In a team where payroll is a huge issue, should he have gone with a 2 year, $50 million contract instead of the max $66 million? Someone who already made hundreds of millions in their career ... and is at the tail end on a small market contender? Can't say principle is a way to justify it, when we see how much Duncan helped the Spurs by setting aside supposed "principle"
I was just wondering the other day what would happen if a player of Verlander's stature made a contract demand that included him making less money (say, $4-5 million less over two years) if the team agreed to increase salaries of all minor league players. Much like the way Toronto did recently. Now THAT would be a reason to sacrifice and make a bigger difference.
Boss: Hey Lonhgornfan. You're about to hit your 20th anniversary here so we've decided to give you a 50% raise, a much larger bonus, 2 extra weeks of vacation on top of the 6 we give you plus a company vehicle not to exceed $100k. Longhornfan: Thank you, but really it's about the people here. I'd like to take a pay cut and help pay the sales team, engineers and accountants more. Also quit giving me 401k. I'll learn to deal without it if it helps save the company money on the 4% match. I really want to work until death. Yeah. Totally.
1. Who says the team has payroll issues? 2. It is only 2 years. That shouldn't handicap anything. 3. Why should he give up money?
Have you considered asking your company to lower your salary a bit and donate it to the Astros instead to help your team win? Why not make that sacrifice?
We can always max out our own players because of the Kevin Bass rule. We have Bass rights on Cole and Correa even though Cole was traded for he has more than 6% of his career with us which makes him eligible for full Bass benefits.
I'm surprised no one has responded to the fact you referred to Houston as a "small market contender". We had a top 10 payroll last year and we have a top 10 payroll again this year...sure, we aren't the Yankees or Dodgers but we certainly aren't a small market team. You know what he should have done instead? Took even less than $50M and went to a REAL smart market team like the As or Rays.
The thing is, you don't make much money. You don't already have $300 million minus taxes in the bank with a few years until retirement. The same rules do not apply to you and JV.
There's a difference between the middle class and those with $300 million in the bank after a very well paid career. Baseball is a team game and things have worked out very nicely for JV, giving back wouldn't have hurt. At that level, a small sacrifice makes a huge difference... Duncan is a guy smart enough to realize that. Chris Sale is another guy who signed for well under market value. Context is everything
so what have you done to sacrifice? what position are you in to question someone who has worked to become elite and earn every bit of that money he got random people pocket watching other grown men is just ridiculous to me
