Worst free agent contract of all times...

[southsider2k5]

Glad to see no Sox signings on there.

 

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/jon-heym...t-contract-ever

 

Here's the answer to whether Zito's is the worst free agent contract ever

 

By Jon Heyman | Baseball Insider

 

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- After Giants pitcher Barry Zito's latest spring shellacking today at the hands of the Chicago White Sox, Zito talked about adjustments he needs to make and how he needs to get things going on a "downhill plane.''

 

Sorry, the only downhill plane that's relevant now involves Zito's career and value.

 

After allowing nine hits and five earned runs in 2 1/3 innings and having to throw in the bullpen afterward to hit his pitch count, Zito talked about different little mechanical things he wanted to do better, as if any of it would matter. The only real questions now are whether he feels guilty to continue to be paid like a star when he's barely hanging onto a rotation spot (and only then because of the contract) and whether he thinks he signed the worst free-agent contract ever were not asked.

 

There's no point at this point to all this. He answers in an emotionless monotone, and everyone walks away thinking about the money that is wasted on him. Even if he doesn't seem embarrassed or feel guilty, one must imagine that he has to be -- at least a little. The one question that went beyond what he was working on now and called on him to talk about his hopes for the year, well, he didn't answer that. That may have hit too close to home.

 

These interviews with him are like Groundhog's Day. These minor adjustments haven't mattered for five years, so why would anyone think they matter now. Whatever he's working on isn't working. He is 43-61 with a 4.55 ERA in the first five years of his contract, and signs point to things going downhill from here. As to the relevant question of whether his is the worst free agent deal of alltime, my answer is yes.

 

Here's my top, er bottom, 10.

 

10. A.J. Burnett, $82.5M, 5 years, Yankees. They barely outbid the Braves, and boy are the Braves relieved. With his Toronto contract, one of the most overpaid players of alltime.

 

9. Carl Crawford, $142M, 7 years, Red Sox. I know, I know, it's only one year. But he transformed from one of the league's best players to one of its worst in year on in Boston. Now he will begin year two on the sidelines.

 

8. Jeff Suppan, $42M, 4 years, Brewers. Milwaukee can't afford to be burned by bad deals like this.

 

7. Alfonso Soriano, $136M, 8 years, Cubs. He took advantage of a terrific walk year in Washington in a winter of bad deals.

 

6. Oliver Perez, $36M, 3 years. He was simply worthless in his two years in New York after signing the deal, posting a 6.81 ERA with 100 walks and 99 strikeouts. The only thing that keeps him from being higher on the list is that the other contracts are bigger.

 

5. Mike Hampton, $120M, 8 years, Rockies. He said he went to Colorado for the school system, when in reality, he took them to school.

 

4. Carl Pavano, $39.95M, 4 years, Yankees. He won nine games in New York, earning the nickname from New York Post writer George King of "American Idle,'' for never almost being active, then decided he didn't want to pay his agent fees when in reality the agent was the one who did a brilliant job. Pavano predictably lost that cases, making him 9-9 in the big city.

 

3. Gary Matthews, Jr., $50M, 5 years, Angels. This contract seemed to be nuts at the time, and that proved to be the case.

 

2. John Lackey, $82.5M, 5 years, Red Sox. As if the diminishing ability isn't enough with the spotlight on him he's revealed a few character flaws, as well.

 

1. Zito. $126 million, 7 years, Giants. Five straight losing seasons, with two more to come.

 

So at least Zito wins at something.

[Texsox]

Dunn could make all of those seem like bargains.

[Balta1701]

Dunn could make all of those seem like bargains.

Really, no he can't, when you compare some of the dollar amounts and account for total team salary inflation and overall league revenue increases. He repeats last year 3 more times and he fits on that list but probably doesn't lead it.

 

Crawford and Werth...those are 2 guys with large enough deals that they could lead it.

[justBLAZE]

Is Carl Crawford really a bench player this year?

[Balta1701]

Is Carl Crawford really a bench player this year?

Kinda but probably not really. Ellsbury, Cody Ross, Ryan Sweeney, then some dude named Darnell McDonald who has hit well enough to earn playing time this year are Boston's 5 outfielders.

 

They have a guy named Ryan Kalish who is a legit prospect who could swipe playing time at some point, but he's coming back from an injury. The Ross/Sweeney platoon is likely to take up most of the RF playing time for starters, so he'll at least have a chance.

[southsider2k5]

It would have been interesting to see where Juan Gonzalez ranked if he had signed his 7 year $140 million deal ages ago. I'm also mildly surprised that Jaime Navarro doesn't get more hate for his deal. I know the dollars weren't as big as some, but that was huge money for when it was signed, we could have had Roger Clemens for about the same money, and his best year of the five after that deal was a 5.79 era with 14 losses, in which he led baseball in hits allowed, ER allowed, and wild pitches.

 

That is all without his throwing his teammates under the bus for his suckiness.

[Quin]

HOW DARE HE INSULT THEO!

[caulfield12]

I would tend to go with Werth, going forward.

 

Zito's and Hampton's have always been the classics for pitchers, although the likes of Chan Ho Park, Darren Dreifort and Jason Schmidt deserve consideration, as well as Kevin Brown (seems like the Dodgers always have bad contracts, like when they had Andruw Jones, Pierre and Manny Ramirez simultaneously).

 

I think the Red Sox would rather just see Dice-K and Lackey disappear into thin air. Unfortunately, they're still on the hook for 2 more years of Lackey.

 

Carlos Zambrano should have been close. Chone Figgins. Jose Silva. Milton Bradley. JD Drew.

 

Herschel Walker for the NJ Generals.

Edited March 28, 2012 by caulfield12