Hillsboro Hops baseball saga

RNCoyote · Jun 20, 2013

Team negotiating in return for team offered autographed team baseball, a bat, cap, and a single season ticket for the remainder of the season. Kids demand? Season tickets for entire family. Come a long from $10,000 return of Lee Tinsley ball to McGwire and Bonds homerun balls

Canzano: Baseball's triumphant return with Hillsboro Hops comes with big-time lessons | OregonLive.com

ccouch (Chad) · Jun 20, 2013

The kid is an idiot. Hopefully he gets stuck with the worthless ball.

Pinbreaker · Jun 20, 2013

He was asking for season tickets for his family.. This is minor league ball and there are only limited number of games..

If I were the Hops, I would write it off as promotion.. But the news media makes a big issue about it..

A_Pharis · Jun 20, 2013

Good for the staff on not giving in. There's a difference between opportunity and greed. Enjoy the ball, kid.

Ghumbs · Jun 20, 2013

I think the important thing to remember here is neither party is owed anything. It's just like holding a card hostage from a player collector. It's still your card, and you're not helping him out, but that's your prerogative. If nothing is worked out, the kid is stuck with a baseball. I hope he likes it more than what he was offered for it. No reason to call him greedy.

A_Pharis · Jun 20, 2013

Ghumbs said:
I think the important thing to remember here is neither party is owed anything. It's just like holding a card hostage from a player collector. It's still your card, and you're not helping him out, but that's your prerogative. If nothing is worked out, the kid is stuck with a baseball. I hope he likes it more than what he was offered for it. No reason to call him greedy.

Like Kevin said, it's a minor league team. The kid was offered a signed ball - originally - which was upped when the kid refused. Seems like he was getting an honest return for it. He felt he needed more for it. If he doesn't need the ball, and he's using it for a bargaining chip in getting something for it in return... and he gets offered more than what would be a general consensus on the value... I think that's at least a bit greedy.

bmc398 · Jun 20, 2013

Ghumbs said:
I think the important thing to remember here is neither party is owed anything. It's just like holding a card hostage from a player collector. It's still your card, and you're not helping him out, but that's your prerogative. If nothing is worked out, the kid is stuck with a baseball. I hope he likes it more than what he was offered for it. No reason to call him greedy.

I'll say this.....I've never understood why players and organizations feel like they own these home run balls. They don't. If you want them so bad, pay the fan what the collectible is actually worth. Now in this case, the ball is essentially monetarily worthless (except to the team and stadium) so I don't think there was a reason for the kid to get all Jerry McGuire with it.

That said, when you catch the first home run ball of a guy like Mike Trout....I would expect to be compensated VERY VERY well for that ball. Why would you just give that up without asking for something VERY VERY valuable in return?

Ghumbs · Jun 20, 2013

A_Pharis said:
Like Kevin said, it's a minor league team. The kid was offered a signed ball - originally - which was upped when the kid refused. Seems like he was getting an honest return for it. He felt he needed more for it. If he doesn't need the ball, and he's using it for a bargaining chip in getting something for it in return... and he gets offered more than what would be a general consensus on the value... I think that's at least a bit greedy.

I don't disagree that it might be greed. But we can also give the kid the benefit of the doubt. He may really want that ball. Hell, I've never caught a home run ball, not at any level. Might be kind of cool to keep. Especially if you were the first person to have caught a home run ball at the new park.

I'm not saying you're right or wrong as to whether the kid and/or his father is being greedy. From our vantage point, we can only know that what he was offered to him by the team was not worth the exchange.

A_Pharis · Jun 20, 2013

Fair enough.
I just think if the kid really just wanted to keep the ball that it'd be "I'd rather just keep the ball" and not "I want more for it."

vwnut13 · Jun 20, 2013

And what are season tickets for him and his family going to cost the team?

I highly doubt that the team is selling out every game, or that tickets are in super high demand.

At the end of the day, the team will have a few more people in the park, and the baseball that they want.

Todd44 · Jun 20, 2013

He's 15. It's within reason that he'd need someone to drive him to future games, so getting season tix for the family doesn't seem unreasonable. Plus, I'm sure they'll buy food, memorabilia, etc. etc. Bad move by the club.

RITM · Jun 20, 2013

They are a short season A ball team. Do they even have 40 home games? I do not know a lot about that team. Maybe they sell out every game. If not, I am surprised they did not offer the season tickets. An autographed ball, cap and bat costs someone. A potentially already empty seat costs nothing. In addition it gets more people to the park and possibly more money received on concessions.

On another note, Hillsboro's charges a lot for ticket prices IMHO. $7 GA tickets to sit on the berm?

James52411 · Jun 20, 2013

SilverandBlack · Jun 20, 2013

The kids dad should have told the kid to stop being an idiot take the free hat and free tickets and give the team the damn ball. It's not like he caught a hof players 500th home run or something. People are so stupid.

RITM · Jun 20, 2013

I read a report that said MLB Authenticators were there marking items. This in itself would cause just about anyone to think that any item from the game would be worth a fortune. I have been to a lot of pro baseball games (MLB and MiLB) and never recall an Authenticators being on site. No offense, but a lot of hype for short season A ball.

notjomommasclint · Jun 20, 2013

I've never caught a home run ball.. And I would love to snag one.. But I'd let that XXXX go for the initial offer and maybe a ballpark tour and some photos..

nofrills · Jun 21, 2013

Pretty sure there is an MLB authenticator at every MLB game.
Zack Hample caught Trout's first career homer and only requested that he be able to give it to him in person, which he did.
Kid shoulda just given it back.

cards01fan · Jun 21, 2013

The signed ball they offered, who was going to sign it?

vwnut13 · Jun 21, 2013

cards01fan said:
The signed ball they offered, who was going to sign it?

Drunk Boomer, the teams mascot.

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