Are these massively expensive long term contracts really worth it to the team ?

[wannabegriffey]

1. Giancarlo Stanton, $325,000,000 (2015-27) - we'll find out but 12 years is a loooooooong time

2. Alex Rodriguez, $275,000,000 (2008-17) - just about the stupidest re-negotiation I have witnessed

3. Alex Rodriguez, $252,000,000 (2001-10) - start to opt out, this contract was well worth the money (but we didn't know about his enhancers)

4. Miguel Cabrera, $248,000,000 (2016-23) - extension signed with 2 years left...2014 had 2nd lowest hr total and highest doubles total for a season...obp was 2nd lowest since 2005

5. Albert Pujols, $240,000,000 (2012-21) - where are those 1.000 obp seasons ? St.L proves again why they are the best (letting their 'face of the franchise' walk)

… Robinson Cano, $240,000,000 (2014-23) - going to be in his 40's as contract winds down...it won't be pretty

7. Joey Votto, $225,000,000 (2014-23) - signed his current deal with 2 years to go on previous contract...has played 1 full season in 3, accumulating all of 73 rbi that season and 79 combined in the two injury plagued seasons...as a 1b, we expect more

8. Clayton Kershaw, $215,000,000 (2014-20) - a pitcher...I don't hold much faith that he'll be 2014 good for the duration and its $30 mil a season

9. Prince Fielder, $214,000,000 (2012-20) - after 8 straight years of playing virtually every game, missed significant time this season...2013 was below his usual, a sign of the future ?

10. Derek Jeter, $189,000,000 (2001-10) - 7 of the 10 seasons he garned mvp votes

11. Joe Mauer, $184,000,000 (2011-18) - injuries in 3 of the 4 seasons into this contract, now at 1b which is a big defensive drop from catcher

12. Mark Teixeira, $180,000,000 (2009-16) - lots of injuries...hasn't been good over a whole season since 2011...hasn't been great since 2009 (1st year of contract)

. . . Justin Verlander, $180,000,000 (2013-19) - signed current contract with 2 years remaining on previous deal...it would seem the innings are catching up already

14. Felix Hernandez, $175,000,000 (2013-19) - another player who signed current contract before previous deal was up...the King has been so good for so long, I'll call him the a.l.'s Kershaw

15. Buster Posey, $167,000,000 (2013-21) - 2 years into current deal, production only slightly below his mvp in 2012

16. CC Sabathia, $161,000,000 (2009-15) - yanks gave him the re-up after cc opted out...certainly not looking like the same player who produced for this contract

17. Manny Ramirez, $160,000,000 (2001-08) - probably the best result from a long term massive contract...had mvp votes almost every year and boston won a couple of world series

. . . Matt Kemp, $160,000,000 (2012-19) - signed after his stolen mvp season...hasn't hit double digits in steals since...finally played a full season in year 3 of contract...now in hitter's hell of s.d.

19. Troy Tulowitzki, $157,750,000 (2011-20) - 4 years in, he just can not stay healthy...great hitter when he is in the lineup though

20. Masahiro Tanaka, $155,000,000 (2014-20) - year 1? great except for the 15 starts he missed...probably heading for a tommy john at some point too

[joncarlos]

I think the Jeter deal is what you hope for, but what amazes me is that very few of these deals end up "just OK" - they're either a disaster or they're amazing. If Teixeira can put up a couple of 2-3 win seasons in the last 2 years of his deal, he could move into the "meh" range (5.1 WAR and a WS in '09, 3 WAR in '10-11).

Cano was a 6-win player last year. He could easily post enough good years to make the last 3 years of his deal worth writing off. Pujols has a 4 WAR and 3 WAR season in his 3 years in ANA, but I'd say he's less likely to keep posting 3-4 WAR seasons for another 3-4 years.

[joncarlos]

Also, if the Yankees had let CC go after he opted out, that first deal would have been a massive win for them.