No. 755 to be put up for auction
By Darren Sabedra | dsabedra@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
August 11, 2007 at 2:35 a.m.
The man who came up with Barry Bonds' record-breaking 756th home run ball Tuesday has said he might keep it. The guy who reeled in No. 755 last weekend in San Diego said Friday that he will put his piece of history up for sale.
Adam Hughes, a plumber from La Jolla, has hired the same auction house that fetched $102,000 for Bonds' 700th home run ball in 2005, according to the Associated Press. Hughes' ball tied Bonds with Hank Aaron atop baseball's all-time homer list.
"He made a lifetime achievement, and I feel very fortunate that I caught this ball," Hughes said in a statement. "Never in a million years did I expect it."
Hughes' ball will be sold in an online auction Aug. 28 to Sept. 14, the AP reported. A minimum price has not been set.
In other Bonds-related news, the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., has put several artifacts from Bonds' record-breaking week on display. They include broadcaster Duane Kuiper's scorecard, three balls and umpire John Hirschbeck's ball-strike indicator from Tuesday's game. Also on display are a set of tickets from games in which Bonds tied and broke Aaron's record.
Dave Roberts wasn't in the lineup Friday, but his injured right knee wasn't as bad as the Giants feared. Manager Bruce Bochy said the center fielder would be available to pinch hit and isn't likely to be placed on the disabled list.
"The next couple of days, against left-handers, I'll probably use him off the bench," Bochy said.
To make room for just-activated starting pitcher Russ Ortiz on Friday, the Giants optioned left-hander Pat Misch to Triple-A Fresno.
Catcher Eliezer Alfonzo (right knee) was scheduled to catch up to six innings Friday for Fresno and will probably do the same today, Bochy said.
The plan then is for Alfonzo to take Sunday off and increase his rehabilitation assignments next week. It is possible he could be activated before the Giants return home Aug. 21 against Chicago, Bochy said.
Noah Lowry's bullpen session went well, and the left-hander will start either the second game of a doubleheader Monday at Pittsburgh or Tuesday's game at Atlanta, Bochy said. Lowry hasn't pitched since Sunday because of forearm tightness.
Bochy said Bonds won't be in the starting lineup today.
Darren Sabedra | High school sports reporter
Darren Sabedra is a sports reporter and the high school sports editor, overseeing prep coverage throughout the Bay Area. He's been with the Bay Area News Group since the early 1990s and has covered many sports beats, including Stanford football and basketball, pro baseball and the NFL.
dsabedra@bayareanewsgroup.com
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