Many of baseball’s fattest contracts have gone to, well, shall we say Heavy Hitters: Prince Fielder, take a bow.
The Detroit Tigers are shelling out $214 million over 9 years to ink the big slugger – and I do mean big, as in 275 pounds for a guy who stands just under 6 feet tall. He’ll be playing first base, while fellow Heavy Hitter Miguel Cabrera ($153 million over 8 years) will move to third base.
That means the two corners of the infield will weigh a collective 525 pounds. And they’re not the only big guys playing ball with big contracts. C.C. Sabathia of the New York Yankees ($142 million through 2017) clocks in at around 290, on a frame that is 6 foot 7.
Sabathia is a great pitcher but will his weight wear him down? Of course, the greatest Yankee of them all was also known for his girth and he had a huge impact on the game:
Yes, Babe Ruth packed in 215 pounds on his 6 foot 2 body, but back in his day most players were skinny and had to work a second job in the winter just to make ends meet. They didn’t have time to sit around and get fat. The legendary Ruth reportedly once ate 12 hot dogs and drank eight bottles of soda between games of a doubleheader, but that didn’t stop him from becoming one of the most feared and productive hitters of all time.
In 1930, he earned a record $80,000 amid much criticism that he was making more money than Herbert Hoover, the president of the United States. Ruth’s response: “I had a better year than he did.” And indeed he was right, for in 1930, Ruth batted .359 with 49 home runs, 153 runs batted in and 136 bases on balls.
Maybe Fielder and the now much enlarged Albert Pujols (10 years for $254 million) will do just fine chowing down mega-meals.
But what if they eat too much? Will it ruin their careers?
Check out this great article in the Wall Street Journal.
It’s food for thought.
