Shohei Ohtani: For those of you who don't recognize the name he's a baseball player who pitches and bats. Last night he pitched 6.1 innings, gave up 1 run and struck out 10 He also...

mr spock Loc: Fairfield CT

For those of you who don't recognize the name he's a baseball player who pitches and bats. Last night he pitched 6.1 innings, gave up 1 run and struck out 10
He also came to bat three times and had 3 hits with TWO home runs!
He will be a free agent at the end of this year and is expected to sign a contract worth in the neighborhood of
A HALF A BILLION dollars. You can be sure whoever signs him will take damn good care of him.

Ava'sPapa Loc: Cheshire, Ct.

There aren't too many teams who could afford him. I've heard about him for some time but I've never seen him play. Looks like I should make the effort.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

mr spock wrote:

For those of you who don't recognize the name he's a baseball player who pitches and bats. Last night he pitched 6.1 innings, gave up 1 run and struck out 10
He also came to bat three times and had 3 hits with TWO home runs!
He will be a free agent at the end of this year and is expected to sign a contract worth in the neighborhood of
A HALF A BILLION dollars. You can be sure whoever signs him will take damn good care of him.

I know exactly who he is. I hope he stays with the Angels or signs with the Dodgers. I am obviously a California fan.

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

mr spock wrote:

For those of you who don't recognize the name he's a baseball player who pitches and bats. Last night he pitched 6.1 innings, gave up 1 run and struck out 10
He also came to bat three times and had 3 hits with TWO home runs!
He will be a free agent at the end of this year and is expected to sign a contract worth in the neighborhood of
A HALF A BILLION dollars. You can be sure whoever signs him will take damn good care of him.

I’ve never seen him play, but I’ve read about him. He is a phenomenon.

mr spock Loc: Fairfield CT

lamiaceae wrote:

I know exactly who he is. I hope he stays with the Angels or signs with the Dodgers. I am obviously a California fan.

He'd look great in a Mets uniform.

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

I read this morning that people shouldn’t be surprised if bidding for him reaches $600m. And the Dodgers are favored. In a few years, baseball be limited to a 1/2 doz rich, big markets teams, and some also runs. Just like the general population. Money has ruined sports.

Ava'sPapa Loc: Cheshire, Ct.

mr spock wrote:

He'd look great in a Mets uniform.

Better in a Yankees uniform.

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

47greyfox wrote:

I read this morning that people shouldn’t be surprised if bidding for him reaches $600m. And the Dodgers are favored. In a few years, baseball be limited to a 1/2 doz rich, big markets teams, and some also runs. Just like the general population. Money has ruined sports.

A sad truth.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

47greyfox wrote:

... Money has ruined sports.

Professional sports are entertainment. Teams are owned by billionaires or groups of millionaires. They will price tickets and tv rights to whatever the market will bear - just like any other capitalistic venture.

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

Linda From Maine wrote:

Professional sports are entertainment. Teams are owned by billionaires or groups of millionaires. They will price tickets and tv rights to whatever the market will bear - just like any other capitalistic venture.

No argument, Linda. Just disappointment.

rcarol

mr spock wrote:

For those of you who don't recognize the name he's a baseball player who pitches and bats. Last night he pitched 6.1 innings, gave up 1 run and struck out 10
He also came to bat three times and had 3 hits with TWO home runs!
He will be a free agent at the end of this year and is expected to sign a contract worth in the neighborhood of
A HALF A BILLION dollars. You can be sure whoever signs him will take damn good care of him.

Doesn't MLB have a salary cap?

mr spock Loc: Fairfield CT

Linda From Maine wrote:

Professional sports are entertainment. Teams are owned by billionaires or groups of millionaires. They will price tickets and tv rights to whatever the market will bear - just like any other capitalistic venture.

You're so right Linda. There's any easy way to stop this whether it's a baseball team or Disney World or anything else.
STOP GOING!

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

rcarol wrote:

Doesn't MLB have a salary cap?

No.

However, "Since 2003, the Yankees, Red Sox, and LA Dodgers have paid nearly half a billion dollars in luxury tax fees."

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

47greyfox wrote:

No argument, Linda. Just disappointment.

Most of us on UHH seem to be of an age where we tend to see the good old days as being better than they actually were

Seems I recall in Ken Burns's series on the history of baseball, there was some terrible treatment of players by the owners, including miniscule salaries and collusion against free agency contracts.

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

Linda From Maine wrote:

Professional sports are entertainment. Teams are owned by billionaires or groups of millionaires. They will price tickets and tv rights to whatever the market will bear - just like any other capitalistic venture.

One thing that bugs me is that the Billionaire owners who pay players millions of dollars want tax payers—people who do actual productive work—to pay for their ball parks and stadiums.