Perspective Regarding Formal Complaint on the Pittsburgh Pirates

[dplettn]

The vast majority of my experiences trying to buy directly from MLB sports teams have been very positive, resulting in a humble gratitude for the effort even when I didn’t get to buy anything. It has been an honor to refer other consumers not only among forum members here, but the casual fans whose own paths into collecting the game used segment would just begin.


I did formally document a complaint with a letter to the Senior Investigator at Major League Baseball today for the first time, after speaking to him. My complaint originated from a situation where Megan Vizzini (of the Pittsburgh Pirates) had been not only disrespectful, but disingenuous in her communications. In pursuit to deflect from her own business practices she actually defamed me personally within and among MLB member clubs.


I’ve never been a person who feared adversity or conflict resolution. I always try to pursue all matters of life in the right way, and to help others with a communal spirit. The vast majority of experiences I’ve had have been very positive, even when not perfect. When people in their team merchandising roles handle themselves with at least some grace in tribute to the special way their roles help unite the game with its fans, they do a tremendous job. Sadly, there are also a few who must see their roles merely as “jobs” and game used collectors as annoyances with whose passions they do not share.


Anyway, I need at least two hands to count the good ones (team merchandizing reps) and only a finger (maybe two) for the bad. But, I’d be curious to hear not only of recent but historical perspectives from those who have had a passion for “game used” longer than myself. The Pirates are undoubtedly the the "worst of breed" IMHO. My points in the complaint letter regarding the Pirates didn’t even leave room to include reference of another consumer they ignored (who was himself trying to get something to memorialize the day of his newborn’s birth).



Is this a cultural issue for certain organizations where employed individuals are allowed to do something that isn't right again and again and continuously deflect the blame internally onto the very consumers who drew notice?


I’ve observed that nearly all Pirates collectors here are focused on eras long passed. Is that a by-product of the way collectors have been treated by the organization?

[griffey24]

I could not disagree with your comments more than I do. I have nothing but nice things to say about Megan and her team. I have recently made multiple significant purchases from the Pirates (all Andrew McCutchen items) through her. She has been very responsive and conciderate in all of my dealings with her. Sorry to hear about your experience but I hate to see someone getting bashed when I have dealt with her on many occasions and have had zero problems with her or her team. As you can see, I don't often comment on these boards, but couldn't refrain from doing so this time. And btw your comment on the Pirates fans on here collecting from eras past has more to do with the fair weather nature of Pittsburgh sports fans (btw I am a Pittsburgher) and less to do with the current individuals selling the memorabilia.

[hrvatwill]

I have never had a problem with the Pirates. The reason why I collect vintage items is because of the different colors the team had until 1947, namely red and blue, which I find very appealing. I also collect things from the 1970's because that was when I was a young kid growing up in Pittsburgh and so there are many fond memories associated with them. I even collect current items as well and had a lot of fun on the game used Pirates thread that was started last year when the team had a surprising start. There seemed to be a decent amount of collectors who also were interested in their current items. But I could be wrong. 20 straight years of losing will tend to decimate the enthusiam of your fan base.

@Griffey24, I think we met at the Pirates game used stand at PNC Park earlier this year, no? If so, was that Megan off of whom I bought the McCutchen jersey? Just wondering, as I found her, whoever she was, to be very pleasant and helpful.

[dplettn]

@Griffey24 and @hrvatwill: I am genuinely happy for you that you have not encountered the same (recurring) disingenuous and abrasive behavior from Ms. Vizzini which I have. I always give everyone the benefit of the doubt (perhaps to a point of fault) and she certain life changing experiences of late which she’d been through caused me to give her extra second chances, particularly after having a positive dialogue with John Fisher in her absence.

Again, I take a communal perspective to this hobby and I’m pleased that not everyone has been so woefully treated by Megan and the Pirates as I have. Having said that, I’m not the only one… I got an e-mail after my post saying merely “well said”. People don’t like to be on the record with their negative impressions, for good reason. I also want to note that I have tremendous respect for Pittsburgh sports fans. I would not call Pittsburghers “fair weather” in any way, shape, or form. But admittedly, I have greater familiarity with Steeler Nation. The Rooney Family’s Steelers may be the best run sports franchise, period.

@Griffey24 and @ hrvatwill: I respect you both for stating your experiences irrespective of your experiences being tasteful in contrast to the disrespectful and disingenuous treatment Ms. Vizzini gave me.

[legaleagle92481]

People collect older Pirates stuff rather than newer because the team has been so bad for two decades with no winning seasons. They have had very few good players. Ed Sprague and Nate McLouth are among their "allstars" in that time. A.J. Burnett is their most accompolished current pitcher. They have a storied past that includes some of the best players and teams ever. So I don't think that the way the organization treats collectors is a big factor.

[dplettn]

@legaleagle92481: I would never argue that the awful state of the Pittsburgh Pirates Game Used Program under Megan Vizzini itself causes the general disinterest in the modern day Pirates team, nor the relative absence of current era collectors of Pirates players.


My observation would be that there may be some non-causal correlation. It is the cultural standards of the organization which cause both over time (IMHO). An organization culture of accepting low standards among employees in important grass-roots roles may be very relevant here. I’m no stranger to small market clubs where having a winning record year in and year out is not easy. There are clubs who connect with the fans in ways that are unique to their win/loss records or their number of legitimate All Stars. They don’t do so with low standards.


I wouldn’t do the “good”, much less the great professionals in the team rep game used space the injustice of mentioning their names or clubs in the same thread as Megan Vizzini and the Pittsburgh Pirates. But I can name multiple clubs which (even absent winning teams or megastars) have built strong connections with their communities and fans. I do not think it is unrelated that the same teams have people quite uncommon to Megan Vizzini who do the opposite sort of job with a job title that reads similarly.


Something tells me that the Pirates’ organizational-cultural standards compare very unfavorably both with MLB peers and among professional sports peers in their own locale.



In a small market like Pittsburgh, I think the low organizational standards are especially relevant to a long term funk that will prove hard to break.

[godwulf]

My complaint originated from a situation where Megan Vizzini (of the Pittsburgh Pirates) had been not only disrespectful, but disingenuous in her communications. In pursuit to deflect from her own business practices she actually defamed me personally within and among MLB member clubs.

What does this mean, exactly?

[Mattapan03]

Ive only worked with Megan once and she was great. Sorry to hear about your situation, but I have nothing but positive things to say about her.

[BostonSportsFan]

What does this mean, exactly?

Exactly???

Can you fill us in. What happened besides the complaint to MLB. We are really missing a lot here. What exactly did you inquire about and what exactly did she say?

I now exclusively personally collect MLB authenticated and vintage Orioles and Red Sox game used bats. I got sick and tired of all the fakes. They are just everywhere.

I love dealing direct with the team stores. Is this woman you are referring to a store employee?

Joe

[griffey24]

@Hrvatwill- Yes, that was me that day and sorry I had not PMed you yet. The lady that day was Kaity and not Megan. The Pirates current player GU is from Megan who gives it to Hunt Auctions (whom Kaity works for). Kaity too has been extremely helpful and pleasant and I will be looking forward to many dealings with the both of them in the future. If you are ever going to a Bucco game again please reach out to me as I would enjoy meeting you at a game sometime (our wives/fiancees could get a break from us talking GU HAHA!)

[dplettn]

What does this mean, exactly?

It would be more ideal if I could lay out all the facts I know in similar sequencing to the JO Sports observations I drew attention to long before the federal case displaced the false faith so many wanted to give them.



There are certain elements to the Megan Vizzini / Pittsburgh Pirates situation which I really can’t get into without inappropriately breaching confidences of parties whom deservedly have my respect.


Suffice to say, the magnitude of the disenchantment even the entire presence of frustration could have been prevented by Ms Vizzini having been at least somewhat honest and saying simply something like “I don’t want to do business for my own reasons (ie: financial relevance, prior experiences, her focus/mission/ambitions, bandwidth constraints… whatever her actual reasons to fabricate an alternate rationale and defame me were).


I wish it could be appropriate that I share all specifics of information as thoroughly as I did regarding JO Sports. But, I would inappropriate entirely to breach the confidences of certain good and upright persons. Suffice to say, I will never be in contact with Ms. Vizzini or the Pittsburgh Pirates again.