roothog66 posted:real green posted:I think a big part that we are missing is the fact that we are talking about young men with little responsibility. They are given the chance to play a game. When I was that age I was chasing adrenaline making just enough money to ski daily through the winter and mountian bike through the summer.
This is an argument that would have worked well concerning major league contracts 50+ years ago. I also have always had a problem with the argument that the amount one is paid for their labor should be based on anything other than the worth of that labor - in this case the idea that a lack of responsibilities such as a family to support should somehow lessen the value of their work. Bottom line is that professional baseball is a business and the players are skilled workers who obtained at least some of those rare skills through hard work and sacrifice. To say they should be paid the same as the kid who walks down to McDonald's and gets a non-skilled position flipping burgers is an insult. The fact that they like their job shouldn't diminish its value. If pay is attached to how much one loves his job, sewage workers should be paid extraordinary wages.
Define worth and skill? The fact that they are skilled doesn't mean it has value. How much "$$$$" does an average skilled A (entry level pro baseball skill set) level ball player bring into MLB? The answer is less than what they are paid. It's my understanding that MLB pays for the players, coaches, and staff in return they receive a small percentage of the ticket sales. While the MiLB pays for the facility and receives the advertising, concessions, ticket revenues. I know our local MiLB loses money every year and they get a bulk of the proceeds. Lets look at the independent league to get a real look at the value of the product. It looks like they have a salary cap of $100K and a minimum of $800 a month. So if your talent/skill level puts butts in seats to purchase $10 beers and $5 Hot dogs you get paid $100K. If no one knows your name your value is $800 a month.
The talent that MLB thinks will payoff (fill seats) gets paid with a signing bonus. It seems to me they get paid exactly what they are worth. Just because the top end (highly skilled) of an organization is making millions doesn't mean the entry level worker deserves a bigger piece.