Filthy rich MLB screws the fan again

[drcy]

There's the old joke about the 1800 treaty the white man drew up for an Indian tribe. It said "The Indians shall own this territory for as long as the sun rises, the seasons change and rivers have water. Or six months, whichever comes first."

[sbfinley]

I don't see what the issue is... She won a contest, gets on the field, receives an autographed jersey and picture with Zimmermann, and gets to witness a No-Hitter as her team enters the playoffs as a division winner? If it was me I wouldn't be a dick and try to argue with Zimmermann that the jersey belongs to me either. He should frame it and give it to his kids. She seems like the type of person who loves baseball for the game, not how much a cardboard picture of player or a jersey she won is worth. Kudos to her.

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by sbfinley

I don't see what the issue is... She won a contest, gets on the field, receives an autographed jersey and picture with Zimmermann, and gets to witness a No-Hitter as her team enters the playoffs as a division winner? If it was me I wouldn't be a dick and try to argue with Zimmermann that the jersey belongs to me either. He should frame it and give it to his kids. She seems like the type of person who loves baseball for the game, not how much a cardboard picture of player or a jersey she won is worth. Kudos to her.

She's a better person than me.

Seriously, I'm glad she's happy and I would be, too. But I think when a game used jersey is promised, a game used jersey should be delivered. As I say, Zimmerman will be wearing more jerseys in the playoffs, so the promise to this lady could be kept, if the Nats and MLB chose to do so.

This isn't about whether the fan handles the situation well (which she does.) It's about how the Nats/MLB handled it, which was, in my opinion, not 100% right.

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by sbfinley

I don't see what the issue is... She won a contest, gets on the field, receives an autographed jersey and picture with Zimmermann, and gets to witness a No-Hitter as her team enters the playoffs as a division winner? If it was me I wouldn't be a dick and try to argue with Zimmermann that the jersey belongs to me either. He should frame it and give it to his kids. She seems like the type of person who loves baseball for the game, not how much a cardboard picture of player or a jersey she won is worth. Kudos to her.

The issue is money, Steve. A jersey worn by a pitcher throwing a no-hitter has significant monetary value. What she got instead is worth only a fraction as much.

Originally Posted by felada

I had Steiner pull something very similar with me. About two weeks before a yankees game I pre ordered and paid for the line up card(it was to be my nephews first ever yankees game). The game turns out to be arods 600 hr. Steiner refused to make good on the deal.

David, that is horrible. Had it happened to me I'd have filed a lawsuit the next day and emailed the pleading to every news outlet in the Yankees broadcast area. A little publicity might make them think twice about ever doing that again. Needless to say, I hope you are not a Steiner customer any longer...

The theme of these incidents is lack of respect for one's customers. Since when has it even been debatable that it is wrong for a business to break deals with its customers? I sue people regularly on behalf of clients who've been on the receiving end of a breach of contract; why does that all go out the window because baseball is involved?

Setting aside the legalities, I don't see why millionaire employees of billion-dollar entertainment conglomerates and vendors who make millions selling memorabilia are deserving of charity from their paying customers. Like that guy who caught Jeter's 3000 hit HR ball and who was offered a few trinkets in trade [plus a nice tax bill]. Worst deal in NY since the purchase of Manhattan Island. If it had been me the answer would have been very simple: get out your checkbook and write a check with five zeroes to the left of the decimal or buy it at auction.