The man who returned the Freese ball
 

This is a great story I thought. The dude who got Freese's home run ball in the bottom of the 11th last night traded it back after the game. He got a signed bat, and got to meet Freese himself. A good act of humility.

[url=http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/The-story-of-the-Cardinals-fan-who-returned-Free?urn=mlb-wp25597#mwpphu-container]The story of the Cardinals fan who returned David Freese’s homer - Big League Stew - MLBBlog - Yahoo! Sports[/url]

[B]BUT[/B] - Was he being serious when he was asking for a team pic signed by [I]everyone[/I]?? (Watch the video in the article)...Is that too demanding in this case? I know a ball like that could fetch some serious $$....but is there a point where taking advantage of the situation you're place in goes too far? Just wondering what everyone's opinions were.

Also - the dude in the Cubs shirt seemed kinda like a d*ck haha

Oh well, let's just hope there's an amazing follow-up Game 7 tonight :D

Might have been a joke, but it's worth a shot at that point. Think of White Goodman from Dodgeball.

"there's no reason we need to be shackled by the strictures of the employee-employer relationship. Unless you're into that sort of thing. In which case, I got some shackles in the back. I'm just kidding. But seriously, I've got 'em."

It's a joke, but if you get it then you won't complain. :D

I liked the story of the man who caught Kirby Puckett's homerun ball in the '91 WS. Him and Puckett became friends afterwards, played golf together, and he was even invited when Puckett was inducted into the HOF.

Or the Yankee fan that caught Jeter's 3000th hit, and then proceeded to give it back to him. Stories like this define what a fan is, to me. Yes, both could have made a fair mint, the Jeter guy more than the Freese guy, but both felt it was more important that the milestone marker go back to the milestone maker...

Can't blame him for trying to get the best he could get. I'd have played hardball and asked for a couple of Pujols autographed bats and maybe even the jersey off his back, and walked if they didn't comply.

[QUOTE=tajikey;1804690]Or the Yankee fan that caught Jeter's 3000th hit, and then proceeded to give it back to him. Stories like this define what a fan is, to me. Yes, both could have made a fair mint, the Jeter guy more than the Freese guy, but both felt it was more important that the milestone marker go back to the milestone maker...[/QUOTE]

How does a player have a right to ownership simply by making contact with a ball? It's meaningful to them, not theirs. And define what a fan is? Not really. If I catch a ball and I need to pay back my loans it doesn't make me more or less of a fan by keeping it.

[QUOTE=Original Boski;1804788]Can't blame him for trying to get the best he could get. I'd have played hardball and asked for a couple of Pujols autographed bats and maybe even the jersey off his back, and walked if they didn't comply.[/QUOTE]

I would probably only trade in a player's first homerun ball. I'd keep anything of semi-extreme to extreme value.

Oh, and no one pointed this out:

""Maybe if I had been wanting for money, it'd be different," Huyette said. "But I make a good living. I wasn't going to hold the country hostage for the ball."

He doesn't want money. He makes a "good living."

I wouldn't give anything back to any player, especially the big stars. For that ball I would ask for a autographed game used bat from every player on the team. Come on people these guys make more money than Doctors at the league minimum.

Did he atleast get good tickets for tonights game?

[QUOTE=Original Boski;1804788]Can't blame him for trying to get the best he could get. I'd have played hardball and asked for a couple of Pujols autographed bats and maybe even the jersey off his back, and walked if they didn't comply.[/QUOTE]

Pujols had nothing to do with it? I would have traded it back just for the experience of catching a ball, and meeting the player, especially if I had something of special value to Freese.

Just because they make money, doesn't mean they aren't human. I would have wanted my ball back if I was Freese, and I'm glad the fan realized that and gave it back to him.

He actually got an auto bat by Freese, an auto'd ball from the whole team, and got to hang out and party with them in the clubhouse. I would definatly give it back. I also would tel my friend to turn his Cubs shirt inside out, or take it off.

I'd sell it to the highest bidder. End of story.

[QUOTE=jr24ai3;1805325]I'd sell it to the highest bidder. End of story.[/QUOTE]

-This all comes down to personal priorities.

If my personal priorities call for family first, i'm negotiating for best cash price or the best piece of memorabilia from a resale perspective.

If my personal priorities include the consideration of the players, then my first instinct revolves around providing the player with the ball and getting some benefit for the player's trouble of getting the ball.

Perspective is the key, as a lower-middle-class individual i wouldn't fault the fan at all for asking for a personal bat and then some lovin-lovin he can eBay to offset the salary concerns of being a typical American.

lobo_hacker

I owe David Freese nothing. If I caught that ball and thought I could get some serious cash for it, I would sell it in a minute. I make a decent living, as does my wife, so there are no money concerns, but believe me, $10K or more would do wonders for us.

If a guy making $500K a year to play baseball can't understand that, he doesn't deserve the ball.

But if I had no monetary concerns at all, I would gladly trade the ball to him for something.

I'd ask for the moon also if I had the oppotunity. Once in a lifetime opportunity there.

It was probrobly the biggest moment in the kids life.Who am I to hold it hostage from him?I would just give it to him.

[QUOTE=hofmichael;1805613]It was probrobly the biggest moment in the kids life.Who am I to hold it hostage from him?I would just give it to him.[/QUOTE]

You are the guy who paid for tickets and caught the ball. You would have no obligation to return the ball whatsoever.

[QUOTE=HadWayTooMuch;1805499]I owe David Freese nothing. If I caught that ball and thought I could get some serious cash for it, I would sell it in a minute. I make a decent living, as does my wife, so there are no money concerns, but believe me, $10K or more would do wonders for us.

If a guy making $500K a year to play baseball can't understand that, he doesn't deserve the ball.

But if I had no monetary concerns at all, I would gladly trade the ball to him for something.[/QUOTE]

Agree with this. Except that if I had no monetary concerns, I wouldn't be sitting in the outfield.

[QUOTE=jr24ai3;1805669]Agree with this. Except that if I had no monetary concerns, I wouldn't be sitting in the outfield.[/QUOTE]

Excellent point!

[QUOTE=a-train10;1805161] I would have traded it back just for the experience of catching a ball, and meeting the player, especially if I had something of special value to Freese. [/QUOTE]

You can do this at spring traininig or before a game. I got Freese's auto when he came to Baltimore. Nice guy. They don't allow bats in the stadium before a game, but I'm sure he would have signed that too if I had one with me.

I'm a huge O's fan, but if one of the players had a historical play and I had the ball, I'd make sure I got more than enough money for it to buy anything that they could possibly give me. Or if they didn't want to pay, I'd rather have that ball I caught then a bat I can get for $100.

Love the game as much as anyone I know and these types of things are nice gestures, but I have no problem if the fan keeps the ball or not. 500th homerun, 3,000 hit, or WS game winner. They are just as much the fans as they are the players. Do we forget baseball does not exist without the fans? Only problem I may have is asking for something in return. If Freese wanted it and wanted to reach out to the guy that is fine, but either keep it, or keep it and sell it. Dont give it back as a nice "gesture" and ask for something in return.

[QUOTE=xbignick;1804970]How does a player have a right to ownership simply by making contact with a ball? It's meaningful to them, not theirs. And define what a fan is? Not really. If I catch a ball and I need to pay back my loans it doesn't make me more or less of a fan by keeping it.[/QUOTE]

I said nothing about the player having any right to ownership; just that I feel the marker's rightful place is in the hands of its maker. We all define fan differently, that's why I said "to me."

Let's get something #@#@#@#@ing straight. No one with any monetary concerns has World Series tickets. End of discussion.

[QUOTE=jr24ai3;1805325]I'd sell it to the highest bidder. End of story.[/QUOTE]

Same here, but they probably had all sorts of pressure and veiled threats that led him to think differently.