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

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by Section103

The notion that these freak athletes should be able to relate to my fat ass accounting professional is laughable and arrogance of the highest order.

Why then should your fat-assed accountant or other fans relate to these freak athletes? You're forgetting that professional baseball is for the fans and it's ultimately the fans on whom the game and the players' inflated salaries depend. The fans are after all the customers.

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by SAllen2556

When the players lived in your neighborhood they were being screwed by the owners under the reserve clause. I assume you’d rather go back to the days when Al Kaline had to work for a car dealership in the off season?

Actually I see NOTHING wrong with that situation at all. What's wrong with these seasonal workers actually preparing for the day when their skills have faded? What's wrong with them getting a start on building their careers outside of professional sports? That's how it was done until 40-50 years ago. CFL teams still encourage players to prepare for their post playing careers by becoming involved in the local community.

[jingram058]

Originally Posted by Balticfox

Actually I see NOTHING wrong with that situation at all. What's wrong with these seasonal workers actually preparing for the day when their skills have faded? What's wrong with them getting a start on building their careers outside of professional sports? That's how it was done until 40-50 years ago. CFL teams still encourage players to prepare for their post playing careers by becoming involved in the local community.

I don't either. I see them as WAY overpaid and I am not changing my stance on that. And I don't think they were being screwed. Total baloney.

[doug.goodman]

Originally Posted by jingram058

I don't either. I see them as WAY overpaid and I am not changing my stance on that. And I don't think they were being screwed. Total baloney.

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

One of my current employers would tell you in private that he believes I am overpaid, but he agreed to pay me, so he can't really complain. Oh, and I believe that I am underpaid, although I agreed to my salary, so I don't get to complain either.

[jayshum]

Originally Posted by jingram058

I don't either. I see them as WAY overpaid and I am not changing my stance on that. And I don't think they were being screwed. Total baloney.

What other industry prevented its employees from leaving and going to work for a competitor? That's basically what the reserve clause did.

[Chris-Counts]

I have long struggled to reconcile my love of baseball with my disgust for the greedy knuckleheads who run it. I'm happy opening day is here, but I have little interest in feeding the money machine. Whenever I think of guys like Selig and Manfred, I am reminded of a quote by Roy Hobbs in "The Natural" — "Max, did you ever play the game?"

[jingram058]

Well, as stated near the top, I'm done with baseball, and all other major sports. I prefer the old game, the old rules, the old less money game. That's what I collect, and there are enough old radio and TV broadcasts saved off to my various hard drives, that I haven't heard or seen, to keep me happy until I croak. You guys have fun with the game as it is today.

[SyrNy1960]

I love baseball ⚾️ Always have, Always will ⚾️

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by jayshum

What other industry prevented its employees from leaving and going to work for a competitor? That's basically what the reserve clause did.

They're not "competitors" though in the full proper sense of the word. Their teams compete on the playing field but that's it. There's a good reason why they're called "franchises" because that's precisely what they are, franchises in the single business enterprise of MLB.

[jayshum]

Originally Posted by Balticfox

They're not 'competitors" though in the full proper sense of the word. Their teams compete on the playing field but that's it. There's a good reason why they're called "franchises" because that's precisely what they are, franchises in the single business enterprise of MLB.

So they don't compete off the field when teams are scouting and signing players? The teams may all be franchises under MLB, but that doesn't mean they aren't competitors both on and off the field.

[Balticfox]

The teams are actually partners in most ways.

[BioCRN]

The very idea of being an employee not trying to extract everything they can from an employer is mindblowing to me.

If I'm making someone else money with my talents or labor I want as much as I can get from whoever wants to legally employ me. If I'm giving up financial compensation, I want other perks (more days off, other flexibility, etc).

I think sports salaries are crazy, but "the market" is supporting them. Every new revenue stream coming in is breaking toward the players getting a cut rather than fans getting cheaper tickets/concessions, but this is benefiting owners, too.

The Boston Celtics didn't just sell 6.1 billion dollars because player salaries are a money pit of despair for ownership.

[steve B]

Originally Posted by jayshum

What other industry prevented its employees from leaving and going to work for a competitor? That's basically what the reserve clause did.

Youve never heard on non compete clauses? Even the ones that limit the time it's in effect are essentially the reserve clause.

[jayshum]

Originally Posted by steve B

Youve never heard on non compete clauses? Even the ones that limit the time it's in effect are essentially the reserve clause.

Yes, I've heard of non-compete clauses. I don't think they usually apply forever like the reserve clause did in baseball, and they also usually don't apply to every employee of a business. They are usually only for executives of companies.

[molenick]

The players making too much money is clearly a gut reaction...arguments about free market, capitalism, supply and demand, why should the owners keep all the money, etc. are not going to sway people.

If players made 1/10th of what they are making now but the game itself was exactly the same as it is now, would that make a difference? Or is it more about the pitch clock, ghost runner, bullpen games, launch angle, exit velo, analytics over gut, etc.?

I do get collecting vintage cards and not caring about the current game. Many people collect vintage comic books but have no interest in the current state of comics or graphic novels. Or collect coins but don't care about state quarters.