Pete Alonso 52nd Home Run Ball

[steve B]

Originally Posted by Runscott

Steve, at least on this forum, I can count on one hand the number of forum members who sell their 'keepers' after only 2 weeks. They exist, but they are not common. 6 months maybe, but not 2 weeks.

It just struck me as odd that a player would get a milestone ball like that, declare it a keeper than almost instantly sell it.

Flipping collectibles is one thing, but when there's that personal connection - "this is the ball that I set a record with" that seems strange.

[Snapolit1]

Originally Posted by steve B

It just struck me as odd that a player would get a milestone ball like that, declare it a keeper than almost instantly sell it.

Flipping collectibles is one thing, but when there's that personal connection - "this is the ball that I set a record with" that seems strange.

It's raising money for a charity.

[bigfanNY]

And there is the real possibility that now that Pete Alonso has the ball he hit for Home run 53 he could let go of Home run 52..

[Gary Dunaier]

Originally Posted by steve B

It just struck me as odd that a player would get a milestone ball like that, declare it a keeper than almost instantly sell it.

For what it's worth, the tweet was posted by the Mets, not Alonso. Obviously "It’s a keeper for @Pete_Alonso20!" implies that Alonso was given the ball, but the actual tweet was written by whoever has the authority to write tweets on the Mets' behalf - Alonso didn't say 'It's a keeper for me!' or anything in that vein.

[Gary Dunaier]

With 18 hours to go - the auction is currently scheduled to end today (10/20/19) at 8.00pm Eastern time - the ball is now at $14,590.

[Gary Dunaier]

The auction has closed, and the final price was - are you sitting down? - $27,690 (twenty-seven thousand, six hundred and ninety dollars).



The story may not be over yet, though. The last 23 minutes of the auction developed into a bidding war between two individuals (the third bidder dropped out at $15,040). However, in the Facebook group "MLB Game Used," one person said that the winning bidder is a non-payer; however, another member of the group responded that he a) knows the winning bidder, b) just texted him, and c) believes he'll pay. So we'll see what happens.

But in the meantime... wow wow wow wow wow!

[Runscott]

To me the evidence of MLB auction results indicates that "non-paying bidder" means "MLB Shill Account". I say this because MLB Auctions requires a credit card before you can bid, and they take payment from your card immediately when the auction ends.

I was bid up on a baseball a few years ago, then the next day was told by MLB Auctions that I could have it for the high bid, even though I lost.

Not sure if the shill accounts are at the team level or MLB level.

[packs]

Theoretically you could register a credit card with a limit below the purchase price. That would prevent automatic charge and result in non-payment.

[Runscott]

Obviously, but I don't believe that is what's happening.

Also obviously, I am not involved with MLB auctions, so anything I mention is just theory. Take it as you may.