by Lynette Alice

Created on: April 04, 2008   Last Updated: February 08, 2009

When assessing the salaries of todays professional athletes it is important to remember one thing. This is their job. Yes they are playing a game, but this is a competitive game which in some cases is generating billions of dollars annually. Just as the cost of living has increased over the years the cost of attaining and retaining athletes has increased as well. We as fans say it's crazy they make the money they do, and it is, but which one of us in their shoes would turn it down?

Prior to free agency players were basically locked into one team for their career in all sports not just baseball. They did not have the ability to choose to explore the option of playing for another franchise. The team owners exploited this and used it to grossly underpay their star athletes. Imagine a player in todays game on a year to year contract winning the triple crown in baseball yet receiving what amounts to only a five percent increase in salary. His only option was to take it or retire. While this did actually happen to Ted Williams it would never happen today. Perhaps skyrocketing salaries have something to do with a little thing called karma.

As the game has evolved into not just a big money business but a huge money business the demands on the athletes have changed as well. Athletes are expected to workout year round to report to training camps already in shape. With this advent it is impossible for them to have off season jobs as was the standard until the early 1970's. Athletes are expected to run faster, hit harder, jump higher, and withstand rigorous travel schedules. With this demand for more the risk of injury increases as well. It only takes one injury to change the fortunes of an athlete forever.

Sports is riddled with athletes left by the wayside due to injury. Tony Conigliaro, Sam Bowie, Trent Green, Daryl Stingley, and Rich Gannon are a small sampling of players that suffered some form of career ending injuries. The problem doesn't end there however. For many athletes these injuries aren't just career ending but life altering, especially in cases like Stingley whom is paralyzed. There is no price tag that can be put on health and that has to be considered when any contract is drawn up in this era.

Consider that in 2007 both baseball and football had revenue in excess of six billion dollars. Take away the money for overhead outside of player and coach salaries and the earnings of teams is staggering. It is most pronounced in baseball which boasts the largest

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