OK, this might seem like a rudimentary post, but it is something I've been thinking about for a while. With all the "dumb" contracts that the media have been commenting on lately (see sample link below) how come owners keep signing these contracts?
ESPN Page 2 List of Most Overpaid Baseball Players
And it gets worse this time of year, as teams with "bad" contracts try to move them to teams who can support them for a playoff run (see Raul Mondesi). I mean, everyone except the Rockies' GM knew signing Mike Hampton and Denny Neagle to those contracts at the time was a waste (see Darryl Kile, RIP). How can MLB still support all these lousy contracts, yet the owners complain about how the players have screwed up the economic structure by demanding so much money? They wouldn't be paid this much unless the owners SIGNED them to these contracts!

Also on this topic, another great quote from Commissioner Bud in this article:
Glavine Doubts Union will set strike date on Monday

"Everybody needs to stop worrying about the politics and make a deal," Selig said. "We can make one. ... The whole world knows the system has to be changed. There's enough revenue here ... where we ought to be able to do the things we have to do and move on."

OK, can the system or can the system NOT survive based on revenue? He was crying poverty to Congress for goodness sakes!!!!

The Mike Hampton contract was NOT a stoopid contract. It is totally wrong of ESPN to rank Hampton as the MOST overpaid player in the game.

Colorado is a difficult place to pitch. The performance of any pitcher ... even Randy Johnson ... would diminish there. Hampton is a ground ball pitcher. There was reason to believe that that sort of pitcher who would be (relatively) effective in Coors ... after all, each start, Hampton only needs to pitch better than the other team's starter to win. And for the first half of last season, it did work out.

Given that a star pitcher's stats would deteriorate at an elevation of 5280 feet, negatively effecting his future marketablility, it made sense to sign Hampy to a long term deal. It would have made no sense for Hampton, or any other pitcher, to sign with the Rockies unless tethered to a long term deal.

It was smart move in that context. It just hasn't worked out, for the second half of last season, and for the first half of this season, at least. But at the time Hampton signed the contract, the contract made sense in the context of baseball economics 2001. And if Hampton gets traded back down to sea level, he'll make that contract look like a bargain (relatively speaking, of course).

To say Hampton's contract makes him the most overpaid is just plain nuts. What about Greg Vaughn? $8.75 million, .163 batting average. Or Crazy Carl Everett at $8.67 million, combined with a .193 batting average and his legendary horrible attitude.

What about contracts that everyone except Kevin Malone or the Steinbrenner-obsessed Mets management thought were looney tunes at the time the player was signed? Like Malone's legacy Darren Dreifort, at $55 million over 5 years, but a mere $9.4 million for 2002, a year in which he has yet to pitch. Or the Mets' Fat Mo Vaughn at $12.2 million per year, which makes him far and away the highest paid Met. Yup, he makes more than future Hall of Famers Mike Piazza ($10.6 million) or Roberto Alomar ($7.9 million). Of course, Alomar's in awful slump, batting only .268 and slugging .381. The highest paid Met, who's weight is listed as a mere 275 incidentally, is hitting .248 and his slugging percentage is barely better than a deepply slumping Alomar, at .399. These are far better candidates than Hampton for "most overpaid."

But the winner most definitely should be the not-retired Albert Belle. The Orioles are still paying Albert Belle a mere $12,368,790 for his production in the 2002 season. And that production is: staying at home. Actually, given the true personality of the Grewat Surly One, it might be worth it to pay Joey Belle that much to stay away.

BREAKING NEWS ON MIKE HAMPTON: The Texas Rangers are hot to acquie Hampy from the Rocks. Look for Hampton's ERA to return to earth pitching in DFW.

[quote]Originally posted by Charlie in the Trees:
Colorado is a difficult place to pitch. The performance of any pitcher ... even Randy Johnson ... would diminish there. Hampton is a ground ball pitcher. There was reason to believe that that sort of pitcher who would be (relatively) effective in Coors ...

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I think the point that the Rockies should finally realize is that they shouldn't get ANY star pitcher to come to Denver, because there is too much to live up to.

[quote]Originally posted by Charlie in the Trees:
It would have made no sense for Hampton, or any other pitcher, to sign with the Rockies unless tethered to a long term deal.

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As with any employee, he definitely made the best choice money wise! Too bad his career is suffering at the moment....

[quote]Originally posted by Charlie in the Trees:
It was smart move in that context. It just hasn't worked out, for the second half of last season, and for the first half of this season, at least. But at the time Hampton signed the contract, the contract made sense in the context of baseball economics 2001. And if Hampton gets traded back down to sea level, he'll make that contract look like a bargain (relatively speaking, of course).

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Baseball economics 2001 don't make any sense anyway, so in that context I guess the Hampton deal wasn't so bad.

[quote]Originally posted by Charlie in the Trees:
What about Greg Vaughn? $8.75 million, .163 batting average. Or Crazy Carl Everett at $8.67 million, combined with a .193 batting average and his legendary horrible attitude.

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Won't argue with either of those!

[quote]Originally posted by Charlie in the Trees:
But the winner most definitely should be the not-retired Albert Belle. The Orioles are still paying Albert Belle a mere $12,368,790 for his production in the 2002 season. And that production is: staying at home.

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Fortunately for the Orioles, they have insurance to cover some of it. That's a different case though, because just like Bo Jackson, no one could have predicted a career-ending injury. Lots of those going around (Bruce Sutter comes to mind, being a Braves/Cardinals fan).

[quote]Originally posted by Charlie in the Trees:
BREAKING NEWS ON MIKE HAMPTON: The Texas Rangers are hot to acquie Hampy from the Rocks. Look for Hampton's ERA to return to earth pitching in DFW.

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Maybe I'll get to see Hampy down here at home then. Include Everett going to Denver, and I think Tom Hicks and John Hart would bite! Big article today in the Dallas Morning News regarding lagging attendance at the Ballpark. Crappy teams get that....