Aaron Judge

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by packs

I agree with that but this isn't about players signing for fans, it's about players signing insert cards that number probably in the tens of thousands.

This doesn't really compare but once a week I sign our vendor checks at work. I sign probably 200 checks each time. Even at that low number I've decided to change my signature to make it easier on me.

And who do the players think are buying the cards? I don't care how many they are asked to sign (and I doubt any given player is asked to sign tens of thousands), they are getting paid so much money they should take the time to sign cleanly and legibly.

I mean look at this it's a disgrace.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Justin-Verla...kAAOSwc1FXYHtd

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2016-Bowman-...AAAOSwMvtZXvTC

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2016-Bowman-...4AAOSw6YtZWtpy

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2015-Bowmans...wAAOSw8d5ZWtgn

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AARON-JUDGE-...YAAOSw1BlZVxx0

I would be willing to bet that if you didn't know whose cards they were you couldn't tell who had signed half the autographs out there.

[packs]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

And who do the players think are buying the cards? I don't care how many they are asked to sign (and I doubt any given player is asked to sign tens of thousands), they are getting paid so much money they should take the time to sign cleanly and legibly.

I mean look at this it's a disgrace.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Justin-Verla...kAAOSwc1FXYHtd

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2016-Bowman-...AAAOSwMvtZXvTC

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2016-Bowman-...4AAOSw6YtZWtpy

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2015-Bowmans...wAAOSw8d5ZWtgn

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AARON-JUDGE-...YAAOSw1BlZVxx0

I would be willing to bet that if you didn't know whose cards they were you couldn't tell who had signed half the autographs out there.

I don't think fans are the biggest buyers of cards. I think dealers, prospectors, and flippers are the majority of the card buying audience. Why do I think that? Because of the type of inserts that are included in the product and the product price point, coupled with the fact that the casual fans I know don't collect cards. Also I don't think a baseball card contract is as lucrative as you're making it out to be. Signing cards for Bowman isn't included in a player's salary as a baseball player.

Secondly, a signature is a mark. If you become familiar with someone's mark, it doesn't matter what the signature looks like. You will always be able to identify it because you are familiar with the mark. To each their own on that one, but if I wanted to collect artwork I would, and then there would just be another debate on what makes something art.

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by packs

I don't think fans are the biggest buyers of cards. I think dealers, prospectors, and flippers are the majority of the card buying audience. Why do I think that? Because of the type of inserts that are included in the product and the product price point, coupled with the fact that the casual fans I know don't collect cards. Also I don't think a baseball card contract is as lucrative as you're making it out to be. Signing cards for Bowman isn't included in a player's salary as a baseball player.

Secondly, a signature is a mark. If you become familiar with someone's mark, it doesn't matter what the signature looks like. You will always be able to identify it because you are familiar with the mark. To each their own on that one, but if I wanted to collect artwork I would, and then there would just be another debate on what makes something art.

In the canine world one leaves a "mark" by raising their hind leg near a tree.
Let's hope player's autograph "marks" don't replicate this technique, or we'll end up with shiny, scented cards with yellow stains, and flipper/collectors will search unopened packs with their noses.

[WillBBC]

Originally Posted by frankbmd

In the canine world one leaves a "mark" by raising their hind leg near a tree.
Let's hope player's autograph "marks" don't replicate this technique, or we'll end up with shiny, scented cards with yellow stains, and flipper/collectors will search unopened packs with their noses.

I can't be the only one that sniffs their cards, right? Cardboard smells good. I miss old printer paper.

I'll see myself out.

[chaddurbin]

*sigs are sigs...does it matter if it looks like ted williams or miguel sano? doesn't really matter to me i enjoy both equally. i don't collect autographs for how they look.
*kimbrel--he's had a nice bounce back year. prolly just needed to adjust to boston's scrutiny...some never adjust like crawford let's see how price does. kimbrel's still dependent on the big velo? his 2 pitches have like a 10 mile difference, let's see how he does when he starts to age and his fb is slower. i'd take kenley jansen who has that unhittable 92-94mph cutter like rivera that never ages.

[packs]

I bit the bullet:

[Peter_Spaeth]

He just dropped under .300.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by packs

I don't think fans are the biggest buyers of cards. I think dealers, prospectors, and flippers are the majority of the card buying audience. Why do I think that? Because of the type of inserts that are included in the product and the product price point, coupled with the fact that the casual fans I know don't collect cards. Also I don't think a baseball card contract is as lucrative as you're making it out to be. Signing cards for Bowman isn't included in a player's salary as a baseball player.

Secondly, a signature is a mark. If you become familiar with someone's mark, it doesn't matter what the signature looks like. You will always be able to identify it because you are familiar with the mark. To each their own on that one, but if I wanted to collect artwork I would, and then there would just be another debate on what makes something art.

You can be as contrarian as you wish, it seems to be your way sometimes, but I cannot believe the vast majority of people would not prefer a nice legible autograph to a chicken scratch even if it was distinctive. In the meantime, cue up the tune: My uncle out in Texas can't even write his name, he signs his checks with "x's", but they cash them just the same.