When Manny Machado agreed to a $300 million contract with the San Diego Padres last week, it prompted the evergreen sports discussion about whether any person is worth $30 million annually. When Bryce Harper finally signs his free-agent contract – which will likely exceed the 10-year deal that Machado signed in terms of financial value – the discussion will ramp up again. And it’s an interesting debate to have, especially when you focus on a micro level, as opposed to casting the net that no player is worth such a deal.
But on a macro level, it’s as simple as supply and demand.