UPDATE: Ely Hydes told the Detroit News on Friday that he will now give the ball to Pujols — or the National Baseball Hall of Fame. "I slept on it," Hydes told The Detroit News over the phone on Friday night. "All I ever wanted was to sleep on it. I slept on it and I woke up and I think (Pujols) is a class act. "He's not my player, he's not my guy, I don't deserve the ball. "I reconsidered. One-hundred percent, I'm either going to give it to Pujols or to the Hall of Fame." And before you ask, no, this isn't a cash grab. "I don't want any money," Hydes said. UPDATE 2: Pujols told USA Today he doesn't want the ball now. Hello, Cooperstown? ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Albert Pujols, as you know, notched his 2,000th career RBI on Thursday afternoon, pounding a solo home run over the left-field wall and into the waiting crowd at Detroit’s Comerica Park. Somehow, the biggest news that emerged from that truly historic event — nine players have hit 600 home runs but only five have reached the 2,000-RBI plateau — was that the fan who caught the ball, Ely Hydes, chose to keep the memento instead of giving/trading/selling the ball to Pujols, the Angels slugger who is bound for Cooperstown after he retires. “How dare he?” screamed the masses. “He’s not a true fan!” declared the keyboard warriors. “I would have given it to Pujols for nothing!” claimed the liars. MORE: Watch 'ChangeUp,' a new MLB live whiparound show on DAZN Give me a break. After reading this outstanding story from Tony Paul of The Detroit News on the background of Hydes’ thought process behind his decision, I have thoughts of my own. Lots of thoughts, actually, but I’ll just expand on two of them here. 1. I love that Hydes kept the ball Every time we go to the ballpark, we hope — we believe — something special will happen. The beauty of that expectation is that we have no idea what that “special” might be. My cousin went to a Cardinals game with his kid last year, and the “special” was seeing the look on his face as Matthew walked out of the tunnel and saw the field for the first time. The A’s fans who went to the ballpark Tuesday night witnessed a no-hitter, one of the Holy Grail-type events for any baseball fanatic to witness in person. Gabby DiMarco went to a Padres game last June and caught a foul ball with her cup of beer — and became an instant viral sensation. Heck, my had-yet-to-arrive BabyGirl was at the ballpark for the fastest pitch ever, though at 8 months old now I’m not sure she gets the significance. We take something with us from those special games. My cousin has the video he’ll keep forever. A’s fans have their ticket stubs (or screenshots of the ticket). DiMarco has the digital, Google-able memories of her well-deserved fling with fame — chugging the beer with the baseball still in the cup was epic. BabyGirl has the column I wrote about the day that I’ll read to her when she gets a little older. Beer — and baseball — served to your seat at @Padres games 🍺⚾️ pic.twitter.com/zCh3HjeUyD — Petco Park (@PetcoPark) June 6, 2018 But Hydes? He went to a baseball game with his buddies and now owns a baseball that holds a special place in baseball history. That’s so very cool. Why would he give that up? 2. The idea of the low-ball offers to Hydes is (many curse words) embarrassing. In Paul’s story, we learn of the different offers Tigers officials proposed to Hydes. "According to Hydes’ friends, the first offer was a Pujols autographed baseball; the second an autographed ball and a meet-and-greet with Pujols; the third a Pujols autographed ball, a meet-and-greet and a Pujols jersey; and the fourth all that, plus some Miguel Cabrera memorabilia.” It’s unfathomable and, quite honestly, incomprehensible, that an insanely rich and profitable Major League Baseball team — the Angels are worth $1.9 billion, according to a report by Forbes this spring, and the Tigers check in at $1.25 billion in the same report — would try to aggressively low-ball a fan. The sport is built on the backs of the Eli Hydes of this world, and always has been. The more I think about this, the more annoyed I get. You have this awesome, historic moment, and you’re trying to cheat a paying customer out of what exactly? An overpriced Pujols jersey, a couple of Miguel Cabrera items and three minutes of Pujols’ time? Are you kidding me? If you’re willing to give Hydes an autographed Pujols ball, a meet-and-greet, a Pujols jersey and Cabrera memorabilia, WHY NOT MAKE THAT THE FIRST OFFER? While we’re at it, even that is still a ludicrously insulting low offer for a ball of such historical significance. And, let me stop for a minute and say that I place zero of the blame for this debacle on Pujols. Zero. He wasn’t doing the negotiating. And he was asked after the game if he would make a cash offer to the fan to buy the ball, a concept he balked at. And I don’t blame him. That’s not his job. Mashing his way to history. pic.twitter.com/PXbZavZaOF — MLB (@MLB) May 9, 2019 The Angels, though? This is where they should step in make Hydes an offer he wouldn't want to refuse. And they shouldn’t start the offers for this historic, one-of-its-kind memento with an autographed baseball; do you have any idea how many Pujols autographed baseballs are out there right this very moment? An eBay search gives us 123 results, including one with a certificate of authenticity for a signed 2011 World Series baseball sitting at $88.01 (through 21 bids). Point being, an autographed ball would be cool, but it’s far from unique. The Angels need to come to Hydes and start the bidding at, I dunno, $50,000. Is the baseball worth $50,000? Who knows?<doc-sep>Ely Hydes said he didn't like how the Tigers were pressuring him to give up the home run ball Angels slugger Albert Pujols hit for his 2,000th career RBI Thursday. After taking time to "sleep on it," Hydes decided he didn't need to keep that piece of baseball history. "He's not my player, he's not my guy, I don't deserve the ball," Hydes told the Detroit News on Friday night. "I reconsidered. One hundred percent, I'm either going to give it to Pujols or to the (Baseball) Hall of Fame." Cooperstown might be the ball's next stop after Pujols' comments to USA Today Sports on Friday night. "I don't want it, brother," Pujols was quoted by Bob Nightengale as saying. "(Hydes) can keep it. He had a chance to give it to me (Thursday), and he declined. That’s fine. It’s his right. So, no need for him to change his mind now. Let him keep it." MORE: Watch 'ChangeUp,' a new MLB live whiparound show on DAZN Hydes told the News (and Pujols via Facebook earlier Friday) that he did not want any money for the ball, which was never authenticated. The Tigers were offering him no cash, but rather memorabilia and a meet-and-greet with Pujols, when they met with Hydes and his companions in the left-field stands at Comerica Park. Hydes, 33, told the News the team was making a "hard sell," so he responded by walking out of the stadium. Tigers vice president Ron Colangelo said in a statement Friday that team personnel acted appropriately. From the News: "We spoke with members from the Comerica Park operations and security staffs that had contact with the guest, and we have no doubt that our staff conducted themselves in a professional manner when speaking with the guest," Colangelo said Friday. "After generous offers of both Angels and Tigers autographed memorabilia, including a meet-and-greet with Albert Pujols, our staff informed the guest that a decision needed to be reached as the Angels would be leaving the ballpark soon after the game ended. "The guest decided he wanted to keep the ball, and our staff left the area." FAGAN: Attempts to low-ball fan embarrassing Hydes told the News he was swayed by Pujols saying postgame that Hydes was within his rights to keep the ball. He called Pujols a "class act" and was trying to contact him to deliver the ball. Hydes won't go away empty-handed if he does give up the ball: He will receive a generous supply of hot dogs from Hebrew National after expressing a desire for the Tigers to resume selling the product at Comerica.<doc-sep>Detroit — Ely Hydes just wanted a moment to collect himself and give it some thought, and the Tigers' staff didn't give him that. And so, said Hydes, that is the reason why he walked out of Comerica Park on Thursday afternoon with the baseball representing Los Angeles Angels slugger Albert Pujols' 2,000th career RBI. One day later, given some time to think it over, Hydes said he has changed his mind. He plans to give the ball to Pujols or the National Baseball Hall of Fame. "I slept on it," Hydes told The Detroit News over the phone on Friday night. "All I ever wanted was to sleep on it. I slept on it and I woke up and I think (Pujols) is a class act. "He's not my player, he's not my guy, I don't deserve the ball. "I reconsidered. One-hundred percent, I'm either going to give it to Pujols or to the Hall of Fame." And before you ask, no, this isn't a cash grab. "I don't want any money," Hydes said. Hydes, who attended Thursday's game with two buddies he met in the Peace Corps, caught Pujols' third-inning home run. He didn't immediately know the significance of the home run until the Tigers PA announcer made an announcement that Pujols had become the third official member of MLB's 2,000-RBI club, and also when ballpark security immediately began to swarm him. The Tigers' security staff wanted the ball for Pujols, and made one offer after another — negotiations started with a Pujols signed ball and ended with a Pujols signed ball, jersey, meet-and-greet and some memorabilia from Tigers star Miguel Cabrera. Hydes turned all that down, in large part, he said, because he felt the Tigers were pressuring him to turn the ball over. A "hard sell," Hydes said. The Tigers disputed that Thursday, and again Friday in a statement from vice president of communications Ron Colangelo, who was not present for the interactions between Hydes and Tigers staff on Thursday. "We spoke with members from the Comerica Park operations and security staffs that had contact with the guest, and we have no doubt that our staff conducted themselves in a professional manner when speaking with the guest," Colangelo said Friday. "After generous offers of both Angels and Tigers autographed memorabilia, including a meet-and-greet with Albert Pujols, our staff informed the guest that a decision needed to be reached as the Angels would be leaving the ballpark soon after the game ended. "The guest decided he wanted to keep the ball, and our staff left the area." Hydes originally thought he might give the ball to his brother, a lifelong fan of the St. Louis Cardinals (Pujols’ first team), or Ely's soon-to-be-born child. He never did decide; he just knew he was going to hold on to the ball — the first ball he's ever caught at a major-league game — because, he felt, the Tigers' staff tried too hard to get him to give up the ball. The Tigers staff, Hydes said, told him repeatedly they couldn't authenticate the ball — balls into the stands can't be officially authenticated because of chain-of-custody concerns — and therefore the ball was worthless on the open market. That pitch backfired, as Hydes felt insulted that they assumed it was all about the money to him. Hydes, though, was impressed after the game — a 13-0 Angels win over the Tigers — when Pujols was very gracious, saying it was Hydes' right to keep the baseball. And that seemed to sway Hydes' decision, and he's trying to reach out to Pujols to find a way to get him the ball. Meanwhile, the whole ordeal has netted Hydes some impressive attention and also some swag, too. He made a comment in The Detroit News article Thursday about his love of Hebrew National hot dogs, and Hebrew National was so appreciative, it is sending him a summer's supply of dogs, plus other swag, including a company softball-team jersey. "I was high on adrenaline," Hydes said Friday, looking back on the whole ordeal, which led to dozens of interview requests — local and national — and at least one Angels fan reaching out to offer him $25,000 for the ball. "I caught a baseball, and I walked out." tpaul@detroitnews.com Twitter: @tonypaul1984<doc-sep>Apparently the fan who said he was going to keep Albert Pujols’ 2,000 RBI has had a change of heart. Tigers fan Ely Hydes, said Thursday he had decided to keep the ball, telling Fox Sports Detroit that he “just came here for a beer and a game.” But he reversed course on Friday, telling The Detroit News that he will give the ball — the first he has caught at a major league game — to Pujols or the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Pujols hit the impressive milestone Thursday by blasting a solo home run in the Angels’ win over the Tigers, becoming just the third player in Major League Baseball history to drive in 2,000 or more runs in a career. He joined Alex Rodriguez (2,086) and Hank Aaron (2,297). “I slept on it,” Hydes told the paper. “All I ever wanted was to sleep on it. I slept on it and I woke up and I think [Pujols] is a class act. “He’s not my player, he’s not my guy — I don’t deserve the ball. I reconsidered. One-hundred percent, I’m either going to give it to Pujols or to the Hall of Fame.” Hydes insisted the delay in his decision was not because he was looking for some cash. “I don’t want any money,” Hydes said. Hydes said the reason he didn’t originally want to give up the ball was because he felt pressure from the Tigers’ staff to hand it over, according to the newspaper. The Tigers, however, told the paper their staff “conducted themselves in a professional manner.” As for Pujols, he reiterated his position on Thursday that he was OK with the fan keeping the ball. “I heard that the guy wanted to give it back, but he can keep it,” Pujols told reporters Friday. “I said what I had to say yesterday. I think he deserves it. He’s a fan. Or he can give it to the Hall of Fame.” — with AP<doc-sep>
Ely Hydes, the man who retrieved Los Angeles Angels slugger Albert Pujols’ historic home run but planned to keep it, changed his mind Friday and now says he would like to return the ball to Pujols or give it to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Well, Pujols has changed his mind, too, and now doesn’t want the baseball that represents his 2,000th RBI. “I don’t want it, brother,’’ Pujols told USA TODAY Sports. “He can keep it. He had a chance to give it to me (Thursday), and he declined. That’s fine. It’s his right. “So, no need for him to change his mind now. “Let him keep it.’’ Hydes, who told reporters Thursday that he planned to keep the ball himself, or possibly give it to his brother, told the Detroit News on Friday that he no longer wants it, either. Opinion:Who is the 'rightful' owner of Albert Pujols' milestone ball, Pujols or the fan? More:Albert Pujols’ 2,000th RBI ball could fetch big money, but fan wants Pujols or Cooperstown to have it “I slept on it," Hydes told the The Detroit News. “All I ever wanted was to sleep on it. I slept on it and I woke up and I think (Pujols) is a class act. “He's not my player, he's not my guy, I don't deserve the ball. I reconsidered. 100%. I'm either going to give it to Pujols or to the Hall of Fame. “I don't want any money.’’ Well, Pujols certainly wasn’t going to pay for it, and a day later, with no guarantee the ball is the actual one he hit for the homer, said he is no longer interested. “If he doesn’t want the ball,’’ Pujols said, “he can give the ball to Cooperstown. Hopefully then, everyone will be happy. “But I don’t want it. He deserves it. It’s his decision.’’ Hydes told reporters that he originally declined to give the ball to Pujols because he felt pressured by the Tigers’ security staff, rejecting offers to meet with Pujols, or be given other memorabilia, such as autographed items from Angels All-Star Mike Trout and Tigers star Miguel Cabrera. The Tigers steadfastly disputed Hydes’ allegations. “We spoke with members from the Comerica Park operations and security staffs that had contact with the guest, and we have no doubt that our staff conducted themselves in a professional manner when speaking with the guest,’’ Tigers vice president Ron Colangelo said in an email to USA TODAY Sports and other Detroit outlets. “After generous offers of both Angels and Tigers autographed memorabilia, including a meet-and-greet with Albert Pujols, our staff informed the guest that a decision needed to be reached as the Angels would be leaving the ballpark soon after the game ended. “The guest decided he wanted to keep the ball, and our staff left the area.’’ Now, it’s up to the Hall of Fame whether it even wants the baseball, considering the ball was never authenticated. The drama continues. Follow Nightengale on Twitter: @BNightengale