Mike Hampton: Man, Myth, or Payroll Legend?

Mike Hampton.  When this name comes to my mind I think of one thing, disappointment. One of the highest paid pitchers also happens to be one of the biggest duds in the major leagues. This man ranks up there with Kerry Wood and Mark Prior as some of the biggest failures in baseball.

In 2000, Mike Hampton inked the 22nd largest contract in the history of sports. This is impressive in itself.  Since signing this lucrative contract, Hampton has only had one truly successful full year of baseball which took place in 2003, which was his first full year as Brave. Hampton has become the definition of the reason why teams are so fearful to sign pitchers to long term contracts.

As we sit today, Mike Hampton hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2005, in which he only started 12 games. The real question for many Braves fans this year is, Will Hampton be able to actually earn the reported 15,000,000 million that is due to him? In my opinion, I would have to say yes.

In spring training this year, Mike has put up some very impressive numbers. Over the four games he has started in spring training this year, he has a very stingy 1.98 ERA. With today’s rehab techniques, I see no really why he can’t translate this success into the year and be a solid fourth starter for the Braves.

Just look to his teammate John Smoltz, who is very similar to Hampton in some ways including his bating prowess, if you want to see a success story of a pitcher coming back from Tommy John surgery, excluding the other minor setbacks Hampton faced with muscle strains. Since 2000, when Smoltz went under the knife, he has come back to the major leagues and proven himself to be the same dominate force as he was before. If anything, he became even greater, but that’s another article in itself.

I see Hampton starting around 23-26 games and posting around a 3.80 ERA. The national league is the perfect league for a pitcher to try and comeback to and has immediate success. The lack of a DH in the national league gives him a little bit of a break, although he does have to play on both sides of the ball.  I think Hampton might be what takes the Braves into the playoffs as long as they give him a break sometimes in the season, kind of like the Mets and the White Sox did and do with El Duque, Orlando Hernandez.  

One thing I can tell you is this, if Hampton can’t make good of any part of the contract which he is still being paid, then I feel bad for the Braves for paying it. I have a strong feeling that Hampton will play through the pain though this year even if it occurs, especially because it’s a contract year. Expect big things, or at least him to go down with a fight. This year will dictate his future in baseball.