re: What is the worst contract in sports?

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That Wright connection really is a cool story, bro.

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The Mets were all too happy to be rid of Bonilla at whatever conceivable cost. The fans were happy, and Bobby Bonilla was really happy. The Mets were only swindled in the sense that the reason that they were so comfortable about their long-term prospects is that they were investing in a Ponzi scheme. But at the time, the idea that this was a worthwhile move — to free up the short-term cash and flexibility that could help win a World Series — was prevalent.

In fact, by freeing up that nearly $6 million, the Mets were able to make moves like trading for Mike Hampton, then a prime No. 2 pitcher who, as any Cardinals fan might tell you, almost singlehandedly won the 2000 National League Championship Series. That likely never happens if Bonilla is still in Queens. At least the Mets got a pennant for their troubles, which is more than can be said for Baltimore, which is paying Bonilla $500,000 a year through 2015 in a similar buyout negotiated years before the Mets did theirs.

Hampton, coming off a 22-win campaign with Houston in 1999, earned $5.75 million in 2000 — almost the exact amount the Mets kicked down the road by deferring payments to Bonilla. And Hampton pitched well in the club’s rotation in 2000, then earned the NLCS MVP by throwing 16 shutout innings in two starts against the Cardinals to help the franchise to its fourth World Series berth.

And the Bonilla deal only gets better: When Hampton signed perhaps the worst free-agent contract in baseball history with the Colorado Rockies that offseason, the Mets received a compensatory first-round draft pick, the 38th overall selection in 2001.

With that pick, the one they got for Mike Hampton — whom they were able to afford because they deferred payments to Bonilla — the Mets selected a Virginia high-school infielder named David Wright. Wright grew up to become arguably the best position player in franchise history, the Mets’ all-time leader in practically everything.

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The deal was negotiated in 2000. He gets $1.19M starting in 2011 for the next 25 years. If you assign an 8% discount rate to that, it has a cash value of $6.35M in 2000.

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Steve Young played only two years (and last played for the LA Express in 1985.)

They are still paying him $1 mil a year.

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Disagree. They weren't going to contend for a while but still having Kobe made them a lot of money. He was bad enough to not make them winners but still could put on enough of a show to draw crowds. Good contract for the Lakers

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Hamilton

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