BTB with a "worst contract" poll

by Adam J. Morris on Mar 17, 2009 10:15 AM CDT

Beyond the Box Score is running a poll on the worst contract in baseball...

There is one current Ranger on there (two, if you count Andruw Jones), along with quite a few former Rangers and several guys who the Rangers aggressively pursued in the free agent market...

Go check it out and vote...

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I voted Vernon Wells

$18 M per for 7 years and a career .332 obp and atrocious defense (at least last year).

Doctor please. Some more of these.

by tricer on Mar 17, 2009 10:28 AM CDT reply actions

There are some amazingly bad contracts out there

You people who act like Michael Young is anywhere close to the top are quite simply wrong.

Other than Zito, my favorite worst is Jason Schmidt. I was talking to someone about the Dodgers, and I said “I think he’s getting paid 5 years, 50 million” – oops. I should have said 3/47! Wow.

by JBImaknee on Mar 17, 2009 10:34 AM CDT reply actions

People are quite smily wrong for thinking the back end of MY's contract couldn't be close to as bad as Schmidt's?

And That Happened: Sports with a Hint of Sarcasm

by philkid3 on Mar 17, 2009 1:49 PM CDT up reply actions

Yes

In 5 years, Michael Young will be making roughly $16/year for probably being a league average, or lower, third baseman.

Jason Schmidt is making $16/year for not even playing…

I’m pretty sure that by any metric, unless Young is providing negative wins by being on the field, Jason Schmidt’s contract is worse. Unless Schmidt comes back to pre-injury form, which is less likely than Young remaining an all-star throughout that contract.

by JBImaknee on Mar 17, 2009 2:12 PM CDT up reply actions

Selig for sure

by thad728 on Mar 17, 2009 10:39 AM CDT reply actions

I'd dispute that

The league has made oodles of money under him, he’s not nearly as overpaid as most of those players.

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by t ball on Mar 17, 2009 10:54 AM CDT up reply actions

I think that MLB

would have made oodles of money with almost anyone as commissioner the past 15 years (or however long he’s been commisioner).

"A good start would be not giving up 900 runs again." -Jon Daniels

by Randy Richardson on Mar 18, 2009 10:58 AM CDT up reply actions

Possibly

but compared to other businesses with $6B or so in revenue his compensation doesn’t seem outrageous.

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by t ball on Mar 18, 2009 1:34 PM CDT up reply actions

and to clarify

Selig is overpaid, yes. But worst contract on that list? No way, not even close.

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by t ball on Mar 18, 2009 1:35 PM CDT up reply actions

Disagree that he is overpaid

CEO’s of major corporations that make the type of money that MLB is make alot more than $15M or whatever Uncle Bud is getting.

"He will not coddle them. Nolan Ryan doesn’t coddle." - Jeff Passan

by Dirk Diggler on Mar 18, 2009 2:05 PM CDT up reply actions

Right

but those CEOs are all overpaid, too, in my opinion. See my post directly above about other corps with $6B in revenue.

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by t ball on Mar 18, 2009 2:32 PM CDT up reply actions

Well ok

fundamental disagreement in the worth of a top executive I guess. I’ve worked for multiple billion dollar corporations (both private and public) and I’ve never had a problem with the top execs making that type of money as long as the company is prospering. They are usually well well worth it.

"He will not coddle them. Nolan Ryan doesn’t coddle." - Jeff Passan

by Dirk Diggler on Mar 18, 2009 2:47 PM CDT up reply actions

It's not the dollar amounts

themselves that get me, it’s the increase in recent years of the spread, or multiple, from bottom to top in most corporations. I haven’t seen the exact numbers in a while, but is used to be the CEOs made, on average, something like 15 times the average Joe at their company. Now that multiple is much, much higher, and in most cases the performances does NOT seem to warrant such excessive compensation.

The compensation system is broken.

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by t ball on Mar 18, 2009 3:06 PM CDT up reply actions

Fair enough

But I wouldn’t say “most cases” — that’s a pretty gross generalization of the issue.

"He will not coddle them. Nolan Ryan doesn’t coddle." - Jeff Passan

by Dirk Diggler on Mar 18, 2009 3:34 PM CDT up reply actions

I disagree...

I think in most cases CEO’s do make at least 15 times what the average employee of that company makes. I know that is the case with the company I’m currently with.

"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates

by slc ranger on Mar 18, 2009 3:40 PM CDT up reply actions

No I meant that

“in most cases the performances does NOT seem to warrant such excessive compensation”

I think it’s a gross generalization to say that most of the team it is not warranted — and I also think it is a generalization to say it is “excessive” — but that goes back to a fundamental disagreement on the worth of a top exec like I said earlier.

"He will not coddle them. Nolan Ryan doesn’t coddle." - Jeff Passan

by Dirk Diggler on Mar 18, 2009 3:46 PM CDT up reply actions

Agreed

I could word that differently and still get my main point across. Many cases, let’s say. Too many.

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by t ball on Mar 18, 2009 5:04 PM CDT up reply actions

I also disagree.

by Mike E on Mar 17, 2009 11:18 AM CDT up reply actions

Interesting to see

Hafner making the list.

Get off my lawn.

by DJCahill on Mar 17, 2009 10:48 AM CDT reply actions

Keep in mind that all these contracts were nominated by our readers.

Any nominations that were rec’d at least three times made the poll. The list isn’t objective or the opinion of BtB authors.

Beyond the Boxscore // Calling BJ Upton lazy is lazy.

by Sky Kalkman on Mar 17, 2009 10:53 AM CDT reply actions

Too bad it's not "past" contracts

then we could bitch about the “Ho” some more… :)

I'd love for part of the "new look" to be a return to the red uniforms of the 1990s. - Ian Kinsler

by ortonius on Mar 17, 2009 11:19 AM CDT reply actions

GMJ needs more votes

$ 10 million per for a now disgruntled 5th outfielder. That one still makes me chuckle at the most inopportune times.

Zito’s contract is bad in hindsight and probably pretty bad. But at least he hasn’t gotten hurt.

Schmidt’s contract was pretty indefensible. Carpenter’s didn’t look bad at the time, as everyone thought he was going to stay healthy.

Ira

by iblum on Mar 17, 2009 11:58 AM CDT reply actions

Forgot Juan Pierre

That one is the equivalent of a 9 pitch, 3 strikeout inning.

1) bad player
2) blocks a prospect
3) too much for too long.

Its a triple play!!!!!

by iblum on Mar 17, 2009 12:00 PM CDT up reply actions

So Barry Zito is the undisputed leader followed by GMJ, Andruw and Pierre. The two LA teams are responsible for 3/4ths of the worst contracts in baseball. People complain about the Yankees, but at least they only overpay good players.

Signature! I don't need no stinking signature!!

by DerekSTheRed on Mar 17, 2009 12:03 PM CDT reply actions