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From my fictional MLB, I present to you..Antonio Alonso.
Antonio had played some decent seasons with the Kansas City Royals after signing with them out of Venezuela as a 16 year old back in 2013. He was an all-star 3 times and his 2022 season earned him a Silver Slugger. Fast forward to the end of the 2023 season and he was a 27 year old free agent looking to cash in as part of a somewhat weak free agent class. Did he ever.
The AL East Champion New York Yankees (95-68) - who had been eliminated by the Astros in the ALDS - were looking to make a big splash, and having a crapload of available cash put the baseball world on watch. What were they going to do to put them over the top?
Christmas day: The New York Yankees sign Antonio Alonso to a 7 year contract, worth $206,200,000..making him the highest paid player in the majors (a position he would hold for multiple seasons) and at that time the highest AAV for a contract in MLB history. He was viewed as a decent player and someone who should help the Yankees. But the reaction to the deal was .."seriously?"
Anyways, as you can see, he was pretty much a complete bust in a Yankees uniform despite being named an All-Star during his first two seasons there (popularity likely played a big role). The Yankees didn't make the playoffs once over the course of his contract.
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