Posted on April 16th, 2008 by Old Navy King
Fairly related to our earlier post on 2008 Major League Baseball payrolls, SI.com’s Jon Heyman has posted an article on history’s worst 13 free agent deals. No real surprise, but pitcher Mike Hamption (#1), pitcher Carl Pavano (#2), first baseman Jason Giambi (#5) and pitcher Barry Zito (#9) made this infamous list. I’m sure you all have some additions for this list, so let’s hear them! And who would you remove to put your suggestion on there? Fire away…
On a side note but related topic, all 4 of the aforementioned players made Fleece Factor’s “All-Overpaid Team” (only current players, however) from December, 2007. Check it out.
Filed under: _A Look Back
Jason Giambi seem to be getting more bad reps then he deserve. he’s a dissapointment no doubt. but the guy did hit pretty well whenever he’s healthy (aka other than 04/07) hell, he’s 2002 season was probably the best season ever by a Yankee 1B not named Gehrig
Probably b/c in ‘02, he was still on the juice. Let’s be honest. And the Yankees are paying him $22 million this year to basically be a bench player who gives you 2 hits a week.
And THAT much money to a guy who hasn’t cracked 14 HR’s in 33% of the seasons you are paying him that much chedder? Add the fact that the Yankees haven’t won a title with Giambi, and that he has been hampering their possible 1B moves for the past 3 seasons, and I think that is why. The Yankees paid for a .315/40/120 player, and they haven’t got even remotely close to that in over 4 seasons.
Lemme see, Matt Young, Wayne Garland, Jack Clark, Nick Esasky, Matt Clement Right off the bat. Am certain could come up with piles more of duds.
Whom was that 1st baseman that georgie Steinbrenner signed as a FA back in the 70’s in an airport he didn’t even need while they were stranded together during a blizzard? Anyway, he was a dud also…
Hey RollingWave, take a look at the 1985 and 1986 seasons for some guy named Mattingley. I think he used to play firstbase for the Yanks!
How about Eddie Whitson? He must have loved every minute he spent in the Bronx!
By the way, funny story about Steinbrenner and Pascual Perez. I was working at my first job out of law school, closing a financing deal for MLB (we were representing the lead bank in the lending syndicate). The general counsel for MLB was at the closing when one of the secretaries walked in with a fax from him. He looked up and said “That idiot Steinbrenner just made Pascual Perez a millionaire!” When I replied that somebody had to sign him, I got one of the nastiest looks I ever received in my life. I guess some folks don’t see the humor in a good old fashioned fleece.
Fred: 85 86 Mattingly OPS+ 156/161
Giambi 02/03 OPS+ 172/148
of course, the 80s was an era where the leaders didn’t seperate themself from the pack as much as the the liveball era or the * era.
ONK, i think that’s a pretty unfair and ridiculas accessment there.
1. there’s a lot of guys signed over the course of this span, including A-rod. Giambi’s career post season OPS is over .900, and that wasn’t buffed up by his Oakland days either.
2. the entire span of Giambi’s contract average worth is 17M per, not 22M. the contract is backloaded.
3. he’s OPS+ in 05/06 (supposedly the post juice days) were 161/148 , during this span, his OPS was better than A-rod .. or anyone else on the team.
I think that he like Mike Mussina is taking way too much of the blame for the so-called lack of success for the Yankees. (as if winning by far the most games in the regular season and making the playoffs every year during this span is some kind of failure, or that guys like Randy Johnson or even the beloved Jeter / Posada / Bernies had nothing to do with the post season failures, or the greatest closer of all time blowing game 7 of the 01 WS. and games in the 04 ALCS)
He’s been a pretty darn productive hitter during his career , wether that was with Oakland or New York, it’s pretty ridiculas to think that he’s some sort of junk.
I think the issue with Giambi is not about OPS when he plays, but rather that he has been injury plagued during much of his Yankee career. In addition, he is a defensive liability at first (but then so is Delgado with the Mets), which also hurts the team. Finally, the distraction caused by the PED issue also can be seen as harmful to the Yankees (although I give Giambi credit for being one of the only players with the stones to step up and admit his mistakes).
Back-loaded contract does not change the fact he is making $22 million to be a bench player essentially. While I don’t think it’s top-13 worst of all-time, it’s still not good.