I heard today that 2010 World Series MVP Edgar Renteria (known as "Rent-a-Wreck" to us Red Sox fans during his short tenure in Boston) was offered a one year, $1 million deal by the Giants to return to the club as a backup infielder. He said this:
"That offer from the Giants was a lack of respect. A total disrespect. To play for a million dollars, I'd rather stay with my private business and share more time with my family. Thank God I'm well off financially and my money is well invested."
Here is a Exhibit A why many fans are fed up with baseball and many of its overpaid players. I know it's like playing with Monopoly money for most fans when it comes to ballplayer salaries. But when fans hear words like "disrespect" thrown around when it comes to be offered "only" a million dollars to play for one year, sympathy won't be coming to Renteria from the average fan.
I don't begrudge the players the big money. They are in a big business and deserve to get paid the lion's share of what comes in, and what the market demands. Fans go see the players play the game. But when unemployment in America is around 10% and the economy is still in the doldrums, the average working guy doesn't want hear "total disrespect" and "only a million dollars" in the same sentence (or paragraph).
Renteria caught lightning in a bottle least October, as he got hot at the right time. He was a part-time player in San Francisco last season (and would be again in 2011), and I haven't heard any other clubs making him any better offers.
The last thing I want to hear from someone like Renteria, who even admits that he is "well-off financially" is to hear him whining about money and disrespect. (And let us not forget how he stole the Red Sox money back in 2005 and provided them with a league-leading 30 errors at shortstop.) I also guess since he now has "World Series MVP" on his resume, he should get paid like one.
Do everyone a favor and retire.
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