No right-handed pitcher had surpassed the $105MM contract that Kevin Brown signed in 1998 until this week, when the Giants locked up one of the National League’s best starters. Now that Brown’s contract has been erased from the books, current players hold the record for every position. Let’s check in on the biggest deals in baseball history by position:
- Right-handed pitcher: Matt Cain signed for five years and $112.5MM in April, 2012.
- Left-handed pitcher: C.C. Sabathia signed for seven years and $161MM in December, 2008.
- Relief pitcher: Jonathan Papelbon signed for four years and $50MM in November, 2011.
- Catcher: Joe Mauer signed for eight years and $184MM in March, 2010.
- First base: Albert Pujols signed for ten years and $240MM in December, 2011.
- Second base: Chase Utley signed for seven years and $85MM in January, 2007.
- Third base: Alex Rodriguez signed for ten years and $275MM in December, 2007.
- Shortstop: Alex Rodriguez signed for ten years and $252MM in December, 2000.
- Outfield: Manny Ramirez signed for eight years and $160MM in December, 2000. Matt Kemp signed for eight years and $160MM in November, 2011.
Hmm, I thought Rivera had a 4/60 contract, maybe it was 4/45 though, or has that one expired already?
3/45 and now currently 2/30
Where’s the record contract for bullpen catcher?
Rafael Soriano 3 years / $35 million 2011. ;0)
This one made me lol during class. I had to explain why I think Dante seeing burning popes is funny.
Kinsler and Cano should be able to surpass Utley’s deal.
Does it count if it’s for more money but less years? Kinsler is rumored to be 6 years. Cano’s will definitely surpass Utley in money and years however.
Kei Igawa has the record contract for AAA starter.
Lannan is making $5MM to pitch in the minors right now.
followed closely by Kenshin Kawakami ;)
A-rod has to feel pretty good about himself for setting the contract record at two positions.
didn’t zito pitch in the minors last year?
Manny and ARod’s first contract are probably the best return on investment from that list.
The first three years of CC’s deal were great, so much so, that, barring injury, it was looking increasingly possible for him to provide the WAR needed over the life of that contract to make the deal worthwhile.
But then, he opted out.
Opt-outs are fantastically stupid for teams.
Agree. Even if Ramirez had not gone weird-o and started wanting his way out of Boston to get a new deal, even picking up the 1st 20m option even that Ramirez deal would have been a winner still.
Same with the 1st Rodriquez deal. Shame George got involved /infatuated with wanting that all time HR record back in NY, then over paying to try and get it back, cause the 2nd one isn’t nearly as good as the 1st and will probably end up on the wrong end of that slide scale.
The ARod contract was signed by the Rangers . They paid, the Yankees cash on. Kind of , since they won the WS with him after the second contract.
LF, RF, CF would have been better than just OF.
Jayson Werth (126MM over 7) is the top RF
LF: Manny Ramirez
CF: Matt Kemp
RF: Jayson Werth
Pujols may have signed a bigger contract but Votto’s current deal gives him more money.
10 years $225 is not more then Pujols. The other 2 years were already part of his original extension. No change.
Bigger contract = more money.
The question is will Pujols make more in the next 12 years than Votto.
Cano will easily eclipse Utley’s deal and Kinsler will come very close to matching or exceding Utley.
Phillips might break it this week.
Bench players?
That becomes very gray because what is a bench player? Often times high paid starters will be transitioned into a bench or utility roll while still on their high paying contract… It’s just not as clearly definable to the point of fettering out the largest contract ever given to a purely utility/bench player. But by all means, prove me wrong! I’m interested.
What about for a Designated Hitter? By that I mean someone who was signed specifically to play DH?