The word quetzal was originally used for just the resplendent quetzal, the long-tailed quetzal of southern Mexico and Central America, which is the national bird and the name of the currency of Guatemala.
The Royals have a franchise-record $131.5 million opening-day payroll after re-signing Alex Gordon and signing free-agent starter Ian Kennedy. Gordon, who received a four-year, $72 million contract, is their highest-paid player this year at $12 million. 2016 MLB SALARIES: Every player, every payroll. The Royals have only two players on their opening-day roster who will earn less than $1 million, but the wealth is spread out throughout their roster, which the Royals believe is a key to their success as a small-market team. Thereâs no debate the formula is working.
The 10 Highest-Paid Athletes of the 21st Century. NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- If it seems like athletes today make more money, it's because they do. In 1961, Mickey Mantle became the highest paid player in baseball when he signed a $75,000 contract with the New York Yankees. Calculated to inflation, that would be about $600,000 today.