World series ball. Who owns it?

[imported_memnuts]

Doug Mientkiewicz has the ball. The Red Sox want it back.



Should Mientkiewicz give the ball to the Red Sox without compensation?

[paco]

NO! If the Sox want, anti up. If the ball had been a home run and caught by a fan , would the Sox be asking for it back.



If No. 99 kept a game winning puck, should he give it back to the team? NO



If a football player keep a game winning ball that he caught, should he give it back? NO



The simple fact is, this happens all the time in sports and he made the game winningout, kept the ball.



The good thing is that he is willing to part with it so that Sox fans can see it as part of a display in the future. Who`s to say that Sox management doesn`t decide in the future to sell it ... then nor he or the fans win.



I say, milk the cash cow for all it`s worth!

[cwcad]

have been reading some articles about this controvercy. according to the rules the ball is owned by the home team that supplies the ball. if it is not owned by the home team then it is owned by major league baseball.



according to some reports the balls that leaves the field of play are the property of the one that catches it. since that first baseman caught the ball in the field of play, is an employee of the team that is in major league baseball he is compensated by his salary. i beleive that he should give it back to the team. to me the game is bigger than the player. the ball should imho go to the hall of fame for all to see and enjoy. it may get there but i think that it will not. some one will buy it for there own collection and depriving the game of something special.

[grt1today]

Doug owns the ball no question. Not only is he willing to put it up on display for all to see, but he is willing to sell it to the sox. He said "this ball is gonna be his retirement fund". So the Red Sox need to step up and pay for the ball if they want it that bad. 1st they did`nt wanna pay for A-Rod and missed out, and now they just want Doug to give them the ball. They`ll probably miss out here too. If they don`t wanna pay, they can just tip their hat and call the yankess their daddy...

[tailwind]

Originally posted by grt1today

If they don`t wanna pay, they can just tip their hat and call the yankess their daddy...



Or they can just destroy them in an unheard of manner in the ALCS again. Whichever.



I don`t think the Red Sox should have to pay for the ball. Doug had the ball on the field, and it`s a piece of history. He should be willing to give it up for the team, especially since the rules say it isn`t technically his. Now, if a fan wanted it, that`s a different story...pay up big time.

[MS22]

I have been a die-hard Sox fan since birth due to my father and grandfather. What Doug Mientkiewicz is doing is completely stupid. His retirement fund? He makes millions and will retire on a MLB pension! That ball means more to the fans of baseball and the Boston RedSox than it does to Doug Mientkiewicz, simple as that. There are thousands of people who have been fans of Boston since before Mientkiewicz`s father was born; how can someone possibly justify his selfishness.

[grt1today]

I think he`s looking at it from the point of view that he`s not making Manny Ramirez type money, plus his contract is up (I believe). So he just wants to get paid... Is it a little selfish- absolutely, but the last time I checked the Red Sox were`nt exactly hurting for money either! That organization has more green than Doug will ever know, so why can`t they drop a little change for this historic 86 yr old ball... They`re being a little selfish themselves.

[JustinR32]

Originally posted by grt1today

Doug owns the ball no question.



So every time a fielder catches a ball it`s his then, right?



No question that the ball belongs to the Red Sox. Dougie might be a slick fielder, but he`s not really thinking this one through too clearly. The Sox can cut him, and no other team is obligated to pick him up. He`s a Sid Bream type of guy; dime a dozen. He`s better off giving the ball to the team and working on his skill sets over the winter. THAT should be his retirement fund, not a stolen baseball.





Tom

[grt1today]

Pretty much... It`s like a foulball going down the sidelines and the ballboy/girl throwing it in the stands. Nobody says anything there. Also how many times has an outfielder caught a flyball and either threw it in the stands, or kept it in his glove running back to the dugout to add it to his colection because it was his 500th major league game or whatever else meaningless stat that might not be so meaningless to this person. It always kills me when people say they should do it for the good of the team. When a player gets hurt on the field playing his butt off for the team, why does`nt the "team" do what`s good for the organization`s image by honoring that players contract instead of trying to cut him... Doug get paid man, I ain`t mad at ya...

[ntwrkguy1]

Originally posted by Mosca

So every time a fielder catches a ball it`s his then, right?



No question that the ball belongs to the Red Sox. Dougie might be a slick fielder, but he`s not really thinking this one through too clearly. The Sox can cut him, and no other team is obligated to pick him up. He`s a Sid Bream type of guy; dime a dozen. He`s better off giving the ball to the team and working on his skill sets over the winter. THAT should be his retirement fund, not a stolen baseball.





Tom



I`ve got to agree with Tom here. The way I see it, if Doug isn`t bright enough to be able to retire on his baseball salary, he`s going to need more help than a baseball to auction.



We`re talking about a guy, who in the second year of his current contract, is set to make $3.75 Million. Yes, that is correct, every day Doug will make $10,274. Factor in the fact that he`s had 7 years in the league, and it`s hard to generate any `let him keep the ball` sympathy for this a**clown.



If I was in his position, I`d give the ball to the Sox. End the drama, Doug. You`re a backup 1st baseman at best. Be happy that in today`s MLB, that translates into millions.



Ok....now I feel better.....back to detailing my car!



:)

[imported_memnuts]

If the Red Sox get "the ball", which they will, they will probably charge Sox fans to view it.



For those that do not believe this, just look at what the Sox have done to Yawkey Way and how they ran out of town the vendors that used this street to support their families when the Sox were just wanna-be`s to the Yankees.



If Schilling had this ball do you think the Red Sox would be kicking him in his right ankle like a spoiled brat. No way!!!

Doug, tell them to "Show you the Money!!!".



I am still a die-hard Sox fan but this time they need to take the higher road and solve this dilimma outside the radar of the media.

Go Sox. Be the Yankee`s daddy again this year!!!!



I attended my first Sox game in 1963 @$0.50 for unreserved grandstand seat. Thanks Dad for spending that time with me. :xyxthumbs

[ntwrkguy1]

Originally posted by blkZ28Conv

If the Red Sox get "the ball", which they will, they will probably charge Sox fans to view it.



For those that do not believe this, just look at what the Sox have done to Yawkey Way and how they ran out of town the vendors that used this street to support they families when the Sox were just wanna-be`s to the Yankees.







I cover the Boston territory at work, and I definitely agree with this statement. Kinda petty on the part of the team, ESPECIALLY since those fans and vendors supported the team during their 86-year `drought`.



Either way, you`re right.....that story should have been kept out of the media. And :xyxthumbs to any and all dads who have taken their kids to a game!



-DavidM

[paco]

Okay, I didn`t realize how much dough that guy was making. Enlight of that little tid bit, I`d like too see the Red Sox give $250,000 USD (or whatever it may fetch on Ebay and give the cash to the Red Cross for the Tsunami relief fund in exchange for the ball!



Paco

[kevmo327]

This is interesting...ANy other team, any other situaiton I would say the player should keep it but based on the historical signicance then I think that the ball needs to go back.



I would be very interested to hear if there has been any feedback from other players on this?

[imported_memnuts]

I read the Boston papers and follow the Hot Stove league everyday. So far I have read no player responses.



Doug Mientkiewicz has stated that he has no problem with public displaying "the ball", just the ownership of "the ball".