Comments on: Dodgers considering bowing out of Zack Greinke sweepstakes

By: mikefoxtrot

mikefoxtrot — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 03:57:32 +0000

problem with Upton is that he manages to take enormous talent and use to turn out not much more above-average results….and his contract is about to become a great deal more than above-average costly.

By: mikefoxtrot

mikefoxtrot — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 03:54:36 +0000

anybody willing to give Greinke a contract larger than Sabathia’s is welcome to him.

By: beelza

beelza — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 17:36:41 +0000

@thereisaparty…Absolutely need to know information, thanks. Huge red flag with Greinke. Now, what is the huge red flag with Justin Upton? Everything Justin has, that we know of, points to him being highly coveted, yet Arizona has been trying to move this dude for a long time.

By: fredverd

fredverd — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 17:00:18 +0000

And the accountant that came up with that out-of-the-box idea (athletes pay taxes in cities where they actually earn the money) should have gotten a bonus he could retire on…living on his own island…!

By: loungefly74

loungefly74 — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 16:57:05 +0000

Dear Zack…please do not deal with the Dodgers and stay in the “far superior” AL. Thanks!…signed…a Giants fan.

By: jwbiii

jwbiii — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 16:33:13 +0000

(assume the top marginal tax rate is close enough to the effective tax rate)

By the way, this assumption is only valid for very highly paid players in states with progressive taxes. A player making the minimum who only plays a three games series in a state earns about $9,100 and presumably would pay no tax there.

By: jwbiii

jwbiii — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 14:41:39 +0000

angrycorgi, It doesn’t quite work like that. States have enacted “jock taxes” so athletes pay taxes in the states where they earn their money. This is done on a per day basis. Since we really don’t know where they spend their off days, games scheduled is a reasonable approximation. So it’s more like this:

81 G in Arlington Sal x 81/182 x 0%
9 G in Houston Sal x 9/162 x 0%
9 G in Seattle Sal x 9/162 x 0%
9 G in Anaheim Sal x 9/162 x 9% (assume the top marginal tax rate is close enough to the effective tax rate)
9 G in Oakland Sal x 9/162 x 9%
3 G in Chicago Sal x 3/162 x 5%
etc.

There is a difference, but it’s nowhere near 15%.

This effects entertainers, too. An act pays a higher tax rate to play a show in Newark’s Prudential Center than in New York’s Madison Square Garden.

By: texassportsfan2

texassportsfan2 — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 03:42:10 +0000

yep, no state income tax is a big draw to Texas….espec when you make as much as these guys do

By: texassportsfan2

texassportsfan2 — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 03:41:02 +0000

we want him here in Texas!

By: thevauntedchris

thevauntedchris — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 03:34:50 +0000

Probably not the popular answer, but I don’t put Sabathia on that level you mention. And I’m a Yankees fan. There’s Verlander, Kershaw, maybe Weaver and everyone else right now. Regardless of if I’m missing someone, it isn’t Sabathia. Now to your real point, I still wouldn’t trade Sabathia for Greinke..contracts being fairly close.

By: yanmontreal

yanmontreal — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 02:17:43 +0000

Welcome in montreal zach,
We will wait for you!!

By: angrycorgi

angrycorgi — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 01:41:39 +0000

It’s simple really. Greinke liked the Rangers meeting with the management and due to the highest state income taxes in the US being in Cali, the Dodgers or Angels will have to bid 15% OVER Texas’ bid just to match. Rangers bid 140M/7, then Cali teams would have to bid higher than 161M/7 to beat it. Economics are the Rangers fans’ best friend right now.

By: thereisaparty

thereisaparty — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 01:39:25 +0000

To quote Russell A. Carlton (Ph.D. in behavioral psychology): It’s possible that what triggered Greinke’s SAD was related to his pitching. It’s also possible that it had nothing to do with baseball. Remember that while we often see these men only in their roles as baseball players, they also have lives to live. To my knowledge, Mr. Greinke has chosen to keep the details of his struggle against anxiety and depression private (and that’s his right), so before you write him off as damaged goods on the mound, consider that you’re dealing with variables about which you know not.

By: joerymi

joerymi — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 01:38:01 +0000

If you are looking at a 50% luxury tax in 2 seasons, you might as well go all-in. Paying an obscene payroll penalty is silly if you aren’t even going to the playoffs.

By: kardshark1

kardshark1 — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 01:25:32 +0000

about a gabillion

By: jeru523

jeru523 — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 01:21:06 +0000

Totally agree with u…he’s a very good pitcher, but is he top notch Veerlander, Sabathia, Weaver, Cain, Kershaw level? Hell no! He happened to be on the market where he’s the biggest fish on the lake. He’s worth about 15 mill a year and not a penny more…he’s a true #2 pitcher, not a #1….then his anxiety issues…..that’s a major red flag! Contract should be incentive laced!

By: Jeff M.

Jeff M. — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 01:12:20 +0000

How many zeros is in a bajillion zillion, anyway?

By: Jeff M.

Jeff M. — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 00:36:22 +0000

I don’t see that happening. I suspect that “we’re considering bowing out” is code for “we’re about to offer him the keys to Dodger Stadium, and want everyone else thinking that we’ve moved on. Cause we’re not going to bid against ourselves.”

By: somekat

somekat — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 00:36:14 +0000

I like Grienke, a lot. But he is not worth the most money of any pitcher, ever. He’s a Cy candidate every year, but I don’t see him as an almost automatic W every time he’s out. The type of guy that opponents look at and say “Crap, Grienke is pitching today….at least if we win the other 2 we take the series”.

I think the guy should get a boatload of money, but I just think it’s getting out of hand for what he’s worth (assuming the breaking the record rumors are true). I just worry about taking a guy with anxiety issues and putting that kind of pressure on him. But if he wants that much money, he wants the pressure that comes along with it

By: Ben

Ben — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 00:12:43 +0000

What’s with the “critical stage” locution this year? I don’t remember it from previous years–nowhere near contending with BSOHL, but it seems to be cropping up pretty often.

By: fuddpucker

fuddpucker — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 00:09:06 +0000

Welcome to Atlanta, Zack.

By: kardshark1

kardshark1 — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 23:37:10 +0000

If Brandon League is worth 8 mil a year to Colleti, then Greinke should be worth a bajillion zillion dollars a year.

No doubt Greinke signs with Los Angeles. They have Fort Knox on steroids to spend. Only Hamilton and Greinke remain that will cost major money that they are desperately wanting to blow. And since I don’t see their big free agent signing of their richest off season ever being somebody like Kyle Lohse to prove to fans they want to win, Greinke it will be – maybe with a splash of Anibal Sanchez on the side.

By: iamjimmyjack

iamjimmyjack — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 23:32:16 +0000

come on Zack, we want you here in Anaheim!