The Happy Youngster Strikes Again? Coghlan's Home Run Ball Held for Ransom

[EdgarDiazRocks]

Remember Gamels up, and he'll connect on one with a 50% chance of being on the road. I'm sure their fans will remember what you did sir, and probably ask for Ueckers jock strap signed by the entire 1982 Brewers and Hank Aaron. I don't care if he's a real nice guy, he acted out of place and should called out for it. The best person in the world can make mistake and obviously he did.

Twins fans? Most likely having had listened to their sports talk radio, they would just ask for Braun and Gallardo in exchange for the ball and a bullpen catcher. Good news is, he's left handed so they'll prolly only have to retrieve it from behind the baggie. Ahh the Metrodome. . . you'll be missed!

[gypcasino]

You would think that the facts speak for themselves without lying about what happened.

I think it was blatant exaggeration, not lying.

[berniebrewer4life]

While I don't care for Happy Youngster's hobby, it is crazy what others are making up about him. Take a look at this posting from NBC Washington "Marlins Rookie the Victim of the Homer Hostage Taker" which essentially defames HY for no reason.

Negotiations have been rumored to start at the player's first born, but the fan seems to be able to be talked down to a new Lamborghini or a beach house in exchange for the home run ball.

What? You would think that the facts speak for themselves without lying about what happened.

I'm pretty certain that they were exaggerating, and not actually being serious.

[FidoMcCokefiend]

I personally would never try to get a ransom for a ball like that. If you choose to behave that way, that's your prerogative, I don't agree with it at all, but that's your right to ask the ballplayer for something in return. Like someone mentioned earlier, I believe that by not asking for a bunch of stuff, the player/team would still give you something in return, and it very well could be more than you expected.

 

That being said, there are a few things that I can't agree with:

1. Asking for something from a different player. Just classless, not relevant, and demeaning to the player. Ask Coghlan for whatever you want, asking Coghlan to get stuff from different players is overstepping the bounds of decency in my opinion.

2. Playing the salary and profession card. By HY introducing his salary and profession into the conversation, he immediately now looks solely like he's trying to milk a player for money/items of value. This turns from a "collector" looking for a trade to a poor attempt at sympathy for the poor cop only making 50K. To me, doing this really eliminates any of your "but, I'm just a passionate collector". No you're not. Your stated goal is to get balls specifically to get something out of the rich ball players that make so much more than a hard working diligent cop. I'm sorry, but you doing this completely exposes what you're trying to do, and playing the whole passive aggressive thing just makes you look worse in my opinion.

[hawing]

For what it is worth -- I did a quick Google search, for "home run ownership" -- and this situation is getting blogged about by just about every MLB fansite -- and regardless if it fair or not, our fanbase is not looking real good.

Yeah. Unfortunately, this stands to make it easier for the Cardinals' and STL media to muckrake about the Brewers.

[patrickgpe]

i agree, asking for a signed bat from coghlan was a fair request, but that is where it should of stopped. To ask for a Ramirez bat is where he crossed the line, Hanley had nothing to do with this and should not have to give up a game used bat to help out his new teammate. The bad press that the happy youngster is getting to me is not worth a 150 bat signed by Ramirez.

[Invader3K]

Exactly. I agree with Fido 100%.

 

I guess for those few defending HY here, I would ask: I can understand if you think what he's doing is within his rights, but do you think it's really cool and admirable? Is it something you'd want to be publicly associated with? I bet the vast majority would say "No." I think that speaks volumes about this guy who is supposedly such a huge Brewers fan.

[jeffy]

It's also really amusing how everyone mentions he's a cop, like that somehow makes it OK.

Interesting that a cop thinks it's okay to steal baseballs from bullpens, via some double secret "glove trick", while trying to avoid being caught by the Miller Park security guards.

 

From HY's blog:

 

...noticed a baseball lying in the visitor's bullpen over in right field. One of the head security guards was standing about 50 feet away watching batting practice. If he saw me with the glove trick, I would have been busted...

With regard to this HR ball, he kind of implies that maybe he did not even give the real ball back:

 

The ball went up, I ran over, I leaned over and made the catch. If you look closely at the highlight, I have another ball in my right hand while I'm making the catch...hmm.

I too feel like...I've been sucked into a seedy, underground world that I didn't know existed, and each step I take leaves me a little more disgusted. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/frown.gif http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/laugh.gif

[homer]

Is he actually a cop? I've seen him say he's in "law enforcement" but that could be a lot of things. No knock on him just curious.....if he's not a cop he should make that clear because a lot of people think he is.

[Invader3K]

Also, the whole "ball hawk" thing seems to be a misnomer that these guys have given to themselves, since the term used to be applied to skilled defensive fielders. I think "ball hog" would be much more apt, especially in this case.

[patrickgpe]

does anyone have any idea what this glove trick is?

[gypcasino]

does anyone have any idea what this glove trick is?

Something to do with a pen holding the glove open and a rubber band on the glove causing it to close on the ball or something. I figured that much out from an article about Hample and then I got bored.

[Thurston Fluff]

I didn't read the whole thread but so if this has been stated sorry. He may be greedy but he is no more so than any entrepreneur. He found a way to profit that isn't illegal. What's the problem? It isn't like he's scamming old ladies out of their social security checks or corcing poor people out of thier homes after selling them a loan they couldn't afford. He's getting relatively cheap items from players who make hundreds of thousands into the millions playing a game. He's doing it by selling something to someone most probably making far more money than he is that they want. Something he obtained legally through paying for the ticket to the game that helps pay for the salary of the person he's asking compensation from.

I don't see why it's such a bad thing to ask the guy to ask his more popular teammate for an autographed item. Does it take that much effort for Ramirez to sign something for his teammate to get a keepsake? Is it so offensive to players to sign something for someone even if they know that person is doing it for the money? If so they should take along look at the practices of athletes who routinely charge for autographs at shows and many time just to make an appearance. Some people may just want a picture with the player, some would be satisfied with the honer of meeting the player. Personally I'd be fine with a replacement ball signed by the player and a chance to say congrats. If someone else decides they want more so be it.

If the players don't want to go along with it they don't have to. If the players get offended maybe they should be reminded this is no different than when they exercise their legal rights to unionize and demand more from their employer.

[TheCrew]

The kid just totally gave us bad Karma. Great to see the media paying attention to this instead of our hot streak.

 

Remember Gamels up, and he'll connect on one with a 50% chance of being on the road. I'm sure their fans will remember what you did sir, and probably ask for Ueckers jock strap signed by the entire 1982 Brewers and Hank Aaron. I don't care if he's a real nice guy, he acted out of place and should called out for it. The best person in the world can make mistake and obviously he did.

Still probably better than having him hit it at home and land in this guys glove......

[Diskono]

Just curious as to why this thread isn't locked yet, with people making blatant personal attacks on a BF.netter and posting ridiculous speculations without any basis or factual information.

 

If I were to start posting about "What a looser soandso is for collecting autographs" in a thread, I'd probably get banned.... and not just for the terrible spelling.

This whole board suddenly becomes useless if Wes Helms ever creates an account! Or Ben Hendrickson's dad...

 

I read his side of the story in his blog update about the ordeal. My opinion of him hasn't changed. Coghlan and the Marlins were irritated with him, and rightfully so.

[Invader3K]

What's the problem? It isn't like he's scamming old ladies out of their social security checks or corcing poor people out of thier homes after selling them a loan they couldn't afford.

Well, and as mentioned before, he's not killing people or selling drugs either, so I guess that makes it OK. Usually this kind of logic is used to justify something others find blatantly distasteful, though.

[TooLiveBrew]

I don't have a problem with him asking for a high price in return for the ball, but just as with the Jenkins HR ball, he gets out of line when he asks for item(s) from players not involved in the situation. Ask for all the tickets or merchandise from the team you want, make Coghlan give you a bat, helmet, jersey, whatever, but asking for stuff from another player is probably both quite insulting to the player whose milestone you obtained, and also pretty embarrassing to him as well.

 

This is where I fall in this discussion too. I think it was FtJ that posted something to the effect of, 'this got ugly'. To me, the reason for the ugliness is clear -- greed.

 

Honestly, put yourself in Coghlan's shoes. There's a good chance the guy doesn't even know Hanley Ramirez, and now some rookie is expected to walk up to the biggest star on the team & just get a bat? Akward, and like PF said, insulting & embarassing.

 

I guess my only real problem with the way in which HY handled the situation was the lact of tact & class. I know people mentioned Coghlan's likely salary, and honestly I'd bet that Coghlan would have been willing to comply with basically any request HY might have had of Coghlan himself -- signed memorablia, pictures, money, etc. Instead, HY chose to create an ugly situation out of what should have been a joyous moment for Coghlan... getting his first MLB HR ball back & meeting the guy that made a nice catch on the mammoth shot.

 

It's embarassing to me that this is now being reflected on the Brewers fanbase as a whole, and for that I resent HY & his actions.

[TheCrew]

Alright, i know I'm opening a can of worms here - so maybe someone can just PM me - but what is the entire story behind the Jenkins 200 ball?

[PKBadger]

He may be greedy but he is no more so than any entrepreneur. He found a way to profit that isn't illegal. What's the problem?

 

Mr. Madison, please choose a topic.

I choose....business ETHICS!

 

http://thumbnails.hulu.com/9/46/26294_512x288_generated__0MyptCNgkUWqRsyhK687AA.jpg

 

 

As Brewers fans, I'm sure we've all noticed how Doug Melvin has been able to cultivate good working relationships with GM's around the league and many are eager to trade with him. That's because DM understands how to construct a deal that is fair for both sides and makes both teams better. He's not always out to "win" the trade. There's a lesson there.

[bigredrobbo]

Having taken time, that I'm never getting back, to read his blog I'm now convinced of two things.

 

1. He's self-absorbed and self-serving with no apparent comprehension of how this affair makes him appear.

 

2. We can forget any kind of national media support or sympathy for the Brewers for a while (such that it was).

 

Some of his comments "infamous Chris Coughlan", "The hero of the day, the almighty ballplayer, the noble sultan of swing", "very convincing little fella. All mind games but very convincing", lead me to the conclusion that not exactly a wronged fan, more an arrogant shyster and a bad ambassador for the club and city.

 

There was a right way to do this. Happy Youngster struck out big time, in my opinion...

[Fatter than Joey]

Yeah. Unfortunately, this stands to make it easier for the Cardinals' and STL media to muckrake about the Brewers.

 

When McGwire hit #62 -- the Cardinal fan just gave the ball to Mac -- I don't think he even asked for anything.

[bigredrobbo]

My favorite quote on his entire website is this one regarding Danny Gokey.

 

"Good luck Danny, make Milwaukee proud"...

 

Nuff said.

[Fatter than Joey]

Alright, i know I'm opening a can of worms here - so maybe someone can just PM me - but what is the entire story behind the Jenkins 200 ball?

 

When Jenkins hit his 200th HR -- HY caught the ball and demanded multiple bats from Prince and others, I forget the particulars, but there was an ugly exchange as well. In his defense, he did not murder anyone or beat up any kids.

 

2. We can forget any kind of national media support or sympathy for the Brewers for a while (such that it was).

 

Yeah, this is not playing well in the blogospheres.

[homer]

Yeah. Unfortunately, this stands to make it easier for the Cardinals' and STL media to muckrake about the Brewers.

 

When McGwire hit #62 -- the Cardinal fan just gave the ball to Mac -- I don't think he even asked for anything.

You are correct.

[Baldkin]

When McGwire hit #62 -- the Cardinal fan just gave the ball to Mac -- I don't think he even asked for anything.

Only, the guy who caught it was a grounds keeper and an employee of the Cardinals. Not some guy in the stands.