Baseball salaries are out of control

Johan Santana's finalized contract with the Mets is a guaranteed $135.7 million through 2013, the richest contract ever awarded a MLB pitcher. It surpasses the 2007 Barry Zito signing with the San Francisco Giants for a then record amount of $126 million over seven years.

Cleveland signed third baseman Casey Blake to a one year contract worth $6.1 million. Blake, 34, hit .270 with 18 homers and 78 RBIs in 2007. That seems rich for a .270 hitter, though maybe I'm still living in the last century. Guess Blake is in a good position since Cleveland's third baseman of the future Andy Marte -- acquired from Boston in the Coco Crisp trade -- has so far been a bust at the plate.

Then I'll agree with you. The ballplayers are producers and product in one for a very big, very profitable business. Their pay is not out of line with what they provide to that business, and the owners willingly put up these salaries because it makes sense for the business. Small market teams now get big subsidies, and some of them (the Marlins, for example) pocket it as profit instead of paying more for players. People pay to see Santana not the Wilpons, A-Rod not the Steinbrenners.

I have to agree we're practically a farm club for the teams that have money. Not only did we lose Santana, but Torri Hunter is gone too. :cry:

On the other hand, it costs a lot less to see the Twins play than it does to see the Mets.

Your owner is one of the wealthiest men in the world, yet he is one of the stingiest owners. The Steinbrenners have nowhere near Pohlad's wealth - if they stinted their team, they could pocket more of the money the Yankees bring in and make themselves far richer than they are. Yet they prefer to invest the Yankees' admittedly astronomical earnings in the team rather than in themselves. The Twins are getting a taxpayer-subsidized stadium - Pohlad should spend his money on the team rather than pretend he can't afford to do so. Stop blaming the Yankees and the Mets and the Angels. Blame the guy who is really at fault - your own owner.