Former Major League Baseball player Julio Mateo -- who is currently playing in the minor leagues -- was arrested on suspicion of forgery last weekend after police found counterfeit $100 bills in his hotel room.

Of course everyone is innocent until proven guilty but The Associated Press found this gem in the police report: "Before officers informed him of why we were there, Julio stated that he did not know anything about fake money,"

Aha! A clue worthy of a particularly obvious episode of Murder, She Wrote, and also a good tip for any would-be criminals out there who are reading WalletPOP: don't deny that you've committed a certain crime before you've been accused of it.

But maybe we're being too hard on Mr. Mateo. I mean, with the federal government planning to spend $482 billion more than it has in 2009, is paying a cab fare with fake greenbacks really that big of a deal? Just saying. . .

Cameron Hughes is an inspiration to underemployed young men everywhere. He's one of those guys who just did what he loved and the money followed. Cameron Hughes found a way to get paid to be the obnoxious, high-spirited guy at the ballpark.

Portfolio Magazine just profiled Hughes, who has somehow parlayed his merry sports antics into cash--and lots of it. Teams like the L.A. Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays pay him about $2,000 a game to go in and whoop the crowd up. Hughes started as a fan and was a mascot in college. He was spotted at a game, got an agent, then word spread in the sports world.

For the teams, this all smacks of desperation--both in having to hire a fan and in outsourcing the job to a guy from Los Angeles. It's like having a professional mourner at a funeral or paying an escort to go with you to your high school reunion. I don't think we'll ever hear of the Chicago Cubs having to hire a super fan like Hughes to sit in the bleachers.

Couldn't the teams find any local yahoo talent? Did the Yankees have to pay Ari Ramirez, the original cow bell man? Are they paying Frying Pan Man now? (I doubt it or he wouldn't be trying to sell a $25 books of Yankees poetry, stories and pictures.) Are the Mets forking over anything to their current Cow-Bell Man, Eddie Boison? I also have to wonder if giving out $2,000 worth of beer would create as much cheer. Maybe some entrepreneurial kids should start getting themselves noticed at sleepy ballparks this summer and see if they end up with a job.

Every day, WalletPop will be bringing you information about a fantastic freebie. Like what you see? Check back tomorrow for more!

Back in April, I wrote about the free Chicago White Sox kids club memberhsip. Not to be outdone, the Florida Marlins have Billy's Bunch, a kids club that's free to join for anyone 12 years old and younger. Members receive:

• A Welcome Letter from Billy The Marlin
• 2 FREE Vouchers to attend a 2008 Marlins Home Game
• 2008 Player Poster
• Baseball Cards
• Marlins Eye black

The are also monthly contests to win signed memorabilia.

It's free, and you don't even have to be a Florida resident to join. If your kid's a baseball fan, sign em' up. The eye black will come in handy for Little League.

Every day, WalletPop will be bringing you information about a fantastic freebie. Like what you see? Check back tomorrow for more!

If you or someone you know is 12 years of age or younger and a baseball fan -- especially a Chicago White Sox fan -- this is a heck of a deal. Fill out this form and you'll receive, at absolutely no cost, a "slugger membership" in the team's fan club. That includes all of this:

• Official Membership Certificate
• Official Welcome Post Card from Manager Ozzie Guillen
• Baseball Cards (set of six) featuring current White Sox Players
• White Sox Temporary Tattoos - New for 2008!
• White Sox Kids Club Poster
• Two (2) ticket coupons redeemable for Upper Reserved seat tickets to Regular-priced games (excludes Prime, Premier and Sox/Cubs games during the 2008 season)

If you have more than one kid, you can get 5 per household.

The White Sox were a big disappointment last year but have gotten off to a great start to 2008, with a 2.5 game lead in the American League Central as I write this.

One of my friends has a 5-year old son who, as 5-year olds are prone to do, became fixated on the idea of going to a Boston Red Sox game. The problem is that Red Sox tickets are some of the most expensive in sports, with grandstand seats poised to set you back $50 this season. Toss in parking, overpriced hot dogs, and a souvenir, and taking the family out to the ballgame can easily set you back $300 or more.

My friend's solution was certainly creative but probably won't win her any awards in the integrity department: she took her son to Pawtucket Red Sox game, the team's triple-A affiliate, hoping that he wouldn't notice the difference. The cost? $6 for adults, $4 for kids, general admission. Nice!

I'm not saying that you need to, or should, lie to your kids but with baseball season soon to be upon us, consider some alternatives to 3-figure tickets, $40 parking, and overpriced and unhealthy snacks, all in the name of nosebleed seats.

And trust me: minor league games are actually more fun. You get a better view, it's a calmer, more family-friendly atmosphere, it's easier to get autographs, and the food is generally less expensive.

To find your nearest minor league baseball team, and order tickets, use this map.

Also consider: college games, which are often free.

Here at WalletPop, we're all about frugality. So needless to say, the best deal is a free deal, which is what we bring you today.

Cal Ripken's Real Baseball is a massive multiplayer online baseball game, where each position is controlled by a real person. In a recent CNN interview, Ripken talked about the game, saying that "I've always thought video games were a way to communicate some of the more intricate strategies of the games and this does exactly that ... You're not playing as Derek Jeter or David Wright, you're playing as you ... I think it's a wonderful way to bring the baseball community together. The best part is it's free..."

So if you're a baseball fan -- or just a video game fan -- go to Playrealbaseball.com and download it. It's free!