MLB Contract Disputes: Spoiled Brats Ruin Spring Fun

As fans, too often we hear of rich young athletes who aren't satisfied with their lot in life and they cry for more. Some sportswriters and broadcasters will have you thinking that this is acceptable; after all, if someone made more money than you for the same work you were doing, wouldn't you complain as well?  At first blush, this seems like a plausible argument. But I say its apples and oranges, for what in the world can possibly be better than playing a game for a living.  And how many millions is enough already? Yet for players like Cole Hamels, the talented young left handed pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies, who haven't made their millions yet, the issue isn't how much but how soon. The way the system works is that the first three years a player is in the league (depending on service time and "super two" rules too complicated to explore here), the owners can basically pay these players any amount over the minimum that they desire. However, many ... [link]