Is Melvin Upton Jr(BJ Upton) the worst free agent signing of all time?

[Chewbaccer]

Without doing any research, my gut tells me yes.

5 years, 75 million, the biggest contract the Braves had ever given an outfielder, and what do we get in return?

2013: .184 avg, 9 HR, 26 RBIs, .268 OBP, 151 strikeouts
2014: .208 avg, 12 HR, 35 RBI, .287 OBP, 171 strikeouts

This jackass is costing us 15 million a year.

I challenge you to find a worse free agent signing in the history of MLB.

 

[calsnowskier]

Not looking it up right now, so some of these may not be as epically bad as Upton is so far, but...

Hampton
Zito
Rodriguez
Texiera (sp?)
Pujols
Hamilton

 

[cerealboi]

Not looking it up right now, so some of these may not be as epically bad as Upton is so far, but...

Hampton
Zito
Rodriguez
Texiera (sp?)
Pujols
Hamilton

Most of these other guys were at least effective for a season or two. E.g. Zito had one year where he hovered around a 4 ERA. Upton has been an abomination. 66 ERA + in his two years on the Braves. I'm not sure the Braves don't just use him as a utility player or try to dump him by paying most of his salary (Although I think he's virtually untradeable).

 

[cerealboi]

* OPS + not ERA +

 

[Bmurph]

Hamilton will end up being very bad in the end, Vernon Wells was pretty bad but I think Melvin Jr. is probably one of the worst ever.

 

[calsnowskier]

How about Ugla? I know he wasn't a FA signing, but they did give him the big contract right after acquiring him...

However, regarding Upton, he is only 2-years into the contract. Remember Werth's first year in Washington?

 

[calsnowskier]

Huff for the Giants was a complete disgrace when they re-signed him after the '10 season. It was only a 2/22, but it was painful to watch him play those two years.

 

[night]

How about Ugla? I know he wasn't a FA signing, but they did give him the big contract right after acquiring him...

However, regarding Upton, he is only 2-years into the contract. Remember Werth's first year in Washington?

Yea, Uggla underperformed more plus he got worse every season except for his last one in ATL which wasn't exactly a big step in the right direction.

 

[MilkSpiller22]

roberto alomar- mets
aj burnett yankees

 

[williewilliejuan]

Side note: How does Melvin Upton Jr. become "BJ"?

 

[broncosmitty]

Carl Pavano?

 

[broncosmitty]

Side note: How does Melvin Upton Jr. become "BJ"?

His dad was Bossman. So he was Bossman Jr.

Didn't realize he wanted to be called Melvin until just now.

 

[Erie Warrior]

Albert Belle's Orioles contract was pretty bad. They had to leave him on the 40 man roster for a few seasons after he was done playing so the insurance company would eat his contract.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

Not looking it up right now, so some of these may not be as epically bad as Upton is so far, but...

Hampton
Zito
Rodriguez
Texiera (sp?)
Pujols
Hamilton

Pujols should be nowhere near this list of guys

 

[Mistaken4193]

The contract we gave Mike Hampton was way worse than this one.

 

[broncosmitty]

Pujols should be nowhere near this list of guys

People like to wish in one hand, and dump Jergens in the other.

Dudes prolly pushin' 40, but he's better than most.

Not like there's any Angles fans on here to agree with me, but still.

 

[calsnowskier]

Pujols should be nowhere near this list of guys

He still has about 18 years left at about 37M per.

Looking back, it will belong on this list.

 

[broncosmitty]

He still has about 18 years left at about 37M per.

Looking back, it will belong on this list.

We all know you WISH he was yer 1st baseman.

Just admit it.

It's cool.

 

[Chewbaccer]

How about Ugla? I know he wasn't a FA signing, but they did give him the big contract right after acquiring him...

However, regarding Upton, he is only 2-years into the contract. Remember Werth's first year in Washington?

At least we got one good season out of Uggla, and he had a good attitude until the end. BJ wouldn't even return Greg Walker's calls last offseason. That 33 game hitting streak alone puts Uggla ahead of BJ.

 

[Chewbaccer]

The contract we gave Mike Hampton was way worse than this one.

At least we got two decent seasons out of him. And Ted Turner still owned the team when he was signed, so it didn't hurt us near as bad. Plus Hampton was effective when he was in the mound for us, injuries just kept him down.