Yankee fan Ron Galen has a $40,000 beef with José Canseco.
On Sunday, Galen, a California financial planner, purchased the 2000 World Series ring that Canseco won with the Yanks from the steroid-scandal slugger’s Web site for $40,000.
On Tuesday, Canseco said he couldn’t have it.
Even though the ring had been on sale on the site for days – and Galen spoke with Canseco rep Jim Ames before the purchase – he later received an abrupt e-mail backing out of the deal.
“José has decided not to sell the ring at this time,” read the e-mail, which Galen forwarded to The Post yesterday. “Your account has been credited.”
Galen, who said he has received assurances from Visa that he won’t lose his money regardless of the outcome, is consulting an attorney – but he also wants an explanation.
“It’s the last I’ve heard from him or his people,” Galen said. “I sent [an e-mail] back and just wrote, ‘Is there any explanation?’ He must have received a better offer.
“I still want the ring. If there’s a better offer, I’d consider [bidding higher]. It just leaves a bad taste.”
At a Tampa book signing last night, Bob Saunooke, an attorney for Canseco, said the slugger had put the ring up for sale but pulled it off the market to “use it in a different way. It’s part of a similar idea he has for his stuff.
“Part of a reality show, possibly,” he said.
Canseco’s 1989 World Series ring was bid up to $30,200 on eBay last night, and offers for his 1986 Rookie of the Year ring was being offered for $2,200.
But Galen wants the Yankees ring. A Bronx Bombers fan who grew up in Oceanside, L.I., Galen wanted to add the ring to his team memorabilia collection, which hangs on the walls of the office and bar of his Playa del Rey, Calif., home.
The stash includes autographed pictures of legends Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford and Billy Martin, an autographed copy of Mantle’s autobiography, several autographed balls and mementos from a visit to Yankee Fantasy Camp.
Galen’s quest for the ring began Sunday morning, when he followed a link off the Yankees Web site to Canseco’s site and the advertisement for the ring. He e-mailed Ames, and they chatted on the phone once.
Galen received three pictures of the ring, and offered to bid on it, but Ames said Canseco’s flat price was $40,000.
Galen decided to buy it later that afternoon.
“When I talked to Ames, he told me José wanted to come out to my house and make a presentation [of the ring],” Galen said. “I was going to have my friends come, have a party, and videotape the whole thing. That probably won’t happen now.”