High Cheese

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

Grantland's Jonah Keri breaks down the 15 worst contracts in baseball, and Ryan Howard is in the Top 5.

84 comments

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

POSTED: Monday, February 11, 2013, 1:57 PM

David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer

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:

Alex Rodriguez
Carl Crawford
Ryan Howard
Jayson Werth
Vernon Wells
Barry Zito
John Lackey
Juan Uribe
Brian Roberts
Johan Santana
John Danks
Adam Dunn
Brandon League
Adrian Gonzalez
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?

84 comments

Comments (84)

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 2:07 PM, 02/12/2013

David, with all due respect you have to qualify the meaning of this list appropriately. This is a list of what they consider the "toughest contracts to trade for." Bottom line: Howard is a career beast who finally got his payday. Get over it, it happens in baseball all the time. He's had just one major injury. Overall his value has been off the carts.

— JD17

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 2:29 PM, 02/12/2013

Let the others suffer thru the injuries he has the last year and a half and played gamely on - to the detriment of his stats.

— robinlupe

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 2:34 PM, 02/12/2013

Can't wait til he can hit with two good legs this year!

— robinlupe

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 3:18 PM, 02/12/2013

This list makes no sense, Vernon Wells, John Lackey, Jayson Werth all behind Howard? Wells made 21MM las year for 11hr 29 RBI, Lackey 15mm for a 6.41 ERA, Werth will be making 21mm when he's 38 and has not been good since leaving the Phils 20hr and .230 avg in his firts full season. Howard now that he's healthy will hit 30 hr 110RBI like he's done for the past 6 full seasons he's played a power hitter of his caliber costs a lot of money and is no easy to find. Pujols and Fielder's will be the worst in the near future.

— PhilliesWS2013

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 6:23 PM, 02/12/2013

Depends on this year. If he has a couple 2010 level years it won't look bad. Especially after next year when all the new contracts are 10-15% higher.

— KINGOFZED

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 8:02 PM, 02/12/2013

If there's an article about something negative, you see the same few morons who whine about everything posting here thinking what they say is relevant. Funny thing is, everything they say and whine about turns out to be wrong. Name one starter that we traded away as a minor league player. Look at the replies, same old tired paint chip eating dummies now think because of one bad article from a biased writer makes their whining relevant. Don't you people ever get tired of being wrong?

— TexasYankee

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 10:26 AM, 02/13/2013

I also love "paying for past production' quotes, Really what do you pay for future production with no past attached. How do you predict future production with no past? If I have a player with 4 prolific, bordering on historic years of HR and RBI production, who has performed in the post season, taken my team to 2 WS and 3 division championships,and a FA market and salary scale that promises him monster $$$. How do you let that ride and take a chance he goes elsewhere without getting cost assurance. Then you would be complaining that they let the biggest piece of their offense go when they had a chance to sign him to an extension. If you think the cardinals would not have been interested in a native son that has torn them up after losing Pujols and been able to get him for less than Albert at less years you are all dreaming. Haters! Do you remember last years pathetic offense before he rejoined the lineup. Do you also remnember them being 16 games over .500 in the second half on one leg, with him. Recognize the Phillies offense is as good as ryan howard is in lineup. He struggles they struggle, he hits they score, he is out they have no offense. that's why he's the BIG PIECE!

— rhcjr2