Baseball's Most Overpaid Players
Multimillionaire Hiiters and Pitchers Who Have Really Stunk in 2007
May 31, 2007
Carl Pavano, New York Yankees ($10 million)
In 2004, Carl Pavano went 18-6 with a 3.00 ERA. Even though Pavano had just a 57-58 career record and an ERA over 4.30, the Yankees just couldn't resist focusing on the one good season he had. So they gave him a 4-year contract worth $39.95 million. It was the beginning of a less than beautiful friendship.
Over the next two and a half seasons, Pavano would have less wins than trips to the Disabled List. In 19 starts with the Yankees, Carl has a 5-6 record with an ERA close to 5.00. In addition to that less than stellar pitching record, Pavano has missed more than sixty starts with injuries to his shoulder, back, buttocks, ribs, forearm, and now, his elbow.
The lastest injury requires Tommy John surgery, which will keep Pavano off the mound through the end of the 2008 season. In other words, Pavano's days of pitching in Yankee Stadium are over. During his tenure, he made $2 million a start and almost $6 million a win. That makes him one of the worst free agent signings ever.
J.D. Drew, Boston Red Sox ($14 million)
Ever since Theo Epstein took over the Red Sox, he has made all the right moves. He got Big Papi for a song. He signed Curt Schilling before the team's historic 2004 season. In 2007, he signed Dice-K and passed on Roger Clemens. Theo has also resisted the annual off-season temptation to trade Manny Ramirez. Great moves by a fine general manager.
But what was he thinking when he gave J.D. Drew a five-year deal worth $70 million? Apparently, he was still reading those 1997 scouting reports that compared Drew to a young Mickey Mantle. In return for the $14 million that the Sox are paying him, Drew has hit .226 with 2 home runs and 17 RBI.
Jason Kendall, Oakland A's ($13.43 million).
This is a terrible contract. The only question is which is more confounding: that the Pirates gave the lightest-hitting catcher in recent baseball history a 6-year, $60 million deal in the first place, or that the financially strapped Athletics picked up the contract before the 2005 season. Since then, Kendall has had over 1,300 at bats and he's hit a grand total of one home run. This year, he's hitting on the interstate, with a .182 average, and just two extra base hits, 0 home runs and 13 RBI. That ain't worth $1,300, let alone $13 million.
Jeff Weaver, Seattle Mariners ($8.33 million)
Weaver has been one of the most disappointing pitchers in recent baseball history. Through 2006, the lanky right-hander with the sometimes electric stuff had a career record of 86-101 with a 4.62 ERA. But he pitched lke a Cy Young winner in the 2006 postseason for the Cardinals and parlayed that performance into a one-year deal worth over $8 million with the Seattle Mariners. In return for his $160,000 per week salary, Jeff "Way Back" Weaver is currently 0-6 with a 14.32 ERA and a 2.59 WHIP.
Danys Baez, Baltimore Orioles ($5.67 million)
The Orioles are paying Baez close to $6 million for his services for the 2007 season. In return for that princely sum, Baez is 0-4 with a 6.35 ERA and has been relegated to mop-up duty. That makes him very, very overpaid.
Some Other Players Not Doing Their Part for the Big Bucks
Bobby Abreu, New York Yankees ($15 million). For the money, he's hitting .226 with 2 HR and 22 RBI.
Armando Benitez, San Francisco Giants ($9.67 million). He's 0-3 with a 4.67 ERA. In his last eight outings, Benitez has lost three games and blown two saves. Awful, just awful.
Shea Hillenbrand, Arizona Diamondbacks ($6 million). Can a player be called a Designated Hitter even though he's repeatedly demonstrated the he is a Designated Misser? Take the case of Shea Hillenbrand, who is hitting .239 with 3 home runs and just 17 RBI. The D-Backs could get that type of production from a minor league player, and they would only need to pay him $300,000.
