Prince Fielder Could End Up Being MLB’s Highest Paid Player in 2020

[doniceage]

Guaranteed contracts are the best

If baseball is going to be played this year, the players and the owners are going to have to come to an agreement on how players will be paid. When the dust settles, the guy pulling in the biggest salary in 2020 could be someone who last played four years ago.

With an 82-game schedule likely, the players have already agreed to cut their salaries in half accordingly. But owners want the players to sacrifice even more. Without fans in the stands, owners are anticipating a drop in revenue of perhaps as much as 40%. That’s why they want the players union to agree to a 50-50 revenue split. People on the players’ side are wary that the owners could be taking advantage of the crisis to lay the groundwork for the introduction of a salary cap in next winter’s CBA negotiations.

https://www.si.com/extra-mustard/202...ct-2020-salary

[Letch77]

I think MLB SHOULD have a salary cap. Players' salaries are getting out of hand and it's driving up the costs to the consumer.

[doniceage]

I think MLB SHOULD have a salary cap. Players' salaries are getting out of hand and it's driving up the costs to the consumer.

I disagree. With players having a short window I think they should be able to get whatever the market is willing to endure. I agree with you as I too think they are paid too much but if your boss came in tomorrow and said he was going to double your pay would you take it or say NAH!. Get what you can while you can as there are too many players that never get a taste of that crazy money. It not like the players are demanding it the owners are offering the money. So really who is at fault for the salaries being out of control.

DON

[Letch77]

I disagree. With players having a short window I think they should be able to get whatever the market is willing to endure. I agree with you as I too think they are paid too much but if your boss came in tomorrow and said he was going to double your pay would you take it or say NAH!. Get what you can while you can as there are too many players that never get a taste of that crazy money. It not like the players are demanding it the owners are offering the money. So really who is at fault for the salaries being out of control.

You and I are unlikely to make $4.4M in our lifetimes, but this is currently the average MLB player salary per year. Even the league minimum is over $.5M. Where do you think that money comes from? Fans...the working class...you and me via the ever increasing cost to consume a sporting event - tickets, parking, concessions, cable bills, etc.
When you say that the players aren't the ones demanding higher salaries, I disagree. Scott Boras and ilk like him have turned the humble athlete, thankful to be playing ball for a lucrative set-for-life wage, into a free-for-all and somehow convinced the everyday Joe that the athlete is barely scraping by to support his family.

[doniceage]

You and I are unlikely to make $4.4M in our lifetimes, but this is currently the average MLB player salary per year. Even the league minimum is over $.5M. Where do you think that money comes from? Fans...the working class...you and me via the ever increasing cost to consume a sporting event - tickets, parking, concessions, cable bills, etc.
When you say that the players aren't the ones demanding higher salaries, I disagree. Scott Boras and ilk like him have turned the humble athlete, thankful to be playing ball for a lucrative set-for-life wage, into a free-for-all and somehow convinced the everyday Joe that the athlete is barely scraping by to support his family.

Well a few things your just focusing on the mlb. What about all the minor league players who never sniff the pro’s.

So I would never begrudge them from making millions. The players cannot demand anything unless someone is willing to pay that contract. If the players could demand more their agent would get them more money.

As for fans providing the dollars I do not agree. Gate revenue is only a 1/3 of the revenue and I would bet a large of that is corporate dollars for suite etc (those are not fan’s). Then you have t.v revenue which is not made from fans it the corporation paying those big dollars.

Don

[Letch77]

I wasn't venturing into MiLB; I was talking strictly MLB.
When you say "gate revenue", are you referring to strictly ticket prices, not taking into account concessions and merchandise? How about merchandise outside of the stadium? Also, don't forget that cable companies bid for the rights to show the games, and then factor that into the subscriber's monthly bill.
In the end, I feel that it's fans that finance pro sports teams more than anything...either directly or indirectly.

[camsue]

That is crazy but i am sure prince is not minding it.

[GimmeyourXavier]

As much as I love a day/evening at Target Field or US Bank Stadium, Xcel, Target Center, I'm getting to the point where id much rather watch it at home. At least i save myself 300. That's basically what it costs for two ppl, after tickets, parking, concessions, and I dont even bother with merchandise. I think a salary cap wouldmake things more intersting, from a fan standpoint.

Yes players do feek entitled to that kind of money, and i started to really connect the dots after Lattrell Sprewell had the balls to turn down an extension offer by the Wolves for I think 20mil-ish. He defended his rejection by saying "that offer is an insult, I've got kids to feed"


Now, I understand this is MLB we are talking about and not NBA. But, do you think theres a difference in mentality when it comes to a paycheck?

Now. As far as more interesting and competitive, unless your a fan of the dodgers,Yankees, Astros or Redsox, playoffs and WS gets boring nowadays. Which one of these teams is competitive SOLELY because of their farm system? Houston is the closest probably. Otherwise no salary cap, simply means that large market teams are able to out bid mid level markets for free agents 99% of the time.

I love baseball, but I firmly believe it's being ruined when no other teams can be competitive with 4 or 5 teams out bidding them for free agents year after year. Baseball absolutely NEEDS a salary cap. If for no other reason then allowing EVERY team the same opportunity to get into the postseason. .