Alex Rodriguez went on national TV last week and said, “Owners are doing a terrific job working closely together” to restrain player salaries.
Whether he knows it or not, Rodriguez was alleging collusion, which is illegal. But let’s assume the less nefarious, that groupthink, not collusion, has overrun the industry. For also within that interview on ESPN, Rodriguez pointed out that since signing his 10-year, $252 million pact after the 2000 season, MLB revenues have more than tripled to better than $10 billion. Yet, that pact still ranks as the third largest ever bestowed, behind only his 10-year, $275 million follow-up and Giancarlo Stanton’s 13-year, $325 million package.