LOS ANGELES — Gabe Arik has made jewelry for baseball players for two decades. He creates the engagement rings they use to propose, the gifts they give, the necklaces and earrings they wear on the field. He estimates that his business, Happy Jewelers, has made thousands of pieces, for players on each of the league’s 30 teams. He has never received a request like the one he got in September.
“I want to do something really different,” Atlanta right fielder Joc Pederson texted him. “I want to make a nice fashion statement. And I’m thinking about pearls.”
Arik replied: “?