" On the sports professor Rick Carl is has begun -- the box score signing bonuses in Major League Baseball. Yet to 45 billion dollar industry and the rookies get too much they'd just get enough with labor negotiations coming up front and center in the next couple years. Rookie signing bonuses are the story of the day. Stevens -- signs a four year fifteen point one million dollar deal with the Washington Nationals -- Know what in the fifty million dollars who's asking for but seven point five million of it was upfront signing bonuses before throws the first pitch a big number. Tim Beckham last year Tampa Bay -- six point 15 million. David Price the year before with the race five point six billion dollars -- culture far. Kansas City Royals 20063. And a half million Justin Upton with the Diamondbacks. 20066. Point one million. It's a far cry from the ten million dollars that caused outrage when Mark Prior was signed in 2001. The bottom line is like everything else rookie salaries -- escalating. Just in time for contract negotiations. --"