I’m typically not a fan of the frivolous ways people use the U.S. court system. They sue when they burn themselves after not checking the lid on their McDonald’s coffee or when an incorrect weather report allegedly results in someone catching the flu because they dressed too lightly.

But a woman who sued the Philadelphia Phillies when the team played a switcheroo on her 12-year-old daughter after the girl caught Ryan Howard’s 200th homerun ball …

Well, I think it’s too bad it got to the point where the family took legal action, but shame on the Phillies and on Howard for taking advantage of a naive kid to get the slugger his souvenir ball.

According to CNN, after the girl caught the ball a Florida Marlins representative took her to the Phillies’ clubhouse where a Philadelphia rep told the child and her brother that if she left the ball she could have Howard sign it. When she returned with her grandfather after the game, the team provided her with a ball signed by Howard, but not the original ball.

First off, it’s commonplace for fans to trade landmark balls back to players for different merchandise. Otherwise the fans have the option of taking the balls onto the open market. According to the CNN story, the Howard ball might have been worth a couple thousand dollars at most.

But quotes in the story make it sound like the girl, Jennifer Valdivia, wanted the ball more for sentimental reasons. And that also is her right.

So, again, shame on the Phillies for taking advantage of the girl and her family by playing the switcheroo. Shame on Howard for not meeting with her to sign the ball – or offer her some alternative such as a game-used bat or another ball signed by Howard. He had the chance to create a fan for life – and possibly get his ball back in the process.

But instead Howard and the team played the role of bully. And so yes, I am glad the family got a lawyer and filed suit. When notified that the girl and her lawyer were seeking the ball and compensation in excess of $15,000 Valdivia got her ball back.

Chalk one up for the little gal in this case. And thank you Phillies for making my rooting interest in your playoff series easy. Go Rockies.