Roger Clemens is earning his $18 million. David Ortiz is earning his $5.3 million. Chris Carpenter is earning his $2 million. Oriole Brian Roberts is most definitely earning every penny of his $390,000 salary. But the productivity of many ballplayers doesn't match their paychecks. Jeff Merron of ESPN.com has released a top-ten list of baseball's "most overpaid players." Among those on the ignominious list are Bernie Williams ($12.4 million), Phil Nevin ($9.5 million), and Sammy Sosa ($17.9 million). No Darren Dreifort? Where's Carlos Beltran? Mike Lowell? Anyone? Anyone?
Can't argue with this list. I think they are correct to leave off the always injured players like Dreifort but you are dead on with Beltran. He could almost replace Piazza on that list since Piazza deserves much more residual respect from the Mets (in terms of honoring a contract that was legit when given to him) then Beltran does so far. If Randolph would just drop Piazza down in the batting order he wouldn't even seem as bad.
But Beltran seems to not even be TRYING his hardest, except when Pedro pitches. And that is inexcusable given his salary. Jeff Brantley of Baseball Tonight on ESPN went off on Beltran a few nights back and it was lovely to see since the NY fans and media have for some odd reason been giving him a total pass.
Jim Thome and Shawn Green have contracts that provide more buck than bang.
I would only inquire with regard to Bernie Williams, and trust me, I hate the Yankees, isn't he on the tail end of a long-term contract, signed when he was much younger and playing much better ball?
Darren Dreifort and Kevin Brown earn every penny they make. If anything, they should be paid more because of the injuries they've suffered on the job and the indignities they've suffered from the fans. My motto is: greater ERA, greater paycheck.
Kevin Brown should have been handed a subway token (uh, Metro Card) and told to leave by the side door after he got rocked by the Red Sox in the Bronx last October's playoffs.
You're dead on about Beltran. Our franchise has a habit of paying top dollar for players who are either has-been's or never-will be's (see: Mo Vaughn, Robby Alomar, Tom Glavine, Bobby Bonilla, ect...). This may take the cake, however. CB is an above-average player who had one fluke postseason, and thus far in 2005, hasn't earned a red cent of that 119 million.
