My AMAZING Trip Down To Spring Training! Autographs Galore! UPDATED! More Autos

[Bikeage77]

I'm not an autograph guy at all, but what's the deal with the sweet spot and some guys will and some won't sign there?

 

On a regular ball, the sweetspot is the best way of presenting the auto. Therefore, it's also has the most value (if that's your thing). Because guys are under various contracts with memoribilia places, they have a condition where they can't sign on the sweetspot. Some guys will break that here and there I'm sure.

 

By rule of thumb, I usually request if they sweet spot it. Traditionally the sweetspot is reserved for the manager. Minor leaguers especially need a request because they aren't well known yet and they almost always will sign somewhere else on the ball, keeping that space open for the manager.

 

When I was at spring training, a met a kid who caught Sammy Sosa on the way to his car. He requested the sweetspot, and Sosa replied "don't tell me where to sign" gave him the sweetspot, but the side where it's printed Rawlings Official Major League Baseball etc. OUCH.

[Fatter than Joey]

By rule of thumb, I usually request if they sweet spot it. Traditionally the sweetspot is reserved for the manager. Minor leaguers especially need a request because they aren't well known yet and they almost always will sign somewhere else on the ball, keeping that space open for the manager.

 

Yeah, if you are some player like Tim Dillard, and you sign the SS, and then that ball gets handed to Macha -- that player is never going to hear the end of it -- in a kangaroo court sort of way.

 

http://www.ichabodscollectibles.com/images/Dodger4.jpg

 

You can see Durocher and Alston on the SS

 

http://www.gasolinealleyantiques.com/sports/baseball/images/mariners/mariners-83teamball2.JPG

 

That's a Mariner ball -- Del Crandall on the SS.