David Price signs deal to autograph Derek Jeter’s 3,000th items

[Chrispy]

David Price signs deal to autograph Derek Jeter’s 3,000th items

Generous fan Christian Lopez may be getting all the headlines, but David Price(notes) will not be the forgotten man from Derek Jeter's(notes) 3,000th hit.

At least not from a memorabilia standpoint. The talented Tampa Bay Rays pitcher has signed a deal with collectibles company Steiner Sports to sign baseballs and pictures with an inscription of "I gave up DJ's 3K." Price surrendered Jeter's 3,000th career hit last Saturday, giving up a full-count home run to the left field stands at Yankee Stadium.

Now he'll get a nice bonus for finding himself on the wrong side of history — a profit that other victim pitchers like Mike Bacsik (Barry Bonds' 756th) and Ralph Branca (Bobby Thomson's Shot Heard 'Round The World) have also turned.

From the St. Pete Times:
Price said he didn't know how many items he would sign. Asked if "lucrative" was a fair description for the deal, he said, "That's good.''

I'm sure that some people will have a problem with this endorsement and I do find it a little curious that a pitcher of Price's caliber would associate himself with what many consider to be a moment of failure on his part.

At the same time, being the pitcher for another player's personal milestone is more or less a completely random act and Price really has no reason to be ashamed of being on the mound for that moment. If he wasn't there, it would have been someone else and in no way is it a reflection of his pitching abilities. Do the other hundreds of pitchers who have allowed Jeter a hit go around hanging their heads in shame?

In reality, Price was just a tad more important to the situation — but not by much — than the game's right fielder or the hot dog vendor. If someone really wants to pay him for the coincidence of being on the mound for Jeter's large and round number, why not take the money and run?

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/bi...eal-to-autograph-Derek-Jeter-?urn=mlb-wp12786

 

[Tailback U]

Good for him. He's got the right mentality.

But you gotta think he's probably getting a good amount of cash to do this. There's no way anyone would ever do it for free and if you're going to ask for money, you're probably going to ask for a lot.

 

[dave]

I'm not a big baseball guy, who actually won that game?

If Tampa won it ... good on Price.

If they lost, it is kinda weird, but to be fair to Price - why not cash in. There's no guarantee he won't get an injury and never see big money.

 

[SethMode]

I'm not a big baseball guy, who actually won that game?

If Tampa won it ... good on Price.

If they lost, it is kinda weird, but to be fair to Price - why not cash in. There's no guarantee he won't get an injury and never see big money.

Clearly you're not a big baseball guy, because in the 162 game scheme of thing I doubt that Price's reaction would really mean anything. Win or lose, it's about the 3,000th hit.

 

[dave]

Clearly you're not a big baseball guy, because in the 162 game scheme of thing I doubt that Price's reaction would really mean anything. Win or lose, it's about the 3,000th hit.

When my Montreal Expos left, baseball was just a distraction to me.

 

[SethMode]

When my Montreal Expos left, baseball was just a distraction to me.

I'm not being a dick, I guess I'm just curious why you would think it would be "weird" if he did it in one loss out of 30 some starts, but not if they won, when really I would be shocked if in the AL East it came down to that one win (which of course now it will).

 

[dave]

I'm not being a dick, I guess I'm just curious why you would think it would be "weird" if he did it in one loss out of 30 some starts, but not if they won, when really I would be shocked if in the AL East it came down to that one win (which of course now it will).

I don't think you're being a dick.

But, IMO, if you lost that game it still matters. If I'm David Price and my shit performance cost my team the game, it bothers me. The last thing I'm thinking about is cashing in on it. If, at the end of the season, it didn't matter in the standings and my team won the pennant, than yeah, I don't care and cash in.

But, again, I don't blame him for wanting to cash in. He may never see a huge contract, so strike while the iron is hot.

 

[Obst]

I'm not a big baseball guy, who actually won that game?

If Tampa won it ... good on Price.

If they lost, it is kinda weird, but to be fair to Price - why not cash in. There's no guarantee he won't get an injury and never see big money.

He's making 14.1 million just off his rookie contract.

 

[dave]

He's making 14.1 million just off his rookie contract.

Latrell Sprewell couldn't feed his family with that per year.

 

[EmpireWF]

He's making 14.1 million just off his rookie contract.

That's nothing. Lincecum could be making close to $30 million before he even hits free agency.

 

[dave]

That's nothing. Lincecum could be making close to $30 million before he even hits free agency.

Lincecum deserves it. He's earned it.

 

[Obst]

That's nothing. Lincecum could be making close to $30 million before he even hits free agency.

A Cy Young helps. I'm just pointing out that David Price has made a good amount of money already.

 

[EmpireWF]

A Cy Young helps. I'm just pointing out that David Price has made a good amount of money already.

No doubt. Now he can start planning a new wing to his estate.

 

[NAHSTE]

David Price is a really good guy. I don't think there are any ulterior motives here. He's a humble enough dude to appreciate that he has a place in history. Sure he may be cashing in on it but I don't think that's so bad. At least he's embracing it. He may not be happy about being the dude who served up the milestone but at least he appreciates it. From what I have heard and read about him, he is a true baseball junkie and gets just as into that shit as we do.