if you favorite team...?

Question

your favorite baseball team paid you 5 mill a year and there rival was offering 20 mill would u play for them

Answer 1

Took a poll of the buddies here and 4 out of 5 would take the $20m and have a new favorite team. The other one would starve and suffer in Seattle on a measly $5m.

Answer 2

The circumstances are so varied that a precise answer is impossible, but for the most part I would not take the $20 million. First of all, my team will probably up the ante anyway. Second, there are some teams I would never play for, assuming I was talented enough to play MLB. At the top of my list are the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Texas Rangers. I also would not wish to play for the Yankees while George Steinbrenner is the owner. As my team would be either the Mets or the Mariners, going to Texas would be suicidal after what Alex Rodriguez did (he took the money, of course). On the other hand, a deal with the Red Sox (congenial location, good fans, contenders) would look good. Oakland would not offer me $20 million. The Angels might be tempting, ditto the Phillies, the Tigers, the Twins, the White Sox or the Cardinals, but if my team sweetens the pot I would probably be induced to stay. (Sorry, Cubs fans, but I would only give them a look if they were contending again.)

There is something to be said for team loyalty, too. Look at Edgar Martinez, who was a fixture in Seattle and still helps the team out.

The extreme case is that of Ted Williams, who did the one thing no player today would ever consider: after a poor year, which was not entirely his fault (he had been injured), he demanded the maximum pay cut (that's right, folks, CUT) for the next season. In fact, I don't think the players' union even allows such a thing any more. A-Rod wanted to accept a pay cut to go to the Red Sox but the union vetoed the deal.

Answer 3

This is an interesting question.

As player I would say 98% of the time you take the most money. Since this is your career . Unlike our jobs this profession has a limited time span. Also injury can end your career. Another thing alot of fans don't stop to think about. I would guess that your agent is getting at least 10% . If not more. Then you have the taxes. So you aren't getting anywhere near the 5 million or 20 million. Remember it is a business.

The other 2 % if I have been with the same team for my whole career. If I don't want to go to the city or organization. I going from a constant contender for WS or constant rebuilding team.

It would also help my home team would pay me 75 to 80 % of what the other team was offering.

Answer 4

Good question. I honestly don't know the answer.

I do know if someone offered me 4 times more to do the same job I am doing now I would do it in a heart beat. (In fact I have been able to do that once, and it turned out to be probably the best job I have ever had.)

But playing for your favorite baseball team is a different thing entirely. And 5 million should be enough not only to live on but to set yourself up for life.

And there are a lot of other things to be consisdered as well. What is the condition of my favorite team? Do they have a legit chance to contend or are they going to be rebuilding for a few years?

And will I be going to a spot where I can play and play well for years (ie am I someone who should end up as a DH for an AL team signing with an NL team who will have to put me at first, and how will that effect me physically?).

More importantly - what is the other city? Is it NY? Not everyone can play in the Big Apple (see Randy Johnson as the latest example)?

There are a lot of different questions to be answered. On the surface though I hope I would say no, but honestly I would never be able to find out.

Answer 5

No, i think 5 million a year is makes a good living. I mean come on, 5 million for your favorite team? When your a millionair, 20+ more million is nothing, i mean, what are you going to spend it on?

As long as you dont get in trouble, 5 mill + fav team + GREAT LI FE

Answer 6

Damn skippy - sign me up. It's a game folks and of course a business. If you loved your boss but another company offered you 4 times your current pay... would you stay loyal to the "fans"? Who by the way, will turn on you at the first sign of 2 errors or a 20 point dip in BA.

Answer 7

Hmm. I would never play for the BoSox even if the Yankees paid me less.
But I might play for another team.
It also depends on if I was already a millionaire. I'd go if I needed the money but never ever to Boston.
Sorry BoSox fans, just being honest.
: )
And by the way . . . I absolutely love hockeyman99's answer!!!!!!!!

Answer 8

I would say "hello to my new favorite team" Its a business for the players who play. Its different when we are kids and we didn't receive money. But when a player signs a contract, it becomes a business decision. Now if u were to ask about a million dollar difference, i would stay, but 15 million?, I would join the Braves in a heartbeat.

Answer 9

No! I'm a Red Sox fan and the Yanks could pay me 40 mill and I still wouldn't play for them.

Answer 10

Absolutely. The ability to provide financial security for many generations of my family would be well worth it. Earning a living, and providing for one's family is the most important part of my life, favorite teams come after that. I would gladly cash a rival team's checks, and maintain my admiration for my favorite squad.