Shoeless Joe
Shoeless Joe
Baseball History may be ever Changing but some things never Change
Baseball history, like all history, certainly is ever changing, but some aspects of the game have remained unchanged for well over a half-century. There are a few reasons for this - over time the basic rules of the game have for the most part remained unaltered; the development of essential skills continues to involve an investment of time and personnel by ball clubs; and fans have always flocked to see money players and exciting teams.
In 1976, Major League Baseball (MLB) was changed forever with the birth of free agency. Since its inception, the owners had held power over all players. They could trade anyone at anytime and control, with relative ease, what individuals would be paid. Great players, like Babe Ruth, usually commanded solid salaries but with free agency players were able to negotiate their contracts and to go to a team willing to pay their price.
Still, as it had always been, players had to have the skills a team needed to get their price. The one major difference was that players were now able to sign guaranteed contracts, which stated that they would be paid their salary no matter how they performed and even if they were injured.
Seventy-three years before free agency, professional baseball underwent a change that would influence the way in which the Majors conducted business and found players. In 1903 the National Association of Professional Base Ball Leagues, better known as the Minor Leagues, was formed in order to create some order in which Major League teams acquired players from small market clubs. In the 1930s the great Branch Rickey developed the structure for what we know today as the "Minor Leagues." Rickey's formalization of the "Minors," which became dedicated to developing players who could perform in the Majors, was jokingly called the "farm system" because small town clubs were raising young players "like corn" down on the farm.
Since the 1930s, MLB has relied upon affiliate farm teams to develop players for the big leagues to supply promising prospects for trades, or to simply provide adequate replacements when necessary. Today, the Minor League system is highly developed, bringing players up through A, AA, and AAA ball. When a team is looking to make a trade for a solid Major Leaguer, one way they can sweeten the deal is by including prospects from the minors. Additionally, one way for owners to keep costs down is to bring up players from the "farm team" when they're ready. By doing this a MLB team can save millions of dollars.
Bringing up an adequate second baseman from the minors and paying him the minimum $327,000 for the season can prove to have more value than paying a veteran infielder 2.5 million dollars. Using a certain number of non-veterans allows a team to spend more money on other positions, especially pitching, which is always at a premium and comes at a high price.
The Minor Leagues have always been a cost-saving venture for clubs but with today's exorbitant salaries, the strength of the players union, and most clubs carrying payrolls of under one-hundred million dollars, the strategic use of Minor League players can make the difference in both turning a profit and winning the World Series.
Using players from the farm club actually gives owners more power, since those team members who have been brought up are not eligible for salary arbitration until they have three years in the Majors and cannot become free agents until they've accumulated six or more years in the big leagues. Today, for a brief part of a player's career, National and American League owners have the power they used to possess over every player prior to 1976.
Teams looking to win a championship and attract as much revenue as possible have often invested money in key players. Throughout baseball's history, there have been owners willing to pay more than others. In 1919, some of the Chicago White Sox, which was owned by Charles Comiskey, decided to throw the World Series to their National League counterparts, the Cincinnati Reds.
The White Sox players felt they were both underpaid and under-appreciated by their boss and figured if they bet on the underdog Reds and insured that the National Leaguers would win, they'd make a tidy profit. They did just that, but they also got caught. It became known as the Black Sox Scandal of 1919, and it's a constant reminder to owners of how a man like Comiskey, who had a whole lot of money, could be penny-wise and pound-foolish.
Of course, spending a lot of money does not insure a team will win the World Series or even the League Championship. Since the New York Yankees payroll exceeded one hundred millions dollars five years ago, they've been unable to win it all. The last few years Steinbrenner and company have been handing over two hundred million in team pay. Last year's champs, the Chicago White Sox, paid out a little over seventy-five million to their players. It was ironic, because they had not won the Series since 1917, prior to the big scandal.
Most analysts agree that a MLB club needs to wisely spend about seventy million to be competitive. That's why some pundits believe that the Toronto Blue Jays, who reached that magic salary mark this season by adding quality players and about thirty million to their pay roll, are a club to watch.
The basic idea at work regarding salary prior to free agency is that a happy player - one who feels he's being treated and paid fairly - can equal a happy owner with a winning team. After free agency, the thought became that in order to compete a team had to pay a player what the market dictated and owners, to a degree, had the ability to control that market. These are, in essence, two sides of the same coin.
If we could resurrect Cy Young, Shoeless Joe Jackson, and Home Run Baker and bring them out to the ballpark, they'd certainly still understand the game, even though it has changed. Since their time, there has been the development of specialty pitchers, creation of artificial turf, and the addition of the designated hitter in the American League. The mound, strike zone, and scoreboards are all different too.
Player skills are still fundamentally the same, except more advanced. They would get the idea that a better player should command more money than a player with less skill. But the overall economics of the game would probably baffle those great players. That has added a new type of off-field strategy that owners who want to win must master. Since the turn of the 19th century, it's been the greatest change MLB has seen.
About the Author
This article was written by Paul Mroczka sponsored by http://www.stubhub.com. If you're looking for baseball tickets to see your favorite team live in action, look no further than Stubhub.com where fans buy and sell the hottest sports tickets. Reproductions of this article are encouraged but must include a link back to http://www.stubhub.com/
What position did Shoeless Joe Jackson play?
He played a lot in left Field as made famous in the book and movie Field of Dreams
Shoeless Joe Jackson
 |
 Autographed Copy of first draft script "Shoeless Joe" US $500.00 |
 SHOELESS JOE JACKSON CHICAGO WHITE SOX 8X10 PHOTO MLB  US $3.99
|
 Shoeless Joe Jackson Of The Chicago White Sox US $.99
|
 JOE JACKSON Rare BASEBALL Card 1919 Wheat Cent SHOELESS US $10.00
|
 Shoeless Joe - W.P. Kinsella (Fields of Dreams) PB US $.99
|
 SHOELESS JOE JACKSON Numismatic Card 1911 Wheat Cent US $9.99
|
 SHOELESS JOE JACKSON Coin Card 1911 Wheat Cent RARE US $9.99
|
 SHOELESS JOE JACKSON Coin Card 1920 Wheat Cent RARE US $9.99
|
 1919 Black Sox Reprint Set Shoeless Joe Jackson US $.99
|
 Shoeless Joe Jackson Lot (8 JSW Test Promo Goudey Topps US $1.04
|
 SHOELESS JOE JACKSON 2008 PRIME CUTS #6 SP BLACK SOX US $.99
|
 Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball by Harvey Frommer ... US $.99
|
 SHOELESS JOE JACKSON 2001 UD SP LEGENDARY CUTS GOLD!!! US $.99
|
 Metal Shoeless Joe Jackson Sign--Selz Shoes US $9.99
|
 Shoeless Joe Jackson & Ty Cobb 8x10 photo US $5.95
|
 2011 SHOELESS JOE SJTT1250 12.5" BASEBALL GLOVE NWT US $99.00
|
 1918 SHOELESS JOE JACKSON SMITTY'S REPRINT CARD, L@@K!! US $.99
|
 1909 American Caramel Co. Shoeless Joe Jackson Reprint US $.99
|
 1940 Playball Shoeless Joe Jackson Reprint card~~~~L@@K US $.99
|
 1916 SHOELESS JOE JACKSON TRIBUNE NEWS REPRINT CARD US $.99
|
 RARE BABE RUTH AND SHOELESS JOE JACKSON AT GAME "L@@K" US $3.95
|
 Shoeless Joe Jackson Basball Statue Southland Hartland US $59.99
|
 1915 Cracker Jack #103 Shoeless Joe Jackson Reprint US $.99
|
 1915 Sporting News Shoeless Joe Jackson RP (HOF) US $.99
|
 RARE BABE RUTH AND SHOELESS JOE JACKSON AT GAME "L@@K" US $3.95
|
 1920 Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum Card, $20 book value US $.99
|
 RARE BABE RUTH AND SHOELESS JOE JACKSON AT GAME "L@@K" US $3.95
|
 SHOELESS JOE JACKSON 08 PRIME CUTS TRIPLE BAT RARE 1/1 US $61.00
|
 JOE JACKSON SHOELESS LIGHT SWITCH CHICAGO WHITE SOX US $6.00
|
 Shoeless Joe Jackson Las Vegas Club $10 Casino Chip US $19.99
|
 SHOELESS JOE JACKSON 8x10 Portrait Photo Repro MUST SEE US $.99
|
 SHOELESS JOE & ME BY DAN GUTMAN- A BASEBALL CARD ADVENT US $.99
|
 SHOELESS JOE | WP Kinsella | 1983 PB | FIELD OF DREAMS US $6.00
|
 Vintage Retro Tin Sign Shoeless Joe Jackson My Best US $2.99
|
 Vintage Retro Tin Sign Shoeless Joe Jackson Shoes US $2.99
|
 BASEBALL SHOELESS JOE JACKSON SELZ VINTAGE TIN SIGN US $9.99
|
 TY COBB + SHOELESS JOE JACKSON WITH BATS "CLASSIC" US $2.99
|
 TY COBB + SHOELESS JOE JACKSON WITH BATS "CLASSIC" US $2.99
|
 SHOELESS JOE JACKSON CLASSIC DUGOUT POSE US $2.99
|
 SHOELESS JOE JACKSON EXPELLED FROM BASEBALL1981 GALASSO US $.99
|
| Powered by phpBay Pro |
|
|
Nostalgic Shoeless Joe Jackson Tin Sign : Selz Shoes $9.99 This nostalgic reproduction Shoeless Joe Jackson tin sign, suitable for framing, is the perfect affordable retro decoration for any room, restaurant or office.... |
|
|
Babe Ruth and Shoeless Joe Jackson - Wall Framed Canvas Art Print - New York Yankees $140.00 "Shoeless Babe" is a Fine Art Giclee series on canvas. It depicts Babe Ruth and Shoeless Joe Jackson, and is based on an original painting by sports artist Ron Stark. The Framed canvas measures approximately 13"W X 11"H..... |
|
|
Ty Cobb and Shoeless Joe Jackson - ©Photofile , 8x10 $5.95 Decorate your home or office with high quality wall décor. Ty Cobb and Shoeless Joe Jackson - ©Photofile is that perfect piece that matches your style, interests, and budget.... |
|
|
Diversionary Tactics $13.98 ... |
|
|
Shoeless Joe Red black background with white feet outlined in red... |
|
|
Solo $13.98 ... |
|
|
Shoeless Joe Jackson Gave my Best Chicago White Sox Baseball Nostalgic Vintage Collectable Tin Sign $14.99 Makes a great addition to any basement, bar area or game room!... |
|
|
Shoeless Joe Jackson Shoes Chicago White Sox Baseball Nostalgic Vintage Collectable Tin Sign $14.99 Makes a great addition to any basement, bar area or game room!... |
|
|
Shoeless Joe $3.50 W. P. Kinsella plays with both myth and fantasy in his lyrical novel, which was adapted into the enormously popular movie, Field of Dreams. It begins with the magic of a godlike voice in a cornfield, and ends with the magic of a son playing catch with the ghost of his father. In Kinsella's hands, it's all about as simple, and complex, as the object of baseball itself: coming home. Like Ring L... |
|
|
Shoeless Joe & Me (Baseball Card Adventures) $2.10 When Joe Stoshack hears about Shoeless Joe Jackson -- and the gambling scandal that destroyed the star player's career -- he knows what he has to do. If he travels back in time with a 1919 baseball card in his hand, he just might be able to prevent the infamous Black Sox Scandal from ever taking place. And if he could do that, Shoeless Joe Jackson would finally take his rightful place in the Baseb... |