Hi Boston, I'm here to stay.

What? You expect me to play?

Don't complain to me, call Theo.

20. Vernon Wells, $126,000,000 (2008-14)
. . . Barry Zito, $126,000,000 (2007-13)
. . . Jayson Werth, $126,000,000 (2011-17)

So the lesson learned is never hand out a $126,000,000 contract. That number is cursed.

Actually 142 million

LOL! Didn't pick up on that when I cut and pasted the list. But I guess you have a point.

Baseball has become a joke. Teams that want to sign these type players for long term contracts run this risk all the time yet if they don't go after these type players the team usually stinks. Can't win for losing. Nonetheless even though I was ok with this signing we way overpaid. Looks like another contract that is going to kill us for years.

I yearn for the days before FA {D.a.mn you Curt Flood} when a team built from the draft and their farm system.

..."I yearn for the days before FA {D.a.mn you Curt Flood} when a team built from the draft and their farm system."...

I'm kind of wondering, Randy if you favor owners treating players like chattel. Is that what you're advocating?

Ouch !

Chattel ??

Well I can't say that those days were great for the players, so I don't know if I'd like to go back to that. But at some point there needs to be some collective wisdom among all of MLB about the dangers of contracts this long, and be some reigning in of them. Unfortunately if they even attempt to make that a coordinated effort they'll be accused of collusion by the players. So there will likely always be at least one team willing to throw caution to the winds to sign a marquis free agent player, hoping that will propel them to a championship. Smart teams will try to limit the number of such players they go after though.

Yea, looks like we won't see Crawford this year. Boy, was he a heck of a pick up ! LOL

That won't solve things. There is really NO player you can get value from for such a long contract given that players generally can't become FA's till 28 or 29. Like many have pointed out here 7 years from a guy like Crawford at 29 is stupid given that speed is such a part of his game.

chat·tel
[chat-l] Show IPA
noun
1. Law . a movable article of personal property.
2. any article of tangible property other than land, buildings, and other things annexed to land.
3. a slave.

142 is what Crawford got

Looks like we might have to be bad for a few years to regroup from all these disasters. Does Adrian ever hit home runs? Seems he is always 1 for 2 in every game with a walk. This team is bad this year and might be for a while. Bad contracts eventually catch up to everyone.

Wow--thanks for that !!

Wish it was $142.00 cause that is all he is worth as a player.

on a good day

Well? Is that what you want baseball to return to?

Want the reserve clause reinstated?

There are a few players who wind up being worth it. Miguel Cabrera will likely live up to his contract. Manny really did live up to his, albeit with a bit of personal baggage that came along with it. There are a few others that also might work out. Even A-Rod's initial long contract would have been considered a success if NY hadn't been stupid enough to extend it in 2007. But that's the type of player it makes sense for, someone who broke into the majors at a very young age, and hits free agent service time while still in their mid-20's. But those players are very few in numbers. Most who reach free agency are in their late 20's, and probably shouldn't be given anything longer than a 6 year deal, and many not even that many years.

Man... those 12 ounce curls sure can wear a guy's arm out!