Collecting Game-used: Touched by an Angel's baseball bat

Big name, small price ... I couldn't pass on that.

My latest item in this Collecting Game-used series is a little different than a lot of my buys when it comes to MLB Authenticated baseballs. Most times, I go the mystery-box route on the cheap with key dates or certain teams with players I like or collect among the likely possibilities, but this one was a straight-up buy -- still on the cheap -- recently. Why? That's because it was used for a pair of pitches from a newcomer on a World Series winner to one of the biggest names in the game today.

The price? Less than a retail mega box of whatever new card brand you like -- a certainty with this item this time vs. playing the possibilities of what might from packs. The possibility will get me often, but this time a game-used future Hall of Famer in my stash here works just fine with That Mike Trout Guy attached. (He good.)

Keep reading to see the details this time ... and the ball in action.

THE BASICS ...
Game-used ball (MLB Authenticated): Los Angeles Angels vs. Houston Astros -- June 3, 2023
Watch it in action: See both pitches embedded below via MLB Film Room.

-

..

-

..

-

The matchup: Astros SP Cristian Javier vs. Angels OF Mike Trout
The results: Called strike and then a foul ball in the third inning of a 9-6 Astros victory

What's Buzz-worthy: The end result of the at-bat here was a K but this ball was the start of that five-pitch at-bat, surviving for just two pitches against one of the game's greats. Trout watched it come inside and then swung at the second pitch from Javier, fouling it back to the net and into authenticator hands for its documentation. The pitch was essentially right down the middle and the ball has a meaty mark from his bat and even a perhaps line where it looks like it took some dye off the net, too. Trout finished the game 1-for-5 with an RBI, while Shohei Ohtani went 4-for-5 with a couple of extra-base hits (double, triple) and two RBI to lead the way. Ultimately, it was Javier's day, who struck out five (Trout twice) as part of a six-hit, six-inning appearance to get his seventh win of the year and fifth start in a row. Alex Bregman hit a grand slam for the Astros as part of the win, which was his only hit along with four walks, while, later in the game, Astros pitcher Jose Soriano made his MLB debut. All in all, this game looks like it was a good one but ultimately this ball was just a small part of the action ... but with a big name and a small price it's a solid item in my game-used baseball collection.

--

>> See all past Collecting Game-used stories from Buzz here

--

Follow Buzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz or send email to BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com. 

>> Click here to buy baseball cards on BlowoutCards.com