Worst ODC Free Agent Signings All-Time
Dec 8, 2015 23:30:07 GMT -5
White Sox GM (Michael) likes this
Post by Bryan (ex WAS) on Dec 8, 2015 23:30:07 GMT -5
The time is near, with just over a week away from the 2015 ODC Free Agency! This is a Ranking of the top 10 worst contracts all-time in ODC history. Which owner might add there name to this list surpassing one of these 10? Will it be you? You will have to find that out next season but for now these are the worst.
| Team | Player | Comments |
 | Carl Crawford | Everyone in the league knew that the worst free agent signing had to be Carl Crawford or Cliff Lee. Crawford signed to a 5-year, $220 million deal back in 2011 with the Tampa Bay Rays on Valentines Day. However, Tampa had a team discount on Crawford which knocked down his average annual salary to 35.2 mil. It is the second largest free agent signing in ODC history second to the one and only Cliff Lee. The Los Angeles Dodgers nearly netted Carl Crawford with a 5-year, $211 million offer. |
 | Derek Lee | Surprise, surprise. Cliff Lee drops below number two despite being paid the most money in ODC history. Derek Lee was signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks back in 2011 to a 4-year, $42 million deal (average annual salary 10.5 mil.) The deal would not be that bad if Derek Lee played even a game with the team. After the signing, Lee called it quits with the game of baseball and the Diamondbacks were stuck owing Lee a huge contract for 4-years. The Baltimore Orioles were nearly stuck with the contract offering a 4-year $40 million deal. |
 | Tsuyoshi Nishioka | The only international free agent being on the list. Nishioka was the bust of all bust for the international signings. Even when the contracts led to arbitration after the deal, Nishioka still made this list. The Seattle Mariners signed Tsuyoshi Nishioka to a whopping 1-year, $25 million deal back in 2011. Nishioka had a brief stint with the team before going back to Japan ultimately pushing the Seattle Mariners rebuild further back. |
 | Cliff Lee | There was no way that the Cliff Lee signing would escape the Top 5. The biggest contract in ODC history and some might say the worst all-time comes in at number 4 here. Cliff Lee quickly jumped in on a huge pay day with the Los Angeles Dodgers just a week after Carl Crawford signed. The team inked him to a 5-year, $240 million deal ($48 million annually.) It is still the largest total amount and annually. A record that is likely never to be broken. Despite the contract, Lee still put up excellent numbers in his 5-year deal. Near the end he struggled which is why he makes it into top 5. The Seattle Mariners were nearly stuck with Lee offering him a 5-year, $235 million deal. |
 | Rickie Weeks | Rickie Weeks somehow managed to convince the Miami Marlins general manager (Kevin), that he was worth a whopping 5-year, $108 million deal. After having a decent 2012 season with the Marlins in 2012. Weeks went to having an abysmal season in 2013. Later being released by the Washington Nationals. |
 | Justin Masterson | The first player not to sign in 2011 on the list is Justin Masterson. Who netted a 5-year, $77.5 million deal, ($15.5 mil annually) back in 2014. Masterson has already been released three times since the signing. The Royals paid a huge price in putting money into Masterson and still owe him quite a bit over the next couple of years. Philadelphia was close to being the team who signed Masterson offering a 5-year, $75 million deal. |
 | B.J. Upton | What happened here? Someone would really overpay on B.J. Upton. Apparently the Tampa Bay Rays paid Upton under the table to sucker the Baltimore Orioles into signing him. Baltimore signed Upton to a 5-year, $100 million deal. His brother Justin might end up joining him on the list if someone decides to overpay on another Upton. Upton has been released and has also been traded for a prospect known as Bobby Bradley, whoever that is. Melvin (B.J.) Upton currently play for the team that signed him to this lack luster of a deal the Baltimore Orioles. |
| Josh Hamilton | The Josh Hamilton signing is the 5th largest signing in ODC history as an annual deal. The Seattle Mariners make the list again by signing Hamilton to a 3-year, $102.9 million deal. The signing of Josh Hamilton drops below some of the other names mainly because he was not released until the last year of his deal and the signing was only a 3-year contract. Kansas City almost tacked on Hamilton to a $27 million deal but ended up getting bailed out. |
 | Carlos Pena | The contract of Pena does not look that bad as the Atlanta Braves signed him to a 5-year, $56 million deal. It was one of the smaller signings on the list but the fact that Pena was released and barely played with what would have been his last 3 years of the signing. It was an easy decision to add Pena to the list. |
| Heath Bell | Last but not least, Heath Bell makes the cut as the only player in the 2012 Free Agency class to make the list. Out of all the bad signings in that year with Pujols ($35), Napoli ($17) and Rollins ($17). Bell beats them out and also is the only relief pitcher to join the list. Heath Bell signed for a 5-year, $52 million deal and has done nothing but retire after a couple of down years. He posted an era in the 5's with the Royals. |
