Jeter's Historic 3K Foul Ball To Be Auctioned Off

If you want to buy the home-run ball Derek Jeter hit for his 3,000th hit against the Tampa Bay Rays last summer—fuhgedaboudit.  But you can purchase one of the three balls he fouled off  Rays pitcher David Price before the memorable hit on July 9 at Yankee Stadium.

The ball Jeter fouled off during the at-bat which produced the historic home-run is being sold at auction by Lelands.com until Dec. 16.

You can relive that glorious foul ball moment in the video below and dream about being the proud owner of that wayward ball.

I wonder if the 3-2 count foul ball—caught by a fan on the first-base side of the field—will rake in more for this guy then Christian Lopez—the young man who caught the historic No. 3,000— got for returning his prize catch to Jeter.

The generous Lopez was rewarded with four box-seat season tickets and assorted signed Jeter memorabilia.  Some think he was underpaid and the payoff should have been equivalent to winning Powerball.

The shortstop fouled off three pitches before hitting the milestone 3,000 on that sunny day.  Two were retrieved by ballboys and the third was caught by the fan behind the first base side.

The ball is reported to have a big, black smudge on it and is marked with a "J-1" by Major League Baseball to certify its authenticity.

You may not be able to own the actual ball which made Jeter only the 28th major leaguer to join the exclusive 3K club, but you can lay title to the ball which set up the big moment with the highest bid.

Jeter's 3,000th Hit is a Home Run

Derek Jeter finally got his 3,000th hit and a lucky fan is getting to meet his idol.  On a picture perfect Saturday afternoon and Yankee Stadium buzzing with anticipation after Jeter singled in the first inning to bring him within one hit of reaching the milestone, Jeter jacked a 3-2 slider from David Price into the upper deck in left center field for a solo home-run and Yankees history.

As Jeter rounded the bases, Tampa Bay Rays first baseman tipped his cap to the Yankees shortstop while Jeter's teammates gathered at home plate to greet the Captain.  Price quietly placed his mitt on the mound and quietly walked over to the the Rays dugout.  The now-infamous pitcher knew there would be a long celebration.

Jorge Posada, probably Jeter's closest freind on the Yankees, was the first to give him a heart-felt hug followed by Mariano Rivera.

Both dugouts were standing at the rails and the crowd oohed and ahhed every swing Jeter took after the first hit.  They knew the next one would mean they were a part of Yankees history.

The third inning home run tied the game and was Jeter's second of the game.  You wouldn't be hard-pressed to believe Jeter was just as happy for the long-awaited hit as he was that it tied the game.  Contributing to the team is what Jeter is all about.

The 48,000-plus fans who witnessed the historic moment started lining up at the concession stands buy mementos minutes after the hit and the love fest continued a full ten minutes after he got No.  3,000.

Jeter did his part to keep everyone happy by doubling and scoring in the fifth.

The fan who caught the historic home-run ball, Christian Lopez, a young man from upstate returned the ball for four Champion Suite tickets through the World Series.

Tampa Bay Rays Robbing Jeter Chance of Getting 3,000th Hit At Yankee Stadium

Are the Tampa Bay Rays robbing Derek Jeter out of a chance to get his milestone 3,000th hit at Yankee Stadium this weekend?  You bet they are.

Blame Mother Nature for tonight's rainout of the New York Yankees-Tampa Bay Rays game but, if Jeter falls a hit or two short of attaining 3,000 in the remaining two games, blame the Rays for helping dick the Yankees captain out of getting another shot at the historic base hit inside Yankee Stadium.

Tonight's game was called on rain and the Yankees wanted to reschedule the game in a double-header on Saturday but the Rays vetoed the request to play two.

The Rays had the right to turn down the double-header and said they didn't want to lose the home date.  They could have just as easily made a concession for Jeter out of respect.

The game will now be played on September 22, a mutual off-day.

"I can't control another organization's right and decision," shrugged Yankees GM, Brian Cashman after he heard the Rays response to not double up on Saturday.

Now Jeter has two games, instead of three, to get the final two hits in the Bronx.  After that, the team hits the road.

Jeter is batting .257 and is averaging about a hit per game.  The odds are in his favor that he will join the exclusive 3K Club this weekend, but he'll have to do it going through two of the league's best pitchers.

The Yankees will face David Price (8-7, 3.56 ERA) on Saturday afternoon and James Shields (8-6, 2.47 ERA) the next day before the three-day All-Star break.

Yankees fans can't be too happy about the Rays decision to reschedule the game in September.  Many of them paid an escalated, premium price for tickets with the slim hope that they would be lucky enough to pick the right game this weekend and witness Jeter get No. 3,000 in person.

Jeter really wants to be the first Yankee to get 3,000 hits and do it for the fans in Yankee Stadium.  Now his chances have been cut by a third.

"There is more pressure," said Curtis Granderson, the Yankees centerfielder.

If he fails to get the big hit this weekend, expect the Toronto Blue Jays to jump for joy.  The Yankees begin an eight-game road trip north-of-the-border on July 14th and the Jays could use a sell-out.

Expect a lot New Yorkers to make the six-hour car trip to see Jeter get the historic hit, even if it's in Canada.

Thanks a lot Rays.