Tagged: MLB
Spending Limit
* Here is my persuasive essay for school and as you can imagine, I wrote it about sports.
Spending
Limit
Small market teams don’t stand a chance against
the big spenders in Major League Baseball.
At New Yankee Stadium,
Yankee fans cheer for “their” team, a team that had a payroll of $206,333,389
in 2010. One of their many star players, Alex Rodriguez, made thirty-three
million dollars last year.
However, at PNC Park, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Pirate
fans don’t cheer for a star player, because they don’t have one. In fact their
payroll last year was “just” $34,943,000. Is it fair that Alex Rodriguez made
nearly as much money as the entire Pittsburgh Pirates last year?
Much like their
payroll, the Yankees were at the top of the list when it came to winning. The
Pirates on the other hand, had one of the worst records in baseball. Major
League Baseball needs a salary cap.
A “salary cap” is a
limit on how much money teams can spend and/or how much money a player can
earn. It would level the playing field, increase fan attendance, and increase
team and league revenue.
However, if a salary cap was implemented, the
large market teams wouldn’t have enough money to have ten superstars on their
team. As a result of this, more superstars would have to play on “bad” teams
and the overall talent level would become more evenly divided among all thirty
teams.
Many casual baseball fans go to a game to see the
superstars. With the talent being more evenly divided, fans in Baltimore,
Pittsburgh, etc. will get to see more superstars play; thus increasing fan
attendance. Due to this increased interest and attendance of the game, the
league’s revenue would increase.
Personally, I’m a fan of the Boston Red Sox, who are a big
spender. With that said, is it fair that the Red Sox can out spend the Pirates
by over 160 million dollars?
Not everyone agrees on the topic of a salary cap. Some say
the fact that some teams can spend ridiculous amounts more money than other
teams is just a part of the game.
On one side, just because you have a high payroll doesn’t
mean you are going to be good. Despite having the third highest payroll in
baseball last year, the Cubs finished fifth in their division.
Then there are always teams like the Rangers and Rays, who
despite being in the bottom ten in payroll, made the playoffs.
However, there is one roadblock, the Players Association.
They would most likely reject anything about lowering player salaries. However,
I’m sure Alex Rodriguez can afford to give up a couple million dollars.
So, Bud Selig (the commissioner of the MLB), if you
know what is good for the league you need to try to implement a salary cap
immediately.
Dazed, Confused, and Defeated
As
I sit here writing, I am still trying to figure out exactly why the New England
Patriots had to lose to the New York Jets. I mean any team but the trash
talking, cocky, annoying Jets. I would have rather gotten killed by the Steelers
next week, murdered in the Super Bowl by the Packers or Bears, heck even lose
in the divisional round to a team like the Seahawks then lose to the foot
loving Jets.
Now I know that when I turn on Mike and
Mike tomorrow, Mike Greenberg will be sitting there saying how much he loves
Mark Sanchez and how good the Jets are.
Any team but the Jets. Any team. Any
team. I would have just loved the Jets to shut up. I mean after the week
thirteen loss, the Jets actually shut up! That was arguably the best two days
of the football schedule, the two days when the Jets were absolutely quiet.
But now though I think I’m beginning to
understand why exactly the Patriot loss still stings so badly and why it is
still keeping me up at night, two nights later. My conclusion is, Boston sport fans have been spoiled since
2001.
Name one other city with just one NFL,
NBA, and MLB with stars like Tom Brady, Paul Pierce, and David Ortiz. You just
can’t.
Since 2001 the Patriots have won three
Super Bowls (2001, 2003, 2004), The Red Sox have won two World Series (2004,
2007), and the Celtics won the NBA Finals back in 2008. That’s six
championships out of the possible twenty-seven, or over 22%, of all the possible
championships in the NFL, MLB, and NBA, since 2001.
No offense to anyone, but many Boston
sport fans, myself included, can be brats when it comes to sports.
Oh this guy isn’t doing good trade him. We have a weakness at
this position, so we have to get the best guy out there. When we don’t get what
we want, we let people hear it. Same thing for New York, Philadelphia, Chicago,
etc. fans. Again, no offense.
However, that’s part of the “beauty” of
large marker sports. In Kansas City and Baltimore fans are more laid back for
the most part. Again, no offense. Fans are so dedicated and passionate about
winning. They accept nothing but the best. Look at the crazy fans at football
games that paint their whole body. They are either Raider fans, or fans of the
Patriots, Jets, Giants, Eagles, Bears, etc. When you grow up around a winning
culture, you don’t know how to deal with defeat. Do you get angry or sad? Does
it last a few days or a few weeks?
Recently though, I’ve been learning how
to deal with defeat (unfortunately). The Celtics lost game seven of the NBA
Finals, the Red Sox didn’t even make the playoffs, and now the Patriots are
potentially “done” with their dynasty.
When you’re a kid, you can’t imagine that
your team will lose. I mean they’re your team.
When your team does lose it teaches you a great lesson in sportsmanship and how
to deal with defeat. I am just now getting that lesson though.
I have a friend who is a Cleveland sports
fan and trust me he has got that lesson . . . big time. Today though, I realize
that when I’m practically screaming at the TV after a Kevin Garnett alley oop,
or a Tom Brady touchdown, or a David Ortiz home run. There is some ten-year-old
kid either upset or mad that that had to happen against his team. But he doesn’t know that he is learning maybe the most
valuable lesson in sports.
Looking back, I wish there was a time
when I was that ten-year-old kid. I wish I had learned that lesson sooner then
latter. The “bad” news is that the Celtics look to be making another title run
and the Red Sox have restocked to win another ring. On second thought, I think
that lesson can wait another year. J
When you don’t know how to deal with
defeat and accept nothing but the best and you don’t get the best it stings more
then anything.
-Photo Credits
1.) http://www.cantstopthebleeding.com/tomase-pats-spied-on-the-rams-before-sbxxvi
2.) http://connect.in.com/red-sox-tickets/photos-1-1-1- 72693d71aaca1b6b9cf5cbfeec0dac4d.html
3.) http://gallery.neoseeker.com/Lesley%20Pro_04/photostream/2020860158
P.S. Rex Ryan owes me for not making the title Dazed, Confused, and De-feet-ed
Baseball Bucks
Congrats to my friend over at Short Porch in Right Field for knowing that Zip Zabel pitched 18.1 innings of relief on June 17, 1915. Today’s question is below.
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Dear, Mr. Bud Selig and MLB
I am sure by now you have seen the effect that the economy has had on baseball. Ticket prices are being frozen, fans can not afford to go to games, and even some families can not afford to sign their kids up for little league.
So I am calling MLB out right now. MLB you have to much money. While hundreds of thousands of people lose their jobs and their homes players like A-Rod, Manny, and Big Papi get paid by the millions. So while it is not baseball’s fault I want you to do something! Out of the top paid players in the three major sport leagues (MLB, NBA, NFL) Alex Rodirguez ($22,708,525) beat out Kevin Garnett ($20,000,000) and Peyton Manning ($18,700,000) for the most money that one athlete gets paid in one season.
This offseason though do to the terrible economy players like Adam Dunn, Bobby Abreu, and Ivan Rodriguez who are established veterans settled for contracts that would pay ten, five, and one and a half million a season. Some say that Dunn and Abreu took pay cuts because of their defense but then explain Pudge and I will not take the excuse that he is old.
Now I am not saying that what the economy is doing to baseball is good. I am just saying that baseball needs a pay cut. I love baseball like the many people here at MLBlogs but I mean teachers, police officers, construction workers, authors, and doctors get paid a lot less then athletes. At the end of the day A.) half of the people who play baseball play for the money and B.) those people I mentioned earlier are a lot more important then baseball players.
I say lets see who plays baseball for the money by paying athletes the amount of money a teacher or a doctor would get for one season and whoever leaves baseball for money kick them out. These are players kids like me love to see play. If A-Rod leaves kick him out. If Big Papi leaves kick him out. If Lance Berkman leaves kick him out. Maybe with some of the extra money teams can put more money for the fans.
Some teams care about their fans. Other teams just care if their fans buy a ticket, a hot dog, and a foam finger. Luckily I am a fan of the Boston Red Sox who treat their fans world class. I mean everyone from hotdog vendors to players to coaches to executives care about their fans. To some executives baseball is a business. To others it is a monopoly. Then to others it is a gift to be an executive and if they do not do their job and have their fans like them they will get fired.
Now the big question comes up. Will the Red Sox continue their sellout streak? There are many tickets left right now and most of them are not bad seats because many people can not afford them. Either the Red Sox need to make more seats lowing the supply and demand or need to lower ticket prices. The only game that I am aware of right now that is sold out is opening night, Red Sox versus Yankee games, and a few Red Sox versus Rays games. I think the streak will continue though. It might have a few rough spots this season but I believe that the streak will continue this season.
Another thing that I imagine as very stressful would be owning a team that is building a new ballpark. Sure right now the only teams building one are the Mets and the Yankees, two huge market teams but still. The Marlins, Rays, and Athletics are all looking and or planing to build a new home in the next few years. Every thing is going to cost more and when your a small market team every penny matters unlike the Yankees who just throw millions out the windows.
So Mr. Selig I have one solution that will solve the baseball money problem and help horrible economy. Option A is to have a salary cap. Now what might you do with the big market teams money? Well first you could either give it to the teams that do not have enough money. Then if there is any left over (and I am sure there will be) give it to charity and to people that have lost their job are are losing their house.
Now I know Mr. Selig that I am just a kid who can not spell, does not get paid at all, and only owns about seven jersey’s but we are the next generations of fans. If you do not care about us then you might lose even more fans. The steroid era has already left its mark on baseball I do not want the economy to do the same. A few of my friends have already left baseball for the NBA, the NFL, the NHL and one even has “switched” to MMA and many are about to. I though will stay a fan for now unless you annoy us kids and do not do something. So Mr. Selig please fix this problem.
From Bob, a sixth grade Red Sox fan
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Also I plan on mailing this letter to Bud Selig. So I am doing what Julia sort of did. If you want to sign it please fell free to. If you want to comment on this entry though you can but I will not include the comment in my letter unless you ask me to. If you want to just comment but you do not want to sign you can do that also. Just tell me.
Also I would like to thank all of you very much! You guys recently voted me on to the next round of Max Madness! It was really close and I think the final vote was 52% to 48%. Elizabeth you did very well and I was hoping that it would tie at 50 to 50. Facing a friend sounds easy till you actually have to do it.
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Bostonball 