A-Rod was No. 1 on Tuesday for the fan who caught the ball, a 15-year-old Yankees devotee from Asheboro, N.C., named Randy Kearns, who was sitting in the lobby of the visitors' clubhouse with his mother and brother, waiting to give the ball to the right-handed-hitting slugger.
The family had driven five hours to see the Yankees, and Kearns caught the ball with his cap.
"This was the first time I've ever seen them," Kearns said of the Yankees. "It was worth the drive."
The Kearns family simply asked to see Rodriguez, who said he was going to give Randy a jersey, a couple of bats and some baseballs in return for the cherished home run ball. They hadn't asked for a thing.
"He just came to our security and volunteered to give the ball back," A-rod said. "That's pretty generous."