San Francisco Giants: Top 5 worst contracts heading into this offseason
4. Buster Posey (9 years, $167 million)
If sentimentality got in the way of parting ways with Brandon Crawford, there’s no telling what it’d do for Buster Posey.
The first thing that needs to be said here is that Buster Posey will never be moved. He could ride out his contract, not hit a lick, and the Giants would still probably find a way to strike a deal to ensure that he finishes his career as a Giant.
He’s a Giants legend and rightfully so.
But when the rose-colored goggles come off, Posey has been facing a massive decline that only looks to be getting worse and worse as time goes on.
In the last three seasons, Posey has seen drop-offs in almost all categories. His batting average has dropped from .320 to .284 to .255. His on-base percentage has dropped from .400 to .359 to .323. And his slugging has dropped from .462 all the way down to this season’s .370.
Next year, he’ll be entering his age-33 season. That’s not a good combination.
It’s hard to be too mad at the way that this contract has worked out for the Giants. They signed him at his absolute peak — his 2012 season where he took home MVP, All-Star, and Silver Slugger Award honors to go along with a World Series ring.
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Since he signed his huge contract, he’s earned five all-star selections, three silver sluggers, a gold glove, and finished top 20 in MVP voting four different times.
In terms of what the Giants have gotten out of this contract, this one is nowhere near a dud.
But in terms of the Giants of the future, this is a tough one to figure out. There are two more years left on the deal where Posey will be making a whopping $22 million a season. In 2022, there’ll be a team option at the same price tag.
There is absolutely zero chance that any team in the league even considers picking up the phone and calling about Buster Posey’s availability. There’s zero chance the Giants would look for suitors.
The price of winning — and the price of locking down a legend — is that the Giants will be shackled by at least two more years of Posey making at least twice as much as he should be. That’s what happens when you have a future Hall of Fame inductee on your roster.
It’ll be interesting to see just how the Giants end up playing the team option at the end of Buster Posey’s contract. The option will be declined, but will the contract be reworked? Will Posey be picked up by another team?
The best guess would be that the Giants and Buster Posey come to terms on some sort of extension for the fan favorite that negates that team option and spreads out the money a bit more.
San Francisco will want to take care of one of their all-time greats. Sooner or later, they’ll have to decide between sentimentality and moving into the future with their young stars like Joey Bart.
But it’s safe to assume there will always be someplace for Buster Posey in San Francisco.