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Top Ten Worst Baseball Free Agent Signings
Published by JM Van Horn on December 3, 2009
The winter months are here for baseball fans and that means one thing: free agency. Though some teams strike gold, several find themselves being held up by the players who fail to produce.
Here are the ten worst baseball free agent signings in the history of America’s past time.
Chan Ho Park – 2002
During the 2001 season, Park had a superb season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, compiling a 15-11 record with a 3.50 ERA that led to a hefty contract from the Texas Rangers worth $65 million over 5 years. After he received his grossly over paid contract, Park went on to compile a 10-11 record in the first two years before being shipped off to San Diego in 2005.
Kevin Brown – 1998
The Los Angeles Dodgers decided to offer the 33-year-old Brown a lucrative contract worth $105 million over 7 years after going 18-7. While Brown may have found success during the first year with the Dodgers, he failed to live up to the expectations he set when he arrived. Especially when he missed significant playing time in 2001 and 2002 before being traded to the New York Yankees.
Albert Belle – 1998
When it came to feared hitters from the 1990’s, Belle was one of them and the Baltimore Orioles wanted him. They signed him to a huge contract worth $55 million over five years. While he put up decent numbers his first year there, in his second season Belle became an average hitter at best when he hit .281 with 23 home runs and 103 RBI’s. Belle retired from the game of baseball during the offseason as a result of a hip injury.
Gary Matthews Jr. – 2006
After a career year with the Texas Rangers where he hit .313 with 19 home runs, 42 doubles and 79 RBI’s, Matthews was awarded a contract by the Los Angeles Angels worth $50 million over 5 years. Bad news for the Angels, Matthews reverted back to his true form, hitting .247 with 13 home runs, 58 RBI’s and 22 doubles. The Angels would replace Matthews two years later with Tori Hunter.
Jason Giambi – 2002
After three consecutive seasons with 30 plus home runs and 100 plus RBI’s, the New York Yankees lured Giambi from Oakland with a hefty seven-year contract worth $120 million. While he did produce during his first two seasons, he was not able to lead them to a title. After 2004, things fell apart for Giambi as he dealt with injury filled seasons and the growing steroid problem that soon over took baseball. He did have one nice season with the Yankees in 2007, but his overall career in pinstripes was sorely lacking.
Mike Hampton – 2001
The Colorado Rockies decided to spend some serious money in 2001 when they brought in Mike Hampton with a contract worth $121 million over 8 years. Hampton reached mediocrity in his first season with the Rockies, compiling a 14-13 record with a 5.12 ERA. Hampton followed that up with a 7-15 record with a lofty 6.15 ERA. Hampton was shipped out the following season to the Florida Marlins.
Denny Neagle – 2001
The Colorado Rockies were not done spending in 2001 and gave a contract worth $51 million for five years to Denny Neagle. He followed the same path of other Colorado free agent pitchers by going 17-19 over the next two seasons with an ERA just about five. After two injury filled seasons and legal issues involving a hooker and alcohol, Neagle was eventually released by the Rockies.
Juan Pierre – 2007
The Los Angeles Dodgers thought they had found their future center fielder in Juan Pierre and signed him to a five-year contract worth $44 million. While Pierre hit a respectable .293 and stole 64 bases, all he did was hit singles for the team. To help compound their mistake, the Dodgers brought in an even larger contract to make up for the lack of Pierre’s offense.
Andruw Jones – 2008
When it came to hitting the long ball, Andruw Jones hit 92 home runs from 2005 to 2006. As a result the Los Angeles Dodgers signed him to a two-year contract worth $36.2 million. Instead of the power hitting outfielder Los Angeles thought they were signing, the Dodgers got a .158 batting average with 3 home runs during 75 games in the 2008 season.
Barry Zito – 2007
During his first full season with the Athletics, Zito pitched a combined 1,340 innings with a 95-59 record and a 3.55 ERA. It was this performance that enticed the San Francisco Giants to sign him to a seven-year contract worth $126 million. Since joining the Giants, he has a 31-43 record with a 4.56 ERA, well short of the expectations for the money being paid to Zito.
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Tagged with: Albert Belle, Andruw Jones, Baltimore Orioles, Barry Zito, Baseball, Carl Pavano, Chan Ho Park, Colorado Rockies, Danny Neagle, Gary Matthews Jr., Jason Giambi, JM Van Horn, Juan Pierre, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Mike Hampton, MLB, MLB Free Agents, New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, Worst Baseball Free Agents
Living with Balls on Thu, 3rd Dec 2009 15:46
I don’t know if I’d put Giambi in there. He was never the player the Yankees hoped they were getting but he was still a pretty good player for them for the majority of the contract.
Also Mo Vaughn is somehow missing from this list.
JM Van Horn on Thu, 3rd Dec 2009 22:01
Great choice. Mo was so close to making the list. I had thought about counting Neagle and Hampton as one since it was the same team and same year. Had I done that, then Mo would have been on the list for sure.
Giambi earned a spot thanks to the size of the contract and the fact he could not help bring home a title.
LIVING WITH BALLS.COM » Links of the Week: December 4, 2009 on Fri, 4th Dec 2009 09:23
[...] Check out the 10 worst baseball free-agent signings of all-time [...]