You can say it about a lot of fan bases, I'm sure, but speaking as strictly a Red Sox fan here, it's why the fans give certain players more leeway than others. Tim Wakefield took a lesser contract than he could have received somewhere else to stay in Boston. Ditto for Mike Timlin and, a few years back, Gabe Kapler AND Trot Nixon. Those are guys who could pretty much kill their grandmother on national tv and the Sox fans would still love them. It's also why so many Sox fans are so very upset about Bronson Arroyo getting traded.Had Johnny taken that "offensive" offer from the Red Sox, he would have finished his baseball days as a God - regardless of how well he ever played again. He felt the money (and, in my belief anyway, the 'mystique' of being a Yankee), was more important.
All this 'bad' publicity Johnny is getting is exactly what he wanted.
And, to get back on your topic, I'm all for a salary cap, dammit!
> Unfortunately, the players have become less loyal to the
>fans as the salaries have continued to reach the stratosphere
>and beyond. With an MLB salary cap-- when it happens-- you'll
>see many players spending their careers with one team once
>again. Don't get me wrong... I have no problem with players
>becoming multi-millionaires, but there needs to be a little
>check and balance. It works in the NFL and NBA. The problem
>in baseball is that the thunderous rise in salaries adds up to
>big increases in the price of tickets and even parking at the
>ballparks. Ten to fifteen bucks to simply park your car at
>the stadium is absolutely ridiculous. Yet, despite all this,
>the fans have remained loyal to their teams for the most part.
> The players should remember that their loyalty is the main
>reason why they are able to fluorish in "the show". Before
>thinking about getting that top dollar, the players should
>think about the average hard-working loyal fans who sacrifice
>a lot just to see them play.
>
>
