A buyer's guide to Albert Pujols game-used bats

Copyright 2006, Birdbats.com

by Jeff Scott

I receive many e-mails asking my opinion about Albert Pujols bats that people are considering buying. Unfortunately, it seems most of those bats have some characteristic that isn't consistent with use by Albert. So, to help Pujols collectors make more-informed buying decisions, I've put together a quick reference guide that offers tips and opinions that, I hope, will at least cause potential buyers to think twice before spending big bucks on a Pujols bat.

It's no secret that Albert swaps bats with other players. In the past, bats used by Albert with other players' names on the barrel were common at the Busch Stadium Team Store. The most recent example is an Aramis Ramirez model Max Bat used by Pujols in 2006. Accounts of other players using Pujols models also are common, especially current and former teammates like Hector Luna and Edgar Renteria. Just because Albert's name is on the barrel is no guarantee that he used it.

So, what should collectors look for in a Pujols bat? Obviously, any bat should have proper markings. On a Louisville Slugger, for example, if the 125 is underlined or there's no model number after "Genuine," it's a promotional bat, not a gamer. Fellow Pujols collector Rob Steinmetz has owned three Pujols bats without the model number showing game use, and they all came from credible sources. It's possible these promo bats were used in games, but knowing how choosy Albert is about the wood he wields (he "thumps" the bat next to his ear to judge the quality of the wood and rejects those that don't pass the sound test), you have to wonder whether these inferior-wood bats were used by Albert in actual major league games.

Source: Your safest bet is to buy a Pujols bat directly from the Cardinals. They sometimes are available at stadium auctions or online auctions benefiting the Cardinals Care charity. A word of caution, though - the Cardinals aren't always as diligent as you'd hope when it comes to gamers. In past years, I've seen off-brand Pujols bats auctioned that I really question. The team is better about it now, but I'd bet some older LOAs have been attached to batting practice bats and Pujols bats used by other players.

If you can't buy directly from the Cardinals, buy from someone who has. Ask the seller for a Cardinals LOA; if they purchased a bat from the team, they should have no problem producing an accompanying letter.

Pujols does sell some game-used equipment direct to the public through his Pujols Family Foundation (PFF) Web site. Unfortunately, game-used bats have been rare. In late December 2005, two signed, game-used bats were offered for $6,000 each; they eventually were pulled from the site and later auctioned at live events.

If you can't buy a Pujols bat from the Cardinals or PFF and need to rely on dealers or eBay sellers, there are several more things to consider.

Manufacturer: Albert uses many different brands of bats. During the past couple of seasons, he's shown a preference for Sam Bat. However, he's also used Louisville Slugger, X-Bat, Old Hickory and others. During his first two seasons, Albert did use Rawlings bats; but during the past two seasons, he's used Rawlings in just two games (both in 2005). When asked by collectors, Albert says he has never used a Mizuno during a regular-season game and there is no photo evidence to dispute that claim. For a complete list of bats used by Albert from 2005-07, click here.

My recommendation regarding Pujols bats is to purchase either a Louisville Slugger or Sam Bat. That doesn't mean other bats are automatically bad, but the numbers don't lie. The odds of a Rawlings or Easton bat being an actual gamer are slim. Be especially wary of X-Bats made prior to 2006 because the general public could purchase bats identical to those used by players. These retail bats had the flag of the Dominican Republic on the handle (pro bats did not have the flag). When you see these for sale as "gamers," the flag usually remains. If there is no flag, look for a rectangular void in the bat finish indicating where a flag may have been removed.

Model: Albert favors the Louisville Slugger I13L, but also has received and used the I13, C243, M356 and R205. His Sam Bats are either SG1, JB1 or JB1(S)SG1 models. X-Bats will be labeled "Model 24/Pro Maple 34" or "Model 13/Pro Maple 34" and should not have any kind of flag on the handle. Old Hickory bats are labeled "Custom Pro AP5" or "34.0 PRO JL18."

If you're considering a Louisville Slugger, make sure the bat conforms to Albert's specs. Most of his bats are 34" long, but there are some that measure 34.5". Weights run from 31 ounces to 32.5 ounces, though he did receive a dozen bats in 2005 that were 36 ounces (perhaps he wanted a heavier bat for batting practice). Remember, a bat could look legit, but if it's too heavy, it probably was made for promotional purposes. A list of Albert's LS bat orders and specs (through early 2005) is available here.

Pine tar: I've seen a few Pujols bats that were just caked in pine tar. That's not consistent with what I've witnessed during Albert's career. I've gone back through photos since 2001 and can't find him using a bat with heavy tar. Typically, his bats show darkened wood from the label toward the knob about 12 inches; the area where he grips the bat is typically lighter, almost clean. This photo is a collage of bats from 2001 to 2005. As you can see, the pine tar is light and the pattern is very distinct.

Use: It seems Albert doesn't use bats very long. It's unusual to see one of his bats look really hammered (again, refer to this photo). Albert bats with the label up, so ball marks should appear above the barrel stampings on the "right hand hitter's side." Visible ink transfers should be blue on all Pujols bats (except World Series-used bats; those should show gold ink). Because Albert hits the ball so hard, you also should see seam impressions in the wood.

Knob: The one place where Albert's bats lack consistency is in the way the knobs are marked (see photo). Sometimes the "5" will be large, sometimes it'll be small. Sometimes the length and weight will be noted, sometimes it won't. In the past, Albert would write "Game" on his favorite bats, but he wasn't even consistent in how he did that. Some batting practice bats will have "BP" on the knob. In 2005, Albert sometimes used numbering labels provided by Schutt Sports. In spite of all that, if you've seen enough Pujols bats, you usually can recognize legitimately marked bats and spot the suspicious ones.

Other characteristics: Because the bat box in the Cardinals dugout at Busch II was painted red, a typical Pujols bat prior to 2006 (in fact, any Cardinals player's bat) will have red marks around the barrel end. Sure, some bats may never have been stored in the home dugout; they could have been used and broken on the road before ever seeing use at Busch. But, red paint around the end certainly is something to look for on a bat used from 2001-2005. You might also notice an indentation or ring around the bat about 10 inches up from the barrel end. That would be from the on-deck weight Pujols swings before each at-bat.

Autographs: Although he did sign bats early in his career, Albert rarely signs bats anymore - not even for Cardinals Care. If you see a recent bat with Albert's signature, make sure it comes from an impeccable source, like LaRussa's ARF (the source for this bat).

Final thoughts: An Albert Pujols game-used bat is a huge investment for most of us. His unsigned bats commonly sell for $2,000 to $4,000, depending on manufacturer and provenance. Before you spend that amount of cash, make sure you've done your homework and know what you're buying.

Just because a bat comes with a letter of authenticity - even from respected sources like PSA/DNA or MEARS - don't go into a purchase blindly. Trust me, the authenticators who sign those letters are nice guys who know their stuff - but they are not watching every at bat, talking with people inside the Cardinals organization or examining virtually every Pujols bat that is offered at auction by the Cardinals. Their letters will tell you a bat is a Pujols model consistent with factory records, and that it is used - but they're usually careful not to say that Pujols used the bat.

Frankly, unless he walked from home plate to the stands and handed me the bat personally, I couldn't tell you whether Pujols used a specific bat, either. But, because I do watch every at bat and have examined many actual Pujols bats offered by the Cardinals, I have a much more informed idea of what to look for in a Pujols gamer. Now that you've read this, I hope you do, too.

Updated 11/28/06