Overpaid free agents in for a big shock
Some players should expect huge pay cuts this winter
 Kathy Willens / AP Jason Giambi made $23.4 million last season. |
 | Video: Baseball from NBC Sports |
 |
Big-ticket free agents such as lefthander CC Sabathia and right-hander Derek Lowe can afford to be patient. History shows that even a slow-moving market such as this one eventually will move their way.
For some other free agents, the wait is going to go on much longer. The 12-man All-In-For-A-Shock team earned a combined $141.2 million this season. They'll be lucky to get half that for the coming season.
A look at the team members, whose lifestyles are about to change:
FIRST BASE: Jason Giambi ($23.4 million this season). Last hit 40 homers with a .525-plus slugging percentage in 2003. Could be an effective platoon designated hitter against right-handers. Keep away from first at all costs.
SECOND BASE: Ray Durham ($7.5 million). Like clockwork, had a good season — hitting .289 with an .812 OPS for San Francisco and Milwaukee — in the final year of a multi-season deal. Worth a flier only on a one-year contract.
SHORTSTOP: Edgar Renteria ($10 million). American League teams sprint away from him. Why? His two worst seasons have come with AL teams: Boston in 2005 and Detroit this season. Noticeably slowed down with Tigers.
THIRD BASE: Nomar Garciaparra ($9.5 million). Rivals J.D. Drew for ability to be well paid without being an everyday player. Has missed 369 games since opening day 2004. Has also reached double-figures for homers only once in that span.
CATCHER: Ivan Rodriguez ($12.4 million). Looked spent in late-season stay with New York Yankees. Needs 54 more games to pass Hall of Famer Carlton Fisk for most games played at catcher. Fisk had 2,226 games in 24 seasons. Rodriguez has 2,173 games going into his 18th season, and the workload has caught up to him.
LEFT FIELD: Adam Dunn ($13 million). Will hit homers. Will also strikeout by the gross and get to few balls in the outfield. What's that worth? Far less than it brought this season. Despite making debut in 2001 is challenging Jim Thome for distinction of most strikeouts in this decade. Thome has 52 more strikeouts — and 67 more homers — in 396 more at-bats.
CENTER FIELD: Mark Kotsay ($7 million). He is smart and tough but is also limited by a body that is breaking down at an alarming rate. Would be a good bench player, if he will accept that as now his role.
RIGHT FIELD: Bobby Abreu ($16 million). Next deal should include a weight clause. Showed up out of shape this spring and took too long to get his game going. Went from hitting .274 with .436 slugging percentage in first half to .327 with .522 slugging percentage in second half.
DESIGNATED HITTER: Ken Griffey Jr. ($8.3 million). One postseason move by Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said it all. In Game Four of a division series against Tampa Bay, Guillen removed Griffey for pinch-runner Brian Anderson, who stayed in the game to play center field. That would not have happened even a few years ago.
STARTING PITCHER: Jon Garland ($12 million). Will get a multi-year deal but botched his chance at a big payday by having a disappointing season with the Los Angeles Angels. Had career-high 4.90 ERA and allowed 10.85 hits per nine innings, fourth-highest among AL starters.
STARTING PITCHER: Carl Pavano ($11). Good news: pitched most innings this season since 2005. Bad news: pitched only 34 1/3 innings. Leaves Yankees with nine wins and $39.95 million in four seasons along with perfect nickname: "American Idle."
CLOSER: Eric Gagne ($10 million). All downhill since leaving Texas in 2006. Since in-season trade to Boston, has 10 blown saves in 20 chances with 72 hits allowed, including 11 homers, in 65 innings. Mop-up work and low wages in his future.
- Discuss Story On Newsvine
-
Rate Story:
LowHigh - Instant Message
MORE FROM BASEBALL |
 Baseball Section Front |
| Add Baseball headlines to your news reader: |
Sponsored links