Sports salaries

[coxfan]

In recent years the Yankee payroll has been as much as seven times that of Tampa Bay, but with only comparable success on the field. (Somebody correct my numbers if they're wrong). The mania for multi-year mega-contracts was partly inspired by fear that the Yankees would grab the top free agents; but multi-year mega-contracts are proving a bad bargain all over the place, whether with the Yankees or others. Even when high-paid players perform well, the money they tie up may keep the team as a whole from doing well. It's still a team game; and one superstar doesn't make a team.

Tampa Bay uses outstanding rookies and solid drafting and development to compensate for short funds. Years ago the Braves used the strong farm system developed by Cox when he was GM to achieve success with a payroll less than half the Yankees. When players didn't produce, the Braves had prospects in their farm system to bring up or trade. Since last year, the low-budget A's are making "Moneyball" work; and the Rangers' strong farm system in recent years has paid off for them after A-Rod's big salary left. ( I thought his opting-out and opting back-in relieved the Rangers' salary contribution, but maybe I'm wrong).

And today's multi-round playoff system makes it impossible for anybody to buy more than Division titles, no matter how big the payroll is. So maybe the era of the multi-year mega-contract will fade away.

[coxfan]

My last post reminded me of an anecdote from the days before free agency. A star player was touting his league-leading batting stats in a salary negotiation. But the owner replied: "But we finished in last place, and we could've done that without you!"

[Mark17]

My last post reminded me of an anecdote from the days before free agency. A star player was touting his league-leading batting stats in a salary negotiation. But the owner replied: "But we finished in last place, and we could've done that without you!"

My favorite was when a reporter asked Babe Ruth how he could make more money than the President of the United States and Ruth replied, "I had a better year."

[coxfan]

Of course Ruth's President was Hoover, who made $75,000 while Ruth made $80,000 at the peak of the Depression. Only the Yankees would have paid that much to Ruth in those days before free agency.

I recently read another true story about US Presidents. When Grover Cleveland was overwhelmed with the demands of his office, he greeted a father and his five-year-old son in a White House reception line. Cleveland said to the five-year-old: "I have a strange wish for you, young man. That you NEVER become President of the US!" Cleveland didn't know the five-year-old's name, which was Franklin Delano Roosevelt!

Those White House public receptions ended after McKinley was murdered in one in 1901. He was succeeded by Vice-President Theodore Roosevelt.

[NEFAN]

No one forces these owners to give out ridiculous contracts. If high paid, underperforming players hurt the team, so be it, be smarter next time.

Honestly, I believe it is the fans that force (or allow) the owners to pay this. We pay the ridiculous ticket/drink/food/parking prices that allow them to do it.