Signed photos of Mets shortstop Wilmer Flores crying sold out

ByDarren Rovell ESPN logo
Friday, August 21, 2015

Signed photos of Wilmer Flores crying on the night he thought he was traded have sold out.

Steiner Sports, the memorabilia firm that had the New York Mets shortstop sign the photos at a signing earlier this month, said Friday that all of the 8-by-10-inch signed photos ($70) and the 16-by-20s ($90) have been purchased.

When word got out that the company was selling the photos, some fans didn't think of it as a complete positive.

"That's awfully cruel to monetize that moment," tweeted one fan.

"Why would he agree to sign those?" tweeted another.

Brandon Steiner of Steiner Sports said that he didn't think selling the photos was in bad taste and didn't get any brushback from Flores about signing the photos.

"I'm surprised at all the fuss," Steiner said. "It was an emotional moment and showed how much he cared for playing for the team. We thought it was a magical Met moment that fans would enjoy."

The photo is of a reflective Flores with tears in eyes as he walks in the Mets dugout on July 29 during a game versus the San Diego Padres. Word had circulated through Twitter during the game that Flores was getting traded with Zack Wheeler to the Brewers for Carlos Gomez. An affected Flores -- who was signed by the Mets as an international free agent out of Venezuela in 2007 -- continued to play, and the fans gave him a standing ovation for his service. When the game was over, the Mets announced the trade didn't happen because the team was concerned over Gomez's health.

Two days later, Flores hit a walk-off home run against the Nationals in extra innings, and when he came in for a public signing for Steiner last week, 250 fans showed up.

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