SI: The 50 highest-earning athletes

When welterweight Floyd Mayweather was No. 1 on Sports Illustrated’s Fortunate 50 last year—knocking out Tiger Woods, who had been No. 1 every year since SI started producing the list in 2004—it looked like a fluke, the result of the $85 million he received for his fights with Victor Ortiz and Miguel Cotto. Now Mayweather is proving that he belongs at the top. From just two bouts this year, one earlier this month and the other scheduled for September, he will earn at least $90 million, and that’s conservative; he could make as much as $128 million.

There are other notable shifts this year. LeBron James (No. 2) passed Kobe Bryant (No. 4). Tiger Woods (No. 5) is back above Phil Mickelson (No. 6)—thanks to $4 million more in tour winnings. Drew Brees wasn’t on last year’s list but he burst into the top five thanks to a $37 million signing bonus from his new contract.

The findings consist solely of salary, winnings, bonuses and endorsements. SI consulted players’ associations, tour records, online databases, agents and media reports. The endorsement estimates come from a stable of marketing executives, agents and other experts, including Burns Entertainment & Sports Marketing.

Candidates for the Fortunate 50 must be U.S. citizens or play in a U.S.—based league.

1. Floyd Mayweather (boxing)
2. LeBron James (NBA)
3. Drew Brees (NFL)
4. Kobe Bryant (NBA)
5. Tiger Woods (golf)

MLB:
9. Alex Rodriguez
10.Zack Greinke
13.Johan Santana
14.Felix Hernandez
17.Cliff Lee
19.Derek Jeter
20.Joe Mauer

Padres CEO Tom Garfinkel Compared Zack Greinke to Rain Man, Quickly Apologized [Audio]

Zack doesn’t even like Wapner!

Padres CEO and Team President Tom Garfinkel spoke with season ticket holders last Friday, less than 48 hours after the Zack Greinke/ Carlos Quentin incident that resulted in Greinke breaking his collarbone. Yahoo Sports obtained audio of Garfinkel’s talk. Garfinkel was of the belief that Greinke was throwing at Quentin intentionally, and explained-away it being a 2-1 game and a 3-2 count by comparing Zack Greinke to Raymond Babbitt.

“Zack Greinke is a different kind of guy. Anybody seen Rain Man? [crowd laughs] He is a very smart guy. He has Social Anxiety Disorder. He doesn’t interact well with his team, he doesn’t interact with his teammates.”

Garfinkle probably recognized that he had crossed some sort of line there. Later in the same talk, he added, ”This is my opinion, and I can’t say this publicly. Well, this is public, we are in the Trust Tree here.”

The Read Zone: The Greinke – Quentin Brawl, Was It More Than Just a Baseball Fight?

Even though the injury here was not as severe as in Moore’s case, I believe that it’s a question of intent and propriety within the sport.  In this case, Quentin’s actions have cost the Dodgers and Greinke dearly.

Greinke ends up with broken collarbone after brawl

Word to Carlos Quentin: Assuming you aren’t suspended, the pitch headed towards you in next week’s series with the Dodgers is probably going to be intentional.

Dodgers’ Greinke learning about himself and his social anxiety disorder

And he gets along with teammates, even if he doesn’t see the point in idle chit-chat.

“I don’t really want to talk about nothing, or less than nothing,” he said. “If it’s interesting, yeah, I’ll talk. But just, ‘How was your day?’ I’m not interested in that.”

Dodgers’ Greinke a ‘baseball junkie’

The Brewers knew that Greinke would be a goner as a free agent. But before trading him to the Los Angeles Angels last July, Melvin and his special assistant, Craig Counsell, jokingly made the pitcher a unique offer:

“Re-sign with us, and we’ll let you make our second- and third-round picks in next year’s draft.”

Inside that pitcher’s body, you see, is a scout’s mind.

Greinke went on scouting trips with Counsell last spring, checking out amateur games in Arizona. For about a month before the draft, he watched video of some of the top projected picks, Melvin said.

On draft day, Greinke was ready.

“He came in with a big piece of paper,” Melvin said. “He was sitting on the floor (in the war room) or a chair against the wall. I said, ‘Who do you like? Who do you think we should get?’ He said, ‘I really like Seager.’”

Specifically, Corey Seager of Northwest Cabarrus High in Concord, N.C., the younger brother of Seattle Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager.

Melvin continued the conversation.

“I asked, “Which pitcher do you like the best?’ ” Melvin recalled. “He said, ‘Pitching is too hard to figure out.’

TINSTAAPP!

MLB Dodgers’ Greinke a ‘baseball junkie’

Almost immediately after Melvin informed Greinke of his trade to the Angels, Greinke asked him, “Who did you get?” Melvin replied: Shortstop Jean Segura and right-handers John Hellweg and Ariel Pena.

Greinke said he didn’t know who those players were, but liked the deal for the Brewers after he heard more about them. He earlier had told Melvin that the team’s farm system was short on power arms, “guys who could throw 100 out of the bullpen.” And shortstops, he said, are the “hardest guys to get.”

Dodgers to sign Zack Greinke

He’ll be closer to Brangelina…

The Dodgers have agreed to sign Zack Greinke to a six-year contract worth $147MM according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (Twitter links). The deal, which is still pending a physical, is the largest contract for a right-handed pitcher in baseball history.

Crashburn Alley » Blog Archive » Greinke, Hamilton, Mental Health, Masculinity and Dignity

A different slant on signing Josh Hamilton and Zack Greinke.