Guaranteed Contracts in MLB

[Always Red]

Originally Posted by Chip R

The difference between these sports and baseball is that baseball is a team sport. I know NASCAR has teams but you are competing against your own teammate. In baseball, you have to depend on your teammates to succeed. No matter how good of a pitcher you are, there needs to be someone to catch your pitches.

That's just the point, Chip, if it's really a team game, then the team that plays the best together and takes the World Series wins the jackpot. It would be in your total best interest to develope teamwork, synergy and camaraderie in order to win it all.

In other words, there would be much more incentive to play together than there is right now.

Not sure what you mean by your last sentence? It's a moot point, anyway. It's just something I've thought about from time to time. Team play would only get better if you actually rewarded team play, rather than individual play. I know, baseball is 9 individuals playing together (or 10, in the heathen league ).

[Chip R]

Originally Posted by Redlegs

Bottom line is this, players aren't as willing to play hurt as they used to be. Perhaps is just a sign of the times, but it's a fact.

Prove it. There have been several players - mainly pitchers - on the Reds who have gone out there and said they were OK time and again and then when they repeatedly were shelled they got an MRI and all of a sudden they had a torn labrum or rotator cuff or elbow ligament. I wish those guys wouldn't have tried to play hurt - they only hurt the team.

[Redlegs]

Originally Posted by Chip R

Prove it. There have been several players - mainly pitchers - on the Reds who have gone out there and said they were OK time and again and then when they repeatedly were shelled they got an MRI and all of a sudden they had a torn labrum or rotator cuff or elbow ligament. I wish those guys wouldn't have tried to play hurt - they only hurt the team.

I think I pointed that out in my entire post.

Originally Posted by Redlegs

Bottom line is this, players aren't as willing to play hurt as they used to be. Perhaps is just a sign of the times, but it's a fact.

As far as the topic of the thread, I really think it depends on the injury as to whether or not the absence of the guaranteed contract would cause players to be out there more. In Prior's case, I don't think it would matter. Shoulder injury and pitcher don't go together very well.