The Contract Every MLB Team Is Dying to Get off the Books

In baseball, players seem to be given huge contracts based on a one-year performance. Either that or you overpay to fill a hole.

What happens when you do that?

You are left with bad contracts on your roster. Every team has at least one contract they would like to move today.

Here are the contracts every team is dying to get off their books.   

Baltimore Orioles, 2B Brian Roberts

Back in 2009, Brian Roberts signed four-year, $40 million contract extension keeping him in Baltimore through 2013. Since then, injuries have hampered him, and he has only played 98 games the past two seasons.

For a team looking to rebuild in a smaller market, paying an aging, injury-prone player $10 million a season does not seem feasible. 

Boston Red Sox, P John Lackey

There are not too many contracts worse than this one in baseball.

In 2009, Lackey signed a five-year, $82.5 million deal with the Red Sox.

Since then, he has gone 26-23 with 5.40 ERA. You can now find Lackey out for the 2012 season with Tommy John surgery. 

New York Yankees, 3B Alex Rodriguez

When you're only in the middle of a 10-year, $275 million contract, you hope the player is still producing at a high level. Well, Alex Rodriguez hasn't hit over .300 since 2008 and only played 99 games last season.

His contract remains the largest in baseball, but with his production declining, it could also be baseball's worst. 

Tampa Bay Rays, CF B.J. Upton

There are not too many high salaries on the Tampa Bay Rays. However, when you look at the production and constant issues surrounding B.J. Upton, you have to figure he has the team's worst contract. 

He has gotten into altercations with the team's star player and has failed to produce at the level many feel he should.

While the $4.8 million salary may not seem like much, it ranks high on the Rays, and when it's attached to Upton, it figures to be the team's worst contract. 

Toronto Blue Jays, 2B Kelly Johnson

The Blue Jays and Kelly Johnson avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $6.3 million contract. However, look for the Jays to move or bench him if he starts to have a season similar to the one he had last year. 

Johnson hit .222 last season continuing to try and hit the ball out of the ball park—something a second baseman should not be doing unless he has the proper skills to do so. 

Chicago White Sox, RF Alex Rios

If you're a White Sox fan, you know this can go many different ways.

Adam Dunn had a treacherous season last year, and Jake Peavy has been nothing short of a disaster since joining the team via trade. Both players are making big money for an extended period of time but still don't look as bad as Alex Rios' contract. 

The White Sox took over Rios' six-year, $69.8 million contract when the picked him up off waivers a couple years ago. Since then, he has frustrated the fans and organization with his lack of effort, poor defense and tumbling numbers. 

Cleveland Indians, DH Travis Hafner

Even though the Indians are going into the last year of this deal, they still can't wait to get rid of it. Back when Hafner signed a four-year, $57 million extension back in 2007, they thought they were getting a big, burly slugger.

Over the last four seasons, he has only 47 home runs total—not slugger material.

Detroit Tigers, C/DH Victor Martinez

This is tough because a couple months ago, this contract would be seen as a bargain. An All-Star hitter who provides great protection to Miguel Cabrera for the low price of four years, $50 million? What a steal. 

Then he tore his ACL, causing him to miss the entire 2012 season. Now enter Prince Fielder and his massive deal, and all of a sudden, Victor Martinez seems necessary going forward.

Alex Avila is a great young catcher, and Miguel Cabrera cannot be the long-term third baseman almost forcing him to the DH role soon. 

Kansas City Royals, RP Joakim Soria

Joakim Soria does not make a lot of money at all. His contract is actually a bargain when you compare it to the other top closers in the game.

He's currently on the options end of his six-year deal. The team has the right to exercise options going forward through 2014.

However, now that they have Jonathan Broxton for cheap, maybe Soria becomes valuable trade bait. 

Minnesota Twins, C Joe Mauer

At the time, it was a no-brainer. You lock in a young superstar in his hometown and score one for the small-market teams. Joe Mauer signed his eight-year, $184 million contract, and Twins fans were excited. 

Then the struggles at the plate came about.

Injuries have come, questions have arisen about the energy put into doing commercials, all slowing him down as these concerns pop up in the clubhouse. Even the fans have turned on him at certain points as Mauer was booed during a dismal Twins year last season.

Too soon to sign him?  

Los Angeles Angels, LF Vernon Wells

Since Vernon Wells signed his seven-year, $126 million extension back in December of 2006, it has been a disaster for him.

Toronto found a way to move him to the Angels who thought they could revive his career. They were wrong.

He hit .218 last season, and now, they can't wait until this contract runs out.  

Oakland Athletics, RP Brian Fuentes

GM Billy Beane usually signs veterans with one thing in mind—being able to flip them for prospects.

Now Brian Fuentes is in the last season of his two-year deal, and Beane would love for him to get off to a hot start so he can get something for the reliever before he walks at the end of the season. 

Seattle Mariners, 3B Chone Figgins

When Seattle signed Chone Figgins to a four-year, $36 million deal back in 2009, they thought they completed a one-two punch with Ichiro.

Since then, he has been a train wreck for the team.

Last season, he hit .188 with only 11 stolen bases. 

Texas Rangers, C Yorvit Torrealba

When the Rangers signed Yorvit Torrealba to a two-year deal last year, they had no idea Mike Napoli would be on their radar.

Now, Torrealba's contract seems a little to high to be a backup catcher. 

Atlanta Braves, 3B Chipper Jones

This one is tough.

Chipper Jones did not have a bad season last year, and he is, without a doubt, a future Hall of Famer.

However, to pay all that money to a player in his 40s is tough. It will be interesting if the club decides to pick up the fourth-year option. 

Miami Marlins, SS Jose Reyes

This is more of a prediction into the future.

Very soon, into this new six-year, $106 million deal, the Marlins will regret it.

Reyes is an often-injured player who sometimes does not give full effort.

Now that he has the deal, will he lay out for his team every day?

New York Mets, SP Johan Santana

Whether he comes back healthy or not, the six-year, $137.5 million contract the Mets signed Johan Santana to has already been rough on the team.

In the midst of financial issues and the fact he has not been able to get on the field the last couple seasons, this makes a bad contract. 

Philadelphia Phillies, P Joe Blanton

In 2010, the Phillies rewarded Blanton for his consistency and durability with a three-year contract extension.

Since then, they have accumulated so much pitching, and Blanton hasn't been durable or consistent. They would like to have this one back.  

Washington Nationals, RF Jayson Werth

The Nationals are still in the front end of a seven-year, $126 million contract.

Last year, he posted mediocre numbers only hitting .232 with 20 home runs and 58 RBI.

This could be a long six years in Washington D.C.

Chicago Cubs, LF Alfonso Soriano

Doesn't it feel like Alfonso Soriano has been on the Cubs forever?

Yet, there's still three years left on that eight-year, $136 million contract. At the time when they signed him, he was a 40-40 threat who you could build a team around.

He hasn't been that guy since he went to Chicago. It would be tough even for Theo Epstein to move this contract. 

Cincinnati Reds, SP Bronson Arroyo

Back in 2010, Bronson Arroyo got an extension through 2013 for $23.5 million.

Now, it's not a lot of money but is certainly not worth it for a 35-year-old with an above five ERA last season and an under .500 record. 

Houston Astros, LF Carlos Lee

Thankfully, the Houston Astros are in the final year of the six-year deal they gave to Carlos Lee for $100 million.

He was productive the first half of the deal, but the last couple years have really put a damper on things.

Even though there's one year left, they would still love to get out of the deal ASAP. 

Milwaukee Brewers, 3B Aramis Ramirez

This is a prediction into the future.

The Brewers might have panicked when they knew they were losing Prince Fielder and thought they were going to not have Ryan Braun for 50 games. They signed a guy who always seems to put up meaningless stats on bad teams and gives no hustle or effort.

Aramis Ramirez will be patrolling the hot corner for the Brewers over the next three years for $36 million. 

Pittsburgh Pirates, SP A.J. Burnett

Even though the Yankees are picking up $20 million of his remaining deal, did you really need a starter that bad that you had to go get A.J. Burnett?

The Pirates will pay $13 million of his remaining salary, but some might think that's too much for an aging pitcher who has struggled the last couple years and is already hurt after taking a foul ball off his face. 

St. Louis Cardinals, RF Carlos Beltran

He hasn't played one game yet in St. Louis, but there are thoughts already that this contract will come back to haunt them.

While it's only for two years at $26 million, it still may seem like a lot for a guy whose best years are behind him and is often injured. 

Arizona Diamondbacks, 2B Aaron Hill

Even though the Diamondbacks declined the options for the 2012 and 2013 seasons for Aaron Hill, they still decided to bring him back.

He really struggled last season, yet he gets a two-year, $11 million deal on a playoff team. 

Colorado Rockies, 1B Todd Helton

The Rockies and their fans love Todd Helton which is why the team probably felt forced to bring him back.

Even though they re-worked his deal to only two years, $9 million, $13.1 of his money from his last deal is deferred, and they will have to pay that at some point. 

Los Angeles Dodgers, SP Ted Lilly

The problem with Ted Lilly's three-year, $33 million contract is it is heavily backloaded—$12 million this season and $13.5 the next. 

San Diego Padres, 2B Orlando Hudson

Not a bad deal, but Orlando Hudson is one of the big money guys on the Padres, and that's a problem.

In 2013, he will either get a $2 million buyout or an $8 million mutual option.

San Francisco Giants, SP Barry Zito

This contract has been bad for some time now.

Back in 2006, Barry Zito signed a seven-year contract for $126 million.

At the time, it was the largest ever by a pitcher. He never lived up to it, and there's still two more years left on this deal.