Big Lead Sports Bar

1/28/2008

Bargains Galore at PirateFest

In case you missed it, PirateFest went down this weekend. You know, the annual offseason gathering of the worst organization in baseball to try and enthuse their fans for yet another season full of letdowns. With the momentum of offseason acquisition Chris Gomez to drive traffic, the Pirates somehow managed to get 14,511 Pittsburghers through the doors, the third-highest total in PirateFest history. I guess anything's possible when the Steelers are done and the Penguins are at the All-Star break.
At the very least, though, you can say that Jason Bay is not too enthused about his team's prospects of turning it around this year. Because if anyone's qualified to call out his team, it's a guy whose numbers went from 35/109/.286 in 2006 to 21/84/.247 in 2007.
In addition to free autographs from the likes of Brian Bixler and Nyjer Morgan, the Buccaneers were also having a memorabilia sale. And guess whose "officially used" Pirate merchandise you could buy? Raul Mondesi!
Reader Dave sent in this note and photo:

Had to share this acquisition from Piratefest with you. The Pirates were selling nameplates from lockers at a booth with the game used jerseys. One pile was from Mother's Day 2004. Good thing the Pirates decided to finally sell this for the breast cancer charity, four years later! They were $20 per. I picked up the Mondesi and offered $10. This was too big of a decision for the cashier so he summoned a lady in the booth. While she was contemplating my offer, I interjected, 'Nobody in their right mind is going to pay you $20 for Mondesi's locker plate, even for charity. Think about it.'

$10 is probably too much for anything related to Raul Mondesi, but given the fact that I could get some comedic value out of it, I'll give my stamp of approval to the purchase.
I was at the original PirateFest, way back in 1990. I stood in line for hours waiting to meet Bobby Bonilla, and getting his signature on that 1987 Topps card with the wood borders would probably net me about $5 today. But the experience of all that waiting, and then finally meeting a disinterested Bobby Bo...I'll remember it for a lifetime.

Bay disappointed about lack of Pirates' offseason moves [PG]

Bucs wrap up 2008 PirateFest [MLB.com]

1 comment:

The Duke from Dukes Court said...

Did Dave end up getting the Mondesi nameplate for $10 or $20?

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I also have that Bobby Bo card, (unsigned), in fact the wood bordered 87 tops set was the first set of baseball cards I ever collected.