Robin to look at and sign "gamer" if appropriate. Went like this:
How's the ankle Robin? Great.
I have what I believe is a game used jersey of yours but the big question is have you on occasion ever shortened the jersey like this because it was too long.
Ans. "Oh yea."
Robin turns the hem over and glances at the label(with set and size tag) nods yes and signs:
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l11/redmills/aventura6.jpg?t=1222550941
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l11/redmills/aventura5.jpg?t=1222552131
I then show Robin the Rawlings bat and ask him about his habit of taping the bottom of the bat near the handle. He said yep,that's mine but be carefull because Edgardo Alfonzo would steal my bats and use them. I looked to my right as Edgardo was also signing but Robin said,"Na,he just
left".
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l11/redmills/aventura10.jpg?t=1222552537
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l11/redmills/aventura14.jpg?t=1222552572
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l11/redmills/aventura9.jpg?t=1222552617
As dcrules01 mentioned ,Ventura is a great at signings and he wasn't wrong. He added the following as I left:
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l11/redmills/aventura20.jpg?t=1222553000

[joelsabi]

Went to the MAB autograph festival this afternoon in Queens NY
http://www.mab-celebrity.com/c-593-shea-goodbye-sept-27-2008.aspx
The key to a big signing going smooth is NOT to have a card show with it. Most people had pieces to sign and with such a big line-up in a small place I was amazed. Anyway,brought the Mets away Ventura jersey and a bat for Robin to look at and sign "gamer" if appropriate. Went like this:
How's the ankle Robin? Great.
I have what I believe is a game used jersey of yours but the big question is have you on occasion ever shortened the jersey like this because it was too long.
Ans. "Oh yea."
Robin turns the hem over and glances at the label(with set and size tag) nods yes and signs:
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l11/redmills/aventura6.jpg?t=1222550941
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l11/redmills/aventura5.jpg?t=1222552131
I then show Robin the Rawlings bat and ask him about his habit of taping the bottom of the bat near the handle. He said yep,that's mine but be carefull because Edgardo Alfonzo would steal my bats and use them. I looked to my right as Edgardo was also signing but Robin said,"Na,he just
left".
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l11/redmills/aventura10.jpg?t=1222552537
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l11/redmills/aventura14.jpg?t=1222552572
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l11/redmills/aventura9.jpg?t=1222552617
As dcrules01 mentioned ,Ventura is a great at signings and he wasn't wrong. He added the following as I left:
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l11/redmills/aventura20.jpg?t=1222553000



Did you give Robin an answer to his inscription "Why do you collect my stuff?" Thats really kewl.

[Swoboda4]

The signed photo came about as I was explaining that these are mine and I'm not a dealer. I also have to say that B+E Collectibles is where I obtained this jersey. I mentioned them when I was in doubt(about the jersey) so I would be very wrong not to publicly thank them when they were proven right. I also obtained the Burnitz from them which was also G/U. So they're a long established game used and hobby source and recently somebody asked about knicks G/U items-they sell them also and Knicks warm-ups on occassion.
http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/b-e-collectibles_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ
Robert

[metsbats]

Hi Robert,

Great story and great inscription!

Reminds me of the Mantle inscription to Barry Halper on the Starting lineup Baseball greats figurine set. Mantle wrote "Barry Aren't you too old to be playing with dolls?"

The closest thing I have to yours is an Ed Hearn ball which he inscribed "David Now you even have one of my balls!"

Enjoy
David

[dcrules01]

That is awesome glad it worked out..There is a Ventura bat on ebay now I was looking still waiting on additional photos..

[Swoboda4]

dc-email me about that bat on ebay. The seller "sensmetsjets" is the same seller who has been trying to sell the Ordonez jersey that we questioned. If you insist though make sure the bat,well e-mail me but check out the thread we just had about the Ordonez.
From the thread;"Yet another Met jersey w/problems"
....AND FURTHERMORE, there is no possible way that on the name ordonez the tilde would be missing over the n! absolutely no way, bc i remember what a total pain in the ass is is to sew that on

[gameu08]

I sent ventura a game used bat for the show today which was purchased from leftfieldcollectibles.com I paid a little over a 100 not even realizing that there is a 50 on the knob im assuming for benny agbayani guess i really screwed my self with this one. now the bat is worth nothing....

[dcrules01]

I can't find your email addy ???:mad:

[dcrules01]

Mine is dcrules01@msn.com

[Swoboda4]

gameu-Not really those were still his bats and as he said today with a smile 'they"(team mates)would "steal" them. He never ordered the bats for them they would borrow one and end up keeping it.

[metsbats]

Agbayani was a notorious bat stealer. I have a Darryl Hamilton gu Mizuno with Benny's no. 50 on it.

Alfonzo too. I have a Dennis Cook gamer with Fonzy's no. 13 on it and his typical tape job.

-David

[gameu08]

so do u think it was still used by ventura even tho bennys number was on it?

[metsbats]

so do u think it was still used by ventura even tho bennys number was on it?

Depends.

In this case it may be easy to tell since Robin was a left handed hitter and Benny is a right handed hitter. Typically if the hit marks are on the left side of the labeling it would indicate use by a right handed batter and the right side of the labeling a lefty used it. (holding the bat up facing you)

Another tell-tale sign would be if Benny's 50 was written over a blacken knob or over a crossed out Robin's no. 4 or just written on the knob or barrel end without any defacing of another number involved. Depending on which situation it may add a clue however bear in mind the player borrowing the bat may have just taken the numbered bat fresh from the bat rack without the victim ever using it verses out of the shipping box. So you would have to take the first criteria under consideration.

Now the Mets typically numbered bats and kept the unused bats prepped for use in the storage areas. This made it easier for players to find their bats in storage like in the bat racks.

David

[Swoboda4]

also if the bottom of the bat (knob) looks sanded to allow a new number it also may mean Ventura used it and Benny or the clubhouse guy cleaned off the 4 and added the 50.

[metsbats]

Here are some photos of a Robin Ventura gamer, 2 Agbayani gamers, and a Hamilton used by Agbayani gamer. Ventura and Hamilton were left handed hitters and Agbayani a right handed hitter.

Note the absence of ball marks on the Ventura on the left side of the bat and the ball marks on the 2nd Benny and Hamilton. Also notice the absence of ball marks on the right side of the bat on the Benny and Hamilton and the abundance of ball marks on Ventura's.

The Ventura has moto stick type lighter pine tar on the handle while the Benny and Hamilton have more traditional dark pine tar. The Benny used bats also have pine tar application near the center labeling while the Ventura does not.

In the case of the Hamilton Benny's no. 50 was written over a rubbed off 18 (Hamilton's no.)

David