Much Ado About...$22 million
Roger Clemens is asking an arbitrator to set his 2005 salary (assuming he does play) at a record $22 million. When I say record, I mean that it would be a all-time high salary for a pitcher and is an all-time high salary requested in arbitration. Many fans and members of the media are up in arms at the "outrageousness" of the submitted figure.
In all honesty, his request does not bother me any more than other professional sports salaries do. The fact is that $22 million is more than any player should ever make. In this world of the mega-million dollar sports industry, you have to adjust your thinking. So, on a relative basis, is Clemens worth $22 million to the Astros?
In 2004, Roger Clemens, arguably the greatest pitcher of this generation and one of the greatest ever, won a Cy Young Award at age 42. The attendence at his home starts was higher on average than other home games. The Astros also won their first playoff series ever and came within one game of reaching the World Series with Clemens as the leader. For this, he made a relatively small salary of $5 million. In reality, he was worth much more to the Astros in terms of marginal revenue.
If I had to guess, I think Clemens submitted his $22 million figure in an attempt to force the Astros to pay him a relatively reasonable salary for the upcoming season, should he play. I think the salary he hopes to get is probably around $15 million. An average of $10 million over two seasons, one of which was a Cy Young Award winning season does not seem out of whack in this current economic state of the game. For eveyone to rush to judgment over his request is rushed. I am sure the plan was never to make it to an arbitrator. He picked a number that would nearly assure that.
In all honesty, his request does not bother me any more than other professional sports salaries do. The fact is that $22 million is more than any player should ever make. In this world of the mega-million dollar sports industry, you have to adjust your thinking. So, on a relative basis, is Clemens worth $22 million to the Astros?
In 2004, Roger Clemens, arguably the greatest pitcher of this generation and one of the greatest ever, won a Cy Young Award at age 42. The attendence at his home starts was higher on average than other home games. The Astros also won their first playoff series ever and came within one game of reaching the World Series with Clemens as the leader. For this, he made a relatively small salary of $5 million. In reality, he was worth much more to the Astros in terms of marginal revenue.
If I had to guess, I think Clemens submitted his $22 million figure in an attempt to force the Astros to pay him a relatively reasonable salary for the upcoming season, should he play. I think the salary he hopes to get is probably around $15 million. An average of $10 million over two seasons, one of which was a Cy Young Award winning season does not seem out of whack in this current economic state of the game. For eveyone to rush to judgment over his request is rushed. I am sure the plan was never to make it to an arbitrator. He picked a number that would nearly assure that.
posted by Josh at 12:39 PM
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