Biggest Contract Blunders

[MikeG]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/2005/12/21/contracts.botched/content.1.html

 

Here are just the ones from the MLB:

 

Jody Reed

Dodgers, 1993

The infielder rejected a three-year, $7.8 million offer, hoping to get more on the open market. Instead, he got a minor league contract with the Brewers. To replace the departed Reed, the Dodgers traded a young Pedro Martinez to the Expos for Delino DeShields, one of the most lopsided deals in history.

 

MLB Umpires

1999

Frustrated by contract talks with MLB, the umpires union sent in 57 resignations as a negotiating ploy. The move backfired when MLB accepted 22 of the resignations, including Eric Gregg's (left). Three of the umpires were rehired in December 2004.

 

Juan Gonzalez

Tigers, 2000

Desperate to make a splash, the Tigers traded for this two-time MVP and offered him an eight-year, $148 million contract. Gonzalez rejected the offer, partly because he didn't like the cavernous dimensions of Comerica Park. He's been playing on one-year contracts ever since.

 

Nomar Garciaparra

Red Sox, 2003

He rejected a four-year, $60 million extension, as well as a four-year, $48 million offer, because he felt he deserved "A-Rod/Jeter Money." A year later, Garciaparra was traded to the Cubs, where he signed a one-year deal for 2005 worth about $8 million and is now a Dodger after signing a similar one-year contract.

 

Miguel Cairo

Yankees, 2004

Emboldened by a strong season in pinstripes (.292 average), Cairo wanted more than the Yankees' offer of $3 million for two years. The Bombers signed Tony Womack instead, and Cairo had to settle for a one-year, $900,000 contract with the Mets.

[BigbadB]

Can we add Johnny Damon's 7/84m request, which no team came anywhere near?

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Can we add Johnny Damon's 7/84m request, which no team came anywhere near?

 

It got him 13/yr from the Yanks. I'd say that's not too shabby.

[cubbieinexile]

Rob Neyer is coming out with a book next spring about baseballs biggest blunders, it will probably have some of these.

 

Anyway I recall a draftee pitcher holding out for some high bonus a few years back, never got it renetered the draft asked for a high sum again never got it, and a few years later ended up playing minor league ball for a few thousand. He walked away from several million dollars because he wanted more and ended up never getting it. I believe Colorado was one of the teams that drafted him, anyone remember him?

[E.J.]

The Juan Gonzalez turning down an 8-year contract has to be the best by far. Who turns down a guaranteed $100+ million dollar contract? Insane.

[Tedward]

Rob Neyer is coming out with a book next spring about baseballs biggest blunders, it will probably have some of these.

 

Anyway I recall a draftee pitcher holding out for some high bonus a few years back, never got it renetered the draft asked for a high sum again never got it, and a few years later ended up playing minor league ball for a few thousand. He walked away from several million dollars because he wanted more and ended up never getting it. I believe Colorado was one of the teams that drafted him, anyone remember him?

 

Matt Harrington

[BeerHere]

Rob Neyer is coming out with a book next spring about baseballs biggest blunders, it will probably have some of these.

 

Anyway I recall a draftee pitcher holding out for some high bonus a few years back, never got it renetered the draft asked for a high sum again never got it, and a few years later ended up playing minor league ball for a few thousand. He walked away from several million dollars because he wanted more and ended up never getting it. I believe Colorado was one of the teams that drafted him, anyone remember him?

 

You're referring to Matt Harrington. He was a high school pitcher who refused a pretty decent contract for more $$$. Boras was his agent and recommended that he reenter the draft. He played in the indy league and didn't impress. That, coupled with his high demands, led to him being drafted much lower the next year. I think he eventually signed as a 5th(?) rounder for several million less than the offer from Colorado.

 

I may be screwing up the details, but the simple fact is that he passed on millions for more and ended up screwing himself severely in the process.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Rob Neyer is coming out with a book next spring about baseballs biggest blunders, it will probably have some of these.

 

Anyway I recall a draftee pitcher holding out for some high bonus a few years back, never got it renetered the draft asked for a high sum again never got it, and a few years later ended up playing minor league ball for a few thousand. He walked away from several million dollars because he wanted more and ended up never getting it. I believe Colorado was one of the teams that drafted him, anyone remember him?

 

Matt Harrington

 

Speaking of Harrington, this is a good read.

[adamb0719]

I remember hearing about this, but wondered if it happens a lot. A player was traded for a PTBNL, and the previously traded player, became the PTBNL. I believe it was an Expos player, in the situation I am thinking of.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I remember hearing about this, but wondered if it happens a lot. A player was traded for a PTBNL, and the previously traded player, became the PTBNL. I believe it was an Expos player, in the situation I am thinking of.

 

Happens all the time. The Cubs did it with Alan Benes I believe.

[HerbalK]

And just last year with Jimmy Anderson. And we got Andrew Shipman out of the deal, as well.

[Sabermetrician]

Latrell Sprewell...

 

Oh - baseball only?

[cubbieinexile]

Orginally Harrington was with Tanzer after several botched negotiations in which he turned down almost 4.5 million dollars because he wanted 5 Matt fired Tanzer and then signed on with Boras. With Boras he rejected a 1.25 million dollar deal with the Padres the next year. Then he was drafted by the DRays the next year for very little. He turned them down too. Then the Reds drafted him the next year he turned them down. The next year the Yankees drafted him, not sure if he signed. I don't think he did.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Orginally Harrington was with Tanzer after several botched negotiations in which he turned down almost 4.5 million dollars because he wanted 5 Matt fired Tanzer and then signed on with Boras. With Boras he rejected a 1.25 million dollar deal with the Padres the next year. Then he was drafted by the DRays the next year for very little. He turned them down too. Then the Reds drafted him the next year he turned them down. The next year the Yankees drafted him, not sure if he signed. I don't think he did.

 

Draft pick by round

2000 - 1st - 7 overall

2001 - 2nd - 58 overall

2002 - 13th - 374 overall

2003 - 24th - 711 overall

2004 - 36th - 1089 overall

 

I cannot find anything that says he signed.

[ltb]

Can we add Johnny Damon's 7/84m request, which no team came anywhere near?

 

no, that's boras talking. if you're adding this, then you're also adding beltran's 10/200 request from last year.

[cubweiser03]

Orginally Harrington was with Tanzer after several botched negotiations in which he turned down almost 4.5 million dollars because he wanted 5 Matt fired Tanzer and then signed on with Boras. With Boras he rejected a 1.25 million dollar deal with the Padres the next year. Then he was drafted by the DRays the next year for very little. He turned them down too. Then the Reds drafted him the next year he turned them down. The next year the Yankees drafted him, not sure if he signed. I don't think he did.

 

I think his dad was a real jerk in the negotiations too. Colorado couldnt stand him.

 

What about Millwood. Didnt he turn a multi year deal for like $12M+. Accepted arbitration and thereafter got single season deals. Cleveland didnt pay him much last year.

[TXCubsFan]

The Cubs signing of Todd Hundley was one of the worst contracts ever. Even worse was the Dodgers trading Grudz and Karros for Hundley.

[GaryWoods]

I remember hearing about this, but wondered if it happens a lot. A player was traded for a PTBNL, and the previously traded player, became the PTBNL. I believe it was an Expos player, in the situation I am thinking of.

 

I remember Dickie Noles being traded to the Tigers for Dickie Noles back in about 1986.

[BigbadB]

Can we add Johnny Damon's 7/84m request, which no team came anywhere near?

 

no, that's boras talking. if you're adding this, then you're also adding beltran's 10/200 request from last year.

 

I'd be fine with adding that one too. It most certainly falls under ridiculous contract demands, which sorta classifies.

 

Randy Myers had some ridiculous contract. He made 14m in the final two years of that deal and never pitched an inning in 1999 or 2000 with the Padres.

 

Denny Neagle pitched 170 innings in 2001, 164 innings in 2002, 35 innings in 2003 and none in 2004, and received an average of 8m a year each of those 4 years to do so. Oh, and he never posted an ERA lower than 5.26.

 

Looks like Albert Belle was signed by Baltimore in 1998 to a 5/60m deal, and Albert gave Baltimore 302 games over 2 seasons.

 

The Mo Vaughn deal was pretty horrible. Especially when the Mets got ahold of him.

[SouthSideRyan]

Orginally Harrington was with Tanzer after several botched negotiations in which he turned down almost 4.5 million dollars because he wanted 5 Matt fired Tanzer and then signed on with Boras. With Boras he rejected a 1.25 million dollar deal with the Padres the next year. Then he was drafted by the DRays the next year for very little. He turned them down too. Then the Reds drafted him the next year he turned them down. The next year the Yankees drafted him, not sure if he signed. I don't think he did.

 

I think his dad was a real jerk in the negotiations too. Colorado couldnt stand him.

 

What about Millwood. Didnt he turn a multi year deal for like $12M+. Accepted arbitration and thereafter got single season deals. Cleveland didnt pay him much last year.

 

The multi year deal was another Boras thing. Going out saying he had multiple offers of 5/50, teams called his bluff, and he had to go back to Philly for abotu 1/10.

[rork73]

Can we add Johnny Damon's 7/84m request, which no team came anywhere near?

 

That's not a blunder, it's good negotiating. Although he does play this trick every year and teams keep falling for it.

 

Guess most managers aren't very smart people, since the first thing you learn with negotiating is never to comply to deadlines, minimum contract demands, crap like that.

Guess Boras knows who he's dealing with ;)

[NorthsideAvenger]

http://www.sptimes.com/2002/06/16/Columns/He_still_loves_baseba.shtml

It's old, but a good read nonetheless...

 

Don't know it that was a "spin" article, but Tanzer and Matt's family DID HIM NO FAVORS, whatsoever. Don't get me wrong, Matt came off as naive, but as the guy pinned

Legal issues aside, there is plenty of blame to share. Did Tanzer allow his emotions to affect his counsel? Did the Harringtons confuse respect for cash?

, I think the Harrington's (that name is jinx right now in sports...Matt and Joey being KNUCKLEHEADS, mind you) saw the "pot of gold at the end of the rainbow", and deciding that wasn't enough, and that they wanted more, hence going from Tanzer to Boras. Defamation suits, alledge slander, heated arguments....that is the textbook of how NOT to negotiate.

 

But here is the current Matt Harrington:

 

http://www.fwcats.com/players.cfm?player_id=88

[frostwyrm]

The NHL Players Association's blunder is tops IMO, because it damaged every player's career and earnings throughout an entire sport, as well as doing grievous harm to the overall health of the sport. That's much more impressive than an individual act of stupidity that only hurts one person.

 

Having said that, I still have to give Nomar Glassiaparra props for turning down 4yrs/$60M.

[JC]

The Cubs signing of Todd Hundley was one of the worst contracts ever. Even worse was the Dodgers trading Grudz and Karros for Hundley.

 

I disagree. While Hundley's contract may have provided little return in retrospect, it was a decent contract when signed.

 

I still believe that Hundley's struggles with the Cubs resulted from Don Baylor's mishandling combined with Hundley's immaturity.

[GaryWoods]

The Cubs signing of Todd Hundley was one of the worst contracts ever. Even worse was the Dodgers trading Grudz and Karros for Hundley.

 

I disagree. While Hundley's contract may have provided little return in retrospect, it was a decent contract when signed.

 

I still believe that Hundley's struggles with the Cubs resulted from Don Baylor's mishandling combined with Hundley's immaturity.

 

It may have had something to do with his inability to keep his eye on the middle ball after a night out on the town, to.

 

Totally agree about Baylor, though. Didn't he frequently give Todd a day off the game after a solid performance at the plate? Hard to get anything going that way.

 

And about the contract: 3 years, 3.5mil-6.5mil-6.5mil really doesn't seem bad at all for a solid defensive catcher coming off a .384/.375/.579 season and returning to the team his dad played for.