How Do You Explain These?
By Blake VandeBunte • Mar 3rd, 2009 • Category: 2009 SeasonWe all struggled through the 2009 season. Some people paid a lot of money for tickets to games and got robbed of their money as the team limped through the campaign. It could be worse: At least you’re not paying for the team.
Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors fame put together a list of the 44 worst contracts in baseball. I was talking to Ian about the list and I believe we both that it contained a flaw or two. That being said, lists like this are never perfect but are almost always fun to read.
Of the 44 contracts on the list only one team had five players on the list; The Tigers. A Few teams have three deals on the list and the Giants have four.
Below are some of my personal favorites as long as all of the Tigers on the list.
- Vernon Wells: Knowing what kind of player Wells is now, it seems absurd that the Blue Jays ever thought it would be a good idea to give him $126M. Wells was a very good player a few years but I doubt he was ever worth this deal.
- Alfonso Soriano: Soriano got $136M from the Cubs only two years ago. Apparently most of the money is at the back of the deal and it’s close to impossible to trade him due to his no-trade clauses. I have to imagine the Cubs are regretting this one.
- Barry Zito: Ugh.
- Edgar Renteria: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Good luck with this one, San Francisco.
- Travis Hafner: COUGHsteroidsCOUGH
- Andruw Jones: Remember when he got his deal from the Dodgers prior to last season? It seemed like an okay idea because the pay off would have been huge. Sadly he has completely bombed and the Dodgers paid him to leave the city.
- Todd Helton: The Rockies gave him a $141.5M contract in 2001. It’s hard to remember way back then but teams were flush with cash and the long ball was all the rage. Times have changed and his contract looks awful. However, he is the face of the franchise and what else were they going to do?
- Gary Sheffield: The trade to get Sheffield made sense. The 2006 Tigers lacked some pop and Sheff was supposed to be the answer. Sadly, they had to sign him to a big extension to make the trade happen and how we’re stuck watching him struggle through seasons, complaining and cashing checks. Too bad it hasn’t worked out.
- Jeremy Bonderman: I’m with Ian on this one. I think if the Tigers had to do this one all over again they would. Bonderman was a young pitcher on the rise and the Tigers got him to sign a reasonable deal at the time. Jeremy is still owed a lot of money and obviously when he is hurt he’s just not worth the money. I have no problem with this contract at all.
- Dontrelle Willis: This one seemed shady at the time and it looks worse by the minute doesn’t it? Willis has been a total disaster and things do not appear to be getting much better. The Tigers are stuck with him unless they want to pay him to leave.
- Nate Robertson: Bah, another bad one. I’m not sure it belongs on this list though given that it is only a three year deal and it pays him only about $7M a season. Nate has never been a great pitcher though and probably didn’t really deserve this contract.
- Brandon Inge: I remember hating this at the time, but that’s just how things go with Brandon Inge and me. Inge has had roughly 1.5 seasons of offensive success over the course of his entire career. No one that limited offensively should ever get paid $6M a season. That’s just me. I think management likes Inge because of his versatility. There is something to be said for that and I think Inge has tremendous value you there. I just don’t think a utility player or a .220 hitter should get that much cash.
Go ahead and click on the link above. It’s a fun list to just take a peak at for a moment. Dierkes doesn’t provide too much commentary which is nice, just the facts.
Blake VandeBunte is a posting fiend.
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