NakamuraINA: Top 5 Financially Disappointed Teams of 2010
As the 2010 season comes to a close, there will be eight teams looking for
one title. World Series Champion. In the meantime, there will be 22 teams and millions of fans watching football. Among those, there will be owners who look at the millions of dollars they spent this year with nothing to show for it. These are the top five teams who spent too much money for nothing.
5) Los Angeles Angels
The Angels spent a lot of money... over 104 million dollars to be exact. With the eighth highest payroll in the Major Leagues, you would have expected them to be within the top eight teams in the Major Leagues. But instead, they're likely to finish the season with a record below .500. Torri Hunter, center fielder for the Angels, made over 18 million dollars this year. He hit below .300 (.283), less than 25 home runs (23), and less than 100 RBI (89). Yet, he lead the team in AVG., RBI and 2nd in home runs. Let's just hope he wins a gold glove award.
4) Chicago Cubs
How have the Cubs not won a world series yet? With a season payroll over 145 million (3rd highest in the MLB), they were beaten by the Reds who spent below 70 million (21st) . How does that happen? They had three people "earn" over 15 million dollars this year. Alfonso Soriano hit only .254 with 24 home runs and five stolen bases. He made over 19 million dollars. Carlos Zambrano made $18,875,000 by simply posting a 3.36 ERA and going 10-6. Though his performance wasn't terrible by any standards, he hasn't done well enough to earn his big bucks. But of course, the money will still end up in his pocket. Lastly, Aramis Ramirez made 16.7 million while hitting just .242 and playing in just 122 games. Pathetic. This team needs a turn around if they want to kill their curse. The Red Sox and the White Sox were able to. We're waiting on you, Chicago. The Cubs fans want their win.
3) New York Mets
Do I even need to write something in this area? They had the second highest payroll in the bigs and finished fourth in their division, just in front of the Washington Nationals. Carlos Beltran was injured for almost half the season and still received over 20 million. Oliver Perez, who isn't even a decent pitcher by any standards, received 12 million. Mets fans should be thankful Omar Minaya is on his way out.
2) Detroit Tigers
For a team that got rid of Curtis Granderson for payroll purposes, this team is paying too much money. They paid Dontrelle Willis close to 12 million and Nate Robertson 9.6 million. What's wrong with that, you ask?
Neither of them are on the Tigers. (Adam Everett, who is currently a free agent, also made 1.5 million without actually being of the Tigers) Ironically, their highest paid player Miguel Cabrera earned every penny of his paycheck (.328 AVG, 38 HR, 126 RBI) Tigers fans should pray for the health of their ace, Justin Verlander. He's set to earn 20.1 million dollars each year starting in 2011 with his contract ending in 2014. One injury, and you have another Dontrelle on your hands. (Miguel Cabrera is also set to make an average of 22 million dollars over the next 5 years.)
1) Boston Red Sox
Well aren't Red Sox fans pissed? After all the money spent and they couldn't even win the Wild Card. Red Sox fans have a lot of excuses. "They're in the best division", "they had too many injuries" etc. And most of their excuses are true. But excuses don't get you a world series ring. When you have the 2nd highest payroll in baseball, no excuse is good enough to excuse you from making the playoffs. Especially if one of the teams that beat you spent 90 million dollars less than you. However, the good news for Boston is they look okay for next year. Their top offensive performers Victor Martinez and Adrian Beltre will become free agents, but they don't have many holes to fill in. Catcher, third base, and maybe a few arms in the bullpen, and the Sox are set to contend again. The Sox 2011 payroll is currently looking to only be 100 million, which would have been 9th highest this year. With all that money available to spend and so few players needed to be acquired, the Red Sox are going into this offseason in good shape. Better luck next year Boston.
Surely Red Sox fans are disappointed...
5) Los Angeles Angels
The Angels spent a lot of money... over 104 million dollars to be exact. With the eighth highest payroll in the Major Leagues, you would have expected them to be within the top eight teams in the Major Leagues. But instead, they're likely to finish the season with a record below .500. Torri Hunter, center fielder for the Angels, made over 18 million dollars this year. He hit below .300 (.283), less than 25 home runs (23), and less than 100 RBI (89). Yet, he lead the team in AVG., RBI and 2nd in home runs. Let's just hope he wins a gold glove award.
4) Chicago Cubs
How have the Cubs not won a world series yet? With a season payroll over 145 million (3rd highest in the MLB), they were beaten by the Reds who spent below 70 million (21st) . How does that happen? They had three people "earn" over 15 million dollars this year. Alfonso Soriano hit only .254 with 24 home runs and five stolen bases. He made over 19 million dollars. Carlos Zambrano made $18,875,000 by simply posting a 3.36 ERA and going 10-6. Though his performance wasn't terrible by any standards, he hasn't done well enough to earn his big bucks. But of course, the money will still end up in his pocket. Lastly, Aramis Ramirez made 16.7 million while hitting just .242 and playing in just 122 games. Pathetic. This team needs a turn around if they want to kill their curse. The Red Sox and the White Sox were able to. We're waiting on you, Chicago. The Cubs fans want their win.
3) New York Mets
Do I even need to write something in this area? They had the second highest payroll in the bigs and finished fourth in their division, just in front of the Washington Nationals. Carlos Beltran was injured for almost half the season and still received over 20 million. Oliver Perez, who isn't even a decent pitcher by any standards, received 12 million. Mets fans should be thankful Omar Minaya is on his way out.
2) Detroit Tigers
For a team that got rid of Curtis Granderson for payroll purposes, this team is paying too much money. They paid Dontrelle Willis close to 12 million and Nate Robertson 9.6 million. What's wrong with that, you ask?
Dontrelle 'D-Train' Willis
1) Boston Red Sox
Well aren't Red Sox fans pissed? After all the money spent and they couldn't even win the Wild Card. Red Sox fans have a lot of excuses. "They're in the best division", "they had too many injuries" etc. And most of their excuses are true. But excuses don't get you a world series ring. When you have the 2nd highest payroll in baseball, no excuse is good enough to excuse you from making the playoffs. Especially if one of the teams that beat you spent 90 million dollars less than you. However, the good news for Boston is they look okay for next year. Their top offensive performers Victor Martinez and Adrian Beltre will become free agents, but they don't have many holes to fill in. Catcher, third base, and maybe a few arms in the bullpen, and the Sox are set to contend again. The Sox 2011 payroll is currently looking to only be 100 million, which would have been 9th highest this year. With all that money available to spend and so few players needed to be acquired, the Red Sox are going into this offseason in good shape. Better luck next year Boston.
Pro Sports Wrap
Orble Sport Blog
Baseball Author
Tech Poke
Writing Edition
Anything or Everything?