Tigers sell HR baseballs for $100

[Swoboda4]

The Tigers,again offered a great deal today to collectors by offering Ichiro and Griffey foul balls for $50 and a Mike Sweeney HR ball for $100. That's undercutting you know who by $400.



1. Aug 19, 2009 Ken Griffey Jr. Hit a foul ball off of pitched ball from Justin Verlander-$50

2. August 19, 2009 Ichiro Suzuki hit a foul ball in the 1st inning off of pitched ball from Justin Verlander-$50

3. August 19, 2009 Ichiro Suzuki hit a foul ball in the 3rd inning off of pitched ball from Justin Verlander-$50

4. August 20th, 2009 Ryan Raburn hit a 1st inning single off of pitch thrown by Ryan Rowland-Smith-$75

5. August 19, 2009 Ichiro Suzuki hit a foul ball in the 3rd inning off of pitched ball from Justin Verlander-$50

6. August 20, 2009 HR ball hit by Mike Sweeney off of Jarrod Washburn-$100

Additionally, here is a list of remaining 1st set of 2009 locker tags. Please call with any orders. Thanks.




Marc Himelstein
Authentics Manager
Comerica Park
2100 Woodward Ave.
Detroit, MI 48201
marc.himelstein@detroittigers.com
(P) (313) 471-2064
(F) (313) 471-2297

[Vintagedeputy]

A foul ball for $50 is a good deal?

[murfsteve25]

I dont understand the joy you could get from BUYING a Griffey or Ichiro FOUL BALL. I really dont understand the mark it makes on your collection unless maybe you collect foul balls from different players.

I could understand that maybe if you caught it at a game, then maybe it would be special. But deff not buying a random foul ball. Especiall for 50 bucks.

[suicide_squeeze]

How much does a pitch bounced in the dirt go for? http://www.barbandgreg.com/images/Emoticons/monster.gif

[rj_lucas]

A foul ball for $50 is a good deal?

Considering that foul balls from bench warmers routinely sell for $30-$40, I'd say that $50 for a marquis player like Griffey or Ichiro, authenticated by MLB, is a good deal.

It would be hard to find game-used items directly connected to players of that caliber for any less than that.

Rick
rickjlucas@gmail.com

[skyking26]

As ridiculous as it is getting with the Tigers; they soon will be selling the air you breathe at the park in bags. It gets more laughable by the week...


RK

[rj_lucas]

As ridiculous as it is getting with the Tigers; they soon will be selling the air you breathe at the park in bags. It gets more laughable by the week...


RK

I understand what you're saying, but a item used in an actual game, to my way of thinking, is the ONLY thing worth MLB authentication -- as opposed to the dirt samples and other 'manufactured collectables' that also feature a MLB hologram.

Personally, I'd rather pay $50 for a ball fouled back by Ichiro, traceable to a specific pitch in a specific game, than pay the same amount for one of the 200 8x10's he signed after the game.

Rick
rickjlucas@gmail.com

[suicide_squeeze]

I understand what you're saying, but a item used in an actual game, to my way of thinking, is the ONLY thing worth MLB authentication -- as opposed to the dirt samples and other 'manufactured collectables' that also feature a MLB hologram.

Personally, I'd rather pay $50 for a ball fouled back by Ichiro, traceable to a specific pitch in a specific game, than pay the same amount for one of the 200 8x10's he signed after the game.

Rick
rickjlucas@gmail.com


Rick,

In an odd way, I can't help but agree with you as I see your point.

That's why I collect home run balls. Having a piece that is tied to that player is as good as it gets when it can be traced to a specific event in time, especially if it is a home run ball.

It's just that......a foul ball??? Eeesch! I guess if that's all one can obtain, it's still an authentic game used item, so it does fit into the "cool" category. Especially if it has a MLB sticker for authenticity.

[rj_lucas]

Exactly. As an example, I've got a ball fouled back by Albert Pujols in the April 11, 2009 game where he hit two HRs, including a slam, tied his career high with 7 RBIs, and set the franchise record as the only Cards player to have two games with 7 RBIs.

Makes for a great display, along with the MLB cert and screen grab. Grand total paid? $35. A bargain, considering how much enjoyment I'll get from it in the years to come.

Rick
rickjlucas@gmail.com

[larry bourget]

A foul ball for $50 is a good deal?

IT'S AN EXCEPTIONAL DEAL, if you compare trying to buy it from $TEINER for 5 times that amount.

LB

[BULBUS]

When you figure a new OMLB retails for 20 bucks these days, for $30 more, you get a baseball that was prepared for major league play, thrown at least once by a major league pitcher, fouled off by a star player, authenticated, thats a pretty good deal.

-Chris

[tigerdale]

100 for a homerun baseball......great deal!!

[tigerdale]

The more I think of it...100 for a home run ball.....its rare to get a home run ball, let alone an authenticated one. You have to have a stadium that allows for it to fall somewhere that it can be authenticated w/out a fan getting it....then a team which actually authenticates. If that all happens, it has to makes its way to the floor or sale table before a player or someone else might get his or her hands on it...I'd say HR balls that are authenticated are pretty rare to have.

[sox83cubs84]

Even a foul ball at $50 might have extra interest or value if it came from a significant game (star pitcher victory, star closer save, cycle game, etc.)

Plus, it beats paying $250 for a Wrigley Field roof ball:p .


Dave M.
Chicago area

[coxfan]

If I buy a game-used ball, I don't have folks yelling "Give it to the kid!" like they would if I tried to get one in the seats. So I'm glad teams sell them.

[Swoboda4]

My point was that VERLANDER threw them and GRIFFEY JR(steroid free/HOF bound) and ICHIRO(steroid free/HOF bound) hit them. Not the average player, for $50. Whats his name is selling HR baseballs for $500, the Tigers $100.

I once sat next to a person who caught a GriffeyJr foul ball at Shea. I offered him $100 on the spot,he said no. I would pay that much because(1) I'm a collector (2)I can verify that's the ball Griffey's bat touched (3) were crazy. Admit it,you're on this site with over 500 replys because were ecentric people who need not explain to ourselves why,unless the item is fake.

[Frink]

You know, I think the prices for things like this are spot-on. I've purchased a foul ball that Clete Thomas hit off of Greinke for $35 because my wife loves Thomas.

And $100 for a homerun ball? Geez louise, that's fantastic.

[tigerdale]

I agree 100%....maybe down the road would be a neat collection of hall of fame pitchers to hall of fame hitters pitched balls.....let me ask this...what in everyones opinion would be the hardest/rarest items to get in todays game...an item where no one had control how many there were.
A player can change jerseys often, use a different bat every at bat,teams can authenticated numerous balls from any game....but a home run...no one has control over that to flood the market...

[rj_lucas]

I agree 100%....maybe down the road would be a neat collection of hall of fame pitchers to hall of fame hitters pitched balls...

Agreed Dale, great collecting theme. Here's one for you; ball pitched by Randy Johnson to Albert Pujols on June 30, 2009. Pujols fouled Johnson's four seamer into the dirt so hard the ump had to stop play and clear the debris from his eyes. Pujols went on to hit two HRs off Johnson in the game.

Rick
rickjlucas@gmail.com

[sox83cubs84]

If I buy a game-used ball, I don't have folks yelling "Give it to the kid!" like they would if I tried to get one in the seats. So I'm glad teams sell them.

The tired old "give it to the kid" line, I've found, usually translates to "give it to MY kid", or "give it to the kid I feel should have it". Face it...those kids are far more likely to have a player give them a ball or toss them one than you are. A lot of the kids know that, too...they''ll run around the park and work as many different players as possible for as many baseballs as they can carry. A kid and his dad at Wrigley Field a couple of years ago, dubbed by me as "Father & Son Greedy", found the kid hitting up 6 different Rockies players for baseballs, the dad catching one in BP, and then the dad cutting off fans behind him for a warmup ball tossed in the stands between innings. If I DO choose to give a ball away to a kid, I make sure it's not one hanging around me, or one that a nosey adult tries to browbeat me into donating to.

Dave M.
Chicago area

[allstarsplus]

I wish I saw Mark's email. I love these balls that give you detail like that. To get a Ken Griffey foul ball and then get him to sign it makes it really special and the MLB holo adds to the story!

[rj_lucas]

$50 for a ball fouled by a superstar is looking better and better. A ball fouled by Albert Pujols in Game 3 of the 2006 WS just went for $500+

http://auction.mlb.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prmenbr=33072944&aunbr=110121006

Rick
rickjlucas@gmail.com

[joelsabi]

Exactly. As an example, I've got a ball fouled back by Albert Pujols in the April 11, 2009 game where he hit two HRs, including a slam, tied his career high with 7 RBIs, and set the franchise record as the only Cards player to have two games with 7 RBIs.

Makes for a great display, along with the MLB cert and screen grab. Grand total paid? $35. A bargain, considering how much enjoyment I'll get from it in the years to come.

Rick
rickjlucas@gmail.com

i think that its actually cool to have a foul ball from a game where a player actually did something statistically. for example, a game winning hit, memorable play, great offensive game, etc. fans keep their tickets stubs from that game and others would like a game baseball, which is what a foul ball is, to remember the game. for myself, if the players had a lousy game, i don't see any interest in the item.


$35 is a bargain in your situation.


now if the ichiro baseball was from the same game ichiro tied or broke a hitting record, i would want it. or if it was a game i actually attended.