Pay-Rod and Baseball's Payrolls

What is baseball coming to these days? First off, Alex Rodriguez is baseball newest $275 million dollar man! Second, his contract is the most lucrative in baseball history! He even beat his previous record contract of $250 million over 10 years and the funny this is that his contract wasn't even up. How sad is that? Everyone knows how good of a sports agent Scott Boras is to his clients, but do they realize how bad he is to team owners?

Being a fan of baseball since I came out of my mother's womb, I've come to understand that baseball is America's pastime is still more conservative than ever. Sure contracts are skyrocketing and coaches will now be wearing helmets when on the field, baseball is still relatively the same sport. Bud Selig still refuses that it was his fault the steroids scandal got out of control, and yet baseball continues to make a hefty profit of over $6 billion annually. Not only that, but the players' union is so strong, they will forever refuse a salary cap for teams. Why refuse a salary cap? Because baseball players are so full of themselves that they believe they are worth every penny they are given. That $25 million a year is not good enough and perhaps another $2.5 million will make A-Rod that much of a better player. Pleeeeeease.

In fact, all the other sports such as the NBA, NHL and NFL all have salary caps. Why not baseball? The answer to that is that again, the union is too strong and baseball as a sport is way to conservative. Having originated in America in 1869, the game has transformed itself to today's standard, but it will always remain America's pastime. But to stay on topic here, baseball is like a monopoly. Without the salary cap, teams can spend lavishly like kings, while others spend a fraction of that. It's quite unfair when you look at it, it was only a few years back that baseball decided to charge team owners a tax for every million they go over the $100 million dollar mark. Please tell me, how is that a team like the NY Yankees with a $189 million dollar payroll compete with a team like the Tampa Bay Devil Rays with a modest payroll of $24 million? That's why teams like Yankees and Red Sox among others are hated outside the general vicinity of their respected areas. It makes me happy when the Devil Rays beat the Yankees, but in reality, the Devil Rays have no hope in ever winning the AL East pennant with a payroll of that caliber. What's even more amazing, is that A-Rod makes more in one year than the entire Devil Rays team! Isn't that joke. Sure he's a fantastic player, especially after winning his third MVP award, but he's not worth that much money. He can't even come through when his team needs him the most, in the playoffs!

So all in all, perennial losers like the Kansas City Royals, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and Pittsburgh Pirates can kiss their franchises goodbye unless Selig and the players' union can come up with an agreement of sorts. If not, then baseball fans will continue to watch the good players being bought out from the small-market teams, while the small-market teams are left to defend themselves, with more minor leaguers jumping shore. Everything is a vicious cycle, isn't? The rich get richer, the poor get poorer.

Barry Bonds and Steroids

Unfortunately America’s pastime has turned into America’s drug-habit sport. What went wrong? Well, with the technology of today, it makes sense. I mean, the heroes of the past like Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron did not have the luxury that the stars have today. How is it possible that guy in his late thirties can all of a sudden strengthen up after his prime and suddenly be able to break one of the all-time greatest records? I partially put the blame on commissioner Bud Selig, who has been a commissioner since 1998, when he refused to instate a drug policy. Since then, many notable players as Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Rafael Palmeiro have been linked to steroids but none of them have actually tested positive. Allegations are one thing, but testing positive is another. However, what sets Bonds apart from the rest of the pack, is that he actively pursuing Hammerin’ Hank’s all-time record. Not only is it obvious that he was on it, but why else would his trainer, Greg Anderson spend countless days in jail for not testifying in the grand jury in the BALCO case? No one would spend time in jail if they had nothing to hide.

Words can’t express how I feel about my beloved sport, but all I know is that something needs to be done, whether it’s the resignation of our troubled commissioner or perhaps having all pitchers intentionally walk Bonds from now on, at least until his knees blow out. Sorry Giants fans, but you’re the only people that actually care to watch Bonds break the record. Whether he hit them on steroids or not, just remember that he cheated his way to the record, while Ruth and Aaron will be remembered for doing it the right way, without performance enhancing drugs.