Kansas City Royals: Ten Worst Contracts in Team History

Fifth Worst Contract Ever – Mike Boddicker (Royals pitcher in 1991 and 1992)

Continuing with the trend of bad early 90s Royals pitchers, we have Mike Boddicker, who the team signed in 1991 to a three-year deal worth $9.2 million. Boddicker was an All-Star pitcher in 1984 with the Orioles and later pitched in the playoffs for both the Orioles and the Red Sox. He won the World Series with Baltimore in 1983 and was the MVP of the ALCS that year.

Boddicker was electric during his years with the Orioles and Red Sox, so when the Royals inked him to a three-year deal before the 1991 season, it seemed too good to be true. Instead, Boddicker floundered to a measly ERA of 4.38 in only two seasons with the team. He had a 13-16 record.

After the 1992 season, the Brewers thankfully purchased the final year of Boddicker’s contract and the Royals were off the hook. It doesn’t change things though, and Mike Boddicker will go down as one of the worst contracts the Royals have ever given out.

You certainly can’t blame the Royals for trying, which they did many times in the early 1990s before falling into their dark years era. Boddicker didn’t pan out, but the Royals had the right idea when they brought him in. He could have been a franchise changer at the time.