Justin Upton Joins List Of Overvalued, Underperforming Outfielders
By Dan Jenkins
@DanTJenkins
Detroit Tigers fans were cautiously optimistic when the team announced it had signed 28-year-old outfielder Justin Upton to a six-year, $132.75 million contract during in January.
Many were calling for the team to bring back fan-favorite Yoenis Cespedes, who was traded away at the trade deadline for Michael Fulmer after just 102 games in Detroit.
Ultimately, Upton was a slightly cheaper option for new general manager Al Avila who came with nine years of Major League experience, something Cespedes didn't have. A two-year player option sweetened the deal, allowing Upton to test free agency again after the 2017 season.
Halfway into the 2016 campaign, it's safe to say that Upton has a long way to go to live up to that $132.75 million.
The right-handed veteran -- who has been billed as a power hitter -- has four home runs and a .612 OPS to go along with 78 strikeouts.
Upton's situation is hardly new. Looking at recent history, there has been a handful of highly-paid, overvalued outfielders who have cashed-in during free agency and not produced the numbers to back their salary.
None of these players are bad, but it's safe to say that they performed better before signing their big-money contracts than after.
Here's a look at some of the others, how they've performed and where they are now:
Shin-Soo Choo
Signed seven-year, $130 million contract with Texas Rangers in 2014 at age 31.
Statistics since signing contract: 278 games, .258 batting average, 35 home runs, 123 RBIs, .780 OPS.
Shin-Soo Choo has been solid since signing his $130 million deal in 2014, but the veteran has only played in six games so far this season due to a hamstring injury.
Perhaps a little overlooked, Choo has yet to be named to an All-Star Game roster, something a little curious for a player with his high salary.
Carl Crawford
Signed seven-year, $142 million contract with Boston Red Sox in 2011 at age 29.
Statistics since signing contract: 481 games, .271 batting average, 32 home runs, 174 RBIs, .717 OPS.
Carl Crawford has had a really tough go since leaving Tampa Bay in 2011. The 34-year-old has only averaged playing in 80 games per season over the past six years.
Prior to signing with the Boston Red Sox, Crawford was a four-time All-Star and Gold Glove and Silver Slugger award winner.
The Red Sox dumped Crawford in Los Angeles just a year and a half into his contract when the Dodgers acquired Adrian Gonzalez in 2012. He spent 2016 as a fourth outfielder in L.A. before being designated for assignment last week with $35 million remaining on his contract.
Jacoby Ellsbury
Signed seven-year $153 million contract with New York Yankees in 2014 at age 30.
Statistics since signing contract: 314 games, .268 batting average, 26 home runs, 122 RBIs, .723 OPS.
Jacoby Ellsbury committed treason in 2014 when he spurned the Red Sox for the New York Yankees. He's been solid, but hasn't been able to replicate his 2011 campaign when he hit 32 home runs and stole 39 bases, while finishing second in the voting for American League MVP behind Justin Verlander.
Ellsbury's OPS has dropped off since moving to the Big Apple (.723 down from .789). He missed some time in 2015 -- playing in only 111 games -- with a right knee sprain.
Matt Kemp
Signed eight-year, $160 million contract extension with Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012 at age 27.
Statistics since signing contract: 544 games, .275 batting average, 91 home runs, 333 RBIs, .800 OPS.
Matt Kemp was once one of the best players in baseball. He would have won an MVP award in the National League in 2011 had Ryan Braun not been taking performance enhancers.
That 2011 campaign earned Kemp a huge $160 million extension. However, since signing that deal five years ago Kemp has only made one All-Star game and had some of his prime years taken away by injuries.
Kemp missed most of 2013 with ankle, hamstring and shoulder injuries. The Dodgers then dumped his contract in San Diego after the 2014 season.
Kemp has seen a little bit of a resurgence with the Padres over the past year and a half, but he never came close to replicating his near-MVP numbers.
Jason Heyward
Signed eight-year, $184 million contract with Chicago Cubs in 2016 at age 26.
Statistics since signing contract: 52 games, .221 batting average, 3 home runs, 21 RBIs, .624 OPS.
It's still way too early to say that Jason Heyward hasn't lived up to his gigantic $184 million contract, which is second only to Giancarlo Stanton's astronomical $325 million deal as far as highest-paid outfielders of all time go.
The Chicago Cubs took a risk thinking that the 26-year-old has yet to reach his prime. That's where he stands out from the others on this list -- he's being paid for what he can become, rather than what he's done in the past.
The three-time Gold Glove winner is off to a terrible start in 2016, but he can buck the trend set by the others on this list by developing into an All-Star player and one of the best outfielders in baseball.