MLB

Security guard returns 600th home run ball

(UPI)

The Yankees discovered their most loyal employee yesterday, and it is not Derek Jeter. It is security guard Frankie Babilonia, who is in his second season with the club.

The 23-year-old scaled the netting at Monument Park in the first inning to retrieve Alex Rodriguez’s 600th home run ball, then happily gave it to his supervisor.

After the Yankees’ 5-1 win over the Blue Jays, A-Rod was thrilled to be presented with the milestone baseball. Babilonia received a handshake and an autographed bat from Rodriguez, who became only the seventh player to hit 600 home runs.

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“This is a lifetime experience,” Babilonia said. “Something I will never forget. If I ever have children, I’ll let them know I was the one who caught the 600 ball and I handed it back in.”

Babilonia’s usual post is center field, but he was pinch-hitting for the guard who had Monument Park duty. That guard was on a half-hour break. That’s how Babilonia wound up being in the right place at the right time.

“Our duty is that if [Rodriguez] hits that home run, we have to retrieve it and return it to our superiors, and that’s what I did,” Babilonia said, adding he never expected his day to turn out like it did.

He had no thoughts of keeping the ball, which could have sold for $100,000. If a fan had caught the ball the Yankees were prepared to go into heavy negotiations, including offering dinner with A-Rod and Cameron Diaz to get the ball in A-Rod’s possession, according to a team source.

“I like doing my job, I don’t want to put my job at risk at all,” said Babilonia, who is from Lower Manhattan. “We get a half-hour break and I was out there maybe 10 minutes. I was pretty lucky. I’m going to frame the bat and put it in a glass case.”

As for his co-worker who was on break, Frankie said with a smile, “I guess he’s pretty mad.”

He said he was going to call his mother. “I’ll tell her it felt great and I just love doing my job.”

Will he get a raise, he said, “Who knows?”

Asked if he was an A-Rod fan, Babilonia said, “Yes,” then added, “I’m actually a Jeter fan, but they’re both on top.”