Keys, Shorebirds selling the shirts off their backs

Most baseball-crazy folks collect things that have some personal meaning, some hoard everything they can get their hands on with a team logo on it and still others focus their devotion to a specific player. And then there are the folks who see only the future in their motive for collecting, adding an item to their array of baseball goodies while a player is still riding backwoods buses and sleeping in a host family's home in the minor leagues in the hopes that a major league call-up will make their minor league trinket a lot more valuable some day. What if you could wrap all of those motivations together in one collectible? If so, the Frederick Keys and Delmarva Shorebirds have a little sale going on that might interest you. The Keys, the Orioles' Single-A affiliate in the Carolina League, are clearing out their clubhouse in a post-Mills Cup championship frenzy and divesting themselves of a bunch of game-worn home and road jerseys, and batting practice jerseys. You can have the shirts off the backs of Keys players and staff - even those donned by rehabbing Orioles players who appeared with the Keys - but only for a limited time. Home and road jerseys are $200 each, while BP jerseys can be yours for $85. Home jerseys have a player's name and number on the back, while batting practice tops carry only the number, not the name. OK, I know what you're wondering and I'll answer that question right now. No, the jerseys worn by 2010 first-round draft pick Manny Machado are not available. But those worn by manager Orlando Gomez, second-generation O's property Steven Bumbry, ex-Oriole and now Keys coach Mike Devereaux, and O's September call-up Kyle Hudson are. Maybe a Mike Flacco jersey can find a home next to your purple Joe Flacco framed, autographed Ravens jersey. A full list of what's available can be found here. A $12 shipping and handling fee will be added to each jersey, and packages will be shipped via U.S. Postal Service Priority Mail, with insurance and delivery confirmation. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with any questions. Another O's farm team, the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds of the South Atlantic League, have been holding a similar sale since mid-September, shortly after their season ended. A chart listing the available jerseys - in black, white and orange - as well as batting practice jerseys can be found here. Delmarva home whites and black alternate tops cost $150, gray jerseys are $125 and orange BP jerseys run $75. Jerseys will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis (meaning some of those listed on the chart may no longer be available). For more information, call Jimmy Sweet at 410-219-3112, ext. 121.