I'm Pete du Pont with the National Center for Policy Analysis. Might we have reached the point where even baseball's nutty owners will say no to a salary demand. If so, Alex Rodriguez has taken us there.
Rodriguez is a great shortstop who's distinguished himself with the Seattle Mariners. Now he's shopping for a new team. Here's what he wants: $20 million a year for 12 years.
If another player makes $20 million, Alex Rodriguez automatically goes to $25 million. He gets a private office for his own marketing staff, a chartered jet, unlimited use of the team logo for his personal web site, a tent at spring training for marketing his personal merchandise, and a guarantee that he'll have the most billboard space of any professional athlete in the city.
So when does one ballplayer stop being worth the money? When will owners finally say enough is enough? What rodriguez is asking almost totals the payroll for some poor teams. Come on guys, this is supposed to be a sport.
Those are my ideas, and at the NCPA we know ideas can change the world. I'm Pete du Pont. Next time, the real story behind drug prices.