I caught Devin Mesoraco's record-setting HR

[dplettn]

I certainly realize Devin is not named Yadier Molina or Buster Posey. Also that Lucroy is similarly deserving.. but that guy you provided his own special HR ball to... Well, on merit.... you gave that ball to a player deserving his 1st All Star nod this year! Despite the at bat limitations associated with time spent on the DL and time spent late in the batting order, Mes is right there with the big names who had all their normal at bats when it comes to aggregate productivity (RBIs). Mes has combined average and power while also catching the very surprising Alfredo Simon.

Perhaps I'm biased because I made a friendly wager in 2013 that Mes would be a 2014 All Star. But it surprises me very much that nobody yet talks about his All Star merits.

[danesei@yahoo.com]

Very cool story about the HR ball, however, I don't think the media commentary about the gloves was non-factual. In any event, cool that you got to meet him. Weird that you had to sign a contract with the team, though. Given how laid back most retail/game-used managers seem to be, I couldn't imagine them even mentioning a contract.

But it surprises me very much that nobody yet talks about his All Star merits.

I disagree on Mesoraco deserving an All-Star nod. Even though he's given a huge boost to my fantasy team, he simply missed way too much time to be considered. One of the biggest things for a catcher is to log time behind the dish. Mesoraco has twice as many passed balls as Yadier Molina or Jonathan Lucroy, in less than 2/3 as many innings.

Yes, Mesoraco has been on a tear so far this season, but there's no justification to getting him on the All-Star roster, since doing so would mean carrying at least three (and possibly four) catchers on the roster.

[sox83cubs84]

You are right about that one. I talked to some of those guys one day when I was out there for BP and all they could talk about was all the media requests they get, the movie they were in produced by billy crystal, and how many balls they have in there collection. They do believe they are something else lol. Dave davison seemed to be the nicest of the bunch. He spent some time talking to me

Actually, when I was talking about rushing home run balls to eBay, Davison was the one I had in mind.

Dave M.

[flaco1801]

I would not have given that ball away....I would have left my cell number and left.....Game used jerseys to the team are probably 50 bucks each....How many did you get?....the whole set would probably set the team back 12-14 hundred, thats about 1 ab of the highest priced player....

[PAC]

I would not have given that ball away....I would have left my cell number and left.....Game used jerseys to the team are probably 50 bucks each....How many did you get?....the whole set would probably set the team back 12-14 hundred, thats about 1 ab of the highest priced player....

LOL a whole team set of jerseys? It's not like it was McGwire's 62nd, or even somebody's 500th.

Whatever the price, I wouldn't have left without getting paid in full. I hope they actually send you that bat, but with my luck, it would never show up. I've traded game used items with 3 different players, who exchanged contact info with me and promised to send me a game used item in return through the mail, only to never send anything and stop answering their phones. From now on, players have to pay up front just like everyone else.

[Jags Fan Dan]

I completely get wanting to be cool about it and trying not to be "that guy", but when you are in the position of owning something that is highly coveted, I understand wanting to negotiate the best deal for the item. It isn't like it only has value to the player. Not sure what it would have commanded on the open market, but it isn't like it was just a game used baseball. And these guys make tons of money, it's not like you are holding grandma's Chihuahua hostage and trying to get blood from a turnip. If you threw a bag of money into a crowd, do you think you would get it back? Easily? Would the person who returned it (if they did) not deserve some reward if you had the means to give it to them?

[AWA85]

I have seen it mentioned a couple of times of how much money Mesoraco makes and just wanted to clarify one thing. Devin is in his third year of making $525,000 or less (a large amount to us, but for the people floating around that he is a millionaire are a little off). Sure he had a signing bonus when he was drafted but you also add in 4.5 years of minors where he is living off that bonus. Just little pet peeve of mine when people assume all the guys are getting paid Alex Rodriguez money.

Congrats on the catch by the way. I was watching as Jim Day was going back and forth on twitter about the deal, very cool to hear the whole story!

[Roady]

I have seen it mentioned a couple of times of how much money Mesoraco makes and just wanted to clarify one thing. Devin is in his third year of making $525,000 or less (a large amount to us, but for the people floating around that he is a millionaire are a little off). Sure he had a signing bonus when he was drafted but you also add in 4.5 years of minors where he is living off that bonus. Just little pet peeve of mine when people assume all the guys are getting paid Alex Rodriguez money.

Congrats on the catch by the way. I was watching as Jim Day was going back and forth on twitter about the deal, very cool to hear the whole story!

I am guilty of this. I said he makes millions and to be honest I looked it up later and realized I was wrong.

I would still make him pay cash for it though. Call me greedy or whatever but these athletes can pony up some dough. They are not Gods to worship.

[Pjl2928]

LOL a whole team set of jerseys? It's not like it was McGwire's 62nd, or even somebody's 500th.

Whatever the price, I wouldn't have left without getting paid in full. I hope they actually send you that bat, but with my luck, it would never show up. I've traded game used items with 3 different players, who exchanged contact info with me and promised to send me a game used item in return through the mail, only to never send anything and stop answering their phones. From now on, players have to pay up front just like everyone else.

The Reds have actually called me twice since catching the ball. They have kept me informed that Mesoraco is still using the same bat, and once he breaks it, it will be going to the HOF. The bat he uses after that is mine. First class organization in my mind to have called me twice in the past week to keep me up to date on the situation.

[Roady]

The Reds have actually called me twice since catching the ball. They have kept me informed that Mesoraco is still using the same bat, and once he breaks it, it will be going to the HOF. The bat he uses after that is mine. First class organization in my mind to have called me twice in the past week to keep me up to date on the situation.

As long as you are happy with the way you handled it that is all that counts.

Congrats on your experience!