Home Run Derby will use real gold balls

[Chrispy]

Contrary to old immigrant legend, America's streets aren't paved with actual gold.

Nope, we apparently save the old Au for our sporting goods here in the ol' US of A:

 

Behold! These baseballs will be used during portions of next Monday's Home Run Derby, part of the All-Star festivities at Phoenix's Chase Field. According to Major League Baseball, these are standard-sized Rawlings that feature one leather panel that has been infused with 24-karat gold. They carry a MSRP of $149.99 and will be trotted out when each slugger is down to his final out in each round.

So, yes, some lucky fans in the outfield stands — or swimmers in Chase Field's outfield pool — will be on the receiving end of some very valuable blasts. The Boys & Girls Clubs of America will benefit, too, as MLB and State Farm will donate a combined $18,000 to the charity for each gold ball that goes for a homer. (State Farm donates $3K apiece for all other home runs.)

Prince Fielder(notes), Rickie Weeks(notes), Matt Holliday(notes) and Matt Kemp(notes) will be doing the mining for the National League while David Ortiz(notes), Jose Bautista(notes), Adrian Gonzalez(notes) and Robinson Cano(notes) will take their home run hacks for the American League.

It may not be in the same neighborhood as introducing metal bats to the competition — a great idea referenced by Jeff Passan earlier this week — but I think it's a fun little gimmick. Personally, I like to think of Bud Selig conceiving the idea by saying "I loooooove gold" and then talking about an unfortunate smelting accident.

Speaking of Bud, you think he would have sprung for the ostentatious display of gold baseballs if the upcoming collective bargaining talks weren't going to be an easy slam dunk? Yeah, me neither.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/bi...n-Derby-will-feature-valuable?urn=mlb-wp11800

 

[Rudi]

And the national debt increases....

 

[bluntside]

Good to see the league that is most known for strikes and lock-outs is oozing enough money to use actual gold in their balls, especially when there are two leagues locked out at the moment.

 

[strahanfan92]

I want a golden ticket.

 

[bluntside]

I want a golden ticket.

No shit, hey. How much fighting will be involved over those balls?

 

[ThomasTomasz]

I also love the idea of using metal bats during the derby, but I can definitely see the safety hazards for people in the front rows along the foul areas.

But yeah, there will be plenty of fighting over those. It could very well be a problem for security.

 

[FedEx227]

They'll never let MLB players use metal bats... Frank Thomas once used it for batting practice and apparently was just flying balls out of the stadium, hitting the concourse, linedrives into seats.

"He was hitting the ball so hard that once the gates opened, people were really in danger," Walker says. "The ball came off the aluminum bat so fast, they sent up word we had to quit."

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2005-08-15-cover-batting-practice_x.htm

 

[manchild24]

I want a golden ticket.

 

[NAHSTE]

They'll never let MLB players use metal bats... Frank Thomas once used it for batting practice and apparently was just flying balls out of the stadium, hitting the concourse, linedrives into seats.



http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2005-08-15-cover-batting-practice_x.htm

Yeah that shit just sounds wreckless and hazardous for no real gain other than the initial novelty of seeing someone crush a baseball harder than normal.

It'd be uncomfortable to watch even. Can you imagine Mike Stanton or Jose Bautista swinging some old school -5 Big Barrel aluminum from the old college days? Jesus.

 

[jms493]

someone is going to die trying to catch these balls...

 

[FedEx227]

Especially going from wood to metal, it's so ridiculous how strong you feel after doing that.

I played a lot of wood bat for a few summers then played a pickup game with metal and I'm not a power hitter by any means but was absolutely destroying the ball.

 

[BuccaneerFan]

Yes, just what MLB needs after a fan fell from the stands to his death reaching for a baseball...let's send balls with actual value into the sea of fans! Brilliant idea.

 

[Saluki]

I can't imagine it costs too much to put gold into the balls, just on the fact that they couldn't have used very much of it without making the ball heavy as shit.