I was walking through the Braintree Mall — South Shore Plaza — on Monday when I wandered into New England Picture Company, a sports memorabilia store where I bought a few autographs online as a kid.

By that point, I had already bought two pairs of jeans from Express, resisted the aggressive sales pitch of a skincare kiosk worker, paused my search for the perfect quarter zip, and felt sad after seeing puppies behind glass at one of the only six stores in Massachusetts that sell them. So I figured I’d see what autographs go for these days. Fifteen years ago, I bought a signed and framed Daniel Bard photo from this company for $29.

There were no obvious bargains. But something stood out.

A Roman Anthony signed photo was displayed next to a David Ortiz signed photo — and Anthony’s cost more.

The Anthony picture was listed at either $319.99 or $349.99. It looked like a black marker had crossed out part of the four. Supposedly, it was “on sale” – from $500. The Ortiz photo was $299.99, marked down from $450.

I’ve done enough shopping lately to know the sale price is the real price. Kohl’s, Express, J.Crew Factory, and Nordstrom Rack all run versions of the same tactic.

But that isn’t the point.

The point is this: an autograph from a player who hasn’t played a full MLB season is selling for more than that of arguably the greatest designated hitter of all time — a man who helped the Red Sox win three World Series titles in 2004, 2007, and 2013.

Anthony had a terrific rookie season. He hit .292 with eight home runs and a .396 on-base percentage in 71 games. He finished third in American League Rookie of the Year voting despite beginning the year in Worcester, enduring a rough first 15 games in the majors (despite hitting the ball hard), and later missing time with an oblique injury that sidelined him for the final 22 games and the American League Wild Card series against the Yankees.

Expectations are sky high.

He was MLB.com’s No. 1 prospect last year. He’s on Team USA’s roster for next month’s World Baseball Classic. The Red Sox signed him to an eight-year, $130 million contract that could climb to $230 million with incentives. And he’s 21.

Meanwhile, Ortiz has more home runs in a Red Sox uniform than everyone except Ted Williams.

Seventy-one games.

More than $300.

More than Big Papi.

Maybe the store is right.

Maybe in 10 years, that Roman Anthony autograph will look like a steal.

If Anthony turns into the player people think he will, that price won’t look crazy at all. That’s the bet the Red Sox and their fans are making this season.

But it’s a reminder of how sports fans operate. They don’t just pay for what someone has done. They pay for what we think they’re about to become.

And in Boston, hope apparently costs more than history.

[Editor’s note: I interviewed Roman Anthony for NewBostonPost in 2024 and 2025, before he made his MLB debut. You can find those articles here and here.]