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earlywynnfan
09-23-2009, 12:12 PM
... but have no conscience or friends

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/09/23/SP8I19R0FM.DTL

Really? Highway robbery?? Let the "fan" keep the ball a while, see what it gets him.

Ken
earlywynnfan5@hotmail.com

bigtruck260
09-23-2009, 12:33 PM
That's sad.

For some reason, I thought this was a STL 'hoosier' type thing. And 'hoosier' in STL is not a flattering statement the way it is in Indiana.

I have been present when more than one ball has been caught - and the person with the ball starts saying things like eBay, sell and cash.

Most fans would just keep the ball for a memory (and in most cases) give a milestone back to the player for a handshake and autograph or photo with the player.

Asking for money is kind of like the guy who sues the club for being hit by a foul ball while sitting in the front row of the 3rd base box seats. They are looking for a way to be bailed out of life's problems and taking a baseball hostage apparently is the way to pay off credit card debt.

Hoosier.

cjclong
09-23-2009, 12:59 PM
Its obvious the ball didn't really mean anything to the fan or they wouldn't have offered to sell it for any price. Just wanted to try to rip the player off. And a player hitting his first home run is probably not in the pay bracket for that kind of ridiculous offer as opposed to someone hitting his 400th. If I had a player I really liked who hit a big home run I caught I would be torn between giving it to him and keeping it. I think the fact I liked him would win out and I'd ask him to autograph a ball with the inscription that I had caught whatever the home run was and have a picture taken with me giving him the ball. I think that would be worth more than the fan who now has a ball that doesn't really mean anything to him and he isn't going to sell it on ebay for $10,000.

OaklandAsFan
09-23-2009, 02:21 PM
whats funny is now he has a ball that really means nothing to him that really isn't worth much cause Carson is a great guy but by no means a highly touted prospect. He could have had a nice autographed and inscribed bat instead he has to get greedy and has nothing but the ball. Oh well screw him.

LEGEND33
09-23-2009, 02:43 PM
Francesco Tortti is one of the greatest italian soccer player and in Rome is (or was..) a eroe....during the last mounth he has not good feeling with the supporters.
At the end of the game vs Fiorentina (won 4 - 1 ) Totti throw his jersey to the supporters and the jersey bounce back to him.....:confused: :confused: :confused:
the video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDr0H5dd3GE

treant985
09-23-2009, 03:45 PM
whats funny is now he has a ball that really means nothing to him that really isn't worth much cause Carson is a great guy but by no means a highly touted prospect. He could have had a nice autographed and inscribed bat instead he has to get greedy and has nothing but the ball. Oh well screw him.

exactly....his uppance came: he asked for too much, the player called his bluff, and now the fan's left with something worth very little. That's the problem with rejecting the one person in the world who really wants what you're selling.

treant985
09-23-2009, 03:46 PM
although maybe that's too harsh. maybe he really needs cash and so auto'ed bats are worth next-to-nothing to him. he just asked for too much cash...

xpress34
09-24-2009, 10:04 PM
I have to chime in being as I was just in this situation on 9/9/09 at Coors Field when I retrieved Eric Young Jr's 1st MLB HR.

Although I felt a bit 'rushed' by the Rockies personnel, I already have every intent of getting the ball back to EY in exchange for an AUTOd GU Ball. Unfortunately, the Rockies didn't give me enough time with EY to really even ask for an inscription, so I will have to do that on my own with EY whenever I catch him signing autos or at Spring Training next year.

As far as the fan wanting cash? What a douchebag.

Although, I have to say that my friends asked if I would have held out for more if it wasn't a player I had already met and liked...

My response was that I could only think of one player I would 'hold hostage' for his 1st MLB HR and that's Stephen Strasburg. After he and Bore@$$ held the Nationals and MLB Hostage, I would have no problem keeping his 1st MLB HR in my man cave... Yes, I know he's a pitcher - I'm just making a point... I'm sure there are others that I would 'hold hostage' because of how I have seen them slight or treat others...

How about any of you? Any players you wouldn't feel bad telling to suck it unless they wanted to meet your demands?

- Chris

cohibasmoker
09-25-2009, 09:09 AM
Once the guy left the Stadium with the baseball, it was worth nada, zilch, zero. Why? because it can't be authenticated. Suppose the guy now decides that he wants to deal the baseball. There will always be a doubt if the baseball he is offering is truly the EXACT baseball that he caught. I hope he's happy with his $19.99 MLB.

Just my thoughts,

Jim

sox83cubs84
09-25-2009, 11:28 AM
How about any of you? Any players you wouldn't feel bad telling to suck it unless they wanted to meet your demands?

- Chris[/quote]

ANY steroid douchebag!

Also, guys who have screwed me over on requests for GU items (Matt Stairs, Tim Redding, Jason Giambi).

Dave M.
Chicago area

brianborsch
09-25-2009, 11:54 AM
Hey Chris,

I know we are talking about DB's who want money for the balls they catch, but if you don't get to return to EYJ and are in the market to sell it, let me know...

BB

xpress34
09-25-2009, 12:50 PM
Hey Chris,

I know we are talking about DB's who want money for the balls they catch, but if you don't get to return to EYJ and are in the market to sell it, let me know...

BB

BB -

I guess it wasn't quit clear in my 1st post... I already returned the HR ball to EY that night - there was no question in my mind it was the right thing to do.

Could I have held out for something more than a GU AU Ball from EY in exchange? Probably, but EY has always been cool when I met him at the 2005 Winter Meetings and a few times at Spring Training.

I wanted him to inscribe the ball I got with something referring to the homer so there would never be any doubt about - and NO, the MLB authenticators would NOT authenticate the ball he gave me because it was pulled by a Rockies rep after I got EY's homer and never talken to the authenticators. Unfortunately, because I was pretty well rushed by the Rockies reps (almost to the point of rudeness by some) I was barely able to ask him to inscribe the ball to me... I will take it with me and get him to add an inscription referring to the HR and see if he might give up a bat or batting gloves to be displayed with the ball I rcvd. I will aslo get my ticket signed as proof as it will match the card that is now on file in the Rockies archives with my name, date, seat, etc...

- Chris

suicide_squeeze
09-25-2009, 01:51 PM
As someone who participates a LOT in running down home run balls at games (mainly in Los Angeles and San Francisco), I have to say I agree that the fan who caught that first career homer of Carson's had passed rediculous, whizzed by greedy, and ended up overtaking outlandishly mindless when asking for $10,000 for it.

He could still do the right thing, contact the A's organization, and offer a reconciliation meeting to exchange the ball for something reasonable. But to take an a-hole stance like that from a young ballplayer who isn't going to be a 500 home run hitter......was just irritatingly stupid.

If I were a guy in Chris's situation, I would have handled it in s similar fashion.....with one possible difference. I would have told the rep's to "back off" and allow you the time to do as YOU see fit. That way you may have been able to ask for what you wanted, instead of worrying about it now. After all, you were intending to do the decent thing. You were in the driver's seat. But I also know when things are moving fast, you just do the best you can and the situation does get hectic...full of pressure. I think you did a nice thing. EY Jr. was lucky it was you that ran down his first homer.

Rob
09-25-2009, 04:23 PM
How about any of you? Any players you wouldn't feel bad telling to suck it unless they wanted to meet your demands?

- Chris

ANY steroid douchebag!

Also, guys who have screwed me over on requests for GU items (Matt Stairs, Tim Redding, Jason Giambi).

Dave M.
Chicago area[/quote]

Dave,

What happened with Matt Stairs? As a Phillies fan he is one of my favorites.

In addition, the guy that I would screw over if I caught an important ball of his is JD Drew. Ever since he ( and Scott Boras) snubbed the Phillies in the draft, he has been public enemy #1 for me.

Rob

OaklandAsFan
09-25-2009, 04:45 PM
How about any of you? Any players you wouldn't feel bad telling to suck it unless they wanted to meet your demands?

- Chris

ANY steroid douchebag!

Also, guys who have screwed me over on requests for GU items (Matt Stairs, Tim Redding, Jason Giambi).

Dave M.
Chicago area[/quote]


I'd be interested to hear your stories about Giambi and Stairs. Both of them have always been great to me and my family in regards to GU equipment.

sox83cubs84
09-25-2009, 09:33 PM
In Giambi's case, he accepted a matted 1950s Mickey Mantle magazine ad (he and his brother Jeremy both consider Mantle a hero), agreed to swap a cap for them, and stiffed me, ducking me every time he went past.

In Stairs' case, at Wrigley Field (2002 or 2003, some point before they wouldn't let fans down to the wall to get autographs, etc. during BP) I saw him break a bat, As he left the field, I asked him if I could have the cracked bat. He denied that it was cracked, then tapped it on the ground, discovered it was, indeed, cracked, and totally ignored me while given the lumber to some young brat next to me. I know the general impression of both these guys is favorable, but, as far as I'm concerned, they're both turds.:mad: :mad: :mad:

Dave M.
Chicago area