{"id":4673,"date":"2024-02-24T13:56:21","date_gmt":"2024-02-24T13:56:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/2024\/02\/24\/wins-and-losses-lets-tour-the-hall-of-fame-homes-of-baseball-greats\/"},"modified":"2024-02-24T13:56:21","modified_gmt":"2024-02-24T13:56:21","slug":"wins-and-losses-lets-tour-the-hall-of-fame-homes-of-baseball-greats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/2024\/02\/24\/wins-and-losses-lets-tour-the-hall-of-fame-homes-of-baseball-greats\/","title":{"rendered":"Wins\u2014and Losses! Let\u2019s Tour the Hall of Fame Homes of Baseball Greats"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a><\/p>\n

Getty Images \/ Realtor.com<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The annual migration to Arizona<\/a> and Florida<\/a> is underway. And we\u2019re not talking about snowbirds<\/a>\u2014the folks who flee to those balmy states each year for relief from winter\u2019s bitter temps.<\/p>\n

No, we\u2019re referring to the annual return of Major League Baseball<\/a> as Spring Training gets underway. Players, coaches, and management have made the trek into the Sunshine State and the greater Phoenix<\/a> area to begin prepping for the 2024 season. And it\u2019s a season that\u2019s sure to be interesting on and off the field.<\/p>\n

As for that off-field action, we\u2019re always most intrigued by the oversized mansions of baseball\u2019s biggest stars.<\/p>\n

So we\u2019ve rounded up a starting nine of some of the biggest names in baseball history and peeked at their properties. These guys are accustomed to the taste of victory, champagne-fueled celebrations, and overstuffed trophy rooms.<\/p>\n

But when it comes to real estate, some of these Hall of Famers have struck out.<\/p>\n

Step into the batter\u2019s box, and take a look for yourself.<\/p>\n

Randy Johnson takes a loss<\/h2>\n

Randy Johnson<\/p>\n

Christian Petersen\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

The Big Unit was a fearsome presence on the mound for over 20 seasons and struck out 4,875 hitters in his 22 big-league seasons. But off the field, the 6\u2032 10\u2033 lefty whiffed in the luxury housing market.<\/p>\n

Back in 2014, he put his massive mansion<\/a> in Paradise Valley, AZ<\/a>, on the market for $25 million<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Offering 25,416 square feet of living space on a 5-acre parcel, the spread was appropriately big<\/em>. But when Johnson sought to downsize, buyers balked. In 2017, the price was slashed to $20 million<\/a>. In 2018, the price dropped<\/a> to $16.5 million.<\/p>\n

What was wrong with the place? From all appearances, it\u2019s Hall of Fame-worthy. Highlights included an 1,800-square-foot fitness facility, a home theater appropriately named Full Count Theater, a recording studio, tennis court, and pool. An elegant, wood-paneled office showcased a trove of Johnson\u2019s memorabilia and many awards.<\/p>\n

Showroom of Randy Johnson\u2019s memorabilia<\/p>\n

realtor.com<\/p>\n

Despite the home\u2019s many advantages, Johnson wasn\u2019t able to find a buyer and eventually put the mansion up for auction<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The gavel fell in early 2019 at a final price of $7.7 million\u2014a steep 69% comedown off the initial ask. Johnson racked up over 300 wins on the mound; but in the case of his Arizona estate, this baseball legend took the loss.<\/p>\n

Randy Johnson\u2019s former Arizona home<\/p>\n

Realtor.com<\/p>\n

Barry Larkin takes a loss<\/h2>\n

Barry Larkin<\/p>\n

Elsa\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Like Johnson, Hall of Fame shortstop and Cincinnati Reds<\/strong> legend Barry Larkin<\/strong> had a magnificent mansion<\/a> that became a mighty albatross. However, Larkin\u2019s real estate saga lasted even longer<\/a> than the Big Unit\u2019s ordeal.<\/p>\n

And like many wealthy people before him, Larkin built a 14,000-square-foot mansion residence to his very specific tastes.<\/p>\n

When it came time to sell, finding a buyer who appreciated the home\u2019s over-the-top opulence proved difficult. The seven-bedroom, Orlando, FL<\/a>, home featured bright-blue cabinetry in the kitchen; twin, glass staircases in the dramatic foyer; and a nightclub with a DJ booth.<\/p>\n

Over-the-top foyer<\/p>\n

Realtor.com<\/p>\n

It landed on the market in 2012, with an asking price of $10.9 million. A series of price cuts over the years brought the price down by half, and in 2019 Larkin got serious.<\/p>\n

The price was reduced to $5.4 million, and the slugger told the Wall Street Journal<\/a>, \u201cIt\u2019s going to take a specific buyer to see what we have here.\u201d<\/p>\n

A buyer for the waterfront estate finally emerged in late 2019 and paid $4,587,500 for the place.<\/p>\n

Cal Ripken Jr. takes a loss<\/h2>\n

Cal Ripken Jr.<\/p>\n

Patrick McDermott\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

In 2016, baseball\u2019s Iron Man sought to supplement his on-field success with a huge real estate deal.<\/p>\n

Early on in his storied career, Ripken bought a 24-acre spread<\/a> in Reisterstown, MD<\/a>. A custom mansion with over 20,000 square feet was built in 1985. However, the property\u2019s most notable feature is the full baseball diamond in the backyard.<\/p>\n

The baseball diamond<\/p>\n

Monument Sotheby’s International Realty<\/p>\n

Due to divorce, the 19-time All-Star put the suburban spread on the market in 2016<\/a>\u00a0with a price tag of $12.5 million. The price was sliced to $9.75 million the following year. With no buyers biting, Ripken put the place up for auction<\/a> with no reserve price in 2018<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Fellow MLB All-Star Adam Jones<\/strong> was the winning bidder six years ago and snagged the entire place for $3,465,000, a 72% discount on the original asking price. Following a trade from the Orioles, Jones put it back on the market<\/a> a year later and sold it for $3.55 million in 2019. Ripken\u2019s former place sold\u2014again\u2014in 2020 for $3.9 million.<\/p>\n\n

Derek Jeter takes a small loss, but wins nonetheless<\/h2>\n

Derek Jeter<\/p>\n

New York Yankees\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

This Hall of Famer also didn\u2019t manage to get his asking price, but the sale of his Tampa, FL<\/a>, mansion did set local records.<\/p>\n

The Captain put his waterfront estate on the market for $29 million<\/a> in late 2020, while he was busy working for the Miami Marlins<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

And because his grand mansion<\/a> was unoccupied, he rented it out<\/a> for a bit before putting it on the market. His tenants? A-list couple Tom Brady<\/strong> and Gisele Bundchen<\/strong><\/a>. Brady needed a Florida home after his late-career move to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers<\/strong>, but he only stayed at Jeter\u2019s place for a few months before moving on.<\/p>\n

Derek Jeter\u2019s former Tampa home<\/p>\n

Realtor.com<\/p>\n

Beyond the Brady imprimatur, Jeter\u2019s luxe place had plenty going for it: two boat lifts, a gym, and over 9,000 square feet of outdoor living space under covered porches and balconies.<\/p>\n

Unlike his fellow baseball Hall members, Jeter didn\u2019t have to wait years for someone to buy his 21,796-square-foot abode. The mansion known as St. Jetersburg sold in May 2021<\/a> for $22,519,433, making it the largest residential sale ever in the entire Tampa Bay region at the time..<\/p>\n

David Ortiz takes two losses<\/h2>\n

David Ortiz<\/p>\n

Maddie Malhotra\/Boston Red Sox\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Big Papi has sold two homes over the last three years. The slugger took a sizable loss in Massachusetts but fared much better in Florida.<\/p>\n

Being a Boston Red Sox<\/strong> legend means Ortiz never has to pick up a tab in Beantown, but his fame didn\u2019t help his cause when it came to his Weston, MA<\/a>, home. The six-bedroom, 7,714-square foot home landed on the market in 2019 with a $6.3 million price tag.<\/p>\n

Ortiz cut the price down<\/a> to $5.5 million in 2020, and the home had two additional price cuts, which took the ask down to $4.25 million. A buyer finally stepped to the plate and bought the place in March 2021 for $3.5 million, a 44% discount on the original asking price.<\/p>\n

David Ortiz\u2019s former Massachusetts home<\/p>\n

Realtor.com<\/p>\n

In February 2023, he put his sleek mansion<\/a> in Pinecrest, FL<\/a>, on the market for $12.5 million. Custom built for Ortiz, the fabulous Florida home offers multiple water features, a sports bar room, and a primary suite with a boutique-quality closet. Set on an acre, the stylish mansion also features abundant windows that flood the place with Florida sunshine.<\/p>\n

The home didn\u2019t linger for long on the market, but Ortiz did accept a lower offer. The home sold in June 2023 for $10,550,000, which still represents a sizable chunk of change for the Red Sox legend.<\/p>\n

David Ortiz\u2019s former Florida home<\/p>\n

Realtor.com<\/p>\n

We have a winner: Chipper Jones wins in Georgia<\/h2>\n

Chipper Jones<\/p>\n

Matthew Grimes Jr.\/Atlanta Braves\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Atlanta Braves legend Chipper Jones scored a win with the sale of his ranch<\/a> in Canton, GA. The Hall of Famer downsized in 2023 and emerged victorious. The gated mansion he sold sits on a 37-acre parcel and measures in at 23,000 square feet. Jones purchased the grand estate in 2018 for $9.25 million.<\/p>\n

He put it back on the market in 2022 with a $15 million asking price and had to wait a year for a buyer to emerge. And while the buyer paid \u201conly\u201d $11 million for the home, it was the largest sale in Georgia since 2019 and made for a nice return on investment for Jones.<\/p>\n

Chipper Jones\u2019 former home<\/p>\n

Realtor.com<\/p>\n

After selling the behemoth abode, Jones spent $5.4 million on a relatively modest, 9,000-square-foot home in the same town.<\/p>\n

Plus Pedro Martinez successfully sells twice in 2023<\/h2>\n

Pedro Martinez<\/p>\n

Rich Schultz\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Another Red Sox legend had a banner year off the field in 2023. Pedro Martinez<\/strong> offloaded two of his homes and made himself quite a profit in Florida.<\/p>\n

But first, let\u2019s look at Massachusetts. Like Ortiz, Martinez kept a home close to the place where he reached his career pinnacle with the Red Sox. His five-bedroom home in Winchester, MA<\/a>, was relatively modest with 5,123 square feet. He tossed the Colonial-style residence onto the market in 2022<\/a> with an asking price of $2 million.<\/p>\n

The Colonial-style home surrounded by mature trees<\/p>\n

Realtor.com<\/p>\n

It took a year to sell, but a deal was struck in October 2023 for $1,712,500. Martinez took a little less but still walked away with a profit, considering he paid $1,299,000 for the place in 2019.<\/p>\n

A similar story unfolded for Martinez in Florida. He bought a six-bedroom home in North Miami<\/a> for $3 million in the summer of 2019. Four years later, he put the gated waterfront home back on the market for $5.9 million. It wound up selling<\/a> in just two months for $5.35 million\u2014a 78% profit for the Hall of Fame hurler.<\/p>\n

Future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer is a big winner<\/h2>\n

Max Scherzer<\/p>\n

Carmen Mandato\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

While Scherzer isn\u2019t a Hall of Famer\u2014yet\u2014he\u2019s a lock on booking a trip to Cooperstown, NY<\/a>, five years after he hangs up his spikes.<\/p>\n

Mad Max has shown a keen eye for real estate over the years and oversaw the renovation<\/a> of a Virginia mansion when he pitched for the Washington Nationals. Scherzer bought the place overlooking the Potomac River in McLean, VA<\/a>, for $5.2 million in 2015. He sold it in late 2021 for his asking price of $15 million.<\/p>\n

Scherzer\u2019s former Virginia home<\/p>\n

Realtor.com<\/p>\n

He makes his off-season home in Jupiter, FL<\/a>, where he purchased a waterfront mansion<\/a> for $9.75 million in June 2020. In love with the gated and exclusive neighborhood, Scherzer then snapped up the five-bedroom home next door for $14,875,000 in March 2023.<\/p>\n

One of Max Scherzer\u2019s Jupiter, FL, mansions<\/p>\n

Realtor.com<\/p>\n

Following a mid-season trade<\/a> last year from the New York Mets<\/strong> to the eventual World Champion Texas Rangers<\/strong><\/a>, Scherzer also picked a spot to settle down in the Lone Star State. He bought a luxurious five-bedroom home in the Vaquero Club neighborhood in Westlake, TX<\/a>, for an undisclosed price.<\/p>\n

And we can\u2019t forget Justin Verlander<\/h2>\n

Justin Verlander<\/p>\n

Richard Rodriguez\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Scherzer\u2019s former battery mate with the Mets (and Detroit Tigers<\/strong>), Justin Verlander<\/strong>, also has exquisite taste in real estate. He and wife Kate Upton<\/strong> have amassed an amazing portfolio<\/a> of homes over the years.<\/p>\n

Verlander will be joining the all of the above Hall of Famers upon retirement, but he\u2019s getting set to pitch for the Houston Astros<\/strong><\/a> in 2024, his 19th season in the big leagues.<\/p>\n

As he continues to whiff batters at an amazing rate, he\u2019s been a big winner in the world of real estate. We\u2019ve seen him rent a luxury home in Houston<\/a>, buy a penthouse<\/a> in New York City when he was with the Mets, and buy a lot<\/a> in Jupiter, FL<\/a>, with plans to build a huge off-season home.<\/p>\n

Upton and Verlander also bought a Beverly Hills, CA<\/a>, mansion once owned by Pete Sampras<\/strong>, but the couple wound up selling that place<\/a> to heartthrob Timothee Chalamet<\/strong> in 2022.<\/p>\n

Justin Verlander\u2019s former Beverly Hills home<\/p>\n

Realtor.com<\/p>\n

The post Wins\u2014and Losses! Let\u2019s Tour the Hall of Fame Homes of Baseball Greats<\/a> appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com\u00ae<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Getty Images \/ Realtor.com The annual migration to Arizona and Florida is underway. And we\u2019re not talking about snowbirds\u2014the folks who flee to those balmy states each year for relief from winter\u2019s bitter temps. No, we\u2019re referring to the annual return of Major League Baseball as Spring Training gets underway. Players, coaches, and management have…Read More→<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":4674,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4673","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4673","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4673"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4673\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4674"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4673"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4673"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4673"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}