To the editor: A cosmic coincidence? With Shohei Ohtani set to signal the richest sports activities contract in historical past with the Dodgers, this week marks the 73rd anniversary of Main League Baseball repealing a rule enacted 4 years earlier to stop rich golf equipment from shopping for up all the highest ballplayer expertise .
This rule spoke to the New York Yankees’ decades-long dominance after the crew assembled an exceptionally costly, talent-rich roster led by the legendary Babe Ruth. In 1930, Ruth commanded a contract that paid him the extraordinary sum of $80,000 for one season, surpassing the annual wage of the President of america by $5,000.
When Ruth was requested if he thought he deserved to make more cash than President Herbert Hoover, he mentioned, “Why not? I had a greater yr than him.”
As a dodger, Ohtani’s annual wage will likely be dozens of instances increased than President Biden’s. Even most Democrats will admit that Ohtani had a greater yr than Biden — and it is a good guess to do it once more in 2024.
Whether or not MLB guidelines ought to forestall rich groups from poaching premiership expertise continues to be debatable.
Devra Mindell, Santa Monica
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To the editor: Somebody will find yourself paying Ohtani’s $700-million loss.
What about elevated Dodgers recreation ticket costs? Increased costs for food and drinks? Extra for parking at Dodger Stadium?
And if that is not sufficient, it is solely a matter of time earlier than Main League Baseball follows the Nationwide Basketball Assn. and creates a pointless “mini World Collection” between seasons. That means followers might be enticed to spend much more cash to assist inspire the gamers to do what they’re already extremely effectively paid to do.
Cynical? Perhaps. Prophetic? We are going to see.
Marshall Barth, Encino
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To the editor: As nice a ball participant as Ohtani is, I discover what he will likely be paid obscene contemplating all of the unhoused, malnourished, uneducated and medically underserved folks in our society.
Susan Greenberg, Los Angeles