What would you have done if you caught Jeter's 3000th hit?

[Exhibitman]

Sell. Sentiment is nice but business is business. For a peon like me a ball like that has the potential to yield life-changing money. If DJ wants it he can throw some of that $180 million my way. As for relative value, a 3,000 hit baseball is probably rarer than a 500 HR baseball since all of the HR balls are hit into the stands but only 2 of the 3,000 hit balls were HRs. And it is a hugely popular 1st ballot HOFer Yankee legend. I'd be surprised if the ball stayed under six figures if it was auctioned off. Sorry, but I am not going to hand over my kid's college education to a millionaire for a few signed trinkets and some box seats. That was probably the worst real estate deal in NYC since the Indians and Dutch did their Manhattan deal.

[barrysloate]

I think the box seats deal is pretty lousy. How many games can this guy go to? Most fans, even devoted ones, go to a handful of games a year. Who wants to schlep to Yankee Stadium every single night of a long homestand? What if he only has time to see a few of them? I think he made a regrettable decision.

[David Atkatz]

He's gonna be too busy paying off his college loans to go to many games.

[David Atkatz]

BTW, option #4 above, is not "giving it to Jeter." It's selling it to Jeter.

[murphusa]

wait till April 15th 2012 comes around and the guys tax accountant is telling him he had an additional $35,000 in income from the tickets the Yanks gave him.

Then he will be saying what a %%)*&^)*^^_^$$ asshat I was giving him the ball

[Mr. Zipper]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Sell. Sentiment is nice but business is business. For a peon like me a ball like that has the potential to yield life-changing money. If DJ wants it he can throw some of that $180 million my way. As for relative value, a 3,000 hit baseball is probably rarer than a 500 HR baseball since all of the HR balls are hit into the stands but only 2 of the 3,000 hit balls were HRs. And it is a hugely popular 1st ballot HOFer Yankee legend. I'd be surprised if the ball stayed under six figures if it was auctioned off. Sorry, but I am not going to hand over my kid's college education to a millionaire for a few signed trinkets and some box seats. That was probably the worst real estate deal in NYC since the Indians and Dutch did their Manhattan deal.

Agreed. As much as I like Jeter and wouldn't want to appear to be an opportunist, $100,000 is life changing money to most of us. For someone who makes tens of milions of dollars a year, throwing some kid $100k would be like me taking $50 out of my wallet.

The box seats were a joke because they were obviously unsold seats anyway. The signed bats, jerseys and balls are nice, but won't pay off a mortgage or fund many family vacations.

[mcgwirecom]

I'm as big a baseball fan as anyone. In fact I just got back yesterday from a 10 ballparks in 10 days trip. But there is no way I would hand over that ball. Baseball is alive and healthy and makes lots of money. They are in business to make money and will even change the game to do it. If they want the ball they can bid like everyone else. Like mentioned in another thread, someone can buy it and give it back to him. He still has the bat, jersey, pants, hat, etc. It didn't take the Yankees an hour to flood the world with Jeter 3000 items at high prices...everyone is in it for the $$$

[tothrk]

Sell or auction without hesitation. It would be a lot of $$ to a guy like me & in this economy, it's a no-brainer. Besides, if the Yankees can spend a couple of hundred million dollars to buy championships, they can spend a couple hundred thousand on this ball. Here we go.

[GasHouseGang]

According to Baseball Reference, Jeter has made $205,430,000 in his career to date. And he is being paid $15 million this year. That is only his Yankee salary and does not include his endorsements. Most of us will not make $15 million in our entire working career. I would sell the ball, pay the taxes, and use the remaining money to put my kids through college. If I have anything left over, I might take in a major league game and splurge on a hotdog and a beer. I have nothing against Jeter, but that's too much money to give away.

[Brendan]

Originally Posted by mcgwirecom

I'm as big a baseball fan as anyone. In fact I just got back yesterday from a 10 ballparks in 10 days trip. But there is no way I would hand over that ball. Baseball is alive and healthy and makes lots of money. They are in business to make money and will even change the game to do it. If they want the ball they can bid like everyone else. Like mentioned in another thread, someone can buy it and give it back to him. He still has the bat, jersey, pants, hat, etc. It didn't take the Yankees an hour to flood the world with Jeter 3000 items at high prices...everyone is in it for the $$$

Definitely. When people complain about how much these athletes make, you need to remember that there are 500-1000 hedge fund guys who make more each year than any athlete in the world, including Tiger Woods.

Originally Posted by tothrk

Sell or auction without hesitation. It would be a lot of $$ to a guy like me & in this economy, it's a no-brainer. Besides, if the Yankees can spend a couple of hundred million dollars to buy championships, they can spend a couple hundred thousand on this ball. Here we go.

The reason the Yankees spend so much money is because they are in it to win it. These other teams have just as much money as the Yankees do, (or at least enough to spend like the Yankees do) but they just keep the money in their pockets and make money off of revenue sharing. The owners may make money every year, but the value of the team doesn't increase. Yet the Yankees continue to go up in value. If more owners remembered that it takes money to make money, they could build great franchises out of nothing, such as the Phillies.

Originally Posted by GasHouseGang

According to Baseball Reference, Jeter has made $205,430,000 in his career to date. And he is being paid $15 million this year. That is only his Yankee salary and does not include his endorsements. Most of us will not make $15 million in our entire working career. I would sell the ball, pay the taxes, and use the remaining money to put my kids through college. If I have anything left over, I might take in a major league game and splurge on a hotdog and a beer. I have nothing against Jeter, but that's too much money to give away.

Of course. His endorsements should easily topple his Major League contracts. I don't blame Jeter for not returning the ball- I blame the guy who caught it.

[Jewish-collector]

I probably would consign it with Robert Edward Auctions.

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by Brendan

The reason the Yankees spend so much money is because they are in it to win it. These other teams have just as much money as the Yankees do, (or at least enough to spend like the Yankees do) but they just keep the money in their pockets and make money off of revenue sharing.

Or they take $180 million of it to buy real estate, trinkets and lifestyle.

Go Dodgers...