It only costs $13.99 for the general public. Cheaper by the dozen.

Mets in '05!

Hey! I could have flown to SF, bought a ticket, sat in that section and possibly caught the ball, too!

It's mine! I'm suing!

What did this moron think, that once he put a finger on the ball, everyone else would say "gosh, golly, pshaw, you sure done caught it. Enjoy your millions of dollars, I'm going back to the cement plant for my shift?"

I think the only way you get a ball like that is to have a bunch of friends along, and leap on the ball like it was an NFL fumble -- then stay on the ball until security comes down and sorts out the pile.

I blame asshat collectors for this. I'm very glad that Todd McFarlane spent millions on a McGwire ball that is now -- in relative terms -- worthless. Send the ball to the Hall of Fame.

I like to think that I wouldn't get caught up in this, but then I imagine being at the game, the ball is in reach and suddenly I realize that my mortgage could be paid off, and my kids college education is paid for if I end up with the ball. The next 20 years of my life just became a heck of a lot easier. Hard to say.

"Immediately after the 700 home run ball fell to the area of plaintiff's feet, plaintiff established possession, dominion and control over the ball by sitting on it and securing it with his right leg," according to the suit.

Apparently, plaintiff did not establish dominion as his a$$ was kicked by whatever you call the other side of the suit. And he had his leg on it? Ya gotta catch the ball with something other than your leg, dude.

I propose a change in the law:

Balls that go into the seats continue to belong to Major League Baseball or the teams, just like balls on the field. If you keep the ball your are guilty of theft. As an exception, if you are injured by a batted ball you may keep the ball but you can't sue for damages.

I could understand someone making a fuss if it was a new ball, but this one's been used.

Idiot.

Bah, MLB needs to do one of two things.

For any ball that can be considered "Special" claim ownership of it, and demand its return for the player/hall of fame immediately after its hit. The whole section it lands in can get some freebies in return (autographs, tickets, whatever).

As much as bonds is an asshat, and as much as I hate him, if that was my 700 HR ball, I would kind of like to hold onto it, or see that it goes into the HOF. Sure he is rich, but should he have to pay millions for something that was worth 13.99 until he made it valuable?

Option 2 is for MLB to just say, if there is any dispute, we will review the tapes, and award the ball to whomevers seat it would have hit or landed closest to if not interfered with by fans.

Do you have any idea where Wrigley Field is?

Something to do with chewing gum?

I hope all these sue-happy morons will enjoy the inevitable final result of cases like this:

Nets up around the whole playing field to prevent ANY balls from leaving the field. No balls leave the field, no battles over ownership, no injuries from balls and bats.

Then, finally, the foam-padding of baseball will be complete, and the lowest common denominator will be achieved.

Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but, the way we're going...this will happen.

I wish it had happened on souvenir bat day...

Apelsin -

If you look at Barry Bonds' arms, they look like something out of Science Fiction.