It is insanity to give 9 figure long term guaranteed contracts to pitchers. They are on HGH and lift weights and suseptical to injuries. Elbows, tendons, shoulders, forearms, lats cannot take the stress. Pitchers are so much bigger and muscle-heavier than in the past.
It hurts baseball because the top 10 big dog cities can afford to take a hit on these kind of players, but the rest cannot afford to financially. The Dodgers had Braun, Buehler, and Kershaw all out at the same time a few yrs ago (over $100M combined, more than about ten teams total team salary payroll) but still could get by and compete.
(eg. Texas signed deGrom this year LOL, he's 35, gave him $37M/yr $185M guaranteed)
It hurts baseball because the top 10 big dog cities can afford to take a hit on these kind of players, but the rest cannot afford to financially. The Dodgers had Braun, Buehler, and Kershaw all out at the same time a few yrs ago (over $100M combined, more than about ten teams total team salary payroll) but still could get by and compete.
(eg. Texas signed deGrom this year LOL, he's 35, gave him $37M/yr $185M guaranteed)
Stephen Strasburg will reportedly retire after a 13-year career with the Nationals
. The 2009 #1 overall pick earned 2019 World Series MVP honors after going 2-0 with a 2.51 ERA to lead the Nats to their first title in franchise history.
3× All-Star
2019 World Series champion
World Series MVP
2019 Babe Ruth Award
2019 All-MLB First Team
. The 2009 #1 overall pick earned 2019 World Series MVP honors after going 2-0 with a 2.51 ERA to lead the Nats to their first title in franchise history.
3× All-Star
2019 World Series champion
World Series MVP
2019 Babe Ruth Award
2019 All-MLB First Team
