I kind of feel bad for Dougie Doug, since he'll be a national joke for a few days . . . or longer if he keeps trying to hang on to the ball.

What if the Twins had won the 2004 World Series and rent-a-Twin Pat Borders had caught the last out and wanted to keep the ball?

We'd all be a happy that the Twins won the W.S., but would we trash Pat? You betcha!

As terrible as it sounds, it's like Douglas is some kind of 2nd class Sock. He's a mid-season pick-up that split time at his position. I can kind of understand the sentiment that the ball belongs to the team, especially given the history and the comeback etc., etc., etc.

However, I see Doug's point too - if I caught the ball in the stands, it would be mine to sell on e-Bay or otherwise exploit.

What puts me over to Boston's side here is Doug's incessant jaw-flapping.

Dougie Baby - use that mouth to blow bubbles instead and hide that ball!

I say good for Dougie. It's not like the Red Sox can't afford $500,000 for it. World Series DVD and T-shirt sales alone should cover that. If Doug is worried about putting his kids through college with MLB salaries being what they are, however, he's got bigger problems with which to deal.

And we should all hope and pray that Doug sends his kids to a better school than Florida State. Don't be afraid to tell your kids to reach for the stars, Minky. Or at least some place where triple digits on your SATs are a minimum entrance requirement.

Hey Bat-girl & Twins fans. (Lurker here, who loves this blog.) Don't be too hard on Dougie here. He was talking with Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe. Shaughnessy is a trouble-making schmuck (and that's the family-friendly version of my opinion of him.) The Boston media is pretty brutal to the players, and Shaughnessy's probably the worst of them. He called Doug to ask for quotes on the Millar & Mientkiewicz situation (2 first basemen, 1 starting position.) Doug wouldn't give him a quote because Theo is in the midst of negotiations, so they started joking around about the ball. Much of what Mientkiewicz said was said in a joking tone, and Shaughnessy repeated it out of context. Doug called the radio station WEEI earlier this afternoon to set the record straight. I believe him over Shaughnessy.

Dougie's relatively new in town, so he may not have known Shaughnessy's reputation. And this is rather minor compared to what he's said about Nomar in the past. Were I a ballplayer, I wouldn't talk to him to get directions.

My personal, red sox fan/Bostonian opinion: Who gives a damn? Doug M. caught the ball, it's his, he can do what he wants with it. He's a fantastic defensive player, one of the few guys who can bunt on the team, and I love watching him do the splits when making plays. He stated he was keeping the ball when we first won the thing (I remember a quote from him to this effect weeks ago,) but now that it's the offseason and Schmuck-boy needs an article, it's suddenly an issue. Winning was the important part. This is making a megillah out of nothing.

Thanks, Casilda. That helps.

I'm on the fence about Doug here. I mean, if he was someone who had been with the team at least a full season, he might have some claim to it. In his position, I'd prefer to see him give it up, but I can understand how he's keep it.

All the Red Sox have to do is pony up the money to buy the ball. Surely something this historic for them is worth the few hundred thousand.

He's obviously concerned about feeding Spree's family.

Thank you Casilda
I was hoping it was just big Dougie joking around
but he does not know when to shut up. Leave it to some turd newsie to put an evil spin on it.

I agree, Casilda. It was never a secret that Dougie had the ball. He told everyone he was keeping it, right after the team won the Series. Every year, there's probably a guy on the championship team who tucks that last out away as a souvinir, and I never heard of anyone who had to give it up to the bosses later. Do they want Dougie's glove, a lock of Damon's hair, and Schilling's bloody socks, too?

The Boston Dirt Dogs site -- which incidentally I ain't a big fan of -- has some interesting transcripts from local Boston radio shows. Also some posts from Dougie's wife Jodi. Sounds like maybe he's not trying to be as jerky as the Globe story makes it out.

Minty says the whole story is gettin' outta hand: "If they want to show it to fans, I’d be happy to. In fact, I’d show it off myself. I was furious when I came home after lifting weights, and got all these messages, people calling my mom, my sister. It’s out of control."

http://www.bostondirtdogs.com/

Hey, now! Leave Doug's mom out of it!

How will Batgirl go to Twins games if she promises to never ever leave her computer again?

As for the ball, Beckett still has the ball he won the WS for the Marlins with. Why can't Dougie keep his ball? Fair is fair.

I noticed too that the the article made Doug sound pretty bad. I went too www.mlb.com and noticed they had an article on there. If it makes a difference, they make Doug seem a whole lot nicer and better all around. Check it out if you want.
http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/news/mlb_news.jsp?ymd=20050107&content_id=928470&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp

A ball in the stands is yours to keep -- part of the license printed on the back of the ticket.

However, Doug is an employee of the Red Sox. It is his job to catch the ball to make the out on behalf of the Boston Red Sox organization. You can't have a "I have it so it is mine" mentality about these things...if you want to continue spreading a love for the game. Picture Bonds' record-breaking home run played against the Yanks banging off a wall and ricocheting back onto the field, where Bernie Williams' replacement (of course, he's on the DL again) Bubba Crosby tucks it away. Can you even imagine?

I can: Fast forward a couple of years -- every new contract has the "Dougie Clause" requiring all employees (read: players) to turn over any piece of equipment (jerseys, bats, balls, etc.) that management sees fit. If not, no contracts.

I'd rather it not get out of hand. Dougie, for the sake of baseball, don't be a {femenine hygiene product} and give up the ball. There are (dare I say) millions of people that have been waiting up to 86 years to see that thing. It belongs in a museum. Don't make the Red Sox sorry that they used you at first base in the World Series. I am certain that even David Ortiz could have caught that final out.

Oh and frightwig, just because you never heard of anyone who had to give souveneirs up to the bosses doens't mean that it doesn't happen more discretely...

YankeeFan

Yankee Fan,

You're telling Doug, "don't be a Biore Clear Pore Strip?" I don't get it...

D-L

NEVER trust a word Shagnasty says. He's just mad because his little "Bambino Curse" money train thing has ended and he needs to lash out. The faster he leaves town the better.

Dear Batgirl,

Add me to the small list of people who support Doug on this matter.

Not surprising, I know. ;-)

This is why I don't change my name.
Good old Dougie. I miss him so.

bubblemint

Here's a link to download his interview on WEEI in Boston this afternoon. Took a little while to download, but it's worth it if you care to hear Doug's own words on the subject.

http://rope.weei-am.fimc.net/audio/010705DougMientikiewicz.wma

I am behind Dougan on this one.

Take the money and run, Doug!

My favorite part about this post is the title.

I really don't have a dog in this fight, not caring and all, but I think it's great that the Batlings are daring to critize him!

I'm rejoicing in that!

Dan Shaughnessy sounds like our own Dan hard-to-spell-last-name-negativity-media-guy.

Some of the media and sports radio types in Boston would have you believe this is a bellwether for Minty's eventual trading; the theory being "the powers that be" gotta dirty up a player's name so there's little public outcry when a quality player gets moved. Myself... I just think it's friggin' hilarious.

Yeah, I've heard rumblings that they want to trade Minty...but wouldn't that mean they'd have gotten rid of BOTH pickups they got in the Nomar trade? I thought I had heard Cabrera ended up in LAAA.

Anyway...The question we should be asking is what's going to happen to the ball once the Sox get it? I can see that ball getting sold to the highest bidder once it's out of Doug's hands. At least if Doug holds on to it it'll hold it's value.

I'm with Bubblemint! I love Doug! The Red Sox should have asked for the ball immediately if they wanted it. Bleah.

"Picture Bonds' record-breaking home run played against the Yanks banging off a wall and ricocheting back onto the field, where Bernie Williams' replacement (of course, he's on the DL again) Bubba Crosby tucks it away. Can you even imagine?"
---------------------

If Bubba Crosby was man enough to tell Barry Bonds, "It's yours if you fork over the cash," I suppose that would be his right. It's not a great analogy, anyway. Doug actually was the one at 1st base who caught that ball. Even though he was with the team for just half a season, I imagine that was a thrilling moment to be in that position, tucking away the last out when the Sox finally won the Series. That is his little claim to history--he recorded the last out, and the ball is his souvinir of the moment.

There must be at least 100 balls used in that game. Do the Red Sox care who has any of the others?

Does anyone know who has the balls that made the last outs in the '87 and '91 World Series? How often has it crossed anyone's mind to wonder about it?

Baseball teams pass around balls like candy at a parade. A ball gets a little dirty, these days they throw it out. I don't think the ball actually belongs to the Red Sox; I believe it belongs to MLB, which authenticated the ball for him and allowed him to take it home. Even if the home team paid for the game balls, the Series finale was not played in Fenway Park.

For nearly three months, nobody cared about that baseball Doug took home. Now, just because a newspaper columnist decided to make an issue of it, I guess it's suddenly a big deal. If the Red Sox choose to play the "this ball belongs to the FANS of Red Sox Nation" card, Doug probably will come out looking like the bad guy. But it's too bad if things go that way. He has every right to keep it, or do with it as he pleases.

If the Red Sox want to put it on permanent display at Fenway Park, John Henry should graciously write the check, make everyone happy, and let the matter drop.

Hear, hear!

Can't we all (and by all, I mean Dougie B. and the Red Sox) get along?

Frightwig--
When he was the Twins' manager, TK used to have two displays in his office. One display was from 1987, and the other was from 1991.

Each display contained 3 balls:
1) the last out from the game where the Twins clinched the division title that year;
2) the last out from the ALCS; and
3) the last out from the World Series.

I took the Twins' clubhouse tour a few years ago, and the guide pointed this out as we passed the manager's office.

How's life at the office, Ogg?

Awfully slow at the moment, I'm afraid. There are rumours that an Americanized version of the show is in the works (blasphemy!). I don't have high hopes for it, even though Ricky Gervais is involved. I'll have to settle for watching the DVDs over and over and over....

I'm coming at this a bit late, but know that if you look up the word "divisive" in the dictionary,you will find Shaughnessy's picture. He is not happy unless he has made someone else unhappy. Red Sox management complains about the media all the time but are perfectly willing to use the force when they have an agenda.

frightwig,

Of course, I disagree.

"Does anyone know who has the balls that made the last outs in the '87 and '91 World Series? How often has it crossed anyone's mind to wonder about it?"

Thanks to Oggmonster for pointing out where those balls are/were. I think it underscores why we don't see this every year: nobody has ever been so selfish as to think he deserves the game ball more than anyone else.

The "game ball" is traditionally awarded by the coach to the player or players that deserved it for that game/series/etc. It is an honor to be bestowed by the club and Doug's "I was there, I caught it, I'm keeping it" just flies in the face of camraderie, sportsmanship and all the rest of the things about sports you'd want to teach your children. Maybe that's why it bothers me.

Doug's claim to fame (and Trivial Pursuit answer) would have been catching the final out of the World Series that ended the curse and the 86 year drought (ironic now that 86 has a positive meaning to Red Sox Nation, where once it conjured images of Mookie and Bucker, no?), now it will be all about the ball.

It is amazing to me that my perception of him has changed throughout the last 12 months. Indeed, I recall posting how I had always liked Doug, because he represented what was right about baseball -- love for the game, just a kid playing his sport, fostering camraderie, joking arond, etc. and that he was great for team chemistry (yep, frightwig, there it is again). Now, I look at the talking Doug did during and after his exit from Minnesota, his demand for more playing time with the Sox (umm, Doug, you're batting .211 and therefore Millar will get more playing time than you) and now, the selfishness and greed of money trumping the team concept.

I know most of you disagree with me, and I am not sure if it is because it is Doug or if Minnesota traded for Miguel Cairo midseason as a defensive replacement for Rivas, and Cairo caught the World Series ending popout and kept the ball demanding money, maybe some of you would be a little ticked. Remember, I am a YankeeFan, and therefore the pain of Red Sox Nation is supposed to (stereotypically) bring me joy.

I look at this situation without bias, and think to myself -- how would I explain what Doug is doing to my kid, when he or she asks me why they do that "2-4-6-8 who-do-we-appreciate" chant at the end of games? How do I tell my kid "Son or Daughter, Doug actually was the one at 1st base who caught that ball. Even though he was with the team for just half a season, I imagine that was a thrilling moment to be in that position, tucking away the last out when the Sox finally won the Series. That is his little claim to history--he recorded the last out, and the ball is his souvinir of the moment. It is his right to sell the ball to the highest bidder, even though he makes $2.8 million a year." Yup, let that be a lesson to you, kid -- value the almighty dollar more than your friends and teammates. Wasn't this group complaining about that concept when Koskie bolted to Toronto for a few extra dollars?

I dunno, maybe I am an idealist. Maybe I want to keep the pro game as pure as little league. Maybe I want my kid to be able to step up to the plate thinking "I'm Mattingly" or "I'm Pags" and have that be a good thing.

I hope there is some food for thought in here, and not just fodder.

YankeeFan

First, I'd like to point out to cubsfan that Dougie need not concern himself with finding a better school than FSU, since FSU is great.

Doug has every right to hold on to that ball. The tragedy here is that this issue wasn't handled behind closed doors. If he wanted to, Doug could auction this ball off and make alot more than he will ask from the Red Sox management. That way, it truly would belong to the fans...or at least one fan. It seems obvious to me that Doug has no team loyalty, which is a shame, but the truth is that the Red Sox ownership can afford to pay him. They are quite rich, after all.

The Red Sox have been winners for, like, 27 minutes and they're already getting cocky about it.

They should sit back and feel lucky that the ball went into the first baseman's hands -- and not between his legs.

Or else this will kick off a whole new curse that won't be broken until the Mientkiewicz estate finally relinquishes the ball in 2090.

Silo,

That would be the funniest thing ever. I only pray I live long enough to remember this in 2089.

YankeeFan

I hate the Yankees and like the Red Sox by virtue of David Ortiz and the fact that they are the sworn enemies of said Yankees..

However, I'm all about cruel irony (see 01/09/05 - MN Vikings beating GB Packers). I must agree with Silo & YankeeFan (the sole cool one in the universe) that a 2090 curse on Dougie's head would be hilarious.

Hello.
Sox fan here, it should be Doug's ball, MLB says its Dougs.
If anyone has a claim it would be the Cards, home team supplies balls for game, therefore if it wasn't hit off playing field, it belongs to home team that paid for them.
Thanks

How could TK have displayed the last out from the 1991 World's Series in his office? There was no last out, unless you count Knoblauch's bunt of Gladden to third.

Maybe it was the last ball in play from each game? I could have sworn the tour guide said "outs," but the memory isn't what it used to be...

I am shocked to learn that Batgirl hates the Yankees. The Yankees don't hate Batgirl, and it's not our fault that the players won't change the rules and allow a salary cap.

I offer an olive branch to Batgirl, Don't hate us because we are beautiful :p