Cleveland Indians: Best Contracts In Team History

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Aug 2, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Surrounded by his family, Cleveland Indians former player Jim Thome signs a one-day contract with Cleveland Indians president Mark Shapiro before the game between the Cleveland Indians and the Texas Rangers at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

About a week ago Jonah Keri’s piece on baseball’s worst contracts sparked thoughts about some of the Indians all-time worst contracts. We noticed that in recent history, the Indians have been burned handing out multi-year deals to 30-something year old players as well as extending their own players a second time.

Where the Indians have excelled contract-wise, is locking up their own young players, a trail Hank Peters and John Hart blazed in the early 1990’s. That’s how they’ve landed most of their best business deals.

The Veterans

Perhaps one of their best deals for an aging player ever – Dennis Martinez, who earned roughly $14 million in three years in Cleveland. Gave the Indians 32 wins in his age 40, 41 an 42 seasons. In 1995 he was worth 5.7 wins and was an All-Star. Would any 40 year old get a three-year deal now? Would any of them post a five WAR season at age 40? Given his age, El Presidente certainly made out as well as the Indians did in this deal.

Sep 9, 2013; Cleveland, OH, USA; Former pitcher Orel Hershiser throws the ceremonial first pitch prior to a game between the Cleveland Indians and the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Orel Hershiser went 6-6 in 21 starts for the Dodgers in 1993 at age 35. After an incredible run in blue, they had doubts about how much was left in the tank. The Indians thought there was enough to give him a three year/$6.35 million deal. He won 45 games in three seasons and a combined 8.7 WAR. Despite some very inflated ERA’s (it was the heart of the steroid era) and collecting wins on the strength of a herculean offense, Hershiser gave the Indians what they needed in the 90s.

Ronnie Belliard earned $7.6 million over his three years in Cleveland. Though he played about one-third of his season in St. Louis after a trade in 2006, Belliard hit more homers as an Indian each year than he had any year prior. An All-Star in 2004, the second baseman was worth 3.4 wins that season and 4.5 in 2005. It might have behooved the Indians to hang onto him through 2006, as he produced three more quality years in Washington. The Indians went the way of the miserable Josh Barfield experiment. Second base has not been on of the best positions the Indians have handled recently, so let’s hope that Jason Kipnis deal doesn’t bite them.

Next: Give Me Those Dollars...

May 28, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox former player Manny Ramirez throws out the first pitch before the game against the Atlanta Braves at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Basically just stealing money

In 1997, the Indians locked up Manny Ramirez to a four-year/$13.55 million deal. In his worst year (97) he was worth 4.6 wins. He made three All-Star teams and finished top six in MVP voting three times.

The rabid ‘right handed bat’ fans must still think that you can get a 40 homer bat for roughly three million a year. Given how cheap the Indians kept Ramirez locked up for, it’s no surprise Scott Boras made Manny break the bank as soon as he finished rounding third after hitting a homer in his final at bat as an Indian in 2000. For the money, Ramirez might have been the best contract the Indians ever ventured into.

Add in another $39.7 million over eight years for Jim Thome from 1997 to 2002, the Indians got a combined 30.9 WAR (5.15/a season) for an average of $6.16 million a year. Between Ramirez and Thome alone from 1997-2000, the Indians got 32.5 wins for an average of $9.547 million a season.

Consider that Mike Trout will make $144 million before he becomes a potential free agent at the ripe-old age of 28 and Giancarlo Stanton has played four seasons and will need to buy a small island just to find room to store all his money, deals like Thome’s and Ramirez’s will NEVER EVER happen again. I could take the time to try and adjust the two contracts for inflation, but also consider that Thome and Ramirez were on the same team and the Indians locked them both up, is ridiculous.

Albert Belle from 1993-1996 made $14.65 million. All he did was average 43 homers a year, led the league in RBIs three times and missed out an MVP award. When he signed that deal, Belle had come off of 28 and 34 home run seasons at the age of 25. Think Trout would have signed a three-year deal coming off of those kind of seasons? Not today. Matt Kemp made $11 million in the first year of his deal after winning the MVP in 2011 at age 26.

I do not have the numbers however, what Belle cost the Indians in corked bats, broken thermostats and fines for scaring NBC reporters.

The Rehabs

Kevin Millwood led the AL in ERA (2.86) win 2005 while making seven million. His presence kept the Indians in the race until the last weekend of the season. It also started the Indians reputation and propensity for these ‘rehab deals.’

$10 million is probably worth a 4.5 win season from Juan Gonzalez in 2001. Technically in 2001, he wasn’t a rehab but did take a one year deal in Cleveland. His 35 homers and 140 RBIs were a nice fill in for Ramirez in the Indians last years of dominance. The reason maybe Gonzalez deserves to be on the best rehab contracts list?

He made $600,000 for one at bat in 2005, straining his hamstring running to first against Minnesota. His injury paved the way for Grady Sizemore to emerge.

After missing most of 2003 with an arm injury, the Indians picked up Bob Howry for around a cool million. ERA’s of 2.74 and 2.47 in 2004 and 2005 over 37 and 79 appearances respectively, gave the Indians their money’s worth.

Sep 24, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona (left) and designated hitter Yan Gomes (10) celebrate a 6-4 win over the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

New deals

Michael Brantley put up a seven win season in 2014 before signing that four year/$25 million deal. Hit over .300 and a 20-20 player for just over six million a year? Good luck finding that deal on the open market for a 27-year-old.

A 26-year-old catcher with 4.4 wins at just under four million for the next six years? I wouldn’t be surprised if the Indians renegotiate Yan Gomes‘ deal over the next few years if he remains that productive and the Indians win.

People love to hate Carlos Santana, but I can’t understand why. His five-year/$21 million deal with keep him in Cleveland through 2017 (with a $12 million team option for that year) and age 31. He’s averaged 23 homers a year since becoming a regular and posted a career low 3.1 WAR last season because of a lousy first half and trying to play third base. Over the last four years he’s been worth 17.6 win offensively. Now that he’s done playing catcher, won’t go near third base and has proven adequate at first base, the Indians could get more than their money’s worth from Santana.

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Best Contracts In Cleveland Indians History

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