Aside from being a tremendously gifted player, Alex Rodriguez is about to become a ridiculously wealthy businessman. Fortunately for him, most of what he will need to do is on the baseball diamond and not in the corporate board room.
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| Alex Rodriguez now has 252 million more reasons to celebrate. |
But A-Rod will have to venture into the world of suits and ties and MBAs a helluva lot more often than Ernie Banks ever did. In today's world, players are getting close to having an owner's mentality. And if you have been paying attention, you know that is not a good development.
Needing a jet or an office is something once reserved for owners. But don't most golfers on the PGA tour have jets? Why not a baseball player? Don't most rock stars have jets? Why not a baseball player?
On one hand, as fans, we worship the ground that players walk on. But because contract negotiations have become public knowledge, as job holders and taxpayers we frown on players for being greedy and grabby. All because they are merely asking for what the market will bear.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to totally defend the players here. I honestly believe I was overpaid in my day. Ten years ago the best player in baseball was Kirby Puckett. Back then he signed what was considered a huge deal at $3 million a year. Don't tell me that now, only 10 years later, there is a player worth $21 million more.
And Kirby ended up winning two World Series in Minnesota. What have some of these other players ever done?
Don't give me statistics. I believe in the bottom line. And if you're going to pay someone for achievements, how about Paul O'Neill? He's only won five world championships in ten years. And you're right, Michael Jordan won six. But O'Neill was only offered a one-year deal to return to the Yankees -- and they had to think about it for a while. As though it wasn't perfectly clear how valuable he has been to that team. That should tell you something about what's not right in the game today
Now, you might think I have something against Rodriguez. Wrong. I love him, not only as a player, but as a person. He's just caught in the middle. I love the game, and it's going to be the fans who lose again. Because all these free agents will result in ticket increases. And there will probably be a labor stoppage next year. And that really sucks.
In the real world, A-Rod and the rest of the high-priced free agents will go to one of the six or seven teams that always get the high-priced free agents. But if I were the Wizard of Oz and could send players where I would like to see them play, here is how things might look.
How about A-Rod in Montreal? Hitting in front of Vladimir Guerrero and Jose Vidro and Brad Fullmer. That would be cool. Or how about in the middle of the Colorado lineup, between Jeff Cirrillo and Todd Helton, Larry Walker and Jeffrey Hammonds? I wouldn't want to face that lineup. How about putting him with the Pirates, between Jason Kendall and Brian Giles and Kevin Young? Not too shabby.
A lot of people don't like Juan Gonzalez. I do. I don't need a minister on my team, I like his bat. If the Boston Red Sox could land him and maybe Denny Neagle, with Cy Martinez, Nomar and Jimy Williams at the helm, Boston might finally get their dream shot at the title. Is Williams underrated or what? God, I love him. Maybe even bring back Ellis Burks and get Mike Mussina. That would be very cool. Still, what the Red Sox need is just about one more solid starter and a nice bat. Then the Yanks would be in trouble.
Speaking of nice bats, did someone say Manny Ramirez? Some folks are questioning his value and it makes me laugh. People might forget that just two years ago, all Ramirez did was hit .333 with 44 home runs and 165 RBI. In 147 games. Hello! This kid can RAKE. And he is definitely worth mucho dinero.
If I'm the Wizard, I don't let the likes of Mike Hampton and/or Mike Mussina fall into the wicked hands of the dreaded New York Yankees. They'll be tough enough to beat as is. They don't need any more help. I would love to see one of those pitchers end up in Oakland, with that great young team. Add either one of them to AL MVP Jason Giambi and Cy Young runner-up Tim Hudson, and you've got a dangerous playoff team.
Alas, I'm not the Wizard and players just don't want to go to Kansas (City) anymore. Or Minnesota. Or Pittsburgh. These players will go to the highest bidder. But don't dog out A-Rod. He doesn't run the game. He is just looking out for himself and he'd be a fool not to.
By next year, neither Alex Rodriguez nor Ken Griffey Jr. will play in Seattle. It's a shame. This game of ours has changed. The people running it have to do something soon.
