Money Talk$

The last week has rendered some of the biggest and possibly most outlandish contract deals in my recent memory. I want to take just a little bit of time to address the situations and the money that went down in the last week and tell you what I think it meant and what it means for the future.

We'll start in football. The Lions gave Cory Redding a seven-year, $49 million contract that included $16 million in guarantees, including $13 million in signing bonus and roster guarantees just today. Last season Cory had 48 tackles (39 solo), 8 sacks, and 2 FF. He's a great young player and I think that was a great move for the Lions to make. It's important for the team to commit some $$ to the defensive side of the ball and that they certainly did. Hopefully (for the Lions' sake) the kid continues to get better and can prove he's worth all that money - which probably means racking up more than 8 sacks next season.

Let's stay in football and on the defensive side of the ball (you all know where this is going). Dwight Freeney signed a whopping six-year, $72 million contract on Friday that includes a $30 million signing bonus. The contract made him the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history. He's young and he's great there is no doubt about that but I think that the $ might have been a little overboard. Freeney only had 29 tackles (26 solo) and 6 sacks with 4 FF last season. Those are above average numbers especially considering he helped lead the team to a Superbowl Victory. However, to make him the highest paid defensive player ever I think was a mistake that GMs all around the league are hating right now. Knowing what Freeney just received I am curious to see what the likes of Julius Peppers, Richard Seymour, Aaron Kampman, and Co. will be getting sooner than later. If this is an omen of what I think it is be prepared to see some serious green thrown at some of the leagues best (with much better numbers than Freeney) defenders.

On to baseball....Ichiro cashed in big-time with a 5-year extension worth $20 Million a year. At 32 what were the M's thinking of signing him through 2012? Ichiro is great but is he really worth that? Now Scott Boras wants $30 Million a year for Arod's upcoming new extension. Being as Arod is 2 years younger than Ichiro, probably more valuable to his team, arguably the best player in the league, and likely to be historically great and chase Bond's for the all-time HR record someday I think he would be deserving. If Ichiro really is worth $20 Million a year to the M's than Arod would easily be worth at least $30 Million a year from the Yankees.

I'll finish the post with a quote from the President of the Florida Marlins:

"I would say it's the end of the world as we know it. If Ichiro is worth $20 million a year ... I am speechless by that contract. I'm hoping that report is false, because there's no chance a top-of-the-lineup guy -- forget that, anybody -- is worth that much. And Ichiro, who's led his team to zero, nothing?... It's unbelievable. You know what, everybody gets what they deserve, and I guess that will be more luxury tax money, more revenue-sharing money they'll have to give. I'm sure it can't be true. There's no way they gave $20 million a year to Ichiro, at his age for five years. There's no way.... Literally, it will take the sport down, that contract. We're right back to the ridiculous contracts. It can't be." -Marlin's Prez David Samson-

What do you think about the contracts done and the money that's been thrown around to these star players over the last week? Who's overpaid, who's underpaid? ...You tell me.