O/T: A-Rod's 3000th hit ball
 

I always enjoy reading the stories about the people that catch significant home run balls. This is one of the more interesting ones!

Cheers,
Steve

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/13...yankees-player

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/06/20...html?referrer=

There have been other stories about this A-Hole. He's a giant jackass who runs people over, knocks them down, jumps over them, etc.

I hope he either keeps it forever or sells it for major $$$$$$!

Profit on the wealthy!

To hell with A-Roid.

I moved this to the front page, from the water cooler section, because of interest. I feel the guy is making a good decision to wait. He seems like a really good guy. I hope he profits a ton off of it.

Haha, and here I was trying to post in the appropriate section by putting it in the watercooler...

Maybe the title can change to an O/T label...

Cheers,
Steve

I wouldn't give it back. As much as I love Derek Jeter I don't think I'd give it back to him either for free.

I'm sure Jeter's 3000th hit ball would have went for far more on the open market then A-Rod's, probably well north of 100 grand. However, the A-Rod may still be 50 grand or more, which is a very nice chunk of change for an average Joe. That is a years salary or close to it for many people.

I'm pretty confident that A-Rod, Jeter, or any other player wouldn't just willingly hand me over a years salary(5-30 million!) under any circumstance. Even if I saved their life!

You did good my friend....thank you for being conscientious.......

I'd do what the Scrubs did to the Bartman ball. Blow the ball up and he'll see just what he and those tainted 3,000 hits mean.

If the guy uses his head, he will put it up for auction right away. Or he could always ask for a ferrari for it.

Pitch In,a charity the guy is involved with. 1 option he mentioned was asking the Yankees to make a donation and have A-Roid match it. That would be really awesome.

If it were me,I'd sell it and make a nice contribution to my local animal shelters. As far as A-Roid, I'd give him a juice box.

+1

Totally agree with both your options, Change the life of a child or an animal with a new home, that will last forever in your heart.
mike

While I have never met Zack, the fellow who ended up with the ball - I have been following his blog for many years and have donated via his associated charity (Pitch In For Baseball) for years as well.

We have chatted via email several times and he has helped me unsolicited to add tickets to my collection. He is passionate about his collection and hobby and makes it s point not to run people over while catching balls (despite the suggestions to the contrary). He gives balls to kids at most if not every game he attends and has several kids that look up to him as a collecting role model.

I am happy that he ended up with the ball as I believe that if the charity he supports doesn't benefit monitarily directly from the possible sale of the ball, the press will surely help.

Zack is a solid individual and will decide, as it is his perogative, what he wants to do with the ball.

The idea that he should simply give the ball back to ARod for a signed bat, a handshake and a picture is just insane. ARod has made well into 9 figures in his career -- he can buy it for the ball's fair market value if he wants. It's not even arguably his property anyway, especially once the ball left the yard.

My guess is the ball is worth between 50-100K, no more. The dude who caught it seems like a good guy and has a good handle on what ARod is, namely, a douche. I hope he maximizes his financial opportunity much the way ARod has at every turn.

Not a fan of ARod at all such a doucher and supremely selfish in my opinion. If I caught the ball I would say ok, if you want the ball back it will cost you one game check no negotiation. Whats that about $180,000? If you want the ball I don't think giving up something that takes you 3 hours to earn is in anyway too much to ask.

I'd give 1/2 the 180k to charity (of my choice not his) then bank the rest. In no way would I settle for season tickets, that is not a sacrifice on anyone's part since they have gone unsold anyway.

The 3000 hit ball for one game check, yeah that seems fair to me.

Okay... Here Goes
 

what I see as what is Really at hand here!?
THiS iS a MaJOR Opportunity for Mr. Rodriguez to ReBUiLD Some of HiS Reputation!

He Should Announce that fir the Next 10 Games he will play fir free...
Donating Every dime to a Charity of Mr. Hample's CHOiCE!!!

Mr. Hample should also receive Season Tickets fir Life and All the Dogs He CaN EaT. PLuS a NiCE FaT Check of His Own...
Those with God GiVeN Talents should Understand the Needs of those who "Just Get By!"

And iN the End... the Ball Player won't even feel the bump in the road!

So... Whattya Say Mr. Rodrigues!?!?
TiMe ta Show uS Wee Folk dat ya have a heart beatin iN dat Armani...

Since I collect bats...if I caught the ball, I'd propose trading it to him for THE bat he used for hit 3000.

PS- I heard that the HOF collected his bat & uniform, anyone else hear that?

I like it!

Can't stand arod....it pains me as he passes legitimate ballplayers as a DH.

Beyond that the stadium charges fans $50 for parking and $8 for a soda pop, the best argument I've read for why the fan should be allowed to do what he wants with the ball is: the team and tickets say it's totally the fan's responsibility and fault if a flying ball hits them in the head or a splintered bat pierces his skull, so the team gives up any moral argument that they somehow deserve a baseball back that flies into the crowd.

I've heard totally different stories about zack how he will push anyone out of the way to get a ball.

There is a ZERO % chance that I would EVER consider just giving the ball to A-rod, or giving it up in exchange for a handshake, tickets and any other bull crap the Yankees or AR would offer.

This is a billion dollar franchise and AR is not from being a billionaire himself.

100 grand can completely change the lives of the major majority of people. He needs to strike while the iron is hot and get paid now before AR tests positive again or something like that.

Is anything related to ARoid really all that valuable? He was not well liked before he got busted several times for juicing. IMO, he'll end up in the same box with Palmiero - a forgotten relic.

McGwire, Sosa, Bonds - all have some part in the story of their time, and thus some interest, albeit sharly reduced. ARod was just a highly paid boring numbers guy.

The prices for Bonds, McGwire and Sosa game used, autographs etc have fallen drastically since the steroid revelations. Though they still have value. McGwire autographs in particular used to very expensive.

On the flip side, Maris items are hot.

This, plus 1 big time....

Interesting idea when you put it into perspective like that. One game salary for the ball sounds better than flat out asking for that much haha. I'd do the same bank half of it and spend the rest on t206's, liquor, and cheap hookers !

You refer to purchasing a low grade T206 Hooker while pounding down a few drinks, right?

;)

I went to the game with my wife and friends and I can say we had a wonderful time. The guy who caught the ball is a regular at Yankee Stadium and I have seen him at work. Swapping hats depending who he is asking to toss him a ball that along with his youthful dress get him quite a few balls each game. I have never seen him push anyone to get a ball.
As a big Yankee fan who was at the game and was in the bleachers for Jeter's 3000th Hit /HR as well, I would not just give back. If the Player/Yankees/Hall of Fame want the ball they have the resources to get it. As For Arod one of the Best Baseball Players of his or any era. Also a Human being who made mistakes and paid a heavy price. I see him walk over to the Fans almost every game and sign a few autograph's before the game and he appears to enjoy the opportunity he has to play the game of Baseball and I and many fans enjoy watching him do it. Baseball is the Best game on the planet

Taken about 20 minutes before 3000th hit

Cool photo

John I can respect you being a Yankee fan. But it seems like your giving A-Roid the benefit of the doubt here. Signing autographs every-game ?? You don't think he's wearing a mask doing that ? It's all about trying to change his tarnished image. He's not fooling anyone.

Josh I cannot see into Arod's or anyone's heart and mind. All I can share is my experience. Which has more value than my opinion.
I have a small partial season ticket package and have seen Mr. Rodriguez reach out to many kids and enrich their lives and have never seen him look to publicize any of it. And not just this year as long as he has been with the Team.
Jonathan

A-rod is only signing because he wants people to like him. Roger Clemens did the same thing. So did Giambi (though to be fair he's always been great to the fans) and even notorious non-signer Mark McGwire. He signed up a storm when he returned to the Cardinals. I wonder why. Maybe it had to do with the last thing anyone remembered about him when he left.

I respect both opinions. I would just say that by either persons logic, A-Rod is damned if he does, damned if he don't.

More or less. This is a true statement. But I feel like the time he's doing this is suspect.

That said if he is actually doing great things and reaching out to kids having an impact then that's good for them. NOT him. He's still a classless douche.

Again sorry I know you're a Yankees fan Yanksfan09. I'm sure you've heard him called worse. But the ship has sailed for him to play Mr. Nice Guy. I will say that I'm happy that you guys are playing better than the Red Suxx. Does that make my statement on him ok lol ?

"I LoVe BaSeBaLL!!!" :)

Yeah, I gave up on trying to defend A-Rod after he got caught lying and cheating a second time. I don't think he's great guy or anything but was just trying to be fair and point out that everything A-Rod does is scrutinized and criticized. He could cure cancer tomorrow and people would still think he did it just to repair his image or whatever. However, he brought this all on himself.

I heard that someone on twitter offered him 300k, probably fake, but he said he expected something within that neighborhood. Just for reference that is about .1% of A-Fraud's estimated net worth, I think he can "swing it".

As a lifelong yankees fan...I never liked AROD. I respect his abilities...he is quite a specimen...and like bonds and others...didn't need to take drugs but chose to...and LIED about it over and over again...so they are all LIARS...and their records are TAINTED...and they likely do deserve to be in the hall of fame someday imo...because they were the best in the game during their time...with drugs or not.

When I first heard who caught the 3000 hit ball...it was such irony to me...then the story the following day about hample taking a porn star to a game 3 days prior. His having caught the ball and did what he did has dramatically increased the value of the ball...and imo this ball will always command big bucks because of the story...and there are a lot of rich new yorkers out there!!!!

+1

If by some strange stretch of the imagination I caught a significant ball from any ballplayers career I would tell the team to pound sand. From where I sit it is all about money and always will be. It seems the teams and players can charm fans with some insignificant trinkets and they will swoon over the chance to be within 3 feet of the player. What they offer is of little value to them, though some silly fans put some extra value on the experience. Two days later you are still some hump sitting in the bleachers and they are laughing about it. I think these players need to learn to live without the ball or pay fair collector's value.

Just read that Pete. What a lucky bastard he is. Just because he can snag fly balls he get's to take Lisa Ann to a game. I hope he got to go to her hotel after. :D

Chicks dig the long ball.

Not only that, but this is an organization that turns a simple, reasonable request that fans refrain from cursing and wearing offensive clothing into a free speech issue:

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8199/...f2a97447_b.jpg

I haven't been to the fake phony counterfeit Yankee Stadium since 2012, and I don't plan to go back any time soon, but if memory serves me right, the "souvenir" sodas were $6 - and they don't provide lids!

It's easy for someone with no vested interest to tell Hample that it's his moral obligation to give "A-Roid" the ball. I wonder, if they were to catch a mile$tone ball would they be just as quick to hand it over to the player who hit it?

If I caught someone's 500th homer I'd have no trouble trading the baseball for the bat and jersey, along with a certificate from the team/player. If they don't want to do that, then I'll keep the baseball and sell it.

Individual accomplishments are still made with or without the baseball. So A-rod still has 3,000 hits. Because he doesn't have the baseball doesn't mean he didn't accomplish it. I never understood that POV. That the baseball belongs to the player because its his accomplishment. The baseball is not the accomplishment. It belongs to me because I caught it.

Means more to the Yanks and Alex than myself. I'd give it to him, it's just a fricken baseball for goodness. Who cares who hit it or what milestone, way more special to them than to myself.

Zack did that with Trout's first hr ball.


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It's not just a baseball to someone in debt, with a family to support, with little means to support themselves. If it was just a baseball the player wouldn't want it. There are baseballs in the dug out.

O/T: A-Rod's 3000th hit ball
 

I guess I forgot to include different circumstances :). But, it is just a baseball attached to a memory and a number. That's just my view on giving it back. But if financial issues etc, yes no problem in selling.


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If it was a just a baseball like any baseball, you could then give ARod a different ball and he'd be happy. In fact, he and the Yankees wouldn't even be asked for that ball.

You can fairly argue that it's irrational for people to sentimental about a particular ball that looks just like many others, but humans are sentimental. Our world economy, political and social structures are in part based on sentimentality and psychology.

As is the entire concept of collecting sports memorabilia. :)