The Salary Dump All-Stars

With all the bad contracts and salary dumps on the way this offseason, I thought it'd be fun to create the Salary Dump All-Star Team.  These are the worst contracts at each position, based mainly on 2006 salary.  The salary below is just '06.  I used Cot's Baseball Contracts for the figures.

This group would cost over $150MM next year, and I left out the bench and bullpen.  Disagree with a choice?  Leave your thoughts in the comments.

C - Jason Kendall - $11,000,000 - Scott Podsednik, but with a bigger paycheck and catcher's gear.  And less speed.

1B - Phil Nevin -  $10,000,000 -  I know Jim Thome and Todd Helton are paid more, but Nevin doesn't seem to have anything left after hitting .237.287/.379 in '05.

2B - Alfonso Soriano - $10,000,000 - That salary is just a guess, as Soriano figures to get a decent raise from his current $7.5MM salary through arbitration.  The 36 HR look great, but the atrocious defense and .309 OBP don't.

SS - Cristian Guzman - $4,200,000 - He's got the lowest salary on the team.  But both Guzman's glovework and offense took a nosedive and he's a huge detriment to the team.

3B - Mike Lowell - $9,000,000 - The Marlins are so desperate to dump Lowell's salary that they may let the Rangers explore the potential of 25 year-old Josh Beckett.  Some have whispered about steroids when talking about Lowell's massive decline...but isn't it possible that he simply lost it?

RF - Magglio Ordonez - $15,000,000 - This deal really didn't make sense for the Tigers.  Magglio's power numbers were way down in his initial half-season with Detroit.

CF - Ken Griffey Jr. - $12,500,000 - Maybe Griffey finally earned his salary in 2005.  But he still has to go, not that Dan O'Brien understands that.

LF - Ryan Klesko - $10,000,000 - The Padres would be ecstatic to get this one off the books. 

SP - Chan Ho Park - $13,000,000 - The posterboy for bad contracts.  And for getting photographed in compromising positions.

SP - Eric Milton - $8,500,000 - How is it that every casual baseball fan knew this would end up terribly, but Reds' management didn't?

SP - Carl Pavano - $8,000,000 - They're the Yankees, so they can do stuff like this.  But A.J. Burnett for similar money will be a much better investment. 

SP - Matt Clement - $9,500,000 - You can blame the injury, but his strikeout rate was way down last year.  Might be league average from here on out.

Closer - Keith Foulke - $7,250,000 - This was certainly not a bad contract.  But the Red Sox would be happy to get out of the final year of the deal. 

Comments

Clement come on. He was Boston's best pitcher last year. I believe that everyone in baseball is overpaid, but if Burnett is going to command 12-15 million for a sub .500 carrer record, strickly based on potential. Why cant Clement get 9.5 million for being a sub .500 pitcher with nasty stuff?
Bad contracts look at kerry wood 10 million for 10 starts, thats a mill a start.

[RumorMonger]

A good point, Wood probably belongs in place of Clement.

[Brian]

Doesn't somebody still owe Sammy Sosa for this year?

At least Griffey should last through April...

[Dan Fords Cousin]

What about catcher? I think you got a clear winner: 10+ million, 0 HR...

[RumorMonger]

Great point, I left out the catcher. I gotta throw Kendall in there- thanks.