MLB Hot Stove

I was reflecting on the recent free agent contracts doled out to Jacoby Ellsbury (7/153m) and Robinson Cano (10/240m) and couldn't help but think of all the long-term deals that never paid off for the winning bidder. Part of the issue is age. Most players are right around 30 when they get their first taste of free agency. They've already peaked as players and teams are paying for those prime years that are now in the rearview.

More recently, however, teams have started locking up their own star players earlier so they never even reach free agency. Just look at the long-term contract extensions signed by Elvis Andrus (24 when signed), Buster Posey (26) and Joey Votto (28) in the past 2 years.

I tried to put together a list of the absolute best, no dispute, greatest long-term (7+ years) contracts of all time:

A-Rod, 2001 (10/252m)
Derek Jeter, 2001 (10/189m)
Manny Ramirez, 2001 (8/160m)
Miguel Cabrera, 2008 (8/152m)
Albert Pujols, 2004 (7/100m)

Huh, only 5? At least 2001 was a pretty good year for long-term deals. How about the rest of the bunch?

A-Rod, 2008 (10/275m)
Albert Pujols, 2012 (10/240m)
Joey Votto, 2012 (10/225m)
Prince Fielder, 2012 (9/214m)
Joe Mauer, 2010 (8/184m)
Mark Teixeira, 2009 (8/180m)
Justin Verlander, 2013 (7/180m)
Felix Hernandez, 2013 (7/175m)
Buster Posey, 2013 (8/167m) 
CC Sabathia, 2009 (7/161m)
Matt Kemp, 2012 (8/160m)
Adrian Gonzalez, 2011 (7/154m)
Carl Crawford, 2011 (7/142m)
Todd Helton, 2003 (9/141m)
David Wright, 2013 (8/138m)
Alfonso Soriano, 2007 (8/136m)
Vernon Wells, 2008 (7/126m)
Barry Zito, 2007 (7/126m)
Jayson Werth, 2011 (7/126m)
Mike Hampton, 2001 (8/121m)
Elvis Andrus, 2013 (8/120m)
Jason Giambi, 2002 (7/120m)
Matt Holliday, 2010 (7/120m)
Carlos Beltran, 2005 (7/119m)
Ken Griffey, Jr., 2000 (9/116m)
Dustin Pedroia, 2013 (8/110m)
Kevin Brown, 1999 (7/105m)
Scott Rolen, 2003 (8/90m)
Chase Utley, 2007 (7/85m)
Ryan Braun, 2008 (8/45m)

Wow, 30 vs 5. Of course, it's not fair to comment on some of the recently signed deals, but just look at the number of the stinkers on that list. Crawford, Wells, Zito, Hampton and Brown are all infamous for their albatross contracts. And some of the others (Griffey, Rolen, Werth, A-Rod #2) just never had a chance.

So I guess what I'm saying is, good luck to Seattle for Cano to work out and to the Yankees, as always, go fuck yourselves.