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— High Cheese

Does Ryan Howard have the third-worst contract in baseball?

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Ryan Howard had career lows in hitting, on-base percentage and slugging percentage in 2012. (Matt Slocum/AP)
by , STAFF COLUMNIST @ByDavidMurphy | dmurphy@phillynews.com
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David Murphy

STAFF COLUMNIST

David Murphy is a sports columnist for the Daily News and Inquirer. He joined the company in 2008 and spent the next six years on the Phillies beat.

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I recently received an email from a reader who believes that I criticize Ryan Howard's five-year, $125 million contract too frequently on this blog. While I clearly disagree with the reader, I am sensitive to any perception that I am disproportionately critical about a player. So, naturally, Grantland.com decides that today is a good day to publish Jonah Keri's list of the 15 worst contracts in baseball, a list that ranks Howard's deal as the third worst in baseball, trailing only Alex Rodriguez and Carl Crawford. 

Keri's 15:

 

  1. Alex Rodriguez
  2. Carl Crawford
  3. Ryan Howard
  4. Jayson Werth
  5. Vernon Wells
  6. Barry Zito
  7. John Lackey
  8. Juan Uribe
  9. Brian Roberts
  10. Johan Santana
  11. John Danks
  12. Adam Dunn
  13. Brandon League
  14. Adrian Gonzalez
  15. Albert Pujols
On a positive note, I think I'd rather have Howard's contract on my books than that of Wells or Lackey. And the Phillies aren't the only team who, according to Keri, overpaid for a first baseman. In fact, four of the 15 players on the list are first basemen. 
Keri gives Jonathan Papelbon's deal an honorable mention. I'd agree with that designation as well. 
What say you?

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