3 overrated free-agent signings
Every general manager's worst fear is that a free-agent signing will come back to haunt them.
Signing free agents is a risky business, and GMs often overpay in an attempt to give their respective clubs a short-term boost with hopes of postseason glory.
Here are three overrated free-agent signings made this winter:
Related: 3 underrated offseason additions
Nelson Cruz
The Baltimore Orioles inked the slugger to a one-year, $8-million contract for the 2014 campaign, which proved to be one of the best free-agent signings in recent history after Cruz blasted 40 home runs and led the club to the American League Championship Series. Seattle Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik watched his club just miss out on the 2014 postseason, and believed Cruz could get his team over the hump, so he inked him to a four-year contract for nearly $60 million.
There is widespread belief that Cruz's numbers will plummet at pitcher-friendly Safeco Field, supported by statistical data suggesting the same. Safeco was the only ballpark to have single, double, triple and homer park factors all below 100 last season, which is an indication the venue favors pitchers. Cruz, 34, has a Steamer projection of 26 homers and 80 RBIs in 2015, a huge drop from his 40 long balls and 108 RBIs last year.
Nick Markakis
New Atlanta Braves GM John Hart traded outfielder Jason Heyward to the St. Louis Cardinals in a four-player deal early in the offseason, and perhaps made a knee-jerk reaction by signing Markakis to a four-year, $44-million contract to fill the hole in right.
The 31-year-old underwent offseason neck surgery and has a recovery time of eight weeks, which should put him in line to be ready for spring training. The bigger issue, though, is his declining numbers. Once a 20-homer, 100-RBIs man, Markakis has failed to hit 15 in each of the past three seasons, and drove in a career-low 50 runs last year in a stacked Orioles lineup. A move to pitcher-friendly Turner Field won't help his cause either.
Billy Butler
Billy Beane has built a reputation on his ability to make something out of nothing, but some of the Oakland Athletics GM's moves over the past year are downright puzzling. It all started at the non-waiver trade deadline when he sent Yoenis Cespedes, arguably the team's best hitter, to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for lefty Jon Lester.
The team struggled to produce runs without the Cuban slugger, which allowed the Los Angeles Angels to snatch away the American League West title and force the A's into a wild-card game with the red-hot Kansas City Royals, resulting in yet another playoff disappointment for Oakland. Beane then unloaded his next two best hitters, Josh Donaldson and Brandon Moss.
Beane's solution to improve run production: Butler. The non-athletic designated hitter is coming off his worst season (nine home runs, .702 OPS), yet Beane inked him to a lucrative three-year, $10-million contract. Butler's average also dipped to .271 last year, a career low.