Please sign Mr Jeter - NY Times article about collecting Jeter in Fla

[36GoudeyMan]

I've been to every Nationals Spring training since 2005. Over the years, the team has gotten much worse, then much better. At the beginning, the place (Viera) was jammed because of the novelty; for several years it was quiet and empty, and now its busy as hell.

From what I've seen, the ebb and flow of the crowds is almost entirely opportunist re-sellers, dealers or not. This year, the autograph gatherers have set up a lawn chair gauntlet that players are literally forced to pass through when leaving the practice fields behind the stadium. for each of the last 3 years, we've been increasingly bombarded by people in other teams' gear asking us where Strasburg, Werth, Harper, Gio, Zimmerman, and any of several other players. They routinely held huge binders with cards of multiple teams and players. They did not know anything abut the player, except whose autograph was the most valuable and salable. Some did not even know the players' first names, just last name and number.

We've seen parents with massive binders launching kids with balls and cards into crowds to get someone to sign it, only to have the kid get yelled at for not being aggressive enough if somehow she/he failed.

I've half-jokingly suggested that everyone should have to register and disclose their eBay ID if they want to get autographs, so that the players would know who is more likely getting a signature for themselves or for resale.

I've also said that if every player would sign everything in sight, multiples, of anything, and make the supply so vast that demand could never catch up, then the problem would largely go away. Last week, I saw Gio Gonzalez, on several occasions, stop and sign literally everything stuck in front of him, for nearly an hour each time. he says its "part of his job," but that was way beyond any reasonable expectation. I still think flooding the market is the safest way for these guys to go, but I'm no economist.

The way it is now, legitimate fans who want the personal memento of a player by the interactive experience of a in-person autograph are being swamped by the growing hordes of re-sellers, and many real fans are being soured by the experience of trying to get the special, memorable moment when an idol or a hero or favorite does you the favor of shring a memento. Pity.

[packs]

If a player's attitude is I don't want my signature sold, that's fine and I respect that. But then don't turn around and sell your signature to Steiner. Because then all you're really saying is that I want to be the one making the money. And if you're a professional athlete upset that regular people may or may not sell whatever it is you just wrote your name on, you need to take a look around and become just a little bit more self aware of the position you're in.

[jgmp123]

Speaking of Jeter...Last night I picked up a shadowbox from Michael's and put this together....

[David Atkatz]

Originally Posted by packs

If a player's attitude is I don't want my signature sold, that's fine and I respect that. But then don't turn around and sell your signature to Steiner. Because then all you're really saying is that I want to be the one making the money. And if you're a professional athlete upset that regular people may or may not sell whatever it is you just wrote your name on, you need to take a look around and become just a little bit more self aware of the position you're in.

+1

[David Atkatz]

Originally Posted by 36GoudeyMan

Last week, I saw Gio Gonzalez, on several occasions, stop and sign literally everything stuck in front of him, for nearly an hour each time. he says its "part of his job"...

Good for him.
It is part of his job.

[dgo71]

Originally Posted by David Atkatz

Good for him.
It is part of his job.

I disagree. Show me in any baseball contract where it says "must sign autographs for XX amount of time." I'm glad guys like Gio exist (he's the MAN by the way!) but I also understand how guys don't want to sign ALL the time. That said, I believe they SHOULD sign because at the end of the day it's not taking away the millions they are making playing a kids' game, but I wouldn't ever go so far to say as I expect them to sign because it's part of their job because it's not. Quite simply, their job is to play the game of baseball at the highest competetive level, win games and not get into trouble off the field.

Originally Posted by packs

If a player's attitude is I don't want my signature sold, that's fine and I respect that. But then don't turn around and sell your signature to Steiner. Because then all you're really saying is that I want to be the one making the money. And if you're a professional athlete upset that regular people may or may not sell whatever it is you just wrote your name on, you need to take a look around and become just a little bit more self aware of the position you're in.

+1...I'm looking at you Dr. Mike.

[HOF Auto Rookies]

I love Gio, he is by far one of th nicest/kindest human being I have ever met, regardless of him being a ball player. He loves interacting with the fans, and just an absolute caring person. We need more Gio's, not just in baseball, but in life. Reminds me of Puckett from when I was growing up, always interacting and caring about the fans. Truly a class act