Baseball Chat

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Maybe this is why teams are unwilling to commit years and dollars to 30+ veterans.

1. Giancarlo Stanton (four years, $128 million, $30 million of which is owed by the Marlins): He has a full no-trade and is unlikely to accept going anywhere. Aaron Boone had talked about Stanton playing the outfield some, but if Juan Soto is going to continue to be a quality right fielder, then it is going to be difficult to even get Trent Grisham’s glove onto the field … unless … Stanton sits regularly and the DH spot gets moved around. Stanton’s entire value is in the batter’s box. If he doesn’t hit, what does he offer sitting on a bench?

2. Anthony Rendon (three years, $114 million): He hardly endeared himself in spring training when he said baseball has “never been a top priority.” Rendon, who turns 34 in June, then began the season 1-for-23. He has had difficulty staying healthy and over the past three years had a 94 OPS-plus with 13 homers in 148 games.

3. Javier Baez (four years, $98 million): He has been among the worst regularly used players in the majors since signing with the Tigers, with a .273 OPS the past two years before beginning this season hitting .174 with a .167 on-base percentage. The Tigers have designs on contending this year. Will they just keep playing Baez regularly?

4. Kris Bryant (five years, $131 million): When Scott Boras retires, I hope he tells the world what exactly the second-best offer was when he somehow got seven years at $182 million for Bryant from Colorado. Like Baez, he is a 2016 champion Cub who has fallen and not gotten up. He played just 122 games the first two years of the contract and dropped to .233 with a 76 OPS-plus last season. At 32, he began this year 3-for-25 as now a regular first baseman. The Rockies are so far from contention that they can just keep running him out there — for five more years.

5. Andrew Benintendi (four years, $64 million): There were other players to consider. After winning the World Series together for the 2019 Nationals, Stephen Strasburg signed the same seven-year, $245 million contract as Rendon — just to stay with Washington. He has made eight starts since with a 6.49 ERA. But it is understood his career is over because of neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome, and all that is left is his fight with the Nationals over how to pay the rest of his contract.5. Andrew Benintendi (four years, $64 million): There were other players to consider. After winning the World Series together for the 2019 Nationals, Stephen Strasburg signed the same seven-year, $245 million contract as Rendon — just to stay with Washington. He has made eight starts since with a 6.49 ERA. But it is understood his career is over because of neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome, and all that is left is his fight with the Nationals over how to pay the rest of his contract.

https://nypost.com/2024/04/06/sports/giancarlo-stanton-among-mlbs-most-expensive-2024-disappointments/