I gotta remind these dudes like of how I see them because theyre amazing. Overall, their offseason was a success, and while Heyward has been a disappointment at the plate, he hasn't exactly been a bust. Signed prior to the 2016 season, Heyward jumped from the Cardinals to the rival Cubs via an 8-year, $184 million pact. I took the 25 biggest free-agent deals, calculated how many WAR those players are on pace to end up with, and got a dollars-per-WAR value. Heyward says 'I'll rock that badge' of maligned contract originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago. MLB agreed to pay $185 million to minor league players, which proved to them again that the owners were not invincible. Now 70percent through the season, they are the best team in baseball. Jason Heyward signed a 1 year / $720,000 contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, including $720,000 guaranteed, and an annual average salary of $720,000. The 2021 MLB offseason was defined by some record-breaking contracts. Although he was a big part of their Game 7 World Series win that ended a 100+ year drought, the Jason Heyward experiment did not go well in Chicago. Hoyer was asked what he'll remember most about Heyward's time as a Cub. I decided to keep things simple. It arguably isnt even the worst one Theo Epstein gave out during his nine years running the team. At this point, he's mostly a designated hitter. Jason Heyward heard the naysayers and critics almost from the moment he signed a Cubs-record $184-million, eight-year contract a few months before the Cubs opened the 2016 curse-busting season the critics getting only louder as he failed to live up to the offensive end of the deal that sum promised. The returns have been so disappointing that the Padres were rumored to be willing to attach a high-end prospect to Hosmer in order to dump his contract via trade last summer. A Bay Arena native who grew up rooting for the Giants, Crawford doesn't have anything left to prove after winning two World Series with his hometown team, and he can help mentor the club's young talent in what may be his last year in San Francisco. Heyward's one of the worse overpays, at least for this year. The recent Gavin . "Great teammate," Hoyer said. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. But Fowler had a better track record than Davis coming into the season. The Cubs also must pay his $20 million signing. I understand why people say bad contract and this and that. He's living and shall live a privileged existence. Underpaid: Josh Hader, Milwaukee Brewers ($6.675 million). @ MLBastian. J. His 5.89 ERA was easily the worst among the games 39 qualified pitchers, and 124th out of 129 pitchers with at least 100 innings. Hes been one of the worst-hitting regulars in baseball, but his superlative defense means hes still been a decent playerfar from the worst contract of the offseason. On Wednesday, the Cubs granted outfielder Jason Heyward (left) his unconditional release. Right now, that includes Ian Happ, who was rumored to be dealt -- but wasn't -- before last week's trade deadline. With the Cubs payroll at the luxury tax threshold, that added insult and financial injury to the organizations failure to develop pitching and effectively marked the rapid decline of that cores competitive timeline. He's already better than many hall of fame players were at his age. 6 overall. Well, I feel like Im a very fortunate person to be in a select group of players that earn bad contracts, because theres a lot of bad contracts out there, if thats how were looking at it, right? he said Thursday as he met with the media for the first time since last months announcement that the Cubs will release him from the final year of the contract after the season. For Heyward in 2016, that's $10.5 million for 1.3 WAR on the year so far, which comes out to about $8 million per win. Interesting side note: the average surplus value is about $1 million. He had one year and $22 million left on the contract he signed in December 2015. It pains me to include one of the best hitters in baseball history in this article, but theres simply no way around it. But I know I also have my hand in a lot of winning baseball here on the north . "Great defender. This one is a disaster for so many reasons. Have past deals scared Cubs away from free agent market? He struck out 219 times in 2016. I wouldnt say theres things lost in translation from ownership, but its having more perspectives like mine up above this, to be able to look down and say, What can I really give to this group of guys? Even if its keeping it real with them and letting them know, This is what its like here. He's productive at the plate, hitting .253 with a .721 OPS and 143 career defensive runs saved in right field. To see the rest of the Jason Heyward's contract breakdowns, & gain access to all of Spotrac's Premium tools, sign up today. Heyward? Justin Upton was productive for the Angels in 2018 but endured his worst season in the majors in 2019. src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=674090812743125&ev=PageView&noscript=1"/>. Jason Heyward heard the naysayers and critics almost from the moment he signed a Cubs-record $184-million, eight-year contract a few months before the Cubs opened the 2016 curse-busting season the critics getting only louder as he failed to live up to the offensive end of the deal that sum promised. Be grateful for it. I think I can bridge that gap as far as helping everyone be on the same page.. He provides great leadership.". $17.5 million contract with the Cubs. He went all of winter 2018-19 without a new team, but he finally found one in the Chicago Cubs in June 2019, only to go down with a knee injury two months later. He was someone that even when he was struggling, he tried his hardest every day, every offseason. Thats not acceptable offensive production from the first base position. Links to content and the quotation of material from other news sources are not the responsibility of Bleacher Nation. Login Here. 7 Cubs pitchers combine for no-hitter vs Machado, Padres, Top moments from Brady, Manning, Jordan and other athletes hosting 'Saturday Night Live', Fantasy baseball rankings, projections, strategy and cheat sheets, Rangers' Leclerc to miss WBC with neck injury, Rockies' Rodgers may need surgery, '23 at risk, Rojas to withdraw from WBC, stay with Dodgers, Cubs claim slugger Franmil Reyes off waivers, Post-MLB-trade-deadline farm system rankings for all 30 teams. Steamer projections have Olson hitting 38 home runs and 122 wRC+. "He doesn't like it but understands where we are. He has also posted a wRC+ of 102 or less in three out of four seasons. Heyward has been in the league since 2010 after being selected by the Atlanta Braves in the first round of the 2007 draft. When Miggy signed his 8-year, $240 million extension before the 2016 season, he was widely regarded as one of the best players in the game. [texts-excerpt] penalty for cutting mangroves in floridaFREE EstimateFREE Estimate Jason Heyward was a somewhat controversial player even before this year. I just wanted to win., How do you fix Justin Fields? However, it's yet to be seen if he can maintain that offensive production. Even a diminished Heyward could be a consistent three-win player. We always had an answer. By every viable statistical measure, Heyward's contract was an absolute bomb for the Cubs. It's certainly worrisome how badly Heyward has hit this year, and as Jeff Sullivan writes, it doesn't seem to just be bad luck. I guess theres less people that can relate to you instantly, right? Subscribe here (Opens in new window) Subscriber Services (Opens in . Since 2016, Heyward has five seasons with a wRC+ of 100 or less, and three seasons under 90. For someone still due an egregious $189 million in guaranteed money through 2027, thats just not going to cut it. July 27, 2016. He's coming off a dismal season in which he hit just .167, and Steamer, Moncada is in the second year of a five-year deal that gives him incremental increases each season, which makes him a steal this season. Comments by third parties are neither sponsored or endorsed by Bleacher Nation. This one is a tie between two very different players but two very bad contracts. I think there are reasons to question whether an extension ultimately happens, but I wouldn't completely close the book on the possibility either. Plus, he still has two years of team control (2021 included). That gave him a 2014 value of $6 million per win. Even his defense has gone from elite to good in recent years. Heyward seems poised to get somewhere around $200 million on an eight- or nine-year deal, and it would be a surprise if it weren't more, absent at least one opt-out clause. Use of any marks, trademarks, or logos on this website shall not constitute a sponsorship or endorsement by the trademark holder. One could make the case for Buster Posey over McCann, but Posey gets the edge since his projected WAR is higher (2.3) than McCann's (1.0). Outfield depth isn't a bad thing. San Diego Padresshortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. signed a $340 million, 14-year megadeal and Trevor Bauer signed an unorthodox four-year contract with his hometown Los Angeles Dodgers. This is what its like at the next spot. The Giants built a dynasty using a core of homegrown players, and Crawford was one of them. Epsteins worst free agent contract while running the Cubs was arguably the three-year, $38 million deal he gave Tyler Chatwood to augment the rotation in 2018 with the Cubs appearing to be at the height of their competitive window, coming off a third straight National League Championship Series for the lack of any return (negative WAR as a Cubs starter) and the fact it forced the Cubs to trade for Cole Hamels and pay $20 million more to exercise his option for 2019. Heyward's contract still has five years left worth $118.5 million as he becomes a free agent after the 2023 season. On Friday, the Cubs won the bidding for Jason Heyward, convincing the outfielder to come to Chicago despite offers for more guaranteed money from the Nationals, the Cardinals, and reportedly one other team, perhaps the Angels. His more traditional numbers left you yawning. If his bat falls off even a little in the coming years, this contract will become a nightmare. Flipboard. Already Subscribed? Sometimes less is more, and I think the aura around Heywards speech has always been more about the importance of the moment, itself, rather than the contents of what he said. As Morel shines, Heyward adjusting to role. The Cubs have placed outfielder Jason Heyward on the 10-day IL due to a left hand injury and recalled outfield prospect Greg Deichmann for his Major League debut, per a club announcement . CHICAGO -- Sitting inside an interview room at Wrigley Field in late September, wearing a Cubs uniform for one of the final times, veteran outfielder Jason . It's highly unlikely that the Cubs will find a trade partner for Heyward given his contract and numbers on the field. Jason Heyward's WAR was Super Awesome. Cubs president Jed Hoyer announced Monday the club intends to release veteran outfielder Jason Heyward from the final year of his deal at the end of . The Los Angeles Dodgers don't exactly need David Price, especially after signing Bauer. Vazquez is one of few remaining members of the 2018 World Series team, so knowing what it takes to win will be crucial to a rebuilding team. The Red Sox backstop got a raise this year to better match his value, but he's still underpaid considering how important he is to the team. So looking just at this season isn't meant to be a judgment on the contract as a whole. His baserunning is still fine; by Fangraphs's BsR metric, he's in the top 50, despite that measure being weighted towards players who hit well (you have to get on base to run bases). Overpaid: Jason Heyward, Chicago Cubs ($23.5 million). Overpaid: Rougned Odor, Texas Rangers ($12.3 million). With a projected WAR of 5.9 in 2021, Tatis costs just under $300,000 per WAR, which is incredible value for one of the best players in baseball and the best player in the game at his position. But I have so much respect for that and understanding as someone who was a baseball fan growing up, on the other side of that. Im not sure how else hes supposed to think about it, so I think thats all fair. These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. That was the bottom line, he said. Heyward is owed $22 million in 2023, the. Last season, Patrick Corbin was quite possibly the worst pitcher in baseball. With all that being said, Heyward did at least contribute defensively to the Cubs drought-ending 2016 World Series championship (finished top-25 in MLB in DRS that season). ESPN.com. Cubs to part with Heyward, who rallied '16 team, Scherzer tries to test pitch clock limits, gets balk, Jays' Guerrero to miss WBC with inflamed knee, Rangers, LHP Smith agree to 1-year, $1.5M deal, 7 Cubs combine for 1st spring no-no since 2017, Jays 'playing it safe' after Guerrero tweaks knee, PitchCom-tipping: Loud device leaks Twins calls, Eflin's first start after $40M deal impresses Rays. Chicago magazine newsletters have you covered. Steamer projects a .229 average with a 1.5 WAR in 2021 for Keirmaier and 11.6 is a lot for a team like Tampa Bay to pay. However, some contracts don't age quite as well as others. Over the last two years, he has 5.50 ERA and 1.51 WHIP. He's been good for about 20 home runs a year over the past five years, which isn't exactly worth the $30 million he's being paid. I feel like its very hard to outplay certain contracts, especially one like that one. I think it's been a bit frustrating the last year and a half.". Conversely, there are many more players who end up not being paid as much as they should because MLB's contract structure greatly favors owners over players. Click here to subscribe to the Cubs Talk Podcast for free. Here's Joe Buck on Twitter, Thursday: Outgoing Chicago Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward met with the media at Wrigley Field for the first time since the organization announced in August that he would not be returning to play for them this season, or in 2023, the final year of his contract. Before the baseball season started, I wrote a piece about how the Cubs were expected to be the best team in baseball. I truly hope Im proven wrong, but history suggests that wont be the case. There was no other group that was going to get that done. But in the grand scheme of things, Heyward's impact goes far beyond the stats and the dollars. While 2016 was another All-Star campaign for the future Hall of Famer, it would be his last. Nobody, including Heyward, will try to tell you he hasn't delivered on the $184 million promise six years into his eight-year contract. So thats fine. A ground ball king at the plate, Hosmer ranked 115th out of 132 qualified hitters in ISO in 2021 (.126), and had the second-highest ground ball rate in the game (55.5%). Robinson Cano of the New York Mets would have taken the top spot on this list, but he won't be paid his $24 million salary ($3.75 million of which would have been paid by the Seattle Mariners) this year because of a PED suspension. Tatis may end up being a bargain in the later years of his contract, but there are a few players on long-term deals who could be considered overpaid when you take into account their production, or lack thereof in some cases. Steamer projections show a, Steamer and ZiPS are projecting a regression. Acuna's 5.3 WAR projection would be the third-highest behind Trout and Cody Bellinger. Jordan Bastian. "We want to give him a full offseason to be able to go out and find an opportunity," Hoyer said. Heyward has been on the injured list since late June with a knee ailment and might not return this season, meaning it's likely he has played his last game as a Cub. Like McCann, he's also 30 and coming off two good offensive seasons, but he's still under team control through 2022. Trying to sum up the legacy that Jason Heyward will leave behind after seven seasons with the Cubs seems complicated. Heyward produced a seven-year total of just 6.8 WAR, according to baseball-reference.com (8.5 according to fangraphs.com) after a 6.3 WAR single season with the Cardinals leading into free agency. Sure. The Cubs will officially release Heyward this offseason to allow him to seek out a contract for 2023, though with his decline in production and his time away with the knee injury this year, its hard to see him finding a guaranteed big league deal. Dec. 16, 2022 5 AM PT As it became clear last year that his time with the Chicago Cubs was drawing to a close, and that an uncertain offseason would soon be thrust upon him, Jason Heyward. Here's how WBC offenses stack up with MLB's best. He has pitched just 26.2 innings over the last two years, and its hard to see things improving in that department as he enters his mid-30s. He's coming off a dismal season in which he hit just .167, and Steamer projections give him a 0.2 WAR for 2021. . Professional baseball-watcher Joe Buck certainly thought so. Also, by disabling these cookies you will also disable banner ads served by Google Adsense on this website.. For more information about these items, view our complete privacy policy.Read More. (CBS) The Cubs officially introduced newly signed outfielder Jason Heyward at a press conference in . Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies. I don't see him as a CF. worst contracts of all the major league teams, Chicago Cubs lineup vs. Angels: Patrick Wisdom at DH, Nico Hoerner at leadoff, Chicago Cubs lineup vs. Padres: Nick Madrigal at 2B, Justin Steele to pitch, Chicago Cubs lineup vs. A's: Nico Hoerner at leadoff, Nick Madrigal at 3B, Seiya Suzuki withdraws from 2023 World Baseball Classic with injury, CubsHQ: ESPN ranks Jason Heyward's contract the worst on Cubs, 2023 Season Projections: Dansby Swanson, Zach McKinstry, 2023 season win total projections for Cubs, Commentary: Cubs offseason was a very strong one, Dexter Fowler will forever be immortalized in Cubs history, Reasons why Cubs dynasty never came to fruition, Cubs should look to the 'Sheriff' for relief help, Cubs targets still available in free agency. A grand slam into the bullpen for Andrew Young adds to the rough outing by Patrick Corbin, who has now allowed 10 runs (9 earned) in 2 innings. And many wondered if the entire . By contrast, the Cubs paid $13 million for Dexter Fowler for one year; he'll probably end up at about 4 WAR. But I know I also had my hand in a lot of winning baseball here on the North Side of Chicago.. Veterans like Kimbrel end up getting paid based on what they've already done for another team instead of what they're capable of doing moving forward. The above is a bit of an apples-to-oranges comparison, though; the market for different positions is different depending on teams' needs and the free-agent market. So, it was nice to have that in a sense.. Photos used are the property of Bleacher Nation, are used under a license with Getty Images, are used with permission, are fair use, or are believed to be in the public domain. Ellsbury has two years left on his $153 million guaranteed contract. The two-time Gold Glove winner has a career .839 OPS. Still owed a combined $257 million ($175 million to Strasburg, $82 million to Corbin), these two deals could keep the Nationals from being competitive for years. June 1st, 2022. Overpaid: Evan Longoria, San Francisco Giants ($16.5 million). Through four years in San Diego, Hosmer has a combined fWAR of 0.5. He's going to command a big contract and likely a larger average annual value than what we have seen Atlanta give out to anyone. He is a career .257 hitter . Los Angeles Dodgers ' head coach Dave Roberts has a number of important decisions to make ahead of Opening Day. He was a two-time MVP (2012 and 2013) and 10-time All Star in his first 13 MLB seasons. However, as a primary DH, he provides little to no defensive value (combined -1 DRS over the last three seasons), and hes injury prone: Stanton has played in just 338 of a possible 546 regular season games (61.9%) in four years with the Yankees. Pretty well. Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times first . Sure. Jason Heyward as a minority owner of the Chicago Cubs? Through his first six seasons (2010-2015), Heyward proved to be an elite defender with a solid bat. Heywards deal cost a lot more, for more years, but he filled a huge defensive need unique to the other bidders at the time for a Cubs team with a collective sieve in the outfield and made others around him better even if he didnt deliver for himself in the lineup. So despite his disastrous offense this year, he's still a pretty good playerhe's been worth 1.3 wins above replacement by Fangraphs' calculations, putting him on pace to finish at 1.8 WAR. In fact, it is that value as a person, teammate, and behind-the-scenes role model that current and former teammates say contributed to an unprecedented run of six consecutive winning seasons for the Cubs, including the 2016 World Series championship, even as he struggled on the field. The defensive position of Tatis also increases his value. If Heyward, a 6-foot-5, . "For this year, I love having [Heyward] around. Heyward is in year seven of his eight-year, $184 million contract. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. November 14th, 2022. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) The 27-year-old's numbers have steadily declined since he agreed to a six-year, $49.5 million contract with the Rangers before the 2017 season. Others just never saw what the big deal was. He has a career line of.281/.371/.538 with a .909 OPS, and if he continues to improve this contract will continue to be a steal. Subscribe to one or more of our free e-mail newsletters to get instant updates on local news, events, and opportunities in Chicago. That's how good his defense is. Heyward was the same age as Harper and Machado are now when he signed his 8-year $180-million deal with the Cubs. Not great, not a disaster either. Partnered with the USA TODAY Sports Media Group|Powered by, Signed a minor league contract with Los Angeles (LAD), Released by Chicago (CHC) ($22M retained), Signed an 8 year $184 million contract with Chicago (CHC), Player declined $15.8 million qualiying offer, Extended a $15.8 million qualiying offer by St. Louis (STL), Traded to St. Louis (STL) from Atlanta (ATL) with, Signed a 2 year $13.3 million contract with Atlanta (ATL), Signed a 1 year $3.65 million contract with Atlanta (ATL), Signed a 1 year $496,500 contract with Atlanta (ATL), Drafted by Atlanta (ATL): Round 1 (#14 overall), Drafted by Atlanta (ATL): Round 1 (#14overall). I feel like its very hard to outplay certain contracts, especially one like that one. Six weeks later, the Cubs signed outfielder Jason Heyward to an eight-year, $184 million contract. And rightfully so. The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed former All-Star Jason Heyward to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. In 2019, Moncada hit .315 with 25 home runs and owned a 5.6 WAR. Its tough when you dont have those things, showing up for any job or living life. as an organization, I understand being a part of that goes with me, always and forever. For starters, the only reason the Mets even have Cano is because of their stunning decision to deal uber-prospect Jarred Kelenic, as well as Justin Dunn, to Seattle for him and Edwin Diaz back in December of 2018. One of the most exciting young players in the game, Tatis' record-breaking contract pays him more as he gets older. The 35-year-old Longoria was unable to get going the last two years as he battled injuries. The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalised web experience. When he got $180 million dollars from the Chicago Cubs before this season, many thought that it was a genius move. He opted out of his first season in Los Angeles, so the expectation for the season is somewhat unclear. The veteran Cubs outfielder turned in a 68 OPS+ in 2021 and followed it up in Cactus League action by striking out in 11 of his 28 trips. Underpaid: Yoan Moncada, Chicago White Sox ($6.8 million). Underpaid: Juan Soto, Washington Nationals ($8.5 million). If that's your basis, Sheehan is overstating Heyward's performance this year. Moncada is in the second year of a five-year deal that gives him incremental increases each season, which makes him a steal this season. McCann had two strong seasons at the plate with the Chicago White Sox and parlayed them into a big payday, hitting .273 with 18 homers in 2019 and .289 in an abbreviated 2020 season. If Heyward is being paid like a three-win player, then his contract could still end up being a good long-term deal. Already he's battling plantar fasciitis in spring training. Thats what kept him at number five on this list. There was no other group that was going to get that done. Every offseason, baseball nerds try to figure out what the cost of a win is, by looking at how much teams spend on free agents and how many wins above replacement those players are expected to be worth. He is a career .257 hitter with 159 home runs. Browse our online application for MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, EPL, or MLS player contracts, salaries, transactions, and more. He eats up a large chunk of the payroll, and that could have ramifications down the road -- say in 2022 when Kris Bryant and Javier Baez become free agents. Help us keep doing that by turning off your ad blocker or joining our ad-free membership level. He was better in 2020 but still basically a replacement-level player. Dec 8, 2015. Instead, the $59 million hes still owed is getting in the way of the Padres dreams. Heyward, who turned down 10-year, $200 million offers from the Cardinals and Nationals to sign with the Cubs, said there were times after joining the Cubs when he found himself getting lost in what makes you stand out as a player as he tried to fit in with a new coaching staff and team. He believes it affected his strength and his power numbers. The Nationals are learning that the hard way. @ MLBastian. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings. Now, he has been informed he has played his last game at Wrigley: Since Heyward has been in Chicago, he's been good but not great. The Cubs will then release him after the season. It took that group. I think thats probably the toughest thing I had along with just wanting to win for this fan base, he said. He's still owed a little more than $35 million and. Over the past seven seasons in. Heyward spent one season with the Cardinals before signing an eight-year, $184 million contract with the Chicago Cubs, which was the largest deal signed by a free-agent position player in the. Jake Graziano | Baseball's contract structure causes problems like this. Individually, each of these contracts are among the five worst in baseball currently. Taylor still looks like Taylor at the plate. . The contract is the contract, Heyward said. And through every up and down in that season, it didnt matter. 2023 Contract Status: Minor League Deal Service Time (01/2023): 13.000 . But hey, oh, hey, whoa, come on now, stop that contract comparison baby: . Heyward's seven seasons with the organization will end after this season when the Cubs release him with one year remaining on his contract. However, he'll be 34 this summer, and that's a lot of money for a replacement level player. The 26-year-old just hit his first arbitration year, so the A's should have a few years of production from their versatile first baseman/outfielder. Plus, the National League is fully expected to add the designated hitter whenever the 2022 campaign gets underway, which should benefit the aging Cano. It's an eight-year, $100 million deal that could become a 10-year, $124 million contract if the Braves exercise the option for his final two years. Marte is versatile, able to play second base, shortstop and center field with his speed and range. Dave Roberts' confident take on Dodgers' outfield situation. But there has been . Gallo will receive a raise next year in arbitration. The Fascinating Jason Heyward Contract. I guess theres less people that can relate to you instantly, right? The club initially tried to keep that core together to go for a fourth World Series title, but many of those players have now departed, and the ones left are in their 30s. Last year - and this spring - Jason Heyward was bad. Then, using the $8-million-per-win figure, I calculated how much surplus value players provided for their teamor, by contrast, how much teams overpaid. In 2018, Heyward batted .270 with 8 homers and 57 RBIs. So, no. He's just 27 and he's been a five-to-six-win player every time he's gotten at least 600 at bats, and he's been about a 4.5-win player on average. For his part, Heyward has some thoughts on why its been an honor to wear that contract.. Subscribe for free today! The 33-year-old outfielder hit .204 with one home run and 10 RBIs in 137 at-bats, and he has one season left in a. Heyward's Playing Plans for 2023 The Cubs will officially release Heyward this offseason to allow him to seek out a contract for 2023, though with his decline in production and his time away with the knee injury this year, it's hard to see him finding a guaranteed big league deal. His numbers are what they are, and Chicago has younger players the front office wants to evaluate as the focus on the field increasingly shifts to the future . This can get complicated. Underpaid: Matt Olson, Oakland A's ($5 million).