MLB Authentication- Authenticated Wrong Item

[MercyMe78]

So I picked up a Juan Perez batting helmet from 2013 in hopes that it was the batting helmet used against Mariano Rivera. They actually had two batting helmets for sale, one being Game Used and authenticated during the last home stand and one Team Issued (the one I bought). I wasn't able to purchase the authenticated Game Used helmet so purchased the Team Issued without ever seeing the game used helmet.

Did some research and photo-matching and found out my Team Issue helmet was the one used during the last home stand and MLB authenticated the wrong helmet as used during the last home stand.

Would this worry some people? I would like to give them the benefit of the doubt as 2013 they typically only had one helmet throughout the year... but still...

[spartanservitto]

Always photomatch.... My JV jersey was "said to be game used " but I didn't rest until a affirmative match. Shows that there can always be doubt sadly.

[spartanservitto]

By said I mean through mlb authentication.

[jojac]

I've had some heart burn with MLB authentication and the worse was a gray Pedroia jersey I bought in 2009. When I checked the MLB site it stated the jersey was used in a Tigers vs Red Sox game at Fenway. For the longest time I didn't think anything of it until it finally dawned on me that the Red Sox wear white jerseys at home and the gray are away. Luckily I bought the item from a reputable dealer and they contacted MLB to try to get a correction on the authentication. When they couldn't get it corrected I returned the jersey and they refunded me my money. That was the first MLB authenticated item I purchased and it taught me to pay close attention to what they state on their site.

[allstarsplus]

So I picked up a Juan Perez batting helmet from 2013 in hopes that it was the batting helmet used against Mariano Rivera. They actually had two batting helmets for sale, one being Game Used and authenticated during the last home stand and one Team Issued (the one I bought). I wasn't able to purchase the authenticated Game Used helmet so purchased the Team Issued without ever seeing the game used helmet.

Did some research and photo-matching and found out my Team Issue helmet was the one used during the last home stand and MLB authenticated the wrong helmet as used during the last home stand.

Would this worry some people? I would like to give them the benefit of the doubt as 2013 they typically only had one helmet throughout the year... but still...

I am now doubting what you say but how do you know what the authentication was on the other helmet said? Do you have the hologram # on the helmet you didn't get?

Its very common that items are hologram'd as game issued that were in fact game used but authenticators aren't supposed to hologram them as game used unless they witnessed the item go from the field into the authenticators hands.

I've handled 100's of team items that were hologram'd as game issued that show obvious signs of use. Better to err on the side of caution.

[Roady]

I am now doubting what you say......

Freudian slip? ;)

[allstarsplus]

Freudian slip? ;)

Whoops..... not*

[Sioux4Ever]

So I picked up a Juan Perez batting helmet from 2013 in hopes that it was the batting helmet used against Mariano Rivera. They actually had two batting helmets for sale, one being Game Used and authenticated during the last home stand and one Team Issued (the one I bought). I wasn't able to purchase the authenticated Game Used helmet so purchased the Team Issued without ever seeing the game used helmet.

Did some research and photo-matching and found out my Team Issue helmet was the one used during the last home stand and MLB authenticated the wrong helmet as used during the last home stand.

Would this worry some people? I would like to give them the benefit of the doubt as 2013 they typically only had one helmet throughout the year... but still...
It could be that the authenticator just wasn't at that game or just that he didn't see it used during that at bat. They are humans and have needs too....so its not something I would worry about if you have definitive proof it was game used in your photo matches. I know I have several items listed as game issued that are game used so its just part of the process and something we have to deal with being in the hobby. I would like to know how you know the other one was authenticated as game used just out of curiosity?

[MercyMe78]

I am now doubting what you say but how do you know what the authentication was on the other helmet said? Do you have the hologram # on the helmet you didn't get?

Its very common that items are hologram'd as game issued that were in fact game used but authenticators aren't supposed to hologram them as game used unless they witnessed the item go from the field into the authenticators hands.

I've handled 100's of team items that were hologram'd as game issued that show obvious signs of use. Better to err on the side of caution.

I asked my contact at the Giants to provide me the most up to date list of everything they had, including the 2013 batting helmets. The chart he gave me had two Juan Perez helmets, one being Game Used and one being Team Issued

Game Used: EK356079
Notes-SF Giants Batting Helmet #2 Juan Perez - Used 9-24-13, 9-26-13, 9-27-13, 9-28-13 and 9-29-13.

Team Issued:EK356085
Notes- SF Giants Batting Helmet #2 Juan Perez

When I went to go purchase, I wanted the Game Used (as the odds were higher that it would of been used couple of days before the home stand at Yankee Stadium) but was informed it wasn't available and only the Team Issued was.. so I gambled and lo and behold.. it was the one used during the home stand and against the Yankees

[yanks12025]

Can we see the phot match that proves it is the helmet?

[MercyMe78]

Can we see the phot match that proves it is the helmet?

This game is actually from 9/27 when he hit his first career HR
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/LAGalaxy23/GameUsedUniverse/ScreenShot2014-02-24at84903PM.png

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/LAGalaxy23/GameUsedUniverse/20140219_225523-2.jpg

There are four distinctive marks on the top of the helmet

[johnsontravis@ymail.com]

This game is actually from 9/27 when he hit his first career HR
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/LAGalaxy23/GameUsedUniverse/ScreenShot2014-02-24at84903PM.png

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/LAGalaxy23/GameUsedUniverse/20140219_225523-2.jpg

There are four distinctive marks on the top of the helmet

Why post this picture? This picture proves nothing. Photo match it to the actual game and even better the actual at bat...I Dont think this is what he meant by photo matching it.

[MercyMe78]

Why post this picture? This picture proves nothing. Photo match it to the actual game and even better the actual at bat...I Dont think this is what he meant by photo matching it.

Well seeing that another helmet was authenticated as game used for the game I posted... doesn't that prove the point they authenticated the wrong helmet since I have the actual helmet that was used during that game?

[carbonrosa]

Why post this picture? This picture proves nothing. Photo match it to the actual game and even better the actual at bat...I Dont think this is what he meant by photo matching it.

John, how can you say this picture proves nothing when it is a complete match? If this was my helmet, I would send these pictures to both The Giants and MLB and have them authenticate it correctly.

[johnsontravis@ymail.com]

John, how can you say this picture proves nothing when it is a complete match? If this was my helmet, I would send these pictures to both The Giants and MLB and have them authenticate it correctly.

Good Luck I don't think MLB would accept photo matches....or else I have a couple I would liked switched.

There may be a small chance they change it, but idk...tough to say with their strict program.

[Roady]

Good Luck I don't think MLB would accept photo matches....or else I have a couple I would liked switched.

There may be a small chance they change it, but idk...tough to say with their strict program.

But the pic is a clear photo match. Correct?

[allstarsplus]

I see pics of San Diego and San Fran. Where are the pics of NYY and San Fran in the Mariano Rivera game? I thought that was the purpose of this and keep in mind that its possible he wore 2 helmets in the same game.

Nothing here is definitive that the authenticator made a mistake. Calling something Game Issued and proving it was Game Used happens all the time and is not a mistake as its the burden of proof wasn't met and they label it game issued. Again, that is not a mistake. You just never want to find the opposite where it says Game Used and it was never used.

[MercyMe78]

I see pics of San Diego and San Fran. Where are the pics of NYY and San Fran in the Mariano Rivera game? I thought that was the purpose of this and keep in mind that its possible he wore 2 helmets in the same game.

Nothing here is definitive that the authenticator made a mistake. Calling something Game Issued and proving it was Game Used happens all the time and is not a mistake as its the burden of proof wasn't met and they label it game issued. Again, that is not a mistake. You just never want to find the opposite where it says Game Used and it was never used.

The thing is, the helmet was never authenticated during the Yankee game and only during the last home stand and thats why I never showed pictures from the NY game. All four at bats Perez had during the game against the Padres, he was using the the same photo matched helmet. So not sure how they could authenticate another helmet as game used if he never had an at bat with it...

[allstarsplus]

The thing is, the helmet was never authenticated during the Yankee game and only during the last home stand and thats why I never showed pictures from the NY game. All four at bats Perez had during the game against the Padres, he was using the the same photo matched helmet. So not sure how they could authenticate another helmet as game used if he never had an at bat with it...

Your helmet looks good. We don't have the ability to see the other helmet to exclude it or to even say he didn't have 2 helmets he used.

I say be happy with what you have. It would be the owner of the other helmet that might have something to be concerned about.

[onlyalbert]

Good Luck I don't think MLB would accept photo matches....or else I have a couple I would liked switched.

There may be a small chance they change it, but idk...tough to say with their strict program.

MLB will NOT change an authentication based on a photomatch due to the rules of their chain of command. If an authenticator did not witness it it is automatically "issued".

[jbean023]

John, how can you say this picture proves nothing when it is a complete match? If this was my helmet, I would send these pictures to both The Giants and MLB and have them authenticate it correctly.

I've had a handful of hit baseballs changed, had to go through the team and they contacted the authenticator.

[carbonrosa]

Well how about this, I'm bidding on a "Game-Used Baseball - Pedroia 2 RBI 1B off Cook" Bos @ OAK at the MLB auction site and noticed the date they have is 7/13/13 but on this day Pedroia went 0 for 5. He faced Cook and singled at the top of the 8th ining on 7/12/13. I just contact MLB and explained that I'm biding on this ball but the date is wrong. Hopefully they will get back to me before I retract my bid.
-Devin

[jbean023]

Well how about this, I'm bidding on a "Game-Used Baseball - Pedroia 2 RBI 1B off Cook" Bos @ OAK at the MLB auction site and noticed the date they have is 7/13/13 but on this day Pedroia went 0 for 5. He faced Cook and singled at the top of the 8th ining on 7/12/13. I just contact MLB and explained that I'm biding on this ball but the date is wrong. Hopefully they will get back to me before I retract my bid.
-Devin

I haven't ran into a date issue yet, you think with technology the programmer or administrator for the mlb authentication site would create a program that when the authenticators input the holograms they shouldn't be able to change the date since it's "supposedly" a visual authentication. The date should already be input during that session for that date.

[carbonrosa]

Well, the people at MLB Auctions got back to me right away and informed me that they have changed the date in the auction to 7/12/13. It's good to know they jumped on it right away. A plus in my book. There will always be human error with these things but MLB DEFINITELY has the strongest system in place.
-Devin

[allstarsplus]

Well, the people at MLB Auctions got back to me right away and informed me that they have changed the date in the auction to 7/12/13. It's good to know they jumped on it right away. A plus in my book. There will always be human error with these things but MLB DEFINITELY has the strongest system in place.
-Devin

That's the big difference to always understand that honest mistakes happen and correcting them quickly is a key. They have also been good about making changes to descriptions or even adding to descriptions to help collectors.

[coxfan]

I'm a fan of MLB authentication, and I've found the authentication by the Rangers' authenticator to be very accurate regarding balls. But there's always room for improvement. A simple proofreading by somebody of the MLB.com play-by-play, posted after every game on the website, would take only a few minutes; and would eliminate the majority of clerical errors up front. I've found those clerical errors usually involve dates or inning numbers, and the PBP proofread would catch those quickly.