The Ten Worst Contracts in Recent Tigers History
In the coming years, 2010 will be viewed as the year of the injury and the year the dead money came off the books. The list for both is crucial to why this team isn’t leading the American League Central. But for the injuries and horrid contracts, I believe this team would have a five game lead in the division (if not more). In my mind, bad contracts are much more preventable than injuries. Both are part of the game, but when a team has $52.4 million tied into lousy contracts, nearly $23 million of that of which isn’t even on the team anymore, it’s inexcusable.
IASID looks at the ten worst contracts in recent Tigers history:
10. Adam Everett – one year, $1.55M – He’s part of the $23M not on the team anymore. Everett did not catch on with another team after the Tigers released him on June 6.
9. Dean Palmer – five years, $35M – Deano came to the Tigers after some good years in Texas and a monster year in Kansas City. He had two very good years to start his five year deal here, but wasn’t even serviceable for the last half of it. Over the final three years of the deal, he played in 87 out of a possible 486 games.
8. Steve Sparks – two years, $7.5M – In 2001, Sparks won 14 games and finished with a 3.65 ERA. The Tigers promptly rewarded him with a two year deal. He proceeded to go 8-16 with an ERA of 5.52 in 2002 and wasn’t a Tiger in 2003.
7. Bobby Higginson – four years, $35M – Higgy Bobbinson was about as average as Major Leaguers come. Then one year he decided he’d go out and hit 30 bombs, drive in 100 and hit .300. Call me crazy, but I suspect something fishy went on during that offseason. This is the same guy who I saw fight with a local establishment’s door that clearly said “pull” on it for about 20 seconds (he was pushing it like a mad man). He then walked out to his valeted Bentley and drove away. He proceeded to argue a third strike (which was right down the pipe) in his first at bat of the 1:05 game the next day with the sole intention of getting tossed (he was). Apparently the hangover hadn’t worn off. Fool.
6. Carlos Guillen – four years, $48M – When Guillen is healthy, he’s a fairly nice player. The problem: he’s rarely healthy. Since signing the lucrative deal, he has played in 255 out of a possible 419 games. And it wasn’t like he had an injury-riddled history before they backed the truck up to his house. Oh yeah, he’s currently on the 15-day DL.
5. Brandon Inge – two years, $11.5M – Some would argue that Inge’s previous contract (four years for $24M from 2007-’10) was terrible, but this one was worse. It was so bad that Inge was designated for assignment in July of 2011 and no other team claimed him (because they didn’t want to take on the contract). If he isn’t waived before the end of the season, the contract will almost certainly be bought out for $500,000 because, oh yeah, it has a club option for 2013.
4. Damion Easley – four years, $27M – Easley will be the guy remembered as the first who the Tigers let walk while still owing him $8M+. The Tigers acted as though 20 bombs out of a second baseman had never been done before.
3. Gary Sheffield – two years, $28M – It’s a shame that someone thought it’d be a good idea to give a 38 year old $28M over two years. It’s a bigger shame that someone thought it was alright to give him Alan Trammell’s number.
2. Nate Robertson – three years, $22M – Nate Bob was given to the Marlins prior to this year. The Tigers took on everything but about $500k. Over the first two years or the deal, Nate went 9-14 with a 6.12 ERA. It’s too bad too cuz Nate is a class act. While Nate had about 1/100th of the talent Pedro Martinez ever had, he could easily beat him in a class off.
1. Dontrelle Willis – three years, $30M – Sure, if there is no D-Train in a Tigers uniform, there is no Miguel Cabrera. However, they didn’t have to extend his deal before he ever stepped foot on the Comerica Park rubber. Over the three year stretch, Willis went 2-8 with a 6.86 ERA. He only threw 100 innings. Prior to coming to Detroit, he averaged over 200 innings…per season! This is a shame too cuz D-Train is a good person. He was his toughest critic and that may have ended up doing in him.
Category: Detroit Tigers, Featured, MLB
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They threw monopoly money at Juan Gonzalez. I'm surprised he didn't make the list.
Had he signed it, he would have been top five.
8 years, $148 million, I'm not sure they could have recovered from that disaster.
Very good !!!
Great post.
You're forgetting Mags' 105 million…let's be honest D-town loves the ALCS walk-off moment. But not the "maybe if cut my hair I'll stop hitting .193"
Which of these guys should be replaced with Magglio?