We spent the entire show today talking about Wieters’ home run and the ensuing furor over the fan who caught the ball. The Orioles say he agreed to give the ball to Wieters in exchange for a couple autographed items, but then tried to up the ante a little later.

That, at least to me, raises this question: why should we expect to be compensated for doing the right thing? Wieters has worked his whole life trying to get to the major leagues, and had to have been thrilled when he hit his first big league home run. That ball as to be priceless to him. However, it belongs to whomever caught it…no problem there, fair is fair after all. But, why does that individual feel he’s owed something for that?

One caller suggested the full uniform Wieters was wearing would be fair compensation, another said, straight up, that he would demand big dollars, and justified it by saying “it’s a generational thing” (huh?) . Still others complained about the vast amounts of money players make and tried, somehow, to tie that for compensation for the ball.(I’m still scratching my head over that one) .

The two best comments? One e-mailer said he would have taken the ball to the Oriole dugout and ask the police officer there to simply give it to Wieters. Another said all he’d want in return is for Wieters to promise he’d hit 499 more.

Bottom line: the ball belongs to whomever caught it. If he wants big $$$ then sell it, but don’t try to extort from Wieters and the Orioles. It just isn’t right.

Posted on Thursday, June 18th, 2009 at 1:49 pm.
Categories: Uncategorized.
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