Philly Sports: Some recent athletes you should dislike

Jake Arrieta

Was the contract that Arrieta signed with the Phillies in early 2018 the worst that this town has ever seen? We can’t make a final ruling on it yet, but it certainly seems like a strong contender.

Arrieta was already showing signs of decline in his final year with the Cubs in 2017, but it seemed like the Phils could still milk two or three years of effectiveness out of him. They overpaid, but it looked a necessary move for a team on the cusp of contending.

Arrieta has rewarded the Phils with 18 wins and a 4.26 ERA combined over those two seasons, battling injury and ineffectiveness while also not doing himself any favors when talking to the media. He even got himself involved in the Santana/smashed TV situation.

In a twisted way, Arrieta has everything that I’m looking for when I’m putting players on a disliked list. He’s underperformed relative to expectations, and he’s been about as gruff and objectionable as possible when he opens his mouth. The Phils’ large financial commitment to him has also made them shy away from spending elsewhere, for fear of reaching the luxury tax threshold.

Whenever the 2020 season gets off the ground, I have no idea if we can expect anything out of Arrieta. We probably can’t. But at least this will be his last year in Philadelphia, allowing us to put this regrettable chapter behind us.