Hanley Ramirez Photomatch? Opinions please.

[bscott]

Hello all,

I recently picked up this Dan Uggla bat and I am trying to determine if it is the same bat that Hanley Ramirez is using in this getty images photo from July 2, 2006.

Because the bat now has Uggla's #6 crossed out in red marker, and Hanley's #2 written next to it, and that the bat seems to have been used more than the one Hanley is swinging in the photo, I am looking to match the "fingerprint" of the wood grain.

The resolution on my computer screen makes it difficult to see if the wood grain matches up. Looking closely at the barrel of the bat, I believe it is the same bat. Also, the underlined #6 in black marker seems to match up.

I can only find this one photo from July 2, 2006 (Marlins vs. Red Sox). What is interesting about that day is Hanley hit a home run off of Jon Lester that same day. Maybe even with this bat?


All opinions are welcome and thank you in advance!


Thanks,
Brandon

[Masimen]

This is a fairly common occurance with Ramirez using Uggla bats. Here is an Uggla bat that I got directly from Dan. Ramirez did basically the same on the nob without crossing out Uggla's number.

[bscott]

A few months ago, I picked up a Dan Uggla bat that had Uggla's #6 crossed out on the knob in red marker, and a #2 was written in. I suspected the bat may have been used by Hanley Ramirez, even the seller said it was possible, but he had no proof.

With the help of Kyle Hess (who else?), I was able to get some screen shots of a game in 2006 (July 2, 2006) that seems to be the bat. When comparing my bat to the screen shots, I think markings on the barrel end of both bats are very similar.

Also, and this is harder to see, but I think the wood grain on my bat matches that to a bat Hanley is using on this same day in a Gettyimages/Sports Illustrated photo taken on July 2, 2006. I am looking at bat from the centerbrand to the end of the barrel. The wood grain seems to be identical. Again, I had to really play with the monitor brightness to best see the wood grain.

Attached are the 4 photos, what does anyone think?

Thank You,
Brandon

[yankees506]

The markings on the to have faded but you can tell the location is size is spot on. Hanley seems like he just likes to spend other peoples money and not buy his own bats, this is prob the 7th or so uggla model ive seen used by hr2. Great Match, and shoutout to Mr. Hess. who recently helped me match a few items.

[bscott]

Thanks. And yes, what a great asset Kyle Hess is to this forum.

Also, what is really cool about this bat -if it is a photomatch- is that Hanley hit his 4th Career Home Run with it against Jon Lester on this day -July 2, 2006. It was also a bat from his Rookie Year- when he was voted N.L. Rookie of the Year.

I have a very small GU collection, but this would be my first photomatch, so I'm pretty excited. I hope it checks out.

-bscott.

[spartanservitto]

I think the tell marking is just to the left of GENUINE. It is faded a bit, but it looks to be exactly the same, you can also see the reminisce above that of the other marks. As a starting point though, the mark next to GENUINE.... I think it's a photomatch. Nice bat man.

-Tony

[bscott]

I can say it with confidence: I have my first photomatched bat! A Hanley Ramirez Photomatched bat from his rookie season of 2006 (ROY)! What's unique is that Hanley used this bat to hit his 4th CAREER HOME RUN! He hit it off of Jon Lester on July 2, 2006.

This bat might be the earliest known Hanley Ramirez Home Run Bat. Certainly one of the first. Career Home Run #4, not bad!

The bat is uncracked, blonde ash, Dan Uggla LVS I13.

Hanley's game log from his rookie season of 2006 shows he only hit 3 Home Runs until July 1. He hit two Home Runs in one game in April, no Homers in May, and one, lone Home Run on June 4th. Then on July 2nd he hit his 4th career home run -with this bat!- and from there he just kept on hitting. I can imagine Hanley, having been in a power slump (3 home runs in his first 293 AB's), might have tried everything from sacrificing a live rooster to... well, borrowing another players bat to start getting some good wood on the ball. Hence the Dan Uggla bat? However it happened, Hanley used Dan Uggla's bat (an ash LVS I13- a model Hanley used frequently in his early years) on July 2, 2006, and Bam! he gets his power stroke back. He went on to hit 6 total homers that July, and has really never looked back as an offensive force in MLB.


Anyway, it's been fun tracking down the "evidence"- which in this case includes a Sports Illustrated photo from Getty Images, and 3 screen shots that forum member Kyle Hess kindly sent me. The resolution could be better, but the Sports Illustrated photo does show the wood grain of the bat to be a match. The woodgrain match is hard to see, but hard to dispute. There are many other identical markings. Both bats have an ever so slightly crooked team name: FLORIDA MARLINS. The SI photo also shows Uggla's #6 in black marker on the knob end to be the same. The screen shots from the game show close up the identical markings on the end of the barrel. There is a darkish spot close to the center label that matches, also. Some of the markings have faded a little, but they do match.

The bat was probably used for at least a few more at bats after the home run, as there are some markings -like blue ink transfers- that show further use.

I give thanks to the forum members who helped with this bat. Cheers!

-bscott.

[joelsabi]

Curious. Did you buy this bat as a Uggla bat or a Ramirez bat.

[bscott]

I bought the bat as an Uggla Bat. The seller noted the #2 written in red marker on the knob, saying the bat may have been used by Hanley, but the didn't offer much more info than that.

Kyle Hess, my new hero, just sent two more screen shots of Hanley using this bat in the 9th inning on July 1, 2006, the night before he hit his 4th career home run.

-bscott

[juanencarnacionfan]

How Do You Get Pics From The Game?

[juanencarnacionfan]

Can someone help me figure out how to change my signature lol

[bscott]

I had help getting the game pictures from a member here on this forum. I don't know exactly how to do it myself. I believe you need a MLB.TV subscription. Then you need some computing skills to grab and save a still image from the game. Sorry I can't help more, but other members of this forum may be able to give you better direction.

-bscott.

[nationals2k9]

and now you're selling it!

you must really really like the bat :rolleyes:

(yes, you can sell anything you want.... but celebrating your find and thanking forum members for help while meanwhile it's on sale is kind of odd to me)

[nycpropain]

and now you're selling it!

you must really really like the bat :rolleyes:

(yes, you can sell anything you want.... but celebrating your find and thanking forum members for help while meanwhile it's on sale is kind of odd to me)

What you couldnt tell by his original post he was over selling it?