Bogus Mauer jersey...buyer beware

[staindsox]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Joe-Mauer-Ft-Mye...QQcmdZViewItem

This jersey was listed on eBay about a week to 10 days ago and was ended early and sold off of eBay. It was just relisted today and I contacted the seller immediately (I believe he posts of this board). I haven't heard back from him yet, but he has since lowered the Buy It Now from $1500 to $1000, so he must have received my email by now. I will let you know if I hear from him.

This is supposedly a 2003 Joe Mauer Fort Myers Miracle game used jersey. There are a few huge problems. One is that Joe wore #16 with the Miracle and I contacted and confirmed this with the team. Second is that Joe has worn a size 50 since being drafted in 2001, but this is a 46, a huge difference. Also, Joe's signature has evolved over the past 5 years. This looks like it has been signed some time around 2006 or later. It looks like a signed jersey, but not a jersey Joe would have used.

Chris

[nomarmauerfan]

Chris,
I also noticed that this was fake. Yes, Joe wore 16 for the Miracle. Plus, look at the sig...it looks like he erased (or tried to) someone's name and "best wishes". Joe just started to do this with jerseys last year (it might be an Ironclad thing).

Mike

[sylbry]

I get a kick out of this guy. A couple of months ago he went on this forum to report ESM was misrepresenting a 2005 Boof Bonser jersey. But no less than a couple of weeks earlier he sold a 2007 Fransisco Liriano game issued jersey on ebay as game used. Liriano was out the entire season. He conveniently photographed the jersey to not show the 2007 Herb patch nor did he list it as a 2007.

http://www.gameuseduniverse.com/vb_f...ad.php?t=14620

I have a couple other issues in dealing directly with this guy but no need to air personal transactions.

[staindsox]

Here is the response:

"I believe I have done the necessary work to prove it's authenticity (to myself). I also have very inside access to the Twins organization."

So it looks like intentional fraud to me, not accidental or an innocent mistake. He has changed his eBay name 4 times in the past 6 months too:

free_kingwood
twinssupercards
refractornerd
seahawks89

[hblakewolf]

According to the seller, the shirt is not from 2003, rather, last season.

Dear hblakewolf,

If you do some work, you'll see that Mauer had two rehab starts at Ft. Myers last year (hence the "Best Wishes, Joe Mauer" that he now signs the jersey with. (The Best Wishes) has been tried to be removed by the previous owner.

Howard Wolf
hblakwolf@comcast.net

[staindsox]

Yeah, I expected more BS excuses, but here's some more info:

1) The person he bought it from told me 2003, so someone is lying there.

2) Mauer only wears 50. I have seen over a dozen different Mauer jerseys at the Proshops/Twinsfest, etc from 2004-current. Every single one is a 50. Why would he have fit into a 46???

3) In 2007, Mauer played one game in Fort Myers and wore #35 (they were also at home, not away).

[staindsox]

Here's another photo from that game.