Ohtani home run ball controversy “Dodgers threaten fan who caught the ball”

Claims were made that a fan was threatened during the process of collecting the first home run ball after the transfer, worth at least 135 million won. “Hand the ball over and you won’t even be able to meet Otani.”

Shohei Ohtani (30, LA Dodgers), who made the first arch of the season, was embroiled in controversy regarding a home run ball. It is said that the club made threats while collecting a home run ball caught by a fan.

The Athletic reported the story of Dodgers fan Amban Roman, who caught Ohtani's home run ball on the 5th (Korean time).

The day before, Ohtani got his first taste of the game this year in a game against the San Francisco Giants held at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. As it was his first home run since moving to the Dodgers, the on-site reaction was even more enthusiastic. The batted ball went over the right fence and landed in the stands.

As people flocked to find the ball, Roman caught the ball that fell at his feet. He picked up the ball and raised his fist to the sky.

Roman, who visited the stadium with her husband that day, was very happy with the good fortune that had come her way. “When you sit in the stands, you always hope you can catch the ball,” he said. “But I never thought it would be Ohtani’s ball,” he recalled of the emotional moment.

But the fun didn't last long. “Within minutes, the fairytale moment turned into a stressful and chaotic situation,” The Athletic said. Roman and her husband, Alexis Valenzuela, said they felt pressured and defrauded by Dodgers security personnel. 파워볼사이트

Generally, in the case of important home run balls, negotiations are conducted between the fan who caught the ball and the team according to custom. Usually, players or clubs provide souvenirs and a meeting with the player in exchange for the ball being returned. Previously, Lee Jeong-hoo (San Francisco Giants), who fired his first cannon in his big league debut on the 31st of last month, also met the fan who caught the ball. Instead of receiving the first home run ball back, they gave him an autographed ball and a club hat and took a commemorative photo. According to The Athletic, the Dodgers' reaction was different. The media said, “Roman and Valenzuela said they had no choice but to hand over the baseball at a low price due to pressure from security staff.” According to Roman, club officials said that if he kept the home run ball, they would not certify it as Ohtani’s home run ball. They also threatened me. “If certification is not obtained, the value of the ball may drop significantly, and the responsibility to prove its authenticity falls on Roman,” he explained. Meanwhile, the media introduced that Ohtani's home run ball was worth at least $100,000 (about 135 million won). What Roman and her husband received in return for handing over the 'monumental' home run ball were two autographed hats, an autographed bat, and an autographed ball. The first thing the club suggested was two autographed hats. When Roman asked if the team could include anything else, the club provided additional bats and balls. “We are not trying to extort anyone,” Valenzuela said. “It’s not like we’re money hungry,” she said. “It’s a special moment and a special ball. “I think it is fair to receive equal compensation,” he argued. Ohtani's reaction to receiving the home run ball back is also igniting controversy. “I was able to talk to the fan and got the ball back,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton. It is clearly a very special ball, and I have very great feelings about it. “I am very grateful that the ball came back,” he said. However, The Athletic said, “Roman and Valenzuela have never met or had a conversation with Ohtani,” and “According to the interpreter, Ohtani seemed to imply that he had a conversation (with the fan) in some way in his post-game comments.” “It is not clear whether it was a misunderstanding or whether Ohtani intended to convey a message to the fan who caught the ball.” The media also reported that the foul ball that Ohtani hit in 2021 is being sold at the Dodgers souvenir store. Pointing out that the price of this foul ball with Ohtani's autograph is set at $15,000 (about 20.28 million won), he pointed out, "It will be a barometer to estimate the value of Ohtani's first home run ball." 슬롯사이트