Alright, let’s talk about the Mookie Betts contract. It’s a whopper, and I remember when it all went down.
First off, I saw the news break on Twitter. You know how it is, Woj bombs for sports, right? It was January 2020, Dodgers were making moves. I remember thinking, “Damn, they’re serious about winning a World Series.”
So, the deal. I started digging into the details. Basically, Dodgers traded for Mookie from the Red Sox. Big trade, like a mega-trade. Then, BAM! Extension time. Twelve years, $365 million. Sheesh!
I wanted to see what other people were saying, so I jumped on Reddit. Baseball subreddits were going nuts. Everyone was talking about the AAV (Average Annual Value), the length of the contract, whether Mookie was worth it.
I then started comparing it to other big contracts in baseball history. I checked out Mike Trout’s deal, Bryce Harper’s, Giancarlo Stanton’s. Mookie’s was right up there.
I specifically went to Fangraphs to look at his WAR (Wins Above Replacement) numbers over his career. Wanted to get a sense of his true value. Dude’s a stud. Gold Glove defense, hits for average, hits for power, steals bases. Does it all.
I even wanted to know the specifics on deferred money. I found out that the Dodgers were pretty smart with the structure of the contract. It wasn’t just a straight $365 million. There were incentives and things like that.
I remember thinking about how this contract would impact the Dodgers’ payroll for years to come. Could they still afford to sign other big-name players? It definitely limited their flexibility, but they clearly thought Mookie was worth locking up long-term.
Fast forward a few years, and the Dodgers won the World Series in 2020. Mookie was a huge part of that. So, you know, seems like the contract is working out pretty well for them.
But honestly, the thing I remember most is just the sheer size of the deal. It’s crazy how much money these guys make. But hey, they’re the best in the world at what they do.
