MLB: Four Players Who Deserve Better Than Their Current Teams

It’s simply no fun watching great players play for poor teams, no matter what the sport is. Four MLB players currently stand out as victims of this situation.

Every professional sport revolves around championships. Fans can marvel all they want about an athlete’s individual accomplishments, but come judgement day, it’s all about the championship ring(s).

Championships seem to be most influential among NFL quarterbacks–everyone is familiar with the ridicule Peyton Manning endured prior to winning his first Super Bowl. Quarterbacks, however, are held to a higher standard due to the single-handed impact they have on a game. Hence, you don’t see linebackers or defensive backs get knocked down by their lack of jewelry.

Jump to the NBA and you see players sign short-term deals all the time just to be part of a winner. Of course, there is a major disparity in professional basketball. The recent trend has washed up players joining power houses such as the prior Miami Heat teams and the current Cleveland Cavaliers. We saw that with Ray Allen in Miami and Shawn Marion in Cleveland. A secret to no sports fan, Kevin Durant opted to join the already unstoppable Golden State Warriors this past offseason. His decision should streamline at least another championship appearance for the Warriors in 2016-2017. NBA players appear to have the most freedom to join winning teams.

Now to the topic at hand…Major League Baseball. Unlike NFL quarterbacks and NBA players, MLB players have to share their impact in a game. The only player that gets to touch the ball all the time is a pitcher, but he only gets to do that every so many days. A hitter steps to the plate generally four times a game, and maybe gets to touch the ball in the field a handful of times a game.

The purpose of this professional sports comparison is to show support for some of the MLB players who are stuck on losing teams. Certain players optimistically signed long-term contracts just to see their team’s chances wither away year by year. Now they are on the backend of their careers trying to build a legacy, while also forced to play part in a rebuild.