Crazy Contract Clauses

Crazy Contract Clauses

For the first time in a long time, I had some extra time. So what did I decide to do with my spare time?

Scroll through Cot's Baseball Contracts of course!

For those of you who don't know, Cot's is the premier source for baseball contracts on the web and provides fantastic information for fans about players' contracts.

One thing that I've always wanted to explore was the different perks and strange clauses in baseball contracts today. Many players have clauses that give them bonuses for certain achievements, specifications of where they can be traded, and more; but there some players who have completely random and obscure things thrown into their contracts.

So after extensively looking through Cot's, here are the best contract clauses I could find. If you can find any others, feel free to add them in the comments.

Seriously....Division

Roy Oswalt: contract also re-worked 10/05 to allow Houston owner Drayton McLane to give Oswalt a bulldozer for winning Game 6 of '05 NLCS

Troy Glaus (D-Backs): $0.25M annually for personal business expenses (wife's equestrian training)

Carlos Beltran: club agreed to lease ocular enhancer machine (device that throws numbered & multi-colored tennis balls at 150 mph)

Billy Wagner: 4M paid in advance (after 1/1/06) to be used toward purchase of home

Troy Percival (Rays): vintage automobile

Yonder Alonso: $78,000 for cost of 3 remaining semesters of college ($60,000 tuition, $18,000 room & board)

AJ Burnett (Jays): deal includes 8 round-trip limousine trips per season between Toronto & Burnett's Maryland home for his wife

I'm Better Than You Division

Manny Ramirez (Red Sox): receives a no-trade clause if another Boston player receives one

Alex Rodriguez (Yankees): Rodriguez may void after 2008 or 2009 unless club increases 2009-10 salary by $5M/year or $1M more than highest-paid MLB position player


I'm Not Better Than You Division

Carlos Delgado: $50,000 for finishing 2nd to Bonds in MVP vote (h/t Rafi!)

The "Don't Be Fat" Division

Carlos Lee: contract includes nominal weight clause

Bengie Molina: Molina to participate in Athletic Performance Training Program each off-season at club's expense

Jose Lopez: $0.125M annually in physical performance bonuses: $25,000 for passing each of 4 in-season physical tests (body-fat percentage, 60-yard sprint, 20-yard shuttle run & vertical jump), plus $25,000 for passing 4 in 1 year


The "I Need Tickets" Division

Johan Santana (Mets): 15-person suite for 2008 home games

Alfonso Soriano (Cubs): 6 premium tickets for each home game (spring training - post-season) and All Star Game (if Soriano is selected)

Mark Teixeira (Yankees): may purchase 8 of the best available Yankees season tickets

Alex Rodriguez (Yankees): may purchase 4 best available season tickets for 2008, 4 Legends Suite or comparable season tickets for 2009-17

Jason Schmidt (Dodgers): premium tickets for home games

Scott Kazmir: Use of luxury suite for 5 home games per season

The Japanese Player Division

Kaz Matsui (Astros): club to provide translator, physical therapist

Kenshin Kawakami: interpreter, $25,000 moving expenses, housing and SUV during Spring Training, access to massage therapist, 8 round-trip business- or first-class airline tickets between Tokyo and Atlanta

Kosuke Fukudome: 8 first-class round-trip air tickets between Japan and Chicago for family each year, personal trainer, masseuse, interpreter, visa expenses, $25,000 annually in moving expenses, vehicle during spring training and regular season

Hiroki Kuroda: $30,000 moving allowance, visa fees paid by club, personal trainer, interpreter, interpreter for family, English lessons, 8 round-trip first class airline tickets between Japan, LA each season

Ichiro: interpreter, trainer, transportation for Spring Training & regular season;
4 annual round-trip airline tickets from Seattle to Japan;
housing allowance: $32,000 in 2008, $33,000 in 2009, $34,000 in 2010, $35,000 in 2011, $36,000 in 2012

Daisuke Matsuzaka:physical therapist, massage therapist, interpreter, 8 first-class round-trip airline tickets per year between Boston & Japan, spring training housing allowance of up to $25,000, Boston housing allowance of up to $75,000, one-time moving allowance of up to $35,000, use of Lincoln Town Car or similar car, Red Sox player ticket package, including 2 field box seats, team employee to assist Japanese media, uniform No. 18

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What's your favorite?