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Dodgers: Fan Who Caught Albert Pujols’ 700th Home Run Reveals Intention for Ball

Don’t… be this guy. On a magical night for Albert Pujols, the Cardinals, the Dodgers, and Major League Baseball, one fan, unfortunately, sapped some of the fun out of Albert’s 700th career home run.

A source revealed to a Fox Sports contributor that the unidentified fan who caught — or ended up with Pujols’ 700th career homer — opted to keep the baseball. He turned down multiple offers from the Cardinals.



Now, maybe you and I share different opinions on this, but while the fan in this case has every right to keep the ball, it just feels wrong. He didn’t accomplish the feat that only now four people in the history of the game have done. He didn’t hit the ball, why should he keep it?

I understand that he ended up with the baseball, but what does that ball mean to you? The moment is already yours. You have the story to tell, you don’t need props to prove it. Hell, you could have ended up with other prizes and giveaways and memorabilia in its place.

And you could have made an all-time great happy.

Maybe the baseball will increase in value, maybe it won’t. But, I hope this person asks themselves every day why they robbed Albert of something so meaningful to him.

Notably, in typical Pujols fashion, he’s not worried about the fan or the ball. He has enough already…

But, in this case, that feels beside the point. Albert said that but you can feel that he truly didn’t mean it.

Congratulations again to Albert Pujols for an incredible accomplishment, an incredible career, and for all the moments you’ve given to baseball over the years. I’ll get off my soap box now.

See you in October, tío.

Dodgers Remove Craig Kimbrel From Closers Role, Albert Pujols Hits 700th Home Run, LA Loses to Cards

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Clint Pasillas

Clint Pasillas has been writing, blogging, and podcasting about the Los Angeles Dodgers since 2008. Under Clint's leadership as the Lead Editor, Dodgers Nation has grown into one of the most read baseball sites in the world with millions of unique visitors per month. Find him online on Twitter/X or his YouTube channel!

58 Comments

    1. Wonder what kind of offers the Cardinals shot at that guy? Shouldn’t be less than 6 figures.

  1. Great, He should keep the ball for awhile,brag,and be HAPPY. Why should you be so negative. Baseball is about the fans. Maybe his grandchildren will LOVE it. At this they may give them a GREAT start for college. Are you jealious?.

  2. Clint, pull your whiny head out of your A$$… The fan has every right to keep the ball, just like every other ball hit into the stands!

    If Albert really wants that ball back, he’ll pay for it… pretty sure he can afford it!

    1. I completely agree! This ball is estimated to be worth $100k. The guy who wrote this story probably doesn’t even come close to sniffing that in a year! If Pujols, MLB, the Cardinals or even the Dodgers want the ball, they have the means to do so! Gimme a break!

    2. EXACTLY!! “just like every other ball hit into the stands.” If they want the ball they should be willing to hook this fan up and they shouldn’t make them have to decide on the spot what they are willing to except for it.

    3. Indeed.! That fan might be struggling financially, his not going to pay his rent/mortgage with souvenirs. Give him the $$$$$$$$

  3. He has every right to hold on to the ball. He paid to attend the game, had a glove & was in the right place at the right time for a grand souvenir. He can sell it, keep it, or decide to give it up whenever he likes. He can even pass it to his heirs. Let him be him.

  4. The fan should make as much money as he can off the ball. He caught the ball fair and square. Remember the fans are the ones paying for the over inflated salaries of the players, through the cost of ticket prices, merchandise, along with over priced food and beer.

    1. That’s a great point. Kind of changed my mind when I think about it. He hit the baseball lottery and should have the choice what to do with it – with no pressure. I’d probably keep it for a while, take lots of photos, then personally give it back to him for some complimentary decade long season tickets in one of the VIP areas.

  5. Terrible take. Catching a home run ball is an incredible part of the fan experience. Advocating taking that away would be yet another awful step in the progression of MLB. The fan caught it. It’s his. It’s honestly near worthless now since there’s no way to authenticate it once it left the stadium. It would’ve been a nice gesture to give (or sell) the ball back. But it’s a gesture, not an obligation.

    1. There is a way to authenticate it. Read up on it , the MLB for Albert and for Aaron Judge have the balls marked. Or for other Major Events. That ball is worth a bunch of $$$ and I agree with the fan, I would put it on the auction block

    2. It was authenticated by MLB before it left the stadium. It was also a specially marked ball used by MLB for these milestones. Very easy to verify.

  6. To be honest, i think the ball should go to Too or the HOF. I might, no, probably would, ask for something gor it but it belongs in the HOF with his statue, where i assume the other balls are, including Bonds, even though he wont get a statue. I think everything Pete Rose, ball, bat and Jersey is there even though he isn’t , (yet),

  7. I agree. Stop the whining. If he wanted to give the ball back he would’ve. I probably would with some money behind it for my family. But I think Albert attitude about it is great. Just shows his professionalism.

    1. Remember that this fan may still eventually decide to give the ball back for $$$.

  8. Classless fan… Maybe he will sell it to pay for his child’s college education. Somehow I doit.ubt

  9. MLB has previously specially marked the 700 home run ball and it can easily be authenticated If the lucky fan decides to sell it.

    1. I think almost everyone disagrees with your opinion. I hope you feel better about yourself after hammering the lucky fan who came up with the ball.

  10. Just wow. A guy catches a huge payday in his life and you put him down. That amount of money that ball is worth and maybe worth I’d keep it to. Ball players get paid more then enough money and if wants the ball back then pony up the cash. If there’s a problem with that change the rules that no balls caught by fans can be kept. Problem solved. As for your article get real.

  11. Quit being a whiny b*tch. The dude who caught it will likely sell it for $500K plus… setting up himself and his family for a good while. If they Cards want it, make a bid.

  12. What does it mean to him? Maybe it means that he can pay off his house and have a little bit easier life… maybe it means he can gift his family something special. I don’t blame the guy for keeping this winning lottery ticket. Albert made $2.5 million this year, the average Dodger fan earns under $70k. Give him a break.

  13. I was really hoping he would get #700 in St Louis, but then, I was also slightly concerned he may not get it at all; slim chance of Not getting it, but not impossible. So I’m glad he did it! I was born & raised in Independence MO. where Albert attended Fort Osage High School.

  14. What does the ball mean to you?Albert Pujols got robbed by a fan that kept the ball?One of the most stupid articles I have read.That 700 HR ball has a lot of value.Steroid,non champ and unliked Barry Bonds 700 HR ball sold for close to 800 thousand.How much is someone willing to spend for Pujols 700 HR ball?

  15. These players play for money and the highest bidder and ticket prices are sky high, then we fans are suppose to not make a buck? PLEASE! Cry to someone else.

  16. What a boring biased article for any sports fan to read. The point of going to a baseball beside besides seeing your team win is to CATCH a home run ball!! To the fan who caught it, congrats! You just hit 1 in a lifetime prize! Hope you make some money or keep a piece less souvenir!

    1. Albert worked his ENTIRE career to hit 700 hme runs. This guy in the stand has the rest of his life to catch another home run ball. He could have had anything!! An autographed ball with letter and photo with some more?
      Greed is so sad. Hope he gets no offers.

  17. You’re a clown. That ball is projected to be worth anywhere from $500,000 to over $1 million dollars. That fan has every right to keep that ball forever or sell it to the highest bidder. Only a moron would give something like that away for a few token prizes in exchange.

  18. Bonds 756 ball was auctioned for over 700k. That fan has every right to keep it and do with it what he will. If MLB wants the ball they can pay him for it. Chances are selling that ball would change that fans life in a big way

      1. HEY CLINT! There is no way in hell you would give Al that ball back out of the goodness of your heart lol nobody likes a liar.

  19. He has every right to keep the ball. Albert doest care, he has said so. So don’t force your opinions on everybody else. I would say don’t be like you.

  20. Maybe he can make enough off the ball to afford tickets to games next year. The author worries about making the enormously rich, record breaking, and internationally acclaimed baseball player happy. If he needs this ball to be happy there is a big problem. From what I know of Albert, he is happy as he has been smiling all season.

  21. The author of this article comes across as a typical jokester/wokester. Why would he give up his souviner when they could probably get over 1 million for the ball. If Pujlos or the Cardinals want the ball bad enough – go bid at the auction. I dont remeber hearing that they were giving away FREE seats and food so if you catch the ball you would give it back. No reason to read any more of your articles. You are a tool.

  22. The guy is not an idiot. Barry Bonds’ 700th HR baseball fetched over $800K in an auction 18 years ago. He probably has over a million reasons to keep the ball.

    1. “Don’t be like” this jouralist. Perhaps the dumbest advice/article I have ever read. Seriously. And I am a huge Cardinal / Albert fan.

    1. And the comments above prove that. They seem to think the Cardinals just demanded it back because that’s what they would have done. No, the organization offered a fair price.

  23. Sorry Clint but your way out of touch. I’m a former player and these people have the right to keep or sell or do whatever they want with a caught ball. Players make millions and fans support them. Time for fans to cash in on all this money. No problem with them keeping or selling it. God bless. I hope he gets a fortune for it

  24. Along with 200 others with identical COA. He’s going to sell it a few time. It is the LA way.

  25. I concur. The fan has the right to keep the ball. They can sell keep whatever they want to do with it. Baseball will eventually make an offer they can’t refuse. Good luck how ever it goes.

  26. This is clickbait and a false headline! The fan n didn’t “reveal” anything! I expected an article about a press conference or interview with the guy who caught it. We already knew he kept it. I won’t be opening any more posts from this tacky site.

  27. Why didn’t the Dodgers do the right thing and give the fan $1,000,000 for the ball and then give it to Albert? Were there any players in the game who don’t make $1,000,000 a year? Do you think this fan has a job that makes $1,000,000 a year? Very doubtful! But it is likely that he will make $1,000,000 this year or very soon with the ball he has in his safe-deposit;-box.

  28. With 99% sheer luck and 1% skill, this guy *legally acquired* something worth probably $1M. He might be able to retire from this ball. Pujols has literally made hundreds of millions dollars in salary in his career. If he wants it, he’ll be able to outbid everyone.

  29. Thank you!

    Pujols can outbid everyone if he really wants it. This fan completely legally lucked into a million dollars. (OK, there was some skill since he caught it on the fly.) Put it up for auction and retire early. Pujols is retiring in his early 40s, why shouldn’t the fan try to?

  30. Did the writer *really* just say to “The fan can try to make Pujols happy?”. Seriously? Do I need to even explain why that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard?

  31. Good for the fan. Keep us posted, Clint. It belongs in the MLB HOF, give us a break. That was a writers comment, not a fans, Clint.

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