Salvador Perez can’t get historic home run ball, and Royals players, fans are furious
As it has many times this year, the conversation at Royals manager Mike Matheny’s pre-game news conference focused on catcher Salvador Perez.
With 46 home runs and 115 RBIs this season, Perez is in the American League MVP conversation. Along the way he’s had many milestone moments.
“Salvy is going to have to build a new mantel, because I mean every time we go back home there’s something else to add to it,” Matheny said. “I don’t think he’s done anytime soon; he’s going to need a new fireplace.”
One item that may not be among Perez’s prized possessions is the ball he hit Monday to break the Major League Baseball record for most home runs by a catcher in a season.
A Cleveland fan who got the ball refused to trade it back to the Royals, second baseman Whit Merrifield said Tuesday on his radio show on KCSP (610 AM).
“A lot of guys were quite upset in the locker room afterwards when we heard what was going on,” Merrifield said.
Merrfield said the fan was offered a number of special collectibles for the ball. But the fan was belligerent and believed the ball would be worth a large amount of money. The Royals told the fan the ball would need to be authenticated to fetch a high price.
But the fan wouldn’t budge.
“Just one of those guys that likes to be difficult for no reason,” Merrifield said. “They were offering all sorts of stuff: signed jersey, signed bat, signed ball, signed cleats, signed glove. They were throwing everything at him. He was being a word that I would like to say but I’m not going to on the radio. ...
“We were all just seeing red that that guy wouldn’t give up that ball.”
So were Royals fans after The Star’s Lynn Worthy revealed what happened.
Matheny said he knows the ball has special significance to Perez but no one can compel a person to give up a home-run ball.
“That was something we’ll all remember and (Perez) will too,” Matheny said. “It’d be nice if we could work it out to get that back. But once again it’s tough to tell somebody else what they ought to do.”
This story was originally published September 22, 2021 at 8:57 AM.
