Posted on 01/27/2011 10:28:29 AM PST by since1868
Updated 10:19 AM EST, Thu, Jan 27, 2011
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Okay, Gil Meche hasn't been great since signing a big contract with the Kansas City Royals. But not many players would feel so badly about their performance that they would walk away from a guaranteed $12 million.
Meche announced last week he will retire, giving up the payday due on the last year of his deal. Meche has always been known for his integrity, according to The New York Times, but this move left the baseball world stunned. Meche said he just didn't like the idea of not earning his keep.
“When I signed my contract, my main goal was to earn it,” Meche told the paper from his temporary home in Lafayette, La. “Once I started to realize I wasn’t earning my money, I felt bad. I was making a crazy amount of money for not even pitching. Honestly, I didn’t feel like I deserved it. I didn’t want to have those feelings again.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nbcwashington.com ...
Some people will say he is a fool. I say this is the way,we all should be.
To thine own self be true.
Used to watch Meche pitch for the Mariners. Class act all the way.
That is honorable
Richard Jefferson renewed his contract with the Spurs last summer.
For 15 million dollars less.
The Spurs entered into a bad agreement in 2009. And Jefferson under-whelemed everyone.
The funny thing is... He agreed to renew for less money in order to guarantee a longer option. And guess what? This year his stats are way up.
If only Congress would do the same.
Don’t worry you not going to get the $12 million, Obama is going to take it. He’ll distribute it for you.
There are millions of dollars to be had, because people tune in to watch, and then watch the accompanying advertisements, and people pay for tickets to watch the game in person, etc, etc.
So with millions of dollars up for grabs, because people are willing to spend millions of dollars watching (or advertising for those who watch) baseball, WHO should get the money?
Should the TV stations get it?
Should the team owner get it?
Should the coach get it?
Someone is going to get that money? Who do YOU think it should be?
I think an athletes should get as much as the market can bear. Someone has to get the money, why not the talent that puts the butts in the seats?
What’s most shocking about this is how shocking it is to hear from someone with actual integrity.
I remember reading that when Steve Young was the San Francisco 49ers backup quarterback (behind Joe Montana) he had a drawer full of literally hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of uncashed paychecks. He didn’t feel like he had earned the money.
Now there is a sports role model.
That is true, but no one made him do it. He decided himself that he was overpaid based on his own moral code and volunteered to retire though he was not obligated to do so. That’s integrity.
I've watched him for the past few years here in KC and he's remained a class act. Sorry to see him go but I have nothing but respect for the way he chose to leave.
Sounds like an ad. by "The Foundation For A Better Life".
“The funny thing is... He agreed to renew for less money in order to guarantee a longer option. And guess what? This year his stats are way up.”
Maybe, just maybe, he was putting too much pressure on himself. Guilt about his high contract? Now he feels better, more relaxed. Hence the better stats. Just a thought.
I contend that most pay should be in bonus form based on performance. Base salary can very based on past performance and experience, but the huge contracts should end, especially for rookies.
I don’t object to players getting what the market bears, but I do believe the level of play would improve with more incentive and less guaranteed money. IMHO.
‘very’ should be ‘vary’ in previous post.
Now if he felt he wasn't contributing to his team, and yet was under contract to be paid regardless; then he did his team a big favor - but it doesn't seem that he took the stance that his personal performance that year didn't warrant $12 million, but that anybodies performance wasn't worth that much.
So given that there are millions of dollars to be had, who should have them?
I think $12 million is about equal to the total payroll for all of the Padres.
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