Baseball strike solution

[James]

First of all, I like the game of Baseball. I think that people take the game too seriously. I say go and enjoy a day with family and create some other memories as well, that’s most important. I don’t follow baseball much but I do have the solution to baseball strike problem. My solution is “salary silence” , yes “ salary silence”. This talk of strike effects many people but the core of it are the fans, the owners, and the players.

Fans bring life to any sport, they are around when the chips are down and when their team takes the gold. I feel that it’s okay for the fans to know everything about the teams and the players; to some that is their life of the game. However, If a fan is truly a fan of the sport as entertainment, what is gained by the fan knowing the salary of a player? How does that have any effect on the entertainment benefit the player is getting from watching the game?

Next, Owners are in place to make money off of the risk that they have invested time and money into. Keeping salaries quiet will allow for offering lower salaries because the amount of the salary is not dependent on the next guy. The salary is given based upon the ability, experience, and potential of THAT player. We all have a different story.

Lastly, Players have worked hard to get where they are. It did not happen overnight. These people are being paid for time lost as kids, life as it is today for there familys, and future health problems and security they may encounter long after talk of their salary is “old news”. Players are a select group of individuals who do what they do well. They are paid very well and our society/baseball critics cannot compare our own lives and well-being to that of these players. Some of us at one time in our life had a chance to do what they do. That is the past. Let’s be happy for them.

My solution to the strike issue is “salary silence”. If we begin to keep player salaries between the player, his family and the owners, we won’t have the hipe and criticisms if we don’t know what players are getting paid. It is not Import. We as fans are there to see a great performance; that’s it. Moreover, when other players are aware of other player salaries that drives the greed factor. Lets’ keep it private. We can put into place a governing body to monitor or regulate salaries from the team/owners perspective. Also, Players could be fined if they talk of salaries to other players. But realistically people are much happier when they are not focused on what someone else has when it does not even affect them.

I don’t know of one normal company in America where you can openly discuss pay. Do you? At the company you work for do you legally or openly know what your neighbor is getting paid? How would effect you to know the truth? It is the same thing with baseball because it is still a business.


Thanks

[jicecone]

You mean like keeping a secret about attacking Iraq?

Your living in the year 2002, my friend. I agree we tend to know too much about everything, but then again as we continue to find out more and more things about, lets say the political arena, corporate world, terrorist activities, well mabey we don't know as much as we should.

Bottom line, the players get the salaries they get because the owners give it to them. I dont blame them, for years they were treated and paid like paupers, while the owners got rich. Then they got wise because more information about what the owners were making got out. So you see lack of information works both ways.

Why do the players get these big salaries? Because the owners know that they can either pass it on to us, or write off.

I sometimes wonder where we would really be today if you weren't allowed to deduct losses at the end of the year. Either you earned and paid for it, or you didn't have it. But thats not how it is and thats also a whole different discussion.

"I don’t know of one normal company in America where you can openly discuss pay. Do you? At the company you work for do you legally or openly know what your neighbor is getting paid?"

Lets not be so naive. In a world with public disclosures, published union agreements, internet job listings, employment placement agency, minimum wage, prevailing wage rates and the good old water cooler chats, I find it very hard to belive that employees don't know each other salaries. How would you feel if you found out everyone where you worked made three times more than you and they all started the same day and with the same experience? But nobody told you anything.

Not having to work another day in my life would be a great idea too. But it ain't gonna happen.

[brandda]

Never happen. Owners like to tell people what they paid for players. It's a way for them to show off how much money and power they have.

[PeteBooth]

Originally posted by James

James IMO you are missing the point. Things will not change until WE the Consumer change them.

It took years before Sports came into the lime life and players started to make money.

Every Sport at one time or another was ready to fold. The FANS whether they pay for a ticket or watch on TV is what drives sports.

You are right the owners caused this MESS, but do not tell me for one minute that a player is interested in winning or the "love" of the game. It's about the almighty dollar.

If AROD was REALLY interested in winning he would have stayed in Seattle. It's amazing the Mariners are still able to compete. Look who they lost, The Big Unit, Griffy and AROD. That's like the Yanks losing Giambi, Jeter and Clemens. Where would the Yanks be without those players.

Baseball is in a mess because of the owners first and foremost. It was they who ousted the role of Commissioner in baseball. Right after that is when baseball got away from the Saturday game ofthe week and Cable became big, but only in the BIG Markets.

The players are also to blame. You think they care about the fans? All they care about is their paychecks.

So bottom line: It's not until the FANS say to quote a line from a famous movie I can't take it anymore Until that time no one gives a hoot about the fans. Baseball keeps fans waiting for hours before they cancel a game.

When millions of fans stay away from the ballparks and don;t subscribe to cable then maybe just maybe something will be done. Look at 1994 the last strike. The fans came back didn't they. So if they strike again, the Fans will be like sheep and come back once again. So who is really the fool?

Pete Booth