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Who's signature is this???????

Ok I tried to start a general discussion thread on the main home page and it got buried and will probably not see the light of day again. Also, there seems to be a lot more music collectors on the site than sports collectors so this may be the best place for this thread/ discussion group.

I have a very large collection of signed baseballs that have come from MLB spring training and minor league players/parks collected over the years and silly me thought "I will always remember who's signature this is so I do not need to mark the case". Well old age has come and I have lost recollection of who it might be. Feel free to chime in as to who you think signed these.

At a future time I will start a thread of balls that I have obtained without witnessing the signature, to get opinions regarding who they are from or if the general population believes they are real.

Thank you all in advance for your willingness to step up and assist. Keep coming back for more as I come across them.

Ball #1

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by James McCay on February 6, 2015 at 8:16am

I don't know, and I'm familiar with a wide range of baseball players- but mostly the 1960's- present.

But being a pattern recognition specialist I can guess Maury Metzger. So I Googled it and there's no baseball player with that name (or Maurice) on the first page (which is where any player who only had a few at bats in the majors should be). It could be a player who was a hot prospect at one time, but never made the majors. Those would be HARD to find unless you had a year or approximate year it was singed. Then I might be able to get somewhere. I tried...

Permalink Reply by stevo on February 9, 2015 at 6:11am

Thanks for the assistance- your guess is actually better than mine- I thought the last name was Martinez or some variation of that- but still leaves me stumped- I am sure he was some 5 tool player that could not miss but ended up staying on the farm!

Ok what about this one?

Permalink Reply by James McCay on February 9, 2015 at 11:14am

Juan Gonzalez. 100% sure.

Permalink Reply by stevo on February 10, 2015 at 5:46am

Thank you James, now that you point it out I can see the Juan but would not have figured out the Gonzalez.

Here is the next ball-

Permalink Reply by terrier8HOF on February 10, 2015 at 6:46am

Rafael Palmiero

Permalink Reply by terrier8HOF on February 10, 2015 at 6:47am

Juan Gonzalez is correct

Permalink Reply by stevo on February 10, 2015 at 1:38pm

Thanks for both replies.

Permalink Reply by James McCay on February 10, 2015 at 2:19pm

Yep, definitely Raffy Palmeiro.

I unfortunately invested in over (25) of his 1997 and 1998 Donruss Signature Series autographs paying an average of $15 each in 2000. I just knew he'd get 3,000 hits and 500 HR's (a VERY rare feat). Thanks to him shaking his finger at the steroid hearing judges on National TV saying "I never took steroids", he'll only be remembered for that.

He's the only player retired more than 5-years who's Certified Autograph Inserts have significantly gone DOWN because of steroids (from $40 to $20 in Beckett and from $15-$20 to $7.00 on eBay). Canseco's went down a bit, but I think that's more for the reason that he's been signing for almost every Topps product since 2013 flooding eBay with his autographs. I don't know why, but I actually bought a Topps Canseco autograph for $10 (with free shipping).

Permalink Reply by stevo on February 11, 2015 at 9:29am

You have to wonder what the value loss is from all of the Steroid tainted athletes- Clemens and Bonds especially who graphs were going for some crazy high prices

Thanks and here is another one I ran across- also, do you think these guys sign the heels when they sign for free as opposed to the empty Sweet Spot?

Permalink Reply by James McCay on February 11, 2015 at 7:29pm

That looks familiar, it might be Bobby Bonilla. In fact, I can't think of anyone else it could be. I see By and Ba- first and last letter of each name. When I got him during Mets Spring Training in 1992 he was only signing BB and nothing else. Maybe someone else would like to chime in?

Players almost never sign on the sweet spot unless you specifically ask them to. I learned that the hard way too. Even then some players won't sign the sweet spot. They know a single signed ball on the spot is worth more if you sell it. Little did they know, I donated 99.9% of all the autographs I ever got at Spring Training (and Shea Stadium) to sick hospitalized children every year.

John Franco used to always either ding or fully crease a corner of any cards he signed thinking you wouldn't be able to sell them like that.

Permalink Reply by stevo on February 12, 2015 at 9:14am

If it is Bonilla it is a horrible signature of him. I have looked through some other things I have, and believe it might be Bret Boone who might make more sense as he was a Red and this was among my reds balls. Any other thoughts?

Permalink Reply by James McCay on February 12, 2015 at 10:54am

Yes, I think you're right. It is Brett Boone. I wouldn't have caught that one since I know mainly semi-star players or better (or once star prospects) and unfortunately I never considered him either.