tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34077597.post116232013324622837..comments2023-11-02T09:51:08.198-04:00Comments on Feeding the Goat: Get Me the Hell Off This Sunken Shiptrouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951090490306266662noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34077597.post-1162429501270867422006-11-01T20:05:00.000-05:002006-11-01T20:05:00.000-05:00Point taken, Rob. But I wasn't trying to bash Aram...Point taken, Rob. But I wasn't trying to bash Aramis Ramirez personally so much as hold him up as representative, in ways, of what I see as something wrong with the world of professional sports (and, I might add, the larger general culture) as it is. It's also just particularly evident in Ramirez's case because he's opting out of a guaranteed contract (which is certainly his right--hell, if I was Aramis Ramirez, I'd want to get the fuck out of Chicago too. In that sense, he's probably not the best example to have used in my stab at satire).<BR/><BR/>Whether it's A-Rod signing with Texas for $25 million/year knowing damn well that he was nearly preventing them from fielding a competitive team or any number of free agents selling themselves to the highest bidder.<BR/><BR/>I think it's easy--much too easy--to just pass that kind of atmosphere off as "that's just the way it is," rather than realizing that there are alternative value systems out there that athletes are capable--just as we all are--of exercising. As a small example, Jermaine Dye ended up signing with the White Sox 2 seasons ago after he verbally comitted to them--even though he was offered more money by another team.trouthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16951090490306266662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34077597.post-1162424986395735452006-11-01T18:49:00.000-05:002006-11-01T18:49:00.000-05:00yeah, a false sense of morality often gets attache...yeah, a false sense of morality often gets attached to athletes when we start talking about how much money they make. let's say, though, that i wanted to renegotiate with my employer to get $15/hour instead of 10... that's completely different than asking for $15 million instead of $10 million. as i see it, wanting another $5/hour doesn't necessarily qualify as greed. wanting another $5 million a season necessarily does.<BR/><BR/>and that doesn't even get into issues of wanting to make the team better. does it help the cubs to pay aramis ramirez $5 million more per season, or does it help them to put $5 million towards some competent bench players, bullpen help, or an end of the rotation starter?trouthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16951090490306266662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34077597.post-1162330875593176962006-10-31T16:41:00.000-05:002006-10-31T16:41:00.000-05:00Maybe the yankees will overpay him to come to new ...Maybe the yankees will overpay him to come to new york and then platoon him with A-Rod at 3rd. That way their nickname could be Car Ram-Rod. Yes! I've managed to work in a Super Troopers reference.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34077597.post-1162329116540600362006-10-31T16:11:00.000-05:002006-10-31T16:11:00.000-05:00In April 2005, Ramirez signed a four-year, $42 mil...In April 2005, Ramirez signed a four-year, $42 million contract with an option for a fifth year at $11 million.<BR/><BR/>Though the contract included an option to file for free agency after the 2006 season, Ramirez said at the time he didn't expect to exercise it, adding, "I want to be a Cub for the rest of my life."<BR/><BR/>I guess I haven't looked at baseball contracts in a few years. I didn't know $10 million per year was a small amount now.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34077597.post-1162323310498686032006-10-31T14:35:00.000-05:002006-10-31T14:35:00.000-05:00huh huh underpantshuh huh underpantsGagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02491771177923757287noreply@blogger.com