Season 69 is over, which means that player bidding has also finished. There were some huge blockbuster deals made this offseason, which will be described below. Some players, such as Geoffrey Donahue, got their first massive salary, while others, such as Urbano Armas, already possessed large contracts. This article will discuss some huge contracts that players deserve, as well as some that may be a bit too player-friendly. Without further ado, let's begin.
Sergio Royster, C, Louisville Colonels
New Salary: $10,000,000
Through six seasons, Royster has consistently been an elite catcher and is deserving of his pay raise. A career .299 hitter, he also has 98 home runs, 230 runs batted in, and 25 stolen bases. With Royster on the team, the Colonels have won one World Series title in season 66. Last season Royster hit .302 and 20 home runs. If there were one word to describe Royster's career, it would be "consistent". With the exception of a down year in '68, Royster never hit below .300 nor did he ever his fewer than 20 home runs. While he may not be the most explosive player, he is definitely dependable. Royster is only 26, so many great years lie ahead for him.
Urbano Armas, SP, Baltimore Orioles
New Salary: $10,000,000
Now through nine seasons, Armas is no stranger to pay raises. He earned $4.2 million last year and $7.7 in season 66, and even inked a 4 year contract valued at $2.4 million in season 61, when he first joined the Orioles. He has been a key element of the Oriole's dominant pitching staff for the last eight seasons, and has accumulated a 70-29 record, a 3.59 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP in his career. He also has a relatively high 7.12 K/9 (718 strikeouts in 908 innings). In his first four seasons with the Orioles, he helped the team win their division four years in a row, and during this streak they also won their first World Series. Last season Armas' statline featured a 6-1 record. At 28 years old, expect more to come from Armas.
Angelo Trombley, 3B, St. Louis Browns
New Salary: $13,600,000 (Signed 4 year contract)
Although Trombley's single season salary isn't the largest, he does have the most guaranteed money given that he signed a huge 4 year deal valued at $53,200,000. He is undoubtedly deserving of this payday. Through five seasons, Trombley is a career .363 hitter with 57 steals, making him the only speed-based player to land a huge salary this offseason. Trombley only recently was moved to the Browns, having played two seasons for the St.Louis Rick s and then two for the Los Angeles Lions, being dealt often as a trade chip. With the signing of his new contract, Trombley receives a bit more security in his job. Although Trombley isn't known for his power, he did hit 20 home runs last season, so we may see an increase in his power capabilities in the seasons to come. Regardless, this was a nice signing and at only 25 years old, he's got a whole career ahead of him to build on his great start.
Daryl Jobe, SP, Cincinnati Reds
New Salary: $15,100,000
Jobe has played nine seasons, and seems to improve with each passing year. Last season was the best of his career, where he had an ERA of only 2.04, a WHIP of 0.774, and an 8-2 record. This incredible performance led to Jobe receiving his well deserved salary bump.On the career, he has a 30-14 record, a 3.61 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP, which are great numbers. Ultimately the Reds have not been able to scrape their way into the playoffs with Jobe on the team, but to their credit they are in one of the league's most competitive divisions, Delta Premier North. Perhaps by giving Jobe this large salary they will be able to provide the spark needed to push into the postseason. Either way, Jobe is a great player deserving of his pay increase.
Geoffrey Donahue, 3B, Louisville Lions
New Salary: $15,300,000
Donahue is an electrifying player, as proven by his end-of-season rank at #2 among all Ocean Star hitters. Through six seasons he has 106 home runs and a .302 batting average. Last season was by far his best, batting .337, slugging .760 and hitting 29 home runs, which led to his massive payday. In the first season of his career, Donahue earned only $300,000, as is standard for rookies, and was promptly handed a ridiculously team-friendly contract of $600,000 a season for four years. Finally, his skills earned him the pay dirt he deserves. Although the Lions have struggled recently, the made it to the playoffs two years in a row att eh beginning of Donahue's career, when he was just beginning to establish himself as an immensely talented player. At 28 years old, Donahue is squarely in his prime, so you should expect several elite seasons from him for the time being.
James Perry, SP, Hartford HTFD_YANKEES
New Salary: $42,500,000
The highest salary in the league goes to James Perry, the only player on this list who was acquired by his current team in this offseason's bidding. Perry played all four of his seasons with the now-defunct Vancouver Badgers, where he compiled a 3.12 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP with a 26-10 record. Also of note is his brilliant 330 strikeouts in 332 innings. While obviously skilled and coming off a sub-3.00 ERA season, one must question the decision to pay him as much as he got this offseason. He more than simply got the highest salary this season; he blew other high salaries away. Perhaps the Yankees know something I do not, but for the time being I am consider this contract to be of poor value based on what is spent. Without a doubt, however, Perry is a talented player, and at 27 years old, he should have many great seasons to come.
With that we have concluded the countdown of largest salaries from the Season 69 offseason. Season 70 is just around the corner. Look out for the season outlook, which will discuss projections for the playoffs, top players and more. It should be coming out in the next few days.
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