Comments on: Geography, taxes, octopus and other things that don’t matter in free agency

By: stlouis1baseball

stlouis1baseball — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 19:38:31 +0000

Pie trumps cake. Always.

By: seeinred87

seeinred87 — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 14:39:42 +0000

@Bravo:

It’s obvious by the thumbcount on your post that people didn’t get it.

Well done, though.

By: fredverd

fredverd — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 23:03:38 +0000

Especially to the upper crust in the Big Apple! And remember, Pi are not squared…

By: brandedthefirst

brandedthefirst — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 20:03:59 +0000

71 huh👀

By: pjmarn6

pjmarn6 — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 19:16:03 +0000

Craig Calcaterra has made another mindless statement.
Some facts that “SILLY CRAIG” has omitted there are seven states without a state income tax.
Alaska
Florida
Nevada
South Dakota
Texas
Washington
Wyoming

And among CRAIG’S LIST OF STARS who lives there for example, Rodriguez and Jeter. If these people lived in new Jersey, Rodriguez would have to pay over $3 million dollars or 8.97% of his wages from the Yankees. Jeter would have to pay $1,420,000 dollars on his $16,000,000 salary.
“SILLY CRAIG” believes these sums to be chump change as he believes that where people choose to live with huge salaries. Maybe Craig believes that $1.4 and $3 Million are peanuts. Maybe he pulls down $50 million a year and paying $4.5 million and the $17.5 million that the IRS would be receiving from him is again peanuts, but a hell of a lot of professionals incorporate themselves in Delaware and other states that don’t tax corporations either. Again “SILLY CRAIG” fails his economic’s test.

By: mazblast

mazblast — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 22:39:01 +0000

If the player takes the bigger gross money, it’s “proof” that money is the primary factor.

If the player takes less gross money, it’s “proof” that it’s not about the gross money, it’s about state income taxes, city income taxes, real estate taxes, sales taxes, weather, “livability”, proximity to family, team level of competitiveness, etc.

The one sure thing is that the same amount of money goes a lot farther in Texas, Washington, or Florida, or just about any other state than it does in NYC, Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, etc. The issue for each player is whether that’s a major factor in his decision.

By: mazblast

mazblast — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 22:30:58 +0000

Depends where in LA. Not all parts of the area are equal.

By: hackerjay

hackerjay — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 22:21:44 +0000

I think that there is the possibility that when looking at contracts that players just want to have the biggest contract in terms of pure dollars. Professional players are extremely competitive and I think the size of the contract is just one more thing to compete over.
Let’s be honest, when it comes to $150 million versus $180 (and I doubt the difference is really that large), you’re set for life either way. In the case of going to the Dodgers, you’re set for life and you have the biggest contract ever.

I don’t know if any of that is true, but it does seem that way to me.

By: Caught Looking

Caught Looking — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 22:18:12 +0000

Pie is minor league.

Pirates signed Felix Pie to a minor league contract.

By: Roger Moore

Roger Moore — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 22:15:42 +0000

ISTR that Jim Thome asked to be sent to the White Sox so he could be with his sick father, though that was a trade rather than free agency.

I suspect this kind of thing is going to be more common with players who are past their peak earning years. A player who’s finally getting a big payday is going to be strongly motivated to make the most out of it, even if it means moving to a place he might rather not be. But if he’s on the down-side of his career and looking at short term contracts for a fraction of his peak pay, he may be more inclined to think about staying close to his family, in a place with nice weather, or what have you.

By: proudlycanadian

proudlycanadian — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 19:49:42 +0000

Adult desserts? Yummy!

By: thebadguyswon

thebadguyswon — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 19:45:09 +0000

Jered Weaver would probably disagree with you, Craig.

By: ThatGuy

ThatGuy — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 19:39:34 +0000

Must just be Minnesotans(Eau Claire is a snowflake away) that geography has an effect. Radke, Mauer, Winfield, Molitar, Parise(NHL), Suter(NHL)

By: jessethegreat

jessethegreat — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 19:23:32 +0000

What about brad radke staying in mn? Twin cities were about 3 hours closer to his home in Eau Claire than Milwaukee. He would have definitely gotten more money to go elsewhere, but he chose to stay close to home.

By: paperlions

paperlions — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 19:17:58 +0000

The reason he said tax rates are not a factor is because there is no evidence that any player has EVER made a decision based on the tax rate. No player has ever taken a lower salary from a TX team that would have resulting in more take home pay than their salary from CA, NY, or MA. Ever.

He is not saying that the taxes don’t affect a player bottom line, only that they don’t affect a players decision making process…because there is no evidence that it does….and a LOT of evidence that it does not.

By: historiophiliac

historiophiliac — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 19:17:10 +0000

he he deserts

By: phillyfan75

phillyfan75 — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 19:15:45 +0000

Actually, as with most things, it probably depends on the player. Many just take the most money they can given they can only be paid to play baseball for a limited time. Some players have accepted less money to stay with a team they’ve been with because that’s where they want to be. Others may take a little less to be in a particular region or league or ballpark or for some other reason. It’s just as silly to be entirely dismissive of other factors as it is to think speculate about such factors.

By: paperlions

paperlions — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 19:10:55 +0000

I already mentioned groupies….why are so many people talking about deserts?

By: jaydoubleyou22

jaydoubleyou22 — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 18:59:22 +0000

You sir, are a professional moron. You say that money is the most important thing and then say that taxes don’t matter. I’m pretty sure money in pocket = gross pay – taxes…

Oh, and in the same day you posted that taxes could make a 30 million dollar difference for Greinke. How could you make an argument that $30 million in tax savings is insignificant while at the same time saying that money trumps all?

Seriously, has your brain been amputated? Sometimes I feel like you act stupid on purpose like the insecure girl who wants attention, but I’m staring to think that you really were born that way.

By: Jason @ IIATMS

Jason @ IIATMS — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 18:53:03 +0000

I prefer the reference heard here in NYC: “nuts-to-butts”. Graphic and awfuller. Which is why I avoid the subway at all costs.

By: billyboots

billyboots — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 18:49:24 +0000

I guess this is more what I was thinking of:
http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/04/12/quote-of-the-day-mauer-stayed-for-a-reason/
I know he took a lot of Twins money, but he could have gone elsewhere and got just as much if not more.

By: Marty

Marty — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 18:40:52 +0000

Can someone tell my why a JD holding blogger would know what factors pro athletes use in determining teams to sign with?

Net income and where you live is a factor. That is taxes and geography. True for executives, true for pro baseball players.

By: kkolchak

kkolchak — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 18:36:14 +0000

Mauer took exactly $184 million of the Twins money–not exactly what you’d call a hometown discount.

By: historiophiliac

historiophiliac — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 18:33:42 +0000

a la mode makes it a whole other ballgame — but I’m guessing NY/Apple Pie is the mean. NY/Bananas Foster = A-rod money.

By: historiophiliac

historiophiliac — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 18:30:58 +0000

That’s a great opening for your new slipstream novel “Ichiro and the Yankees.” I hope there’s life-like robots. Zombies are sooo 2012.

By: Jason @ IIATMS

Jason @ IIATMS — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 18:30:30 +0000

and hospital system, it seems. especially for arm rehab.

wait, no they don’t.

By: indaburg

indaburg — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 18:30:20 +0000

Rays’ Key Lime definitely beats out Boston Creme. Where would NY Apple Pie rank? It’s getting a little old although somehow it still gets served.

Don’t forget the ice cream.

By: Jason @ IIATMS

Jason @ IIATMS — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 18:26:44 +0000

Thanks.

Of course it is. Always is. Unless it’s because of the groupies. But that would make an even worse acronym.

By: kevinbnyc

kevinbnyc — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 18:25:54 +0000

Pujols could have had a year in Miami before jetting off to Toronto with the rest of Marlins North. Poor decision really.

By: historiophiliac

historiophiliac — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 18:20:59 +0000

Big Dog is all-knowing.