There's more than what the player does on the field that goes into the mix which determines what he's worth.

Suppose the $20 million a year A. Rod gets helps the Yankees sell an extra 5,000 tickets per game at an average of $30 each. That's an extra $150,000 per game, times 81 games, an extra $12 million or so right there.

These extra 400,000 people buy food at the game, souvenirs, etc. Throw in the extra money for stuff like A. Rod jerseys and the like, and I bet Steinbrenne comes out ahead, economically at least, on the deal.

That's what makes A. Rod worth the money to the Yankees. He's not worth that money to the Texas Rangers. That's why he was traded.

How much do big movie stars get for one film?
How much does each cast member of FRIENDS make for one episode ($1 million or so, I think).

Why do they get that kind of money? Because their work produces a profit that is greater than what it costs to hire them.

From a philosophical standpoint, I'd agree. No one is worth $20 million a year, except maybe a cancer researcher or something. Schoolteachers contribute more to society than A. Rod does.

But this isn't about philosophy. It's about economics.