OT : Marlins rookie pays fan 'ransom' for HR ball

[Sincityson]

Re: OT : Marlins rookie pays fan 'ransom' for HR ball

I thought the initial offer was kind enough. It's possibly likely that he wanted the Hanley Ramirez bat, to re-sell it.. Since Ramirez will go through several bats, you' d think a request of this nature would be workable. Either way, still seems a bit demanding.

[joelsabi]

Re: OT : Marlins rookie pays fan 'ransom' for HR ball

Now that is sweet!

Wouldn't it be great if all ballparks and management handled things that way?

In reality, they are preserving a little piece of "baseball history", which is a very respected move in our hobby.

I understand there are MLB authenticatorsat every game in every ballpark. Why won't they do this for every ball that ends up in the seats? Now, it appears they only do it if it's a MAJOR milestone homerun, or if it ends up in the bullpen or other area where someone in the organization gets ahold of it, who then has access to the MLB authenticator who placed the sticker on the ball. I for one would really like to see MLB step up their authentication of home run balls. They are an unimprovable achievement on an individual basis, representing a moment of "perfection" achieved by the player that also is a direct piece responsible for adding to his career stats. What more could a collector ask for in a game used item?

nice thoughts.

it would be great if every MLB authenticator was proactive in authenticating every homerun. people who caught the ball would be excited. hobbyist would be willing to pay more for such documented ball i assume. i think it would be a great for baseball to have this done.

[emann]

Re: OT : Marlins rookie pays fan 'ransom' for HR ball

I would think as a teamate to this guy if I knew it was his first homerun and dude wanted a bat from me I'd do it... At the very least I'm making $250,000 a year (that is if I suck, and chances are if he wanted MY bat I must be a big deal such as Hanley is.) I would love to help out my teamate.... Guy asked for a bat that probably cost the team or player less than $100 bucks, Im not sure what bats cost for the player or team but I know its nothing thats going to break the bank of the team or the player who uses the bat....

If I was a well established player hitting a HR that is breaking a major record I'm sure I've got money that I could drop a million on a ball if I had to!

Yeah, but I don't think the Marlins management would even go ask Hanley since they probably saw it as a slap in the face to Coghlan. What would his response been if they said, "Why isn't a bat from Coghlan as good as Hanley's?"... Would he reply, "'cause Coghlan sucks."? It might be true but you just can't give off that sort of reply OR the vibe that the reason is that (which is what this guy did by asking for the bat of an obviously better player).

I think you need to have some measure of value when negotiating this sort of thing out. Since, he started it off on the wrong foot, he might has well have asked to knock up his girlfriend (as that other poster commented), this approach got him nowhere.

He should have just left with the ball, sold it on ebay (probably to Coghlan's parents) and bought a Hanley bat for $200.

[AWA85]

Re: OT : Marlins rookie pays fan 'ransom' for HR ball

He should have just left with the ball, sold it on ebay (probably to Coghlan's parents) and bought a Hanley bat for $200.

He is trying to avoid the ebay and paypal fees so he didn't want to take that route

[suicide_squeeze]

Re: OT : Marlins rookie pays fan 'ransom' for HR ball

The mentioned Ichiro home run ball had the added bonus of being photographed by an AP photographer and appeared on ESPN.com and Yahoo news. In fact I'm pictured in photo in the background.

David.....which guy is you??

And DAVID!!!.....You mean you passed up a PERFECT opportunity to throw your beer all over J.D. Drew??? What were you thinking?????

[suicide_squeeze]

Re: OT : Marlins rookie pays fan 'ransom' for HR ball

He is trying to avoid the ebay and paypal fees so he didn't want to take that route

WAYYYY too funny!

[David]

Re: OT : Marlins rookie pays fan 'ransom' for HR ball

The right arrow points to my head, partially obscured by the guy in the white shirt I'm not short, I'm sitting). You can even see my orange University of Texas baseball cap that was sitting on my knee. The other arrow points to my friend was was standing with program in one hand, pen in the other.

What's interesting is I don't collect game used baseballs, but I do collect news photos. As this AP photo was shot and distributed digitally, I have a genuine copy on my hard drive.

[suicide_squeeze]

Re: OT : Marlins rookie pays fan 'ransom' for HR ball

The right arrow points to my head, partially obscured by the guy in the white shirt I'm not short, I'm sitting). You can even see my orange University of Texas baseball cap that was sitting on my knee. The other arrow points to my friend was was standing with program in one hand, pen in the other.

What's interesting is I don't collect game used baseballs, but I do collect news photos. As this AP photo was shot and distributed digitally, I have a genuine copy on my hard drive.

Pretty cool David...

You gave me an idea for another thread.

But DAVID......what about the beer question??? J.D. was looking awefully thirsty after chasing down that ball out of his reach....couldn't you have helped him out with a rain of golden beverage?

(Did I mention I've hated J.D. ever since he bailed on the Dodgers?)

[sportscentury]

Re: OT : Marlins rookie pays fan 'ransom' for HR ball

(Did I mention I've hated J.D. ever since he bailed on the Dodgers?)

He is still despised in Philly.

.

[David]

Re: OT : Marlins rookie pays fan 'ransom' for HR ball

I was trying to politely skirt the issue. I hate to break it to, but I neither drink nor hate J.D. Drew.

[xpress34]

Re: OT : Marlins rookie pays fan 'ransom' for HR ball

Let me explain why there is nothing to gain with this argument, and it just doesn't make sense.

First off, no matter which ball he presents to the MLB Authenticator, if it ISN'T the correct ball, it will be identified and globally accepted to be the real ball from the moment the sticker is placed on it. EVEN if he keeps the real home run ball hit by Pujols, he would never be able to explain how he ended up with the correct one, being he had it (supposedly) to hand to the authenticator. In this ficticious example, his little plan would backfire in theory, and just doen't make any sense. Because if he tried to tell everyone what he did, who would believe he would be that stupid?

Furthermore, game-used baseballs are rubbed up with "Mississippi Mudd" before each game, and have a different appearance than batting practice baseballs. Yes some eventually get into the teams bags for B.P., and some eventually get into the hands of a fan, but by then are much more beat-up, scuffed up, have net marks on them, etc. Personally speaking, with a ton of experience in identifying and handling game-used baseballs, there is a significant difference in appearance that can be seen rather quickly. There is no way a major league pitcher is going to have a batting-practice type ball, scuffed and well used, with the labels all worn and badly beat up, and with unidentifyable markings on the ball not made while used during a regular ML baseball game.

In the other cases you mention Chris, if a home run ball goes into a part of the park where the "housekeeping" has been neglected in regards to retrieving BP baseballs, and it can't be positively determined which ball is which.....well, then I guess a piece of history is lost to the ages? You can't get em all, but one that goes directly into the hands of a fan, which is seen on National TV.....why not?

SS -

1st of all, my point wasn't about someone trying to sell the Genuine article later - just that they may want to keep the real deal and give up another ball they had for their own collection.

2nd - really, they 'mud' up the balls using 'Mississippi Mud'? I'll guess that you meant to say they Rub them up using Lena 'Slats' Blackburne's Rubbing Mud (which comes from an undisclosed Tributary of the Delaware River - NOT the Mississippi).

3rd - they are not always beat up and scuffed up... I've seen plenty of BP balls that looked like they were just prepped for the game that day - it is possible that here in Denver due to the Humidor, that once the balls are removed and prepped (rubbed up) that they do not put them back if not used in the game - MLB has 10-12 DOZEN Balls rubbed up before eavery MLB Game. Sometimes they ahve to rub up more - a game with lots of HRs or Foul Balls - and sometimes they don't come close to using them all - a game with lots of quick 1 pitch pop ups and such... the average lifespan of a Major League Ball is about 7 pitches

As far as being seen going into the fans hands on TV, as soon as they pan away, it's anybody's guess what happens with the ball unless the Authenticator is there before they take the Camera off of them.

My point being - particularly with the GS ball hit into center field forest at Coors Field (and as you stated above - "no matter which ball he presents to the MLB Authenticator, if it ISN'T the correct ball, it will be identified and globally accepted to be the real ball from the moment the sticker is placed on it") is that in some instances, there may always be that doubt as to whether it truly is the 'real deal' regardless of what the MLB Hologram states.

As I stated, I know the worker who retrieved the 'GS' ball and his statement when I asked him jokingly if he got the right ball was a smirk, shrugged his shoulders and said, 'I retrieved 'a' ball... once I handed it to MLB, they tagged it and called it OFFICIALLY became 'the' ball.' And I'll guarantee you that MLB didn't waste anytime looking to see if it looked more like a GU ball or a BP ball. Once it was tagged, it was a piece of history as far as they are concerned.

And for the record, you're self serving comment above - "Personally speaking, with a ton of experience in identifying and handling game-used baseballs, there is a significant difference in appearance that can be seen rather quickly." - doesn't mean you are the only person who knows anything about theose differences... I worked for Rawlings for 4 yeras down at Coors Field - trust me, I know my baseballs very well.

- Chris

[sportscentury]

Re: OT : Marlins rookie pays fan 'ransom' for HR ball

As I stated, I know the worker who retrieved the 'GS' ball and his statement when I asked him jokingly if he got the right ball was a smirk, shrugged his shoulders and said, 'I retrieved 'a' ball... once I handed it to MLB, they tagged it and called it OFFICIALLY became 'the' ball.' And I'll guarantee you that MLB didn't waste anytime looking to see if it looked more like a GU ball or a BP ball. Once it was tagged, it was a piece of history as far as they are concerned.

Wow.

.

[tigerdale]

Re: OT : Marlins rookie pays fan 'ransom' for HR ball

I'd like to share my opinion on this subject....maybe its not the original intent of the post, but it is interesting to me & probably everyone who buys mlb authentic items. I have collected quite a few 'MLB authentic' home run baseballs. I think they're a great collectable, something that can't be cheapened (meaning, a player only hits so many, unlike switching bats every at bat or changing jerseys..etc...). Out of my collection, some look very rubbed up & used.....all the way to the other extreme of little or no rub & even difficult to find a ball mark. I have been told that authenticaters will not authenticate HR balls, say that were thrown back (visitors home runs) because they don't know if it was the real ball, also fan caught HR's can't be. As for the rubbing, I have also been told, depending on whose pitching, that could vary by home teams pitcher preference....some actually like very little rubbing if at all. Having said all this, people are just workers & mistakes can be made I'm sure. I had started a post a few weeks back in which I bought 2 game used balls authenticated from a tiger game & they were both minor league balls (from different minor leagues at that!!)...were they really used in a MLB game...didn't the ump notice?? Or were they just pulled from a BP buckett?? very odd to me....I know I probably don't speak (or write) very clear, but it is a subject I have put a lot of thought into to.

[mattmueller]

Re: OT : Marlins rookie pays fan 'ransom' for HR ball

The Happy Youngster and this "incident" gets some run on the front page of the Wall Street Journal this morning. Link below, but you may need to be a subscriber to access it:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124700099868207685.html#mod=todays_us_page_one

[LastingsMilledge85]

Re: OT : Marlins rookie pays fan 'ransom' for HR ball

I think a lot can be said about a grown man that runs around ballparks changing shirts and hats to accomodate the playing teams, bugging the heck out of players for balls, and goes by the names of "ballhawk" and "happy youngster".