being the topper

Baseball player Albert Pujols is attempting to become the highest paid player in baseball history.  With one year remaining on his contract, his agent has demanded a 10-year $300M contract.  Pujols, who has one more year remaining on his contract, wants this contract by noon on Wednesday, or he will take the risk of playing out the season and become a free agent at the end of the year, possibly signing with the hated Chicago Cubs.  This makes St. Louis all the more nervous.

St. Louis Cardinals 1st baseman Albert Pujols

The contract Pujols wants would become the largest in Major League Baseball history, eclipsing the New York Yankees Alex Rodriguez' 10-year, $275M contract.

As time goes on in baseball, it seems like every player that comes along needs to top the highest contract, and it becomes a giant game of leapfrog.  Today the game of leapfrog has arrived at 10-years and $300M.

When Alex Rodriguez was looking to become a free agent at the end of 2007, the joke was that a team such as the Pittsburgh Pirates may just give him their franchise, in lieu of signing him to a contract.  The value of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2010 was $289M, maybe at the end of this season, Albert can be the player/owner of that team..