Big Money, Long Term Contracts that have worked out:

[NJHalo]

Almost always end in disaster.

 

CC Sabathia might be an exception. TBD

 

Any others?

[sneaky_flute]

barry bonds for sure

[Stradling]

Teams just need to front load contracts.

[Stradling]

Greg Maddux is another big contract that worked.

[wopphil]

Lots of players have performed to their big contracts: A-Rod (to his first contract); Jeter (10/189); Manny Ramirez (8/160); Hunter (5/90); Miguel Cabrera; randy Johnson (his 4/52 was a large contract when signed); Pujols (to his first contract); and plenty of others.

[Angel Oracle]

The list of age +30 when starting those contracts is just about non-existent.

Maddox, Sabathia, and Bonds were all 28/29.

Pujols was at least 32. Hamilton is almost 32.

That's where Arte erred.

[Stradling]

Once again AO, how many sub 30 year old stars hit the market? It's not like Arte took a chance on this years version of GMJ, he took a chance at a once in a generation hitter like Albert who has been hurt. He also took a chance on Hamilton who was coming off a 43 home run season where he had a rough second half.

[stormngt]

Almost always end in disaster.

 

CC Sabathia might be an exception. TBD

 

Any others?

I was thinking the same thing.  Although the AROD first contract with the Yankees worked out.  AROD played well until the last couple of years.  Obviously his extension was a terrible contract.

 

I think one major lesson learned is the Angels need to put their money into player development and the farm system.  Only sign free agents to complement their farm talent.    

[sneaky_flute]

barry bonds re-signed with the giants in 2002 at the age of 38 and put up absurd numbers after that.

 

one of the pitfalls of free agency is that most agents hit the market in their decline period and rarely meet the expectations of their contracts. it really doesn't make a lot of business sense to sign free agents in most cases.

[thevisiontm]

This article was good.  It shows value of big free agent deals in recent history.

 

http://mlb.si.com/2013/05/07/hamilton-upton-greinke-bourn-free-agent-busts/

[gotbeer]

I was thinking the same thing.  Although the AROD first contract with the Yankees worked out.  AROD played well until the last couple of years.  Obviously his extension was a terrible contract.

 

I think one major lesson learned is the Angels need to put their money into player development and the farm system.  Only sign free agents to complement their farm talent.    

 

I think this is especially true with Pujols.  The one strength we had in our farm is DH/1B types.  With Cron, Trumbo, and eventually Conger having to go there.  (From when he was drafted they thought he was going to be a DH/1B type and wouldn't stick at Catcher)  I guess you could say the same thing about OF, although it's not as stacked.  With Trout, Bourjos, and the lesser extent Trumbo and Callhoun.  

[GoodTimesGoneBad]

Holliday worked out great. Too bad he couldn't hit in the AL.

[The God of Runs]

I would say that Vlad's signing in 2004 worked out pretty good.  Just kept getting screwed by Boston and Doug Eddings

[Angel_Fan_4_Life]

Mike Scioscia 

[Vegas Halo Fan]

Once again AO, how many sub 30 year old stars hit the market? It's not like Arte took a chance on this years version of GMJ, he took a chance at a once in a generation hitter like Albert who has been hurt. He also took a chance on Hamilton who was coming off a 43 home run season where he had a rough second half.

 

The main problem with the Pujols contract is the length of it. At that age you give a player four years, five tops, not ten. By the end of the contract he will be the most expensive pinch hitter in the game.

[nando714]

The list of age +30 when starting those contracts is just about non-existent.

Maddox, Sabathia, and Bonds were all 28/29.

Pujols was at least 32. Hamilton is almost 32.

That's where Arte erred.

Arte erred when he had a 27 yr old (age at the time of FA) healthy durable prince fielder as a FA and passed

[AZMike]

Teams just need to front load contracts.

 

A front loaded contract with the same present-day value as a back loaded contract (ie fewer nominal dollars but paid sooner) is better for luxury tax purposes. That's because luxury tax only uses the nominal dollar amounts of the contract, not the present value accounting for interest / time value of the money.

[Brandon]

Turning the Pujols signing into a new multibillion dollar TV deal the next day was pretty boss.

[tomahawksu]

All of you can see into the future? Can you tell me the powerball numbers for Saturday since you CLEARLY know what will happen the next few seasons. What happens when Hamilton starts to hit again (back to back home run games and getting to play in Chicago this weekend could mean a few more) and Pujols is healthy. You do know he hit 30 HR's last year and .285 BA is FAR from bad. Health, mental and physical, are huge. Who is to say Hamilton isn't dealing with something, seeing as he has been known to have some mental issues.

 

Lottery numbers, champions in all sports, and who to invest in please. I could use the money and since there are so many people who know the future, share the wealth!

 

Also, how much money is home run #500 going to bring in for the team in terms of expanded TV coverage, merchandise, all that stuff. Then if he stays healthy, the march to 700 home runs. He can hit 20 by September. Also 3000 hits will come eventually as well. So he is paying his contract in terms of accomplishments at the end.

[Brent Maguire]

Matt Kemp contract doesn't look to pretty at the moment. Injury that kept him out for 2 months last year and he's off to a horrible start so far this year. 

[Angel Oracle]

Pujols isn't healthy (surgically repaired knee acting up and plantar fascitis), and I don't know if he ever will be at this rate.

Maybe he is say, 35, after all?    Injuries have begun to pile up since 2011, after being healthy through 2010. 

 

Hamilton will have to hit one a real long ways to hit it out of Fenway Park, because the Halos play in Chicago this weekend.

[AZMike]

Pujols isn't healthy (surgically repaired knee acting up and plantar fascitis), and I don't know he everwill be at this rate.

Maybe he is say, 35, after all?

 

Hamilton will have to hit one a real long ways to hit it out of Fenway Park, because the Halos play in Chicago this weekend.

He'd have to hit it crazy hard to hit Fenway Park from Chicago

[Brent Maguire]

He'd have to hit it crazy hard to hit Fenway Park from Chicago

Lol I said the same thing to myself.

[tomahawksu]

Gotta make sure it says May when I look at the schedule. 

[sneaky_flute]

All of you can see into the future? Can you tell me the powerball numbers for Saturday since you CLEARLY know what will happen the next few seasons. What happens when Hamilton starts to hit again (back to back home run games and getting to play in Chicago this weekend could mean a few more) and Pujols is healthy. You do know he hit 30 HR's last year and .285 BA is FAR from bad. Health, mental and physical, are huge. Who is to say Hamilton isn't dealing with something, seeing as he has been known to have some mental issues.

 

Lottery numbers, champions in all sports, and who to invest in please. I could use the money and since there are so many people who know the future, share the wealth!

 

Also, how much money is home run #500 going to bring in for the team in terms of expanded TV coverage, merchandise, all that stuff. Then if he stays healthy, the march to 700 home runs. He can hit 20 by September. Also 3000 hits will come eventually as well. So he is paying his contract in terms of accomplishments at the end.

it doesn't take a clairvoyant to evaluate players and to understand the direction in which they're trending. most GMs would tell you it was a bad idea to sign hamilton and pujols to those contracts.