Mike Hogan was well aware that the 70th home run ball that Mark McGwire hit last September sold at auction for $3.2 million.

But when Hogan one-handed Wade Boggs's 3,000th hit--a home run--in the right field grandstands at Tropicana Field on Saturday night, he never gave a thought to putting it up for bid, instead trading it for an autographed bat and a signed jersey from Boggs.

Boggs had hit just one home run all season--and 117 in his career- -when he smashed a 2-2 pitch from Cleveland Indians reliever Chris Haney for a two-run homer, but Tampa Bay Devil Rays officials were nonetheless prepared. Baseballs used in the game were marked with infrared coating, a practice that began last year when the collectibles market soared for the historic home run balls hit by McGwire and Sammy Sosa.