Carlos Beltran

Carlos Beltran was drafted in the 2nd round by the Kansas City Royals in 1995, cashing a $300,000 signing bonus per the selection. His contract was first selected on September 14, 1998 - and he stayed up for good, signing pre-arbitration contracts each of the next 3 seasons, before locking in arbitration salaries of $3.5M, $6M, and $9M through the 2004 campaign.

In the summer of 2004, with free agency looming, the Royals traded Beltran to Houston as part of a 3-team , 5-player trade with Oakland. That winter, 28-year-old Beltran would join the Mets on a 7 year, $119M free agent contract. The deal included an $11M signing bonus, a full no trade clause, and $22M of salary deferred.

His 6-year tenure with the Mets was decorated, including 5 All-Star nods, 3 Gold Gloves, and 2 Silver Sluggers from 2005-2011. In the final year of this deal, NY flipped Beltran to San Francisco in exchange for the Giants’ top pitching prospect - Zack Wheeler (current Phillies ace).

Following the 2011 season, Beltran joined the St. Louis Cardinals on a 2 year, $26M free agent deal and would play out both seasons at a combined 6.2 WAR (56 total HRs). He was an All-Star in each of 2012, and 2013.

Another trip through free agency sent the now 37-year-old to the Bronx, where the Yankees handed Beltran a 3 year, $45 million contract. He remained for 2 ½ seasons, before NY traded him to the Texas Rangers in exchange for two pitchers (Dillon Tate, Erik Swanson).

Beltran would return to Houston in 2017, his age-40 season, on a 1 year, $16 million contract to finish off his illustrious career, hitting 29 doubles, and 14 home runs in 129 games for the Astros.

7 teams, 4 veteran contracts, 3 deadline trades, and 20 MLB seasons combined for $248M earned on the field, and an invitation to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Andruw Jones

Andruw Jones was signed by the Atlanta Braves out of Curacao in 1993 on a $46,000 signing bonus. His contract was selected on August 14th, 1996, and he would remain up for good playing out pre-arbitration salaries through 1999, then arbitration contracts of $3.7M & $8.2M through 2001 before the Braves handed their star center fielder to a 6 year, $75M extension.

Jones’ multi-year contract carried him through his age-30 season in Atlanta, after which he would test free agency for the first time in his career. The Los Angeles Dodgers came calling with a 2 year, $36.2M contract that would turn into a nightmare for both sides. Jones, who had posted a combined 61 WAR in the 12 seasons prior, produced a -1.6 WAR for LAD in 2008, hitting just .158 in 240 plate appearances. With $15M guaranteed to him in 2009, the two sides worked out a compromise that led to LA outright releasing the 32-year-old in exchange for Jones agreeing to defer about $12.8M of the guarantee. The move allowed Jones to find new-life elsewhere, while giving the Dodgers a bit of financial breathing room in order to rebuild a hole in their roster.

Jones never returned to full form, but he did become a formidable option for Texas (1 year, $500,000 in 2009), the White Sox (1 year, $500,000 in 2010), the Yankees (1 year, $1.5M in 2011, 1 year, $2M in 2012).

10 Gold Gloves, 5 All-Star nods, 5 teams, 1 contract buyout, $128M+ earned across 17 MLB seasons, and an invitation to the Baseball Hall of Fame.