Arods 3000th hit

[yanks12025]

So what do you guys think his 3000th hit home run ball is worth?

I saw the ball hawk guy caught it. Curious how many people he pushed out of the way to get it.

[earlywynnfan]

I'd pay money to see someone chuck this ballhawk SOB over the outfield fence!!

(No problems with ballhawks, just jerks who push everyone else out of the way and then expect glory.)

[johnsontravis@ymail.com]

Personally I am glad he kept it though. All the time I see ushers walk up to kids and make it seem like they actually have to give up the ball. They then just give them a signed ball and call it good. Wish people knew the value and ask for something a little better. Like a game used bat etc.

Though I HATE how people think these players are entitled to the ball...like you should just give it up.

[GoCrazyFolks76]

Ironic that this guy literally wrote the book on catching balls at the ballpark.

He did give back Trout's first HR ball... So he doesn't seem like all that bad of a guy.

If I had caught it, that ball would be in the next major auction. :)

[yanks12025]

Ironic that this guy literally wrote the book on catching balls at the ballpark.

He did give back Trout's first HR ball... So he doesn't seem like all that bad of a guy.

If I had caught it, that ball would be in the next major auction. :)

But no one at the time knew that trout would turn out to be this great.

[danesei@yahoo.com]

Ironic that this guy literally wrote the book on catching balls at the ballpark.

He did give back Trout's first HR ball... So he doesn't seem like all that bad of a guy.

As Yanks said, giving back Trout's first HR ball, at the time, wasn't such a huge deal. It was Trout's 12th game, and he wasn't super-hyped up like this year's crop of prospects. Remember, when Trout first came up (2011), he was considered someone who could hit well, but his power hadn't fully developed yet.

Watching the video, I saw him push at least three people to get to the ball, and it looks like he might have hit someone to jar the ball loose. As for writing a book on it, I'd be more interested in how many people bought said book. Writing a book and getting published is somewhat like getting a law degree: Yes, it takes time and effort, but that alone isn't really an accomplishment.

Honestly, after I saw the clip on QuickPitch, I was thinking "Wow. That guy looks like such a punk with how he goes about his business. If someone elbowed him good, I bet he'd sue if he didn't get the ball." I hope the ball goes to auction, and I hope no one bids on it, so ARod can get it for the posting bid. Doubt that will happen, but it would be it's own twisted form of justice.

[GoCrazyFolks76]

Not sure I can fault the guy for being aggressive towards catching the ball. If somebody had hit a ball worth tens of thousands of dollars towards me, I would probably be pushing another guy or two as well.

[johnsontravis@ymail.com]

I don't like the guy and I don't really like ballhawks, but he isn't a horrible person. He has been in some bad situations, but for the most part respects everyone else. He even helps out younger ballhawks and takes time out of his day to share his secrets. I hate ballhawks and find them annoying, but hey that is his thing...whatever.

He is usually quite good about giving balls back that are meaningful. However, he isn't a big fan of A-Rod and the Yankees are sort of A holes to him. So I can't really blame him for not giving it up. Hard to blame a guy for turning down maybe $5k worth of stuff for a $100k+ ball. He also might want to help out a charity he supports with the ball.

[metsgraphs]

Knowing the guy personally he is a great guy and I believe if i were in his spot I would do the same thing I asked him this year what he would do if he had caught Jeters 3000 Hit and he had no idea

[danesei@yahoo.com]

Hard to blame a guy for turning down maybe $5k worth of stuff for a $100k+ ball.

I don't imagine the ball fetching $100k anytime soon. Yes, it was a HR and 3000th hit, but $100k seems extreme, even if he's only the third player to do the 3000th hit for a HR thing. After all, Gwynn's 3000th hit game batting gloves and cap were offered at a measly $5k.

[Jags Fan Dan]

I do agree with him that players who make a quarter to a half billion dollars in their career shouldn't expect favors from a random fan who is lucky enough to catch a potentially valuable baseball.

[godwulf]

Not sure I can fault the guy for being aggressive towards catching the ball. If somebody had hit a ball worth tens of thousands of dollars towards me, I would probably be pushing another guy or two as well.

There's a big difference between being aggressive and committing battery, and I've seen both at the ballpark. A little shoving and pushing is one thing, but I have seen someone who caught a ball wrestled to the ground, dog-piled and beaten before Security could come to his aid. I have also heard so-called Baseball fans defend such actions as being "all part of the game".

If I had the Arod ball, I'd auction it because I could really use the money, but I would be wishing the whole time that I didn't - so I could afford to blow it up or otherwise destroy the thing in some public way as a message to the low-life who hit it.

[Buccaneer Madden]

I don't imagine the ball fetching $100k anytime soon. Yes, it was a HR and 3000th hit, but $100k seems extreme, even if he's only the third player to do the 3000th hit for a HR thing. After all, Gwynn's 3000th hit game batting gloves and cap were offered at a measly $5k.

Exactly, and with all of ARod's baggage there is no way that ball get anywhere close to $100k unless some idiot like Todd McFarlane wants it. :)

[johnsontravis@ymail.com]

I don't imagine the ball fetching $100k anytime soon. Yes, it was a HR and 3000th hit, but $100k seems extreme, even if he's only the third player to do the 3000th hit for a HR thing. After all, Gwynn's 3000th hit game batting gloves and cap were offered at a measly $5k.

An idiot with his money is all too common these days. I just threw that number out there. Just making the point that the Yankees were probably only offering him a fraction of what the ball is worth.

[TigersCubs84]

Seems to me that the most ironic part is that the ballhawk was even in the vicinity to catch it. I've seen this guy in action as well, and most of his balls are BP. He runs from right field to left and back pending who is batting. I've tried it myself, it's a lot of running, plus guys hop in and out of the cage real quick, etc. Arod is a righty, how did the hawk know he was hitting it to RF? Pretty good homework evidently. The odds of him catching that ball had to be astronomical. Plus it was a full house. Everything had to go right, just like when Jeter got that last ab for his last hit.

[cjclong]

ARod is not popular with a lot of people so I doubt that ball will go that high if auctioned. And whatever it brings, the guy will have to pay tax on it. Sort of ironic, before he caught the ball he was tweeting about how much he hated ARod. Now he may have a ball from a guy he hates that won't bring that much money if he tries to sell it. So outside of the publicity of catching it he may not get much. I understand ARod had no interest in paying for the home run ball that put him past Mays. I can understand why a player would want the ball from his first major league hit, but after you have played 15 or 20 years is the ball you hit for a home run or your 3,000th hit really that meaningful. After all you have the accomplishment, the record in the major league stats and the memory. Why do you need the ball. In some ways I think it means more to the fan who witnessed the accomplishment. Also, why does the player want the ball and not the bat that he used to hit it. You see tons of bats that got big hits in the Hall of Fame. If I were Jeter or ARod I would rather keep the bat I used to get a hit as memento than the ball.

[metsbats]

Knowing the guy personally he is a great guy and I believe if i were in his spot I would do the same thing I asked him this year what he would do if he had caught Jeters 3000 Hit and he had no idea


http://nypost.com/2015/06/20/notorious-ball-hawking-fan-has-own-plan-for-a-rods-3000th-hit/

He certainly knows what to do. I certainly agree with his statement regarding us normal civilians. I agree with his decision to keep the ball too.

[johnsontravis@ymail.com]

I wouldn't underestimate the worth of the ball. It could still be worth a hefty penny. I heard $50k was a safe estimate and his 500th homer went for $105k. Honestly even with the baggage I see the ball going for at least $75k and possibly higher on a good day.

[bgold]

Let's see, Arod has his 3000th hit/hr bat, jersey, cleats, batting gloves, batting helmet, elbow armor, wrist bands, and whatever else he was wearing at the time. He doesn't have the ball? Wa wa for him..

[danesei@yahoo.com]

I wouldn't underestimate the worth of the ball. It could still be worth a hefty penny. I heard $50k was a safe estimate and his 500th homer went for $105k. Honestly even with the baggage I see the ball going for at least $75k and possibly higher on a good day.

500th was pre-one year suspension, though.

[BirdsOnBat]

I'm most impressed by the fact that he has the world record on Arkanoid.

[dnrapp]

The guy who got ARods ball better hope the ball isn't valued at 100K. Remember what happened to the guys who got Bonds record breaker. The IRS got involved and wanted to tax them on the value of the ball.

[Swoboda4]

Its amazing he chose that spot. If this was politics, the cable shows would be discussing conspiracy.

[happyyoungster]

Its amazing he chose that spot. If this was politics, the cable shows would be discussing conspiracy.


It was intelligent, actually. Zack used the highest probability for success. It's what all good ballhawks do. Put yourself in the most probable position to succeed. Then, let the players do the rest.

[helf35]

Looks like they found some common ground. I wonder what the perks are?

[helf35]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/alex-rodriguez-will-receive-his-3-000th-hit-ball-from-zack-hample-164901812.html

[johnsontravis@ymail.com]

Guy is really starting to get old. At the start of this mess he insulted A-Rod and didn't like him. Now he thinks they are BFFs. Too bad A-Rod could care less about him and probably thinks he is a loser. Reminds of that one kid in school who thought he was hot stuff and really everyone thought he was a douche bag.

[Sioux4Ever]

Guy is really starting to get old. At the start of this mess he insulted A-Rod and didn't like him. Now he thinks they are BFFs. Too bad A-Rod could care less about him and probably thinks he is a loser. Reminds of that one kid in school who thought he was hot stuff and really everyone thought he was a douche bag.
This kid really is one though......I've had some run ins with him at Target Field. He actually pushed my brother down like 5 rows of stairs to get a ball during BP. Needless to say, my little bro wasn't the 1st or last person he had pushed to get a BP ball and what's worse is we had to leave the game to take my brother to the hospital to test him for a concussion.

[johnsontravis@ymail.com]

This kid really is one though......I've had some run ins with him at Target Field. He actually pushed my brother down like 5 rows of stairs to get a ball during BP. Needless to say, my little bro wasn't the 1st or last person he had pushed to get a BP ball and what's worse is we had to leave the game to take my brother to the hospital to test him for a concussion.

No doubt he pushes kids. He may not do it intentionally, but he is crazy. He runs around like a starving animal going after food. Have watched him bump into many people, lean in front of them, and nudge them over just for a ball.

Then he goes around touting how he gave away half his balls to kids. That's great...too bad they could have gotten it themselves if you would stop screaming and running around like a race horse. Would have meant way more to personally get it themselves.

I don't know I feel running around BP competing with kids for a meaningless ball is kind of sad. But hey whatever floats their boat. Do what you please I guess.

[danesei@yahoo.com]

I'm glad that the Yankees will be donating money to a baseball-related organization, and according to the website, the donation will provide 21 (give or take) leagues with equipment. I guess the Yankees are okay with this, since they need to try to build up some good will with ARod after refusing to pay his marketing agreement payments.

I wonder if the Yankees will deduct the entire donation, under the argument that the standard value of milestone items returned to players... is some sort of memorabilia grab bag.

At least it's been resolved.

[sportsnbikes]

If Hample ever comes to the K and gets in the way of my kid or pushes, dings, steals, cuts in front of or ANYTHING, I will punch him in his forehead!!!!!!!!! HATE HATE HATE guys like that.