Yankees DH Alex Rodriguez blasts home run for 3,000th career hit...

[madinmaryland]

New York Yankees designated hitter Alex Rodriguez picked up his 3,000th career hit on Friday at Yankee Stadium by hitting a home run on the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the first inning.

He is only the third player in MLB history to hit a home run for his 3,000th hit. The other two are former Yankees players Derek Jeter and Wade Boggs.

Rodriguez becomes only the fifth player in history to be a member of the 3,000 hit club and the 500 home run club. The others are Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Eddie Murray, and Rafael Palmeiro​.

The 39-year-old Rodriguez is the first to join the 3,000 hit club since Jeter did it on July 9, 2011.

http://www.si.com/mlb/2015/06/19/new-york-yankees-alex-rodriguez-3000-hits

FUCK the Designated Hitter Rule!!

[KamaAina]

1. A fan recovered the ball

[madinmaryland]

2. For a Frisco fan, you really love posting Barroid's ball.

[KamaAina]

3. I reject Barroid thoroughly.

I wanted to when he tried to reattach himself to the team like a leech during that first Series run.

[Auggie]

4. If his spring training coaching helps win the World Series ...

it's okay with me. The coaching presence of Bonds, Willie Mays, JT Snow, Meulens and whoever else have made a difference at the plate. Just keep Bonds in the background like that.

[KamaAina]

5. A fan actually did snag the ball!

A superfan, in fact.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/notorious-ball-hawk-zack-hample-catches-a-rod-s-3-000th-hit-001101863.html

That would be notorious baseball ballhawk Zack Hample, who over the course of his "career" has now snagged over 8,000 baseballs at major league games.

Hample has even written three books about his area of expertise, including one titled "How to Snag Major League Baseballs: More Than 100 Tested Tips That Really Work," which was published back in 1999.

He's been on the receiving end of several notable milestones over the years, including Mike Trout’s first major league home run on July 24, 2011 at Camden Yards. He also caught Barry Bonds' 724th career home run at Petco Park in 2006, and over the years has caught several balls at the Home Run Derby in numerous locations.

Now he adds Alex Rodriguez's 3,000th hit, which should prove to be the most valuable of them all.

Here is the actual ball, sans asterisk (for now ):

[Jamaal510]

6. "Man Who Caught Alex Rodriguez's 3,000th Hit Refuses to Give Ball Back to A-Rod"

More: http://www.complex.com/sports/2015/06/man-who-caught-alex-rodriguez-3000-hit-refuses-to-give-ball-back?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Daily&utm_campaign=Daily%202015%20%28Fully%20Horizon%29%202015-06-21

On Friday, Alex Rodriguez became the 29th player in MLB history reach the 3,000-hit mark. In the first inning of last night's game against the Detroit Tigers, Rodriguez went yard off of Justin Verlander in the first inning, hitting it over the right-center field wall and into the hands of Zach Hample. New York Yankees personnel made their way over to Hample in order to authenticate the ball and work on a swap for this piece of history.

Eventually, Hample returned to his seat and the ball was still in his possession.

According to Newsday's Mike Gavin, Hample refused offers from the Yankees for the 3,000th hit ball:
https://twitter.com/MikeGavin7/status/612056291704471552

It appears that Hample's resistance has to do with A-Rod's past. Or, he is seeking financial compensation for the ball.