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.
He also has the highest career earnings in MLB history. The highest paid player in Major League Baseball (MLB) from the 2013 season is New York Yankees' third baseman Alex Rodriguez with an annual salary of $29,000,000, $4 million higher than the second-highest paid player, Cliff Lee.
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.