The Miami Marlins have to avoid bad contracts

It’s exciting when your favorite team signs a superstar player on the free agent contract. Considering how bad the Miami Marlins offense has been this year. Signing a top free agent hitter would be an ideal solution. The excitement fades however, if that top free agent becomes a bad contract who keeps the team from signing better players. Teams that are careful with money *cough* Miami Marlins *cough* need to especially be cautious here.

The Miami Marlins can’t afford to give out bad contracts.

As I said earlier, having a great player locked up to a big contract can be perfect. Just ask the Los Angeles Angels about their first Mike Trout deal. For every great deal though there are at least two bad ones. The same Los Angeles Angels must have been thrilled to have signed Albert Pujols back in 2011, anyone who pointed out his declining stats and walk rate was bashed. By 2014 the Pujols deal was seen as an albatross hitting the Angels’ payroll.

Remember when the New York Yankees signed CF Jacoby Ellsbury? All those injuries had to be flukes after a 5.8 WAR .298/.355/.426 season with the Boston Red Sox. He never came close to that performance with the Bronx Bombers and spent significant time on the IL. How happy do you think the fans were for that contract at that point? Or how about when the Milwaukee Brewers extended former Miami Marlins LF Christian Yelich? He’s now batting .251/.351/.380. $100 million+ well spent huh?

Speaking of injury-prone players. SP Stephen Strasburg was a playoff hero for the Washington Nationals as a World Series MVP after a dominant season. The fans would’ve rioted if they didn’t give him a 7 year/$245 million contract. They did and now he can’t even stay healthy to pitch, with the lowest ERA he had being 4.57 in 2021. The Los Angeles Angels signed his teammate 3B Anthony Rendon to a matching 7 year/$245 million deal, how many fans are happy with that now?

Should the Miami Marlins give out $100 million+ contracts to players? Yes, if it’s the right player and the risk is minimal. Otherwise obviously not. The excitement of signing the player will fade once he’s not producing and the team cries poor because of his bad contract.