I caught a home run ball from JD Martinez! Now what??

[bigfanNY]

I sit in outfield at Yankee stadium and more than once in past two years I saw usher go up to person who cought a HR ball and ask first if they were ok and next if they wanted to authenticate it. I guess the key phrase is that stadium personnel witnessed the catch. I think both were Aaron Judge HR's.

[scooter729]

The MLB Authentication website supports Brock’s description, so Yankee Stadium either has its own additional authentication process, or Judge’s homers were all deemed special enough to authenticate.

I probabiy will get JD to sign this one at some point - I have a connection with the Sox who should be able to get this one signed for me at some point. I probably used up my favors for a while for this year already, but will get it to happen at some point!

Thanks again guys - appreciate the input...

[Gary Dunaier]

Originally Posted by scooter729

I probabiy will get JD to sign this one at some point

It's your ball, so take this with however many grains of salt as you like, but I wouldn't get it signed.

I've gotten one home run ball: a 2007 Damion Easley pinch-hit homer that was commemorated with a Topps card...



...and, on the secondary market, I got one of the three balls that was used in the at-bat where Todd Frazier hit the home run I famously objected to (see Net 54 thread here).

I would not get either ball signed by any of the participants.

To me, getting the ball signed would destroy its "integrity" as a game-used item. The ball wasn't signed when it was put into play, so it shouldn't be signed now.

I think they make special cases that display two baseballs, so in lieu of getting the actual home run baseball signed, you might want to consider getting a JD Martinez signed ball and displaying it next to the home run ball you caught.

[bigfanNY]

That is like saying not to get a game used bat or game used Jersey signed because that is not how it appeared in game. I understand your preference. But the secondary market Clearly puts greater value on game used items with Signatures.
I have a Miguel Cabrera ball game used for a hit that he signed and inscribed the hit#. It displays great and tells it's own story.
JD Martinez is not Damien Easley ( but even that ball I would get signed) he is one of less than a handful of hitters that is capable of winning battings triple crown. And for now looks to have a bright future so the ball might have some significance down the road. I give a hearty thumbs up for getting it signed. And I would go to signing with the 7 year old who would remember it for the rest of his life. Just my preference..

[Jim65]

Originally Posted by bigfanNY

That is like saying not to get a game used bat or game used Jersey signed because that is not how it appeared in game. I understand your preference. But the secondary market Clearly puts greater value on game used items with Signatures.
I have a Miguel Cabrera ball game used for a hit that he signed and inscribed the hit#. It displays great and tells it's own story.
JD Martinez is not Damien Easley ( but even that ball I would get signed) he is one of less than a handful of hitters that is capable of winning battings triple crown. And for now looks to have a bright future so the ball might have some significance down the road. I give a hearty thumbs up for getting it signed. And I would go to signing with the 7 year old who would remember it for the rest of his life. Just my preference..

He's keeping the ball so getting it signed is ok.

A lot of collectors prefer unsigned game used (myself included) so if someone plans to sell, its best to keep it unsigned, why eliminate a bunch of potential buyers?

[RedsFan1941]

Originally Posted by Jim65

He's keeping the ball so getting it signed is ok.

A lot of collectors prefer unsigned game used (myself included) so if someone plans to sell, its best to keep it unsigned, why eliminate a bunch of potential buyers?

totally agree. spot on!