Major League Baseball's Most Overpaid Players
Baseball Salaries That Make General Managers Cringe
May 23, 2009
Most of the players on this list fall into one of two distinct categories. Either their careers have been slowed down by injuries after signing their new contract, or they experienced a "breakout season" which turned out to be the exception rather than the rule.
Gary Matthews, Jr. 5 Year Deal with Angels
This one is a bit of a head scratcher. In 2006, Matthews signed a gaudy 5 year, $50 million deal with the Angels after having a career year with the Texas Rangers. Somehow the Angels were under the delusion that the then 31-year old Matthews was in the midst of breaking out and becoming a premier outfielder. Whoops. It turns out that 2006 is the only year in Matthews entire career which he finished with an average over .276 and was one of only 4 years during which he played more than 109 games.
Eric Chavez 6 Year Deal with A's
Perhaps it isn't completely fair to put Chavez on this list, because his biggest problem has been injuries. However, having $11 million a season sitting on the disabled list cannot be misconstrued as good. Chavez signed a $66 million, 6 year deal in 2004 and has seen both his batting average and power numbers drop since then. More importantly, he has spent the better part of the last 3 seasons off the field recovering from various injuries.
Barry Zito 7 Year Deal with Giants
Almost unquestionably the worst contract in baseball. After winning the Cy Young in 2002 and having several more productive seasons with the Oakland A's, Zito signed a monstrous 7 year, $126 million contract with the Giants in 2006, and has been brutal since then. Going a combined 21-30 in 2007 and 2008, Zito has not reached the 200 innings mark in either season and set new career highs for earned run average in each successive season. Not happy numbers for an $18 million a year player.
Jason Schmidt 3 Year Deal with Dodgers
Another player who has been bitten by the injury bug. After spending several years as the anchor of the Giants rotation, Schmidt signed a 3 year, $47 million deal after the '06 season. Since that time, Schmidt has made a grand total of 6 starts, compiling a 1-4 record with an ERA north of 6. All of his 6 starts were made in the 2007 season, and he spent the remainder of that season and the entirety of the 2008 season recuperating from injury.
Travis Hafner 4 Year Deal with Indians
The 32 year old Indians designated hitter battled a debilitating injury throughout all of 2008 and missed all but 57 games. During the time he was in the lineup, Hafner batted only .197 with 5 home runs and 24 RBIs, making him more of a hindrance to the lineup than a help. His contract was signed in the midst of the 2007 season, during which the Indians won the AL Central Division and made it to the American League Championship series. The contract is worth $57 million over 4 years, a salary cap hit that will be dificult to absorb without significant production.
Carlos Silva 4 Year Deal with Mariners
Another starting pitcher makes the list. Silva had the good fortune to enter the free agent market in a year where starting pitching was at a premium, with virtually no top flight pitchers on the market. Silva cashed in to the tune of 4 years and $48 million. For a pitcher who had only twice broken the 200 inning mark and recorded an ERA under 4 the same number of times, Silva broke the bank. Unfortunately for the Mariners, paying more money for a mediocre pitcher does not make them better. Silva has nose dived since joining the team, recording a 6.46 ERA with an opponent batting average of .331 in 2008 to go along with a 4-15 record.
