Gym Cracks By Jim July 25, 2002 MAJOR LEAGUE MADNESS Major league salaries are mind boggling By Jim (Babe) Berryman MissingNebraska.com Western Nebraska I was perusing some Internet sites one day looking at salaries major league baseball players make. Approximately two dozen players earn 10 million or more. Alex Rodriguez of the Texas Rangers will earn approximately 22 million this year playing baseball. This figure does not include his endorsements of products. Most sources indicate this amount (22 million) is in the ball park. (Just a figure of speech) Not bad for a part-time yearly job! During the 2001 season Mr. Rodriguez was officially at bat 632 times. He was walked an additional 75 times. So he had 707 plate appearances. Let's assume he will have the same number of plate appearances this year. Divide 22 million by 707. He earns $31,117.40 each time he bats. The average teacher salary in the state of Nebraska last year was $34,175 according to the National Education Association. Nebraska ranks 44th of the 50 states in salaries paid to their teachers. Back to Mr. Rodriguez. His per game earnings are $135,802.47 whether he plays or not. Let's carry this extrapolation out a little further. Each inning this ballplayer earns $15,089.16. A nine-inning ball game will have either 51 or 54 outs. With a 54-out game, he will earn $2,514.86 an out. I can imagine Mr. Rodriguez sitting on the bench saying, "A couple more outs and I will be able to buy the kids some shoes." I know the government will take a big chunk of this money, but still isn't there something wrong with the amount of money paid to these athletes? I would still like to see the Cubs play this summer. Allen Iverson. Can you believe AI and his mother? Mr. Iverson "delayed" his appearance at the police station until his attorney returned from vacation. Do you think Babe Six-Pak of Podunk, NE would receive the same type of treatment? Look for a new Gym Cracks by Jim every week on MissingNebraska.com Previous Gym Cracks: 07-18-02: Nebraskans In The Majors Gym Cracks 07-11-02: Kile Death Sheds Light Gym Cracks 07-04-02: Couch Potato Parking Gym Cracks 06-23-02: Top 10 Nebraska High School Nicknames Gym Cracks 06-06-02: Better In The 50s Gym Cracks 05-30-02: Dangerfield of Nebraska Gym Cracks 05-16-02: Baseball Sneak Aways Gym Cracks Feedback