Happy Opening Day! (even though MLB hates it's fans)

[BobbyStrawberry]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

If you don't watch baseball because of how much the players make, I assume you don't go to the movies either. Or buy much music. Jack Nicholson used to make like $6m for a few HOURS of set time. Elon Musk probably makes $800M in a DAY. Ditto Bill Gates. We have more billionaires in this country than any nation in the history of the world.

Leon is entitled to his view of course. But penalizing an entire sport because of what players did a generation ago? Men who are now in their 60s? You have soured on the sport because of that. I just don't get it.

Oakland As run into the ground by ownership . . . with an assist from the city. I read today that this poverty franchise was valued at 3 BILLION. And people are sour that a player is making 100 Million?

And Fisher's reward for running the team into the ground is $380 million from the Nevada taxpayers. At least the players earn their money...

[packs]

This is only good for the game. If you were to compile the top 50 players in the league, I think you would find that a large portion of that pool is made up of international players.

Japan seems like a more than appropriate venue for an opening day series that baseball is capitalizing on the Dodgers for, who in turn employ the biggest name in the game and the most talked about free agent signing this year, both of whom are from Japan.

[Snapolit1]

Originally Posted by BobbyStrawberry

And Fisher's reward for running the team into the ground is $380 million from the Nevada taxpayers. At least the players earn their money...

I've never understood why it always seems like 90% of the country is more obsessed with what actual workers make than what owners of the means of production, to quote Marx, make. Putting aside politics, which I am not referencing, not a single person said to me a year ago, "isn't it an abomination that Elon Musk makes $4 million dollars an hour." But I have hear people rant about overpaid teachers making $80,000 a year, greedy cops and firefighters pulling down $30,000 a year in overtime, etc. etc.

In sports its always the greedy players, not the greedy billionaires who run things and watch their assets appreciate every year even if they fail miserably.

Have always wondered if this is an American phenomenon or something more universal.

[BobbyStrawberry]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

I've never understood why it always seems like 90% of the country is more obsessed with what actual workers make than what owners of the means of production, to quote Marx, make. Putting aside politics, which I am not referencing, not a single person said to me a year ago, "isn't it an abomination that Elon Musk makes $4 million dollars an hour." But I have hear people rant about overpaid teachers making $80,000 a year, greedy cops and firefighters pulling down $30,000 a year in overtime, etc. etc.

In sports its always the greedy players, not the greedy billionaires who run things and watch their assets appreciate every year even if they fail miserably.

Have always wondered if this is an American phenomenon or something more universal.

Interesting question. I don't know if any country worships obscene wealth better than we do.

[SAllen2556]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

I've never understood why it always seems like 90% of the country is more obsessed with what actual workers make than what owners of the means of production, to quote Marx, make. Putting aside politics, which I am not referencing, not a single person said to me a year ago, "isn't it an abomination that Elon Musk makes $4 million dollars an hour." But I have hear people rant about overpaid teachers making $80,000 a year, greedy cops and firefighters pulling down $30,000 a year in overtime, etc. etc.

In sports its always the greedy players, not the greedy billionaires who run things and watch their assets appreciate every year even if they fail miserably.

Have always wondered if this is an American phenomenon or something more universal.

Your comparing apples to oranges IMO. Musk is a private businessman. Teachers and firefighters are paid by tax dollars - our dollars. That's much easier to complain about! And I think, overall, you're wrong. Just as many people complain about rich guys as they do teachers and firefighters - class envy has been around forever.

We never give credit to the owners who started professional baseball back in the day, but look at all the franchises that went out of business before baseball became the national pastime. In Detroit, we had the National League Wolverines who folded in 1888 after winning a championship in 1887. The Federal League that went belly up after two seasons, I think. No one laments the fate of the owners who put up the money for those defunct franchises and leagues, but it’s ok to hate the owners who managed to hang on through two world wars, a depression, and the general ups and downs of the economy.

I don’t pay to see the owners play baseball, and I’m certainly not saying the owners are all great guys, but this class envy stuff strikes me as childish and naive. Today’s owners have to care about the fans despite what some might think. If they didn’t, they wouldn't be the greedy capitalists some claim they are, would they? And a business that doesn’t make money isn’t a business, it’s a charity.

I actually love watching baseball again since the pitch clock and other measures were taken to shorten the game times. It was getting to be 3 and half hours a game. Now it’s back to 2 and a half. It’s really made the game fun to watch again. Go Tigers!

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by KJA

That's always been my thought process, if somebody is willing to pay you that much then you are a fool to not take that money. Especially since you aren't going to play forever so you might as well get what you can while you can.

Heaven forbid that the players actually have to work after the age of 35 or so like the rest of us! Incidentally, the minimum MLB salary in 2024 was $740,000. So no my heart doesn't bleed for the poor oppressed players.

Originally Posted by SAllen2556

Your comparing apples to oranges IMO. Musk is a private businessman. Teachers and firefighters are paid by tax dollars - our dollars. That's much easier to complain about! And I think, overall, you're wrong. Just as many people complain about rich guys as they do teachers and firefighters - class envy has been around forever.

We never give credit to the owners who started professional baseball back in the day, but look at all the franchises that went out of business before baseball became the national pastime. In Detroit, we had the National League Wolverines who folded in 1888 after winning a championship in 1887. The Federal League that went belly up after two seasons, I think. No one laments the fate of the owners who put up the money for those defunct franchises and leagues, but it’s ok to hate the owners who managed to hang on through two world wars, a depression, and the general ups and downs of the economy.

...this class envy stuff strikes me as childish and naive. Today’s owners have to care about the fans despite what some might think. If they didn’t, they wouldn't be the greedy capitalists some claim they are, would they? And a business that doesn’t make money isn’t a business, it’s a charity.

Originally Posted by doug.goodman

As an employee, I don't believe in the existence or concept of "overpaid".

I fully agree! Everybody is entitled to whatever they can get! Nor should envy be part of the equation. Although of course as taxpayers we absolutely do have a say in what government employees should get.

Truthfully I don't actually care what the players or owners actually earn (although my heart doesn't bleed for any of them). What galls me is that I liked the reserve clause. I liked it better when a Tiger was a Tiger was a Tiger and a Yankee was a Yankee was a Yankee (until team management saw otherwise). Things were much better when the fans could identify with the players that way and the game is after all for the fans. That plus the fact that the elimination of the reserve clause has slowly but steadily made small market teams much less competitive. That's not good for MLB.

But that's so unfair to the players you say? "Tough!" I say. "Stop your whining. Didn't your parents tell you that life didn't have to be fair? If not, they should have." With the MLB minimum salary at $740,000 for seasonal work, they'll get no sympathy from me. Heaven forbid they have to supplement their meager earnings by working as stockbrokers or in a furniture and appliance store in the off-season.