Essay on Excessive Salaries in Professional Baseball

Abstract This paper addresses the issue of the extreme increases in salaries of major league baseball players. It looks at the effects of these increases on all areas of the game, from competitiveness, to fan appeal, to financial issues. It also looks at the different perspectives of all involved, including the owners, players, and the fans. Also shown in the paper are the possible solutions to the problem of baseball salaries, along with some of the possible negative outcomes in the future if nothing is done Baseball’s Skyrocketing Salaries It can no longer be said that baseball is just a game. Actually, it has been many years since that statement could be considered true. Only recently, however, did the entire nation, not†¦show more content†¦It is also interesting to examine the roots of free agency, which in the beginning was a good idea. In December 1975, Peter Seitz, at the time baseball’s arbitrator supported a grievance that two players had filed (Chass, 2000, par. 4). He ruled that when a player’s contract to a team expired, the player was free to choose from all interested teams. In theory, this is a good idea that is fair for players. They weren’t property of their original teams after contracts expired and were free to pursue other options, just as in the same way a businessman could look for a new job. However, there was no system in place to stop a bidding war between teams if the money was available. It also failed to take in to account the human ego. If a player sees a person with similar statistics getting paid more, then that player will demand the same amount of money, and this cycle continues endlessly. Salary arbitration is another cause of the salary inflation, which on average has resulted in a 100% increase of the average salary in recent years (Chass, 2001, par. 18). In short, salary arbitration occurs when a player and a team renegotiate the contract with a neutral third party officiating. If a player has a good season, and feels that he is getting underpaid, he can file for arbitration. Players win most of these cases, all they have to do is find someone with comparable statistics who is gettingShow MoreRelatedEssay Salaries in Major League Baseball1280 Words   |  6 PagesSalaries in Major League Baseball Every year, it becomes more obvious that many sports in America have problems. For years, Hockey has been criticized for its excessive violence. The National Football League has also been scrutinized for this reason as well as the fact that many of the top players have constantly been in trouble with the law. Major League Baseball is no different. The situation with baseball is more complicated, and is not only ruining the game itself, but also drawing millionsRead MoreDescriptive Statistics Essay3837 Words   |  16 Pagesbeloved sports in America is Major League Baseball. 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