With plenty of chatter about what an MLB season might (or might not) consist of this year -- and nothing yet firm -- it seems like many of the typical traditions and events that we're used to are potentially going out the window.

That's not necessarily a bad thing in some ways -- it will allow MLB to do some dramatic tinkering and some of those it might have wanted to try but couldn't pull it off for a myriad of reasons. But one thing that might not be possible or may have to wait until after the regular season ends is the All-Star Game.

The series of events that are all tied to that event include the prospector must-see Futures Game, an always forgettable (yet oddly watchable) All-Star Celebrity Softball Game and the gem of them all if you ask me ... the Home Run Derby.

And that leads to this month's item, which I was intending to hold until July, but, well, ... you know (cue the Cardi B wail) "Coronavirus!"

Keep reading to see this month's item ...

Continue reading →

With the sports world in a massive pause with everything in flux -- a weird time for sure -- I figured I'd go with the weird item in the Collecting Game-used series this month.

And you can actually call this one "Collecting Pregame-used."

The item you see above is a shirt presented to and used by an NBA player not long ago (and who was having a pretty solid campaign this year) and it's not some super-pricey piece or relatively amazing visual, though you should know some of the faces on the front. However, it was a series of locker room photos about what the team had planned for this marketing event that got me to jump on this one.

You can keep reading to see the details ... and the item in action (sorta).

Continue reading →

A new MLB season is here and that means more brand-new game-used memorabilia pieces to come -- or, really, already piling up -- as games from the spring and beyond happen.

One of those items that can be especially messy and colorful this time of year? The lineup card -- an item where you can find names early in their careers or perhaps late tries at one last go before a season where a veteran may not even play. Sometimes they can be hand-written, sometimes they can be printed and then heavily modified. And, like I said, they can get messy in the spring with plenty of guys in and out of games. These items often aren't super-impressive, but they can get pretty cheap -- I've seen them as low as $10 in the past. But, they can also can be pricey with player autographs and authentication attached. (Manager autos can sometimes arrive sort of "free" as part of the cost.)

Lineup cards can be a simple pick-up -- any card for any game for your player or your team -- or you could make it a challenge and try to find only cards where your player hit a homer, got a win, or a hit and so on. This time? It was one of those ... but it also was a card with a little more -- a detail that I didn't think about when checking a player game log.

You can keep reading to see the details.

Continue reading →

Sometimes, it's just dumb luck.

That's the lesson of this month's Collecting Game-used item. In short, this baseball had been sitting on my desk a while now -- I picked it up via a grab bag/mystery box via Fanatics for a cheap price (less than two blasters) -- and figured I'd finally do a photo check for the players noted on its MLB Authentication.

It had three names attached but none that made me really want to go look -- the downside of a mystery box -- but it turned out to be a jaw-dropper thanks to details mentioned in info from the photographer who's noted above. This swing from Wilmer Difo came in the eighth inning -- his only swing of the at-bat -- that made this one a match.

You can keep reading to see the full details ... and the ball in action.

Continue reading →

Normally, this Collecting Game-used series spotlights a recent find of mine of the complete-item variety -- a pieces of equipment matched to a specific moment from a game where I take you beyond the authentication to see precisely when it was used via photo-matching.

This is not that time -- we're going from card swatch to action.

The Topps ring mat Relic you see above shows Georges St-Pierre and is from UFC 158 and is a jumbo piece with three distinct stripes of color that seem like they aren't the norm -- and a simple image search showed me where it was from. And then when I went to the video tape, well, it became even more obvious.

You can keep reading to see the details ... and the item in action.

Continue reading →

Game-used collectors have been seriously spoiled since the arrival of the MLB Authentication program back in 2001 (I'm one of them), but there are still items that are fully authenticated that require more research for their full story to be known.

This is one of those pieces.

Sometimes, items can't be photo-matched to photos or videos because there are no obvious features or personalized touches that can make them stand out from others. However, for my final item of the year in this Collecting Game-used series, I present to you an item that I recently found that needed a little more research despite it having the coveted MLBA sticker -- but it has those obvious features. In fact, it's a piece that has so many unique features that I was able to track those touches and decipher its lifetime of use. (Well, at least as much as one can without official word from a player to know their uniform habits or info from an equipment manager, who would have been responsible for inventory and replacement of pieces when requested.)

In the case of this Cleveland Indians batting helmet, it was authenticated merely as a "team-issued" piece by MLBA in April 2014. However, the obvious use it shows is from continued play and a distinct lack of maintenance and cleaning (as likely requested by the player). It turns out to be from the entire previous season -- and that was a successful one for the team as it made it to the postseason for just the third time during the 2000s at that point. This helmet's grass, chips, impressive layers of pine tar and other marks can be documented in photos before it was taken out of storage and into collector hands.

Keep reading to see the details ... and the item in action.

Continue reading →

Collecting game-used memorabilia is dramatically different in the vintage years vs. today in many ways -- styles, materials, documentation, amount of use and, most importantly, availability.

For some sports, it's still definitely out there and available regularly -- you just have to flip through a modern auction catalog to see gamers from plenty of MLB legends, NFL stars, NHL notables and NBA greats. However, that volume dramatically changes from sport to sport and from era to era. Vintage NBA? It's just not as plentiful -- and I'm no expert here for this sport, just a casual collector who does homework -- and sometimes you have to bite the bullet and grab an item if it presents itself. Why? Because you never know if you'll ever see anything like it ever again ... even if you can't 110-percent know that it's legit. (You just have to do your homework and do it if you're confident in the piece.)

That happened to me recently with one vintage-era item from the player you see above, John Johnson. I added a piece with a few features that checked out and I believe my new addition very likely to be legit --- but I'll never know for sure.

You can keep reading to see the details ... and see this month's item.

Continue reading →

Not all gamers are super-impressive. In fact, some are nearly anonymous but since they are tied to a certain player there can be more appeal than other items that might look just like it.

This month's game-used piece? Well, it's the game-used ball above -- and it's arguably the least-impressive item of the bunch in this series so far but it's also one that cost less than the price of two blaster boxes and was in a mystery box from Fanatics. This one's all about some timing.

So, this time, we'll bring this ball's life back to life -- as least as best we can -- with its key player attached being Washington Nationals veteran Ryan Zimmerman, who had a pretty solid game on Monday and whose Nats career could be coming to an end this year.

You can keep reading to see the details.

Continue reading →

Not all game-used items are obviously documentable in this age of super-HD cameras, super-slo-mo replays and non-stop viral replay potential.

While that's tough for some to understand -- something just as perplexing as the idea that not every single little thing at a game can be authenticated and stickered -- it's also not that tough as some types of items are anonymous in their roles before our eyes. While this Collecting Game-used series has stuck with basics like caps, balls, bases and pucks in the past, this month's piece isn't one where I can definitively photo-match it to in-game action. However, it is authenticated as close as possible as it can be -- it's legit and it was a pick-up from the last days of Steiner Sports, which will be no more next month after that company was purchased by Fanatics.

What is the item? Keep reading to see the details ...

Continue reading →

Spring training items can be The Forgotten Ones when it comes to game-used stuff like jerseys, scorecards and bases. The jerseys can sometimes have numbers we don't associate with big names later (Do they count? Some say no.), while the scorecards can be messes of ink that kill all the fun details as the entire young roster gets to play while the stars are riding pine or not traveling at all. (Then there are the dreaded split-squad games ... don't get Buzz started there.)

But game-used bases? Well, they often don't get as much love as they do in-season, but they also might get used longer than the typical three-inning lifetime that's the norm for teams that sell them -- sometimes bringing them directly to fans' seats after they are bought in-game. That can mean you get more dirt, more grime and more moments attached to your game-used piece.

The base you see here? It's my first and it caught my attention mostly because of its price -- spring gamers can be cheaper, too -- but a glance at the box score and one player's game log made this one a no-brainer buy.

Keep reading to see the details ...

Continue reading →

They can't all be the longballs.

In fact, most game-used baseballs that arrive into collectors' hands are far from that. They're often the near-anonymous pitch in the dirt or an even worse (unless you collect pitchers) swing-and-miss that touched absolutely nothing but leather.

But this one from Curtis Granderson? It's a bit different -- and the video I found researching this one shows you nearly every step in the life of this baseball.

You can keep reading to see the details ... and the ball in action.

Continue reading →

Game-used hockey pucks aren't all that flashy of an item compared to baseballs which are prepped for game use and then collect dirt and damage through their life of play -- it's just one way hockey's just a little different than other sports.

Sure, damage can and is done but you won't necessarily see it on every puck. But when it comes to those glorious goal-loving (and smelly) rubber rocks, there is some oldschool charm in how they are taped and marked after use. It's something that's been done for years -- and that can make a gamer more interesting along with, of course, elusive action photos of them in use.

The example you see here? It's a top-notch photo but the puck just isn't in the original frame -- but you can tell where it is by the direction Los Angeles Kings defenseman Derek Forbort and goalie Jonathan Quick are looking. Spoiler: It's a top-shelf goal by Florida Panthers star Evgenii Dadonov.

You can keep reading to see the details ... and the puck in action.

Continue reading →

As said last month, not all game-used baseballs are the same, despite the fact that they're all a pair of leather panels with 108 stitches holding it all together.

And this one is not like last month's ball at all.

This one arrived via a Boston Red Sox mystery box over on MLBShop.com with the only guarantees that this one would be MLB Authenticated and could be from any time between 2013 and 2017 -- that first season being one where the Sox won the World Series.

You can keep reading to see the details ...

Continue reading →

Collecting game-used memorabilia isn't as tough as it used to be, but matching a game-used item to it being used isn't easy at all. In fact, it can be downright impossible in many instances.

But not all -- and that's where PSA's new photo-matching game-used bat examination service comes in.

“It is not merely a style or model match, but instead an exact match to that item,” said Joe Orlando, Collectors Universe CEO, in a prepared statement. “While finding a true match can be difficult, there is no question that a confirmation can add value to a bat, even one that is already considered a high-grade example.”

Continue reading →

Not all game-used baseballs are the same, despite the fact that they're all a pair of leather panels with 108 stitches holding it all together.

Some are hits or other big plays -- others are beanballs -- but many are fouled off or even semi-meaningless pitches in the dirt that quickly get discarded from play in favor for a cleaner ball that won't act erratically when they fly due to foreign substances.

The ball you see here? It was used for less than two minutes two summers ago by emerging Atlanta Braves star Mike Foltynewicz, who'll make his MLB debut for this season this weekend. This ball was used for just under two minutes -- just five pitches -- before it ended up in a Fanatics game-used ball mystery box.

You can keep reading to see the details ...

Continue reading →

David Robertson will soon take the mound for just his third big-league franchise as the closer on a Philadelphia Phillies team that includes one of MLB's biggest stars as well as a number of young players all looking for one thing.

A World Series ring.

Robertson got one of those a decade ago when he was in just his second year with the New York Yankees. Since then, he's racked up 137 saves (11th-best among active players once Craig Kimbrel re-signs) and despite that success he's not the easiest player to collect. Want a certified autograph card of him in any MLB uniform? It doesn't exist. That alone should be enough to have you reacting like this.

But that's where a little collecting game-used comes in ... at least for my collection.

Continue reading →

Brandon Nimmo's path to Major League Baseball and a spot in the New York Mets lineup is far from a traditional one as he grew up in Wyoming where playing high school baseball isn't even an option.

He's a product of American Legion play -- and already a Hall of Famer there -- but that didn't stop him from being taken 13th in the 2011 MLB Draft and making his big-league debut three years ago at age 23. Nimmo, whose first prospect cards can be found in 2011 releases and who has just three Rookie Cards from 2016, was one of the Mets' bright spots last season with 17 homers in 140 games while hitting .263. The homers were third on the team behind Michael Conforto, Todd Frazier and Asdrubal Cabrera ... but that's not why we're here today.

Nimmo led all of MLB with 22 HBPs -- and the ball you see above connected for one last season.

Continue reading →

Compare the schedules of the Cleveland Indians and the Cleveland Browns and it should be obvious that NFL collectors just don't have as many ways to land game-used memorabilia.

There's a big difference between 16 and 162 games -- just not as much stuff gets used in the NFL -- but there's also got to be a difference in how game-used memorabilia gets out and into fans' hands despite some similarities. Both leagues have auction sites and some teams sell their stuff to the public or memorabilia companies, of course, but it's clear that it's just not as easy to find game-used memorabilia from football teams.

That's what makes the pieces that you can find a big deal -- there's plenty of potential demand but not much supply at all. Fanatics is one company that has deals with a few NFL teams and it receives a small volume of items regularly during the season. Pieces arrive and sell rather quickly if you watch the company's site -- there are literally no Browns game-used footballs available as I type this (unless you count the plaques where the company cut one up). Meanwhile, not that long ago, there were a few options.

That's where this tale of a new gem in my collection comes from.

Continue reading →

It's something we haven't (yet?) seen in a trading card, but post-game celebration confetti isn't just fodder for random eBay auctions any more. 

With a new NFL season here, Buzz was curious if any new memorabilia or other pieces had popped up yet via Fanatics, which helps bring new game-used, Rookie Premiere-used and autographs to the masses when they're not found in packs of cards.

And that's when I found this unique gem of sorts. It's a 10-inch tall display for the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles and its the home of a capsule of post-game confetti from Super Bowl LII. It's a $99.99 item ... and it's not alone. 

Continue reading →

Wade LeBlanc's career numbers probably won't shock you, but the left-hander has been good enough long enough to stick around in Major League Baseball for a decade.

This journeyman has been a Padre, a Marlin, an Astro, an Angel, a Yankee, an Angel again, a Blue Jay, a Mariner, a Pirate, a Yankee again and a Mariner once again in 10 MLB seasons. In the right here right now, you'll see him leading the headlines on the Seattle Mariners section of MLB.com as he struck out a career-high 10 batters last night as he upped his career record to 36-36. He's 6-1 with a 3.44 ERA and 76 strikeouts this season and is on pace for a career year in wins (8-12 his best back in 2010) and strikeouts (110 that same year).

Along the way to this point, though, he's also played elsewhere. He's been a Buffalo Bison, a Seibu Lion (yes, Japan), a Salt Lake Bee, an Oklahoma City RedHawk, a New Orleans Zephyr, a Tucson Padre, a Portland Beaver, a San Antonio Mission, a Lake Elsinore Storm(er?), a Fort Wayne Wizard and a Eugene Emerald.

But why are you hearing all of this about a guy who's gone from starter to bullpen guy and back to starter but still ultimately a common in any baseball card parlance?

Continue reading →

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: Fanatics Texas Rangers game-used baseball mystery box
The cost: $39.95

What's inside this box? Keep reading ...

Continue reading →

Do you like Buzz Breaks? Today's your day then as we launch 12 in 12 -- a series of a dozen breaks of wax boxes and wax packs in a dozen hours. We'll post one every hour all day long ... this is Hour 8.

The box: Fanatics Authentic Houston Astros game-used baseball mystery box
The cost: $39.95

What's inside this one? Keep reading ...

Continue reading →

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: Fanatics Seattle Mariners game-used baseball mystery box
The cost: $29.95 (via JCPenney.com)

What's inside this A+ box? Keep reading ...

Continue reading →

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: Fanatics Philadelphia Phillies game-used baseball mystery box
The cost: $39.95 (via JCPenney.com)

What's inside this box? Keep reading ...

Continue reading →

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: Fanatics Authentic Oakland A's game-used baseball mystery box
The cost: $29.95 (via JCPenney.com)

What's inside this box? Keep reading ...

Continue reading →