Should Red Sox player be able to keep game ending ball?

[Zoltri]

ESPN (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1961594)

[ThaSaltCracka]

Miekebnehtbtirtiwitz is a douche. He was on the team for like 3 months. damn what a tool. If there is anyone on that team that shouldn't have that ball its him.

[RogerZBT]

HELL YEAH!!!

That ball is potentially worth millions and he's a midseason acquisition without long standing ties. If they (or anyone else) want it, write him a check.

[Lazymeatball]

[ QUOTE ]
"I know this ball has a lot of sentimental value," Mientkiewicz said. "I hope I don't have to use it for the money. It would be cool if we have kids someday to have it stay in our family for a long time. But I can be bought. I'm thinking, there's four years at Florida State for one of my kids. At least."

[/ QUOTE ]

Smart guy

[Zoltri]

[ QUOTE ]
HELL YEAH!!!

That ball is potentially worth millions and he's a midseason acquisition without long standing ties. If they (or anyone else) want it, write him a check.

[/ QUOTE ]
I agree but what are the legal ramifications.
Who owns the ball?. It is the property of MLB isnt it?

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
"I know this ball has a lot of sentimental value," Mientkiewicz said. "I hope I don't have to use it for the money. It would be cool if we have kids someday to have it stay in our family for a long time. But I can be bought. I'm thinking, there's four years at Florida State for one of my kids. At least."

[/ QUOTE ]

Smart guy

[/ QUOTE ]
How so, this guy makes millions playing baseball. What a total [censored]. He is worried he won't have money for his kids??? are you kidding me?

[J.R.]

If he and his agents/attorneys are smart they'll "loan" it to the red sox to display (like a lot of the stuff at the HOF) and craft a contract so that he retains ownership rights but the ball is still shared with the public.

[Lazymeatball]

The Red Sox organization has many more millions than this guy, if they think the ball should belong to them, they should pay him.

Surely there must be some sort of legal precedent as to who owns the ball in these situations. Right now it's a possession is 9/10ths precedent.

[B00T]

This guy is a jackoff. To even have that thought run through his head of "not letting go of the ball" during the midst of celebrating on the field, interviews, and locker room champagne madness he is a complete clown.

Have some pride for the team giving you some rare PT. In fact, I dont even care what happens to the ball but no price would be worth that embaressment and disgrace to your teammates as what he put himself through in the last couple of days.

[RogerZBT]

Not a lawyer, but as I understand it, no. The things in the HoF are either donations or on loan.

The Red Sox are already claiming they "own" the ball, so expect to hear the real lawyers opinions soon.

[ThaSaltCracka]

I hadn't thought of that.

Mientkewitz is giant douche.

[RogerZBT]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Smart guy

[/ QUOTE ]
How so, this guy makes millions playing baseball. What a total [censored]. He is worried he won't have money for his kids??? are you kidding me?

[/ QUOTE ]

How not so? He's not a "real" Red Sox. He's a late inning defensive replacement who's been with the team a few months.

If Manny or Varitek (or Pedro even after having signed with the Mets) did this, I'd think him a scumbag.

ETA: 100 posts. I'm a "member."

[J.R.]

To even have that thought run through his head of "not letting go of the ball" during the midst of celebrating on the field, interviews, and locker room champagne madness he is a complete clown.

Perhaps, but if you held something that was unquestionably capable of being sold for multiple millions of dollars, you'd have to be an idiot to lose track of it (even if you made 2,800,000 in 2004). Would it chage your mind if you substituted that huge purplish diamond Kobe gave his wife after the rape allegations came out for the word "baseball".

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
How not so? He's not a "real" Red Sox. He's a late inning defensive replacement who's been with the team a few months.

[/ QUOTE ] He was a former starting 1B for the Twins who sucked major balls in 2004 so they traded him to Boston where he had zero playing time except to prevent Buckner-esque moments at first. He makes far more money than the average defensive replacement.

[ QUOTE ]
If Manny or Varitek (or Pedro even after having signed with the Mets) did this, I'd think him a scumbag.

[/ QUOTE ] My guess is that if either of these guys had the ball, they wouldn't sell it for anything. That ball signifies everything that team went through in 2004. To Mientkewitz it represents a payday.

[B00T]

HE MAKES MILLIONS OF DOLLARS A YEAR. Surely he doesnt need to put his kids through college, he can afford it. He isn't a fan who caught a HR ball in the stands and its like winning the BBJ on Party for a kid in college where it is a defying amount of money that may not be easily obtained by someone in a certain status.

This is coming from a millionaire, and the very institution that is paying him. Does he have to give the ball back, no. Does he need that extra $2M, def not. Could he have one ounce of respect for the history and integrity of the sport that feeds him and his craptastic family? Have some compassion for the people that put you in this ridiculous lifestyle you have been provided for playing a GAME.

Did he run around trying to find the game ending ball from the Olympics he won too?

[RogerZBT]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If Manny or Varitek (or Pedro even after having signed with the Mets) did this, I'd think him a scumbag.

[/ QUOTE ] My guess is that if either of these guys had the ball, they wouldn't sell it for anything. That ball signifies everything that team went through in 2004. To Mientkewitz it represents a payday.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's why I think it's not particularly egregious for him. He didn't want to leave Minn. He didn't want to be a part time player. It doesn't sounds like he's really loving the situation in Boston and was already on the trading block. And if he is going to be a part time player, that's millions off his next contract he can expect. There's no reason to expect loyalty to the tune of millions from him.

[ThaSaltCracka]

I can't fathom how you feel this okay.

whatever though, to each his own, broham.

[J.R.]

I'm not talking about his current stance (I think not sharing it is assinine), you criticized him for worrying about the ball during the postgame celebrations, and I pointed out he have to be an idiot to not be aware of the balls value and significance and let somethign happen to it or let soemone make off with it.

And what's up with this he makes millions- how does the fact that he made 2.8 million have anything to do with it. The balls worth far more than that and he isn't playing forever, what does "he can afford it" have to do with it- will he starve without the ball, no, but neither will everyone who can afford to attend a red sox playoff game who might have caught the ball had the game ended in a walkoff homer.

But more importantly, suppose some moron snuck into the locker room and took it- wouldn't people be all over douggie, and rightfully so? Criticize him for being selfish now, but don't call him a dufus for safeguarding the most important peice of memorabilia in red sox history in the post game pandemonium.

[B00T]

[ QUOTE ]
how does the fact that he made 2.8 million have anything to do with it. The balls worth far more than that

[/ QUOTE ]

There is no possible way the ball is worth anywhere near that.

[J.R.]

Yeah you're probabaly right- but given bonds 73rd hr ball went for a 900K and the depth of "orthodox red sox devotion" amongst new englanders, I'm bet it would fetch a fair penny. But to a great number of people, the ball is a priceless historical artifact. You'd be nuts if you didn't keep track of it if it was in your possession.

[RogerZBT]

[ QUOTE ]
There is no possible way the ball is worth anywhere near that.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's unlikely someone would pay ~$3 million, but it's certainly possible.

And even a third (I'm guessing it hits a million) of that is a significant chunk of his yearly salary.

[B00T]

I can understand keeping track of it because he didnt want it to be misplaced or just outright lost and it would be a very fancy trinket to go along with the entire hoopla.

I do not approve of WHY he kept it. If he wanted to keep it so it didnt get lost so it could go to the HOF, or in City Hall of Boston thats cool. He had the intention of keeping it all along for himself and if thats what was going through his head during the midst of the team celebration, he is a skunk.

[DBowling]

The article said that MLB declared the player the proper owner

[2planka]

Yes