DEAR SUN SPOTS: We all know that salaries in professional sports have become outrageous, but in my mind they are an insult to the workforce of this country.

For a start, Alex Rodrigues of the Yankees is the highest paid player at $27 million. Last year he played in 98 games, which breaks down to $275,500 per game. 

With the fewest games played in any sport, football pays out the most money. Any player who earns $16 million a year makes $1 million per game, a ridiculous salary when you realize what little time they actually play.

In the last Super Bowl the 49ers had a total of 71 plays for a total of 6 minutes, 27 seconds that the ball was in play. The Ravens had 84 plays using up 8 minutes, 36 seconds that they had the ball in play, so combined the ball was in play for 16 minutes, 3 seconds.

With those figures, I’m wondering if Sun Spots can find out how many football players earn $16 million or more a year. Besides that, winners of the Super Bowl each received $88,000 and the losers $44,000. With a total of 53 players per team, many are being paid for doing nothing.

My second question regards the sudoku puzzles in the paper and the answers, which appear the following day. I’m wondering if there’s more than one answer since each row down or across do not require a certain amount. Numerous answers could be determined as long as all the numbers (without repeats) have been used.

My solution to Monday’s puzzle (enclosed) does not match any of the answers in the solutions shown at the bottom, but can you say it’s really incorrect? I would like your opinion on this. — No Name, No Town

ANSWER: Sun Spots would be the first to agree that salaries are out of whack, but not just for pro sports. The same thing applies to entertainers and to chief executives of big companies, who make millions while their workers toil for minimum wage, less than $8 per hour in most states.

But sports are highly valued, and as long as people are willing to pay high ticket prices and cable bills (sports are often the most profitable channels for cable companies), salaries will be out of whack. You must like them, too, to have spent time gleaning all these stats from the Super Bowl.

At any rate, as to those salaries, Sun Spots found a listing for the 10 highest paid players as of September 2012 at buzzle.com. Note that none of those listed plays for San Francisco or Baltimore.

1. Dwight Freeney, Indianapolis, DE, $19 million

2. Elvis Dumervil, Denver, DE, $18.9 million

3. Peyton Manning, Denver, QB, $18 million

4. Sam Bradford, St. Louis, QB, $15.6 million

5. Philip Rivers, San Diego, QB, $15.3 million

6. Jared Allen, Minnesota, DE, $15.2 million

7. Tamba Hali, Kansas City, DE, $14 million

8. Michael Vick, Philadelphia, QB, $13.9 million

9. Trent Williams, Washington, OT, $13.4 million

10. Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona, WR, $13.3 million

Buzzle.com says the current minimum salary is about $390,000, which is quite a bit but not outrageous when you consider how short a football career can be.

As for the sudoku, Sun Spots knows little about the rules, but she cannot believe there is more than one correct answer to a puzzle. She cannot judge your specific request because the puzzle you provided and the answer are not for the same day (Monday puzzle and Sunday answer).

Many Sun Spots’ readers are big sudoku fans. Perhaps they will have a comment or two.

This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name (we won’t use it if you ask us not to). Please include your phone number. Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can also be emailed to sunspots@sunjournal.com.

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