Every season general managers try to get the most bang for their buck by signing players to cheap, team friendly contracts while expecting that player to be a big part of their team. However sometimes general managers out smart themselves, and sing players they are better off leaving as free agents. Sometimes a team will sign a certain type of player because it has worked in the past, even though better judgment says that it is not a wise signing. Below is my list of players I think teams would have been better off not signing to a contract.
1. The first such player is starting pitcher Ryan Vogelsong who signed a one year contract worth two million dollars. Vogelsong had a nice little run with the Giants his first two seasons but he reverted back to his old self the last couple of seasons. Vogelsong has a career 4.45 ERA, and is now 38 years old. Vogelsong was awful for the Pirates his first time around, and even the Pirates as a team have had a ton of success turning pitchers around the last five or so years I just can’t see a way that they get any type of production out of Vogelsong.
2. Despite having a great half season with Atlanta last year, Jim Johnson still remains an extremely risky signing. Johnson has posted some scary high WHIP’s over the last three seasons, and has really only been an effective major league pitcher during a three year stretch with the Orioles. Johnson doesn’t only miss outside the strike zone he also misses within the strike zone which has lead to many of his struggles the last few seasons. Pitchers can’t afford to miss outside the zone and walk batters and then miss inside the strike zone by throwing a fastball down the middle. This has been the major issue for Johnson which is he will likely struggle again this year. Despite only making 2.5 million this year Johnson is likely going to do more harm than good for the Braves.
3. Since his magical run with Milwaukee in 2010, and 2011 John Axford has been a highly ineffective pitcher. Since then his ERA is over 4.00, and he has seen his strikeouts decrease while seeing his walks and hits allowed increase. Now Axford finds himself in Colorado which is a pitcher nightmare. It is difficult for the best starters and relievers to be successful there and now the Rockies are exposing a pitcher who ahs struggled to a very hitter friendly environment. This is a recipe for disaster for the Rockies.
4. I’m actually fairly surprised that Oliver Perez has managed to keep himself in the league. Perez had some frighteningly bad seasons in the beginning of his career, but by switching to the bullpen he has been able to convince teams that he can be of service. Perez has seen an increase in his strikeout rate but is ERA is still an eye sore. The fact that his ERA has been better as a reliever than as a starter isn’t saying much. Despite his mediocre career Perez is going to make seven million over the next two years, which doesn’t like much in a sport with no salary cap, but it is when you consider who is making it.
5. Despite some strong seasons in St. Louis Jason Motte has hit a wall the last two years. Motte has a 4.68, and a 3.91 ERA over the last two seasons, and now he is moving to Colorado just like Axford which is bound to have some negative effects on his stats. Motte is a fly ball pitcher with a decreasing strikeout rate, and even though five million a season over two years is not a bad contract, I find it difficult to believe Motte can reach value while in Colorado unless he can miraculously turn around the trend of his recent struggles.