[Warren Kiefer]

It boggles my mind that a major league ball team would offer a pitcher a seven year contract for 217 million dollars ...

[Miles42]

Now you have a clue why the rest of the world dislikes Americans.

[joesin]

They don't hate Americans, just the Red Sox !

[Jima64]

Originally Posted by Miles42

Now you have a clue why the rest of the world dislikes Americans.

Is this to be taken seriously?

[Jima64]

Originally Posted by Warren Kiefer

It boggles my mind that a major league ball team would offer a pitcher a seven year contract for 217 million dollars ...

Most sports teams are spending the share of television money they receive. Owners would not pay if it was their own money.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

The simple fact is that they are going to pay him that much money because he's worth it.

[Cedwards38]

We Americans do love our sports, don't we? I'm as guilty as the next one. I love baseball. I also love nurses, teachers, and the guys who pick up my trash every week, but I'm not willing to pay $100 bucks for a seat to watch them do their thing, and also pay $8 for a hot dog and another $9 for a beer to consume while I watch them, although in reality, it's far more important that they do their job well in the scheme of things. That's why Price gets those bucks!

As an aside, I'd sure rather see Price get this money than some Wall Street banker (and they do get that much or more in many cases) who doesn't do anything other than manipulate our economy, usually in a way that doesn't benefit many of us. At least when Price throws a curve ball you can see it.

[Bay Kid]

Our military are paid...spit and scratch....

[justjim]

Price gets 31M a year same as Lester for the Cubs. Lester was 5 years contract and Price 7 year contract. My 55" television and my easy chair is the best seat to watch the game.

However, I spent just north of $500 total to watch the Cubs beat the Cards in the playoff this year. Priceless!

[2BNTV]

Back in the old days of baseball, the owners had all of the power. If a ballplayer did not sign a contract , he wasn't able to play baseball for any team.

When Ralph Kiner told the owners he wanted a raise from 20K to 27K, the owners asked him what placed the team had finished last year. He replied, last. The owner said, we can finish in last place without you.

When the owners gave the players union to right to arbitrate, the balance of power shifted to the ballpayers. Ball players that were making the minimum of 30,000 per year were able to arbitrate and make 2 million per year times 2,000. We are talking about role players, not the superstars. The salary structure of baseball was forever altered. This event threw the economics of baseball out of whack and not the few superstars, that get enormous sums of money!!!

When free agency went into effect, the salaries skyrocketed for superstars as teams bidded, to get the best free agent. I for one now love, (being scarcastic), that teams pay 50M, to get the rights to sign, a foreign born player and then another several hundred million, for him to play.

Ballplayers view themselves as entertainers and should be paid accordingly. We the fans, are suckers because the prices to see a ballgame, are absorbed, by us.

[JoMar]

Originally Posted by Cedwards38

We Americans do love our sports, don't we? I'm as guilty as the next one. I love baseball. I also love nurses, teachers, and the guys who pick up my trash every week, but I'm not willing to pay $100 bucks for a seat to watch them do their thing, and also pay $8 for a hot dog and another $9 for a beer to consume while I watch them, although in reality, it's far more important that they do their job well in the scheme of things. That's why Price gets those bucks!

As an aside, I'd sure rather see Price get this money than some Wall Street banker (and they do get that much or more in many cases) who doesn't do anything other than manipulate our economy, usually in a way that doesn't benefit many of us. At least when Price throws a curve ball you can see it.

Ah, an economist in our midst.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Actually I think that most of the money made by baseball teams comes from television advertising.

[Carla B]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

Actually I think that most of the money made by baseball teams comes from television advertising.

So that means we all pay, in the price of the products we buy.

[tomwed]

You gotta be rich to go to a baseball game. That's un-American or at least it used to be un-American.
Sitting in front of a tv is not the same, especially when your with your dad or with your kids.

[village dreamer]

don't forget pay for view , sports channel $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$, everthing comes out of your pocket to pay them.