Sunk cost

Done in by injuries, former phenom Stephen Strasburg heads toward retirement, owner of the worst contract in Baseball history

Nationals righthander Stephen Strasburg is expected to soon announce his retirement, his career and one of the biggest contracts in MLB history derailed by a series of injuries. (Photo: USA Today)

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On December 12, 1998, fresh off leading the San Diego Padres to the National League pennant a year after helping pitch the Marlins to their first World Series title, Kevin Brown became Major League Baseball’s first $100 million player when he signed a 7-year, $105 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In the quarter of a century since, 130 other players have inked 9-figure deals.

If you analyze every one of those contracts, from Acuña to Zito, one stands head and shoulders above all others as—without doubt—the worst 9-figure contract in the history of the game.

And it returned to the headlines yesterday.