The fly ball Aaron Judge dropped in World Series Game 5 is up for auction

[Gary Dunaier]

MLB has a couple of pretty significant game-used balls from the 2024 World Series in their current "2024 MLB The Year In Review Auction." I'm surprised I haven't read anything about it, because if I were a passionate Dodger fan with deep pockets I'd definitely want these:

• The fly ball Aaron Judge dropped in the 5th inning of Game 5 that opened the floodgates and allowed the Dodgers to tie the game. This may be the Dodgers' version of the Mookie Ball (the ball that went between Bill Buckner's legs in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series).



• Mookie Betts' sacrifice fly in the 8th inning that drove in the eventual game- and World Series-winning run.



I guess the most surprising thing to me is how low-key these auctions are, compared to private auction houses. For example, here's the COMPLETE lot description of the Judge miscue:

"2024 World Series - Game 5 - Dodgers vs. Yankees - Game-Used Baseball - P: Gerrit Cole | B: Tommy Edman - Dropped Fly Ball by Aaron Judge (Top 5) - 10/30/24"

That's it. No lengthy discourse of the events leading up to that moment, no intensive detailed description of the ball itself. Just the one sentence... if you can even call it a sentence.

Anyway, I just wanted to document it here. The auction ends Thu 12/12/24 at 8.00pm EST, and the current high bids are $12,510 for the Judge ball and $3,010 for the Betts ball. (Can't call it the Mookie ball 'cause, as mentioned, there already IS a Mookie Ball. )

Incidentally, the auction for the Freddie Freeman World Series walkoff grand slam is also underway. Because of its historical status, and in light of the Ohtani 50-50 ball going for $4.4 million, I thought this would break the million dollar mark, and maybe it will; with just under four days to go as of date and time of posting, it's currently at $550,000.

[rlevy]

SCP auctions also has the baseball Teoscar Hernandez hit for a 2 RBI double in that wacky 5th inning that tied the score 5-5. After that hit, even though the Yankees regained the lead, it seemed inevitable that the Dodgers were going to find a way to win that game. That auction closes Saturday night, 2 days after the MLB auctions end.

https://catalogs.scpauctions.com/onl...b-auth-6884947

I wonder if MLB ever offers these baseballs to either the ballplayers or HOF before putting them up for auction.

[packs]

People keep trying to tie Judge to Buckner but it is an extreme stretch. This was game 5, the Yankees were never in a position to win the World Series that day and it wasn't the 9th inning either.

[ullmandds]

I fear the hobby is getting ridiculous with their new offerings. Topps has holiday themed baseball cards where the players have santa stockings on. I think this 2nd "junk wax" era is going to make the first look like underproduction.

And selling a ball for every occasion...oy!!!!

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by packs

People keep trying to tie Judge to Buckner but it is an extreme stretch. This was game 5, the Yankees were never in a position to win the World Series that day and it wasn't the 9th inning either.

Not close to the same significance, but it was a real odd occurrence at a really inopportune time.

Judge has made 13 regular season errors in his entire career and 5 of those were during his Rookie season. I doubt very many of them were for dropped balls.

That was his 1st ever Postseason error.

I acknowledge ahead of time it doesn't really mean much in the grand scheme of things, and range factor and other things come into account, but multi-Gold Glove winning outfielder and criminally under-rated ballplayer Kenny Lofton made 18 errors in 1995-96 alone. He also made 7 errors in 91 games in the postseason.

It was just strange, and it did have pretty big repercussions on the entire series, even though a lot of other stuff had to go wrong in the process.

That said, I will NOT be involved in the bidding of this baseball.

[darwinbulldog]

Also, they have $10 bid increments. Bit surprising.

[Kutcher55]

Buckner has been completely screwed by history. He was a great player who played through injury, nearly made the HOF. He was hurt all postseason and should have been subbed out for Dave Stapleton. The real goat was that absolute bum Bob Stanley who threw one of his patented palmballs nowhere near the plate and allowed the tying run.

Judge's error was much worse.

[packs]

No, it was not. Buckner's error occurred while the Mets were down to their last strike. If he caught the ball, the Red Sox would have won the World Series.

If Judge caught the ball, the Yankees would have went to bat in the top of the 6th inning still losing the World Series 3 games to 1.

[Kutcher55]

Incorrect. The game was already tied when he made the error. And there was no guarantee his throw to (bum) Stanley would have beaten the fleet-footed Wilson had he fielded the ball cleanly.

[packs]

Ah you are correct. But still I think there is a large gap between batting in the 6th inning down 3 games to 1 and making an error in the 9th inning to force game seven.

[campyfan39]

Interesting OP and I was not aware those items were for sale.

I would add another voice to the Buckner thing. I remember where I was and the call and etc.
I am a Dodger fan, and I couldn't have told you what game or inning the Judge drop was. Maybe what game if I really thought about it but no comparison IMO.

[Kutcher55]

Originally Posted by packs

Ah you are correct. But still I think there is a large gap between batting in the 6th inning down 3 games to 1 and making an error in the 9th inning to force game seven.

Yes that is fair. I am biased although Judge is a really likeable player despite the uniform he wears. Just a hideous error although not as critical as Buckner’s in terms of the impact on the end result to be sure.

[Section103]

Auction everything. Flood the market. Drive prices down. Why would I object? The Judge ball IS famous. We all know exactly what is being referred to. Is it a million dollar ball? Of course not. Does someone want to own it. Of course.

[doug.goodman]

Originally Posted by Kutcher55

Buckner has been completely screwed by history. He was a great player who played through injury, nearly made the HOF. He was hurt all postseason and should have been subbed out for Dave Stapleton. The real goat was that absolute bum Bob Stanley who threw one of his patented palmballs nowhere near the plate and allowed the tying run.

Judge's error was much worse.

Oil Can Boyd lost the 1986 World Series during the first inning of game #3.

It was the first time I had ever been to a game in Fenway.

I spent more money on that ticket than I could afford as the t-shirt guy for Yngwie Malmsteen. After the Louisville show, I was supposed to head to Philly for the next US show while my boss handled the Toronto show with locally printed shirts, but instead I had gone to Boston.

The Sox and beaten the Mets twice in Shea to start the Series, and sitting next to the guys who had Oil Can painted on their chests sitting above the bullpen, the electricity in the air of not just Fenway, but all of New England was very noticeable to this Californian.

Then Dykstra homered.
Then Backman singled.
Then Hernandez singled.
Then Carter doubled.

The collective breath left New England.

Strawberry striking out did not change the fact that the Sox were doomed and everybody knew it.

[Snowman]

I'd be all over that ball if I had $35 to spend on it

[Snapolit1]

Very low key. Some other places would have written 6 pages of hype, introducing Aaron Judge like the reader had never heard of him and recapped his entire life story as well as the history of the Yankees. Would have worked in long introductions of Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle.


QUOTE=Gary Dunaier;2480339]MLB has a couple of pretty significant game-used balls from the 2024 World Series in their current "2024 MLB The Year In Review Auction." I'm surprised I haven't read anything about it, because if I were a passionate Dodger fan with deep pockets I'd definitely want these:

• The fly ball Aaron Judge dropped in the 5th inning of Game 5 that opened the floodgates and allowed the Dodgers to tie the game. This may be the Dodgers' version of the Mookie Ball (the ball that went between Bill Buckner's legs in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series).



• Mookie Betts' sacrifice fly in the 8th inning that drove in the eventual game- and World Series-winning run.



I guess the most surprising thing to me is how low-key these auctions are, compared to private auction houses. For example, here's the COMPLETE lot description of the Judge miscue:

"2024 World Series - Game 5 - Dodgers vs. Yankees - Game-Used Baseball - P: Gerrit Cole | B: Tommy Edman - Dropped Fly Ball by Aaron Judge (Top 5) - 10/30/24"

That's it. No lengthy discourse of the events leading up to that moment, no intensive detailed description of the ball itself. Just the one sentence... if you can even call it a sentence.

Anyway, I just wanted to document it here. The auction ends Thu 12/12/24 at 8.00pm EST, and the current high bids are $12,510 for the Judge ball and $3,010 for the Betts ball. (Can't call it the Mookie ball 'cause, as mentioned, there already IS a Mookie Ball. )

Incidentally, the auction for the Freddie Freeman World Series walkoff grand slam is also underway. Because of its historical status, and in light of the Ohtani 50-50 ball going for $4.4 million, I thought this would break the million dollar mark, and maybe it will; with just under four days to go as of date and time of posting, it's currently at $550,000.[/QUOTE]

[oldjudge]

That would make a great companion piece for the bed that Aaron Judge shat during the series. Hopefully, that will come up for auction soon,