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 info@frederickkeys.com 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.