04/26/24
May 02, 2009
Two can't misses, who missed. Todd Marinovich: a familiar story, compellingly told with a new interview, and Mike Harrington: drafted 5 times, turned down a 5 million dollar contract, changes tires at Costco.
"Harrington was finally offered $4.9 million, but there were conditions: The offer was no longer a bonus but instead a salary to be spread out over eight years, plus Matt had to forgo three years of arbitration"
Hell...no wonder he didn't sign!
posted by bdaddy at 05:49 PM on May 03, 2009
A terribly unfair comparison that crossed my mind repeatedly on the NFL's draft day: USC Quarterbacks Todd Marinovich and Mark Sanchez.
posted by Newbie Walker at 09:53 PM on May 03, 2009
Hell...no wonder he didn't sign!
It sounded like he was offered 2.2M straight up but his refusal to sign at that level prompted them to give him the guaranteed money but with strings. Really, noone can blame the Rockies for not just dropping a truck of money off at his house.
Everyone involved, from agent to parents to player, is in the wrong here. Even if the agent was overzealous in what he thought he could get, at some point Harrington could've put a stop to it and signed a deal which allowed him to earn a bigger contract. The fact that he went to Boras after his first agent shows what his priorities were and I don't feel at all bad for him (especially given the fact he's a millionaire for his lack of producing anything).
It's a lot different to be making 11.50/hr with a million dollars in the bank than not.
posted by dfleming at 09:37 AM on May 04, 2009
I'd never heard of Harrington. He's not as tragic a story as he would've been if he didn't get an insurance policy that netted him $1 million after injuries hit his career, but how does Scott Boras let that $5 million deal not get signed? Bizarre.