istory, before the Boston Red Sox signed outfielder Manny Ramirez to a nine-year $162 million contract that raised a players salary to $18 million dollars per year for the first time ever. But, those deals paled in comparison to the deal that was signed the very next day by shortstop Alex Rodriguez. The Texas Rangers signed the twenty-five year old to a ten-year, $252 million dollar contract that totally shattered the previously held conception of any kind of restraint on players’ salaries. Consider that in 1990, just ten years ago, the highest paid player was Will Clark the 1St Baseman for the San Francisco Giants, and he was paid the comparatively small amount of $3.75 million dollars per year. Rodriguez now makes almost seven times what Will Clark made in 1990. Rodriguez’s deal, which pays him an average of $25.2 million dollars per year, beats the previous annual record of $18 million by an incredible 28 percent. Historically, each new record deal has rarely topped the previous one by more than 20 percent, but this deal pays Rodriguez nearly time and a half of what the next highest paid player, Manny Ramirez, makes. The total value of the contract is $2 million more than the Texas Rangers owner, Tom Hicks, and his partners paid for the franchise just three years ago. Rodriguez is not the only player with a contract that is worth more than some franchises. Mike Hampton’s $123.8 million contract with the Colorado Rockies is worth more than three entire franchises. Manny Ramirez’s new $162 million contract with the Boston Red Sox is worth more than six franchises, and Alex Rodriguez’s $252 million contract is worth more than the value of eighteen franchises, more than twice the value of four franchises, and is almost three times the value of the League’s poorest franchise the Montreal Expos.2000 Major League Baseball Franchise Values (in millions). 1. New York Yankees $548 2. Atlanta Braves $388 3. C...
