Nick Castellanos Says Fans Can Keep Balls Like One Returned To Pujols
By: Jeff Riger
@riger1984
By now you know the name Tom Sherrill -- What? No?
He's the guy who caught Albert Pujol's 500th homer last week and then just gave it back to the veteran, slugger multimillionaire for absolutely nothing. OK, he did get some free stuff, but he could have gotten a lot more, he could have gotten cash. Sherrill, who scooped up the historic ball when another fan, Chris Gordon, failed to make a play on it, believed Pujols would value the ball and he couldn't wait to hand it over.
Of course we all know that was the wrong decision.
Pujols has made about $155,040,436 in his big league career already and has another $189 million more coming his way. Sherrill should have held the ball hostage and got paid. Pujols could afford it.
This is not the first time something like this has happened. The fan who caught Derek Jeter's 3000th hit, which was a home run, gave the ball back as well. He too failed to get any money in return.
Am I the only one who demands cash back? If not from the athlete then from some fan who wants to buy it at auction.
So I went to the Tigers' clubhouse to find out how a player would feel if a fan wanted money back for a historic ball that he hit in the stands? A ball that might be a guy's 500th homer or 3000th hit?
Watch the video with Tigers 3rd baseman Nick Castellanos to find out his response.
Oh, by the way...
The fan who almost caught Pujol's 500th said; he too would have given the ball back without asking for money. He however did get something in return too; a big welt on his abdomen trying to track down the ball when it was hit.
What about you? You would ask for money. Wouldn't you?