The Pujols situation got me wondering, not enough to do a WAR analysis, but just an eye test, which big money long-term contracts did not result in regret?
From Cot's:
Total Value
The most lucrative contracts in baseball history, by total value:
1. Alex Rodriguez, $275,000,000 (2008-17)
2. Alex Rodriguez, $252,000,000 (2001-10) (Debatable, I'm sure the Rangers regret it and they signed it, but the Yanks were ok with it.)
3. Derek Jeter, $189,000,000 (2001-10)
4. Joe Mauer, $184,000,000 (2011-18)
5. Mark Teixeira, $180,000,000 (2009-16)
6. CC Sabathia, $161,000,000 (2009-15) (Even if he opts out, I don't think the Yanks regret it, he brought them a World Series.)
7. Manny Ramirez, $160,000,000 (2001-08)
8. Troy Tulowitzki, $157,750,000 (2011-20)
9. Miguel Cabrera, $152,300,000 (2008-15)
10. Carl Crawford, $142,000,000 (2011-17)
11. Todd Helton, $141,500,000 (2003-11)
12. Johan Santana, $137,500,000 (2008-13)
13. Alfonso Soriano, $136,000,000 (2007-14)
14. Vernon Wells, $126,000,000 (2008-14)
. . . Barry Zito, $126,000,000 (2007-13)
. . . Jayson Werth, $126,000,000 (2011-17)
17. Ryan Howard, $125,000,000 (2012-16)
18. Mike Hampton, $121,000,000 (2001-08)
19. Jason Giambi, $120,000,000 (2002-08)
. . . Matt Holliday, $120,000,000 (2010-16)
. . . Cliff Lee, $120,000,000 (2011-15)
22. Carlos Beltran, $119,000,000 (2005-11)
23. Ken Griffey Jr., $116,500,000 (2000-08)
24. Kevin Brown, $105,000,000 (1999-2005)
25. Carlos Lee, $100,000,000 (2007-12)
. . . Albert Pujols, $100,000,000 (2004-10)
27. Carlos Zambrano, $91,500,000 (2008-12)
28. Mike Piazza, $91,000,000 (1999-2005)
. . . Barry Bonds, $90,000,000 (2002-06)
. . . Torii Hunter, $90,000,000 (2008-12)
. . . Chipper Jones, $90,000,000 (2001-06)
. . . Scott Rolen, $90,000,000 (2003-10) (??? No opinion, doesn't seem too bad?)
. . . Ichiro Suzuki, $90,000,000 (2008-12)
Bold - No regret
Italic - Regret
Plain - TBD
It's not a very good track record and I think we can guess a lot of the TBD's will be regretted eventually, Werth, Howard, Teixiera to a degree, though he also helped win a championship, I suspect Crawford will be the next Wells. I think Mauer will not be worth his contract on the field, but I don't think the Twins will regret it. I don't think the Tigers will regret Cabrera by 2015, he may tail off, but they will have gotten their money's worth. Hunter should be ok through next season. Cliff Lee should be fine through '15 and the Phils will probably have some championships to show for that signing, so I suspect no regrets. Too early to tell with Tulo and Holliday, could go either way.
From Cot's:
Total Value
The most lucrative contracts in baseball history, by total value:
1. Alex Rodriguez, $275,000,000 (2008-17)
2. Alex Rodriguez, $252,000,000 (2001-10) (Debatable, I'm sure the Rangers regret it and they signed it, but the Yanks were ok with it.)
3. Derek Jeter, $189,000,000 (2001-10)
4. Joe Mauer, $184,000,000 (2011-18)
5. Mark Teixeira, $180,000,000 (2009-16)
6. CC Sabathia, $161,000,000 (2009-15) (Even if he opts out, I don't think the Yanks regret it, he brought them a World Series.)
7. Manny Ramirez, $160,000,000 (2001-08)
8. Troy Tulowitzki, $157,750,000 (2011-20)
9. Miguel Cabrera, $152,300,000 (2008-15)
10. Carl Crawford, $142,000,000 (2011-17)
11. Todd Helton, $141,500,000 (2003-11)
12. Johan Santana, $137,500,000 (2008-13)
13. Alfonso Soriano, $136,000,000 (2007-14)
14. Vernon Wells, $126,000,000 (2008-14)
. . . Barry Zito, $126,000,000 (2007-13)
. . . Jayson Werth, $126,000,000 (2011-17)
17. Ryan Howard, $125,000,000 (2012-16)
18. Mike Hampton, $121,000,000 (2001-08)
19. Jason Giambi, $120,000,000 (2002-08)
. . . Matt Holliday, $120,000,000 (2010-16)
. . . Cliff Lee, $120,000,000 (2011-15)
22. Carlos Beltran, $119,000,000 (2005-11)
23. Ken Griffey Jr., $116,500,000 (2000-08)
24. Kevin Brown, $105,000,000 (1999-2005)
25. Carlos Lee, $100,000,000 (2007-12)
. . . Albert Pujols, $100,000,000 (2004-10)
27. Carlos Zambrano, $91,500,000 (2008-12)
28. Mike Piazza, $91,000,000 (1999-2005)
. . . Barry Bonds, $90,000,000 (2002-06)
. . . Torii Hunter, $90,000,000 (2008-12)
. . . Chipper Jones, $90,000,000 (2001-06)
. . . Scott Rolen, $90,000,000 (2003-10) (??? No opinion, doesn't seem too bad?)
. . . Ichiro Suzuki, $90,000,000 (2008-12)
Bold - No regret
Italic - Regret
Plain - TBD
It's not a very good track record and I think we can guess a lot of the TBD's will be regretted eventually, Werth, Howard, Teixiera to a degree, though he also helped win a championship, I suspect Crawford will be the next Wells. I think Mauer will not be worth his contract on the field, but I don't think the Twins will regret it. I don't think the Tigers will regret Cabrera by 2015, he may tail off, but they will have gotten their money's worth. Hunter should be ok through next season. Cliff Lee should be fine through '15 and the Phils will probably have some championships to show for that signing, so I suspect no regrets. Too early to tell with Tulo and Holliday, could go either way.
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