Alex Rodriguez was a generational player for the Seattle Mariners. The Texas Rangers made him the highest paid player ever with an astounding $252 million 10-year contract in December of 2000.
He was 25 years old and already a five-time All Star shortstop. He spent three seasons with the Rangers which culminated in the AL MVP in 2003. But the Rangers did not buy themselves a championship. On the contrary, the Rangers lost 89 games, 90 games, and 91 games finishing fourth every year A-Rod was a member of the organization.
A-Rod then went on to the Yankees after a botched sell-off to the Boston Red Sox. And in 2008, after winning two AL MVP awards in 2005 and 2007, the Yankees again made him the highest paid player with another 10-year contract worth $275 million.
The Yankees would, in fact, win a World Series, their last one, in 2009, and A-Rod would have a good season, and would repeat that production in 2010. But after that, he was a bust and virtually useless…between suspensions and injuries…the Yankees basically got jilted.
Albert Pujols was a generational player for the St. Louis Cardinals. The Los Angeles Angels bestowed upon him a $254 million 10-year contract in December of 2011.
Pujols’ story is a bit different from that of A-Rod. Pujols was already 31 years old and an 11-year veteran, a nine-time All Star first baseman, winning Rookie of the Year at the age of 21, and garnering three well-deserved NL MVP awards. He blasted 445 HR and hit for a .326 avg. and .412 OBP.
When Pujols moved on to the Angels, he became a shell of himself. In his 10 seasons with the Angels, he hit .256 with a .311 OBP and banged 214 HR. He made one All Star team. The Angels made the post season once during Pujols’ 10 seasons with the club and, more often than not, finished below .500 just about every season.
This will touch on a taboo subject…but just for the sake of argument…Barry Bonds. In December of 1992, Bonds signed a $43.75 million six-year contract with the San Francisco Giants which, at the time, was the most lucrative contract ever given.
During that six-year period of the contract, the Giants made the post-season once…and were immediately eliminated.
Bonds would continue to be rewarded by the Giants for quite a while. He spent 15 seasons with the San Francisco Giants. And never did the Giants win a championship.
Well…they DID win a title…in fact…they won THREE World Series titles in five years – 2010, 2012, and 2014. Bonds last played for the Giants in 2007.
Think about that…15 seasons with a generational talent with no title…and soon after he’s gone…three titles in five years.
Soto is not a perfect player…certainly not a five-tool player. He is an offensive force. But then, so was Giancarlo Stanton. Ask the Yankees how they feel about that acquisition. So did Soto really “slip threw their fingers” or did the Yankees learn a hard lesson from the past? And will the Mets be subjected to that lesson?
