Felger & Mazz: Do Long Term Free Agent Deals Ever Work Out?

BOSTON (CBS) - Coming off the heels of their Jacoby Ellsbury discussion from earlier in the day, the Felger & Massarotti program took a big picture view of MLB free agency and whether or not these big money long term deals ever pay off.

Mike Felger read off a list of every MLB free agent in history to sign a deal worth over $20 million in average annual value (AAV), and the results say that they never work out.

The book is still out on some of these deals, but most of them end in disaster and only one truly worked out for the entirety of the contract.

Felger says: "You tell me which ones have worked out."

Let's take a look at the list, shall we? (Note: The italics is how Tony Massarotti responded)

- Alex Rodriguez's first deal: $25 million AAV 2001-2010 - Maybe

- Alex Rodriguez's second deal: $27.5 million AAV 2008-2017 - No

- Justin Verlander: $25.7 million AAV - No

- Ryan Howard: $25 million AAV - No

- Josh Hamilton: $25 million AAV - No

- Felix Hernandez: $25 million AAV - Too early to tell

- Zack Greinke: $24.5 million AAV - Too early, but I say no

- C.C. Sabathia's first deal: $23 million AAV - Yes, because it really ended up being a three-year deal

- C.C. Sabathia's second deal: $24.4 million AAV - No

- Cliff Lee: $24 million AAV - No

- Albert Pujols: $24 million AAV - No

- Cole Hamels: $24 million AAV - No

- Prince Fielder: $23.7 million AAV - No

- Joe Mauer: $23 million AAV - No

- Johan Santana: $22.9 million AAV - Nope

- Manny Ramirez's first deal: $20 million AAV - Yes

- Manny Ramirez's second deal: $22.5 million AAV - No, he got suspended

- Mark Teixeria: $22.5 million AAV - This one hurts, but no

- Joey Votto: $22.5 million AAV - Good gosh...too early but no!

- Adrian Gonzalez: $22 million AAV - Nope

- Matt Cain: $21.2 million AAV - No, I'd say no

- Ryan Braun: $21 million AAV - That would be a negative

- Carl Crawford: $20.2 million AAV - One of the worst deals ever

- Tim Lincecum: $20.2 million AAV - No

- Roy Halladay: $20 million AAV - No

- Matt Kemp: $20 million AAV - Borderline disaster

As stated earlier, the book is still out on some of these deals. But if history tells us anything it's that these players will not live up to their contracts.

Listen to the full discussion below:

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