Odd baseball that Ramon Castro threw me yesterday.....

kylehess10

So yesterday, I went to the Braves/Mets home opener at Turner Field. It was an awesome game (even though the Braves lost), and I met a ton of players, with the best being Jose Reyes on an OML baseball. David Wright & Moises Alou also signed but people were just going crazy trying to get an autograph that I just gave up. Anyways, during BP, when Ramon Castro finished warming up, he threw me a ball and I first noticed the colored stitching. Then I look at the front of the ball and it's.......




.......a 2005 All Star Game Baseball


Why would the Mets practice with these baseballs? It's really bad for collector's because if they get in the wrong hands, they would be sold on eBay or auctions houses as actually being game used during these huge events, when they're really just used during BP

LWMM

Rawlings sells old, over-produced balls for a discount to teams, who then use them in BP.

kylehess10

<< <i>Rawlings sells old, over-produced balls for a discount to teams, who then use them in BP. >>



Oh, that's really interesting to know. Thanks!!!

stormsurge

Awesome - cool ball.

Cokin75

<< <i>It's really bad for collector's because if they get in the wrong hands, they would be sold on eBay or auctions houses as actually being game used during these huge events, when they're really just used during BP >>



If you think about it, any unscrupulous person could just take one of these balls and play catch with it in the yard if they wanted to get this effect..

ripkenintheminors

That's pretty cool

Gonblott

<< <i>So yesterday, I went to the Braves/Mets home opener at Turner Field. It was an awesome game (even though the Braves lost), and I met a ton of players, with the best being Jose Reyes on an OML baseball. David Wright & Moises Alou also signed but people were just going crazy trying to get an autograph that I just gave up. Anyways, during BP, when Ramon Castro finished warming up, he threw me a ball and I first noticed the colored stitching. Then I look at the front of the ball and it's.......




.......a 2005 All Star Game Baseball


Why would the Mets practice with these baseballs? It's really bad for collector's because if they get in the wrong hands, they would be sold on eBay or auctions houses as actually being game used during these huge events, when they're really just used during BP >>




You selling?

kylehess10

<< <i>

You selling? >>





Sorry, but I'm looking to keep it for now

baseballfanatic

<< <i>

<< <i>It's really bad for collector's because if they get in the wrong hands, they would be sold on eBay or auctions houses as actually being game used during these huge events, when they're really just used during BP >>



If you think about it, any unscrupulous person could just take one of these balls and play catch with it in the yard if they wanted to get this effect.. >>




The same way people take player model bats and use them to hit some balls at the local park to try and submit them as "game used". Happens more often than you think....

kylehess10

<< <i>

<< <i>

<< <i>It's really bad for collector's because if they get in the wrong hands, they would be sold on eBay or auctions houses as actually being game used during these huge events, when they're really just used during BP >>



If you think about it, any unscrupulous person could just take one of these balls and play catch with it in the yard if they wanted to get this effect.. >>




The same way people take player model bats and use them to hit some balls at the local park to try and submit them as "game used". Happens more often than you think.... >>



Not true actually. I personally only buy game used bats that have either green or blue ink transfer marks. Only players (that I know of) can have the power to blow the ink right off the ball and onto the bat. Plus I don't think someone would spend a ton of money on major league baseballs, then try to hit them perfectly on the logo and hit it hard enough to get the ink off.

sagard

There is no mud that the umps rub on the game balls on that ball. Pretty easy to tell it hasn't been in a big league game. The entire surface of most modern game balls gets rubbed with a mud that makes the balls look somewhat dingy and gray.

Jdurg

<< <i>Why would the Mets practice with these baseballs? It's really bad for collector's because if they get in the wrong hands, they would be sold on eBay or auctions houses as actually being game used during these huge events, when they're really just used during BP >>



Because MLB doesn't, and never should, ever care about the collectors. I would actually be kind of pissed if MLB started changing how they do things just to ensure authenticity for collectors. Teams do what is good for the team and not the person who wants to sell these things later on and make a quick buck.