Fielder, Hamels feel slighted by new deals
There's grumbling around the major leagues by a couple of young players who feel they're getting stiffed by their teams at the pay window. Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels and Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder, neither of whom are eligible for arbitration, are griping about their salaries.
The Phillies have renewed Hamels at $500,000 and the Brewers have re-upped Fielder at $670,000. Last season, Fielder hit 50 home runs with 119 RBIs. In 2007, Hamels was 15-5 with a 3.39 ERA.
Fielder: "I'm not happy about it at all. The fact I've had to be renewed two years in a row, I'm not happy about it because there's a lot of guys who have the same amount of time that I do who have done a lot less and are getting paid a lot more. But my time is going to come. It's going to come quick too."
Hamels called the new salary figure a "low blow": "I know what I want to do, and I know what I can do. When it gets in my favor, it will be nice. I did [renew] just because I felt like I wasn't equally compensated. For all the efforts I go out and do, you want to have that sort of respect. And I feel like it wasn't there."
Comments
If player salaries didn't have a direct correlation to expensive tickets and $5 watery Cokes, I might muster some sympathy for these poor half-millionaires getting in salary exactly what their steroid-embracing Union asked for.
Posted by: Greg | March 3, 2008 4:57 PM
Except for the big HR difference, Markakis matches up nicely with Fielder. Nick also is a better defender, and stole way more bases (18 to Fielders 2.)
Please Mr. Angelos, pay Markakis voluntarily. Don't ever make him want to leave.
Posted by: martin | March 3, 2008 5:08 PM
Too late. Angelos has screwed up again. What do you do with the best talent since Cal Jr? You low ball him and pay him $455,000. Granted that seems like a ton of money to us everyday working folks. But, how can you call this guy the best talent on your team and pay him not much more than league minimum? At least Markakis has shown class the way he has handled the news. I agree with your fellow writer. The Orioles are playing a very dangerous game.
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Indeed. I couldn't really add it that sentiment much but they need to make good on this soon.
-- Bill O.
Posted by: Captain Jack | March 5, 2008 12:01 PM