Seattle Mariners Indulge Ace Pitcher's Greed—Taking an Ax to America's Pastime

Seattle Mariners pitching ace Felix Hernandez is reported to have been so emotional as to be brought to tears as he inked a $175 million, seven-year contract, the largest ever offered to any pitcher.

As a baseball fan, I am emotional and tearful over it as well because it heralds the latest sounding the death knell for small-market teams, which can never compete to make such an offer to any player.

Legendary baseball great Yogi Berra has told of how in his days playing baseball, the athletes held second jobs in the off season in order to support themselves and their families. If only we could find a happy medium, returning the genie to the bottle and diminishing the amount of unbridled greed which governs the game today for both players and team owners.

I wonder what Felix Hernandex can provide his family with $175 million that he could not afford with a "mere", say, $20 million.

Some will look at Hernandez’ payday extraordinaire and say, “That’s business” and “That’s free enterprise”.  Yes, it is, but that does not make it right or beneficial to ”America’s pastime”.

Felix Hernandez sees a $175 million contract as a great moment for him, but it is a day which brings Major League Baseball low.