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5 worst contracts in modern Los Angeles Dodgers history

By Adam Weinrib

Andruw Jones of the Los Angeles Dodgers avoids a pitch during action against the San Diego Padres in the second Major League Baseball game in China on March 16, 2008 at the Wukesong Baseball Stadium in Beijing, venue for the 2008 Olympics baseball event. Some 11,890 fans saw the second game of a two-game series between the California rivals, with the Padres defeating the Dodgers 6-3. Both teams are using only a half dozen players who will be on the opening day 25-man roster. AFP PHOTO/Frederic J. BROWN (Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)
Andruw Jones of the Los Angeles Dodgers avoids a pitch during action against the San Diego Padres in the second Major League Baseball game in China on March 16, 2008 at the Wukesong Baseball Stadium in Beijing, venue for the 2008 Olympics baseball event. Some 11,890 fans saw the second game of a two-game series between the California rivals, with the Padres defeating the Dodgers 6-3. Both teams are using only a half dozen players who will be on the opening day 25-man roster. AFP PHOTO/Frederic J. BROWN (Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Luis Gonzalez, Jason Schmidt and Mike Lieberthal (Photo by Kirby Lee/Getty Images) /

4. Jason Schmidt

And Luis Gonzalez, and Mike Lieberthal … the whole press conference, really.

Just look at Jason Schmidt up on that podium. After starring as a San Francisco Giant for five and a half seasons, the Dodgers were extremely ready to pay for his age-34 campaign and the two more that followed, offering the burly change-of-speeds right-hander a three-year, $47 million deal that he accepted with aplomb.

Only one problem: Schmidt forgot to tell the Dodgers he was cooked.

Coming off his final All-Star season in San Fran (11-9, 3.59 ERA in 213.1 innings), Schmidt was all smiles on the day of his introduction, but rarely brought that joy to the mound in the ensuing three years.

In fact, he rarely brought anything to the mound, making just 10 starts combined, all coming in 2007 and 2009, when he rounded out his career with a 5.60 ERA in 17.2 innings pitched. Here’s the kicker: we’d like to say you can’t fault the Dodgers for a deal that ended with a catastrophic injury, but … they knew Schmidt had a severe rotator cuff problem, and they didn’t care!

Now that’s how you end up on a “worst contracts” list, no matter the decade. Add in the Giants keeping the upper hand here, and it’s official.

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