With five-time All-Star Josh Hamilton being traded/given away by the Angels, who are still reportedly going to pay roughly $68 million of the remaining $80 million owed to Hamilton back to the Rangers, it ends one of the worst free-agent deals ever.
It didn’t look that way when Hamilton signed it, though.
Just two and a half years ago, the Angels agreed to a five-year, $125 million contract to ink the then 31-year-old former MVP to provide some protection for Albert Pujols and Mike Trout in what looked like a manager’s dream of a lineup.
The dream quickly turned into a nightmare, as is the case among some of these high-risk deals.
Although usually we think of A-Rod’s albatross $275 million agreement, which pays him through to age 42 (2017 season), when discussing the worst free-agent contracts ever given out, Hamilton’s deal, and his play since signing it, has largely flown under the radar. Until now. (While we’re at it, who actually thought Hamilton would be given away before A-Rod?)
