Meche takes rarely-seen high road
You really can have enough money. Who knew?
Gil Meche, an everyman starting pitcher with an 84-83 record after 10 big-league seasons, made a louder statement with his recent decision to retire than he ever did on the mound. He walked away from the $12 million he was due in the last year of his contract because he didn’t think he had enough good pitches left in his ailing right shoulder to justify being the Royals’ highest paid player.
“I’m not really fulfilling what I thought I needed to do when I signed,” Meche told reporters. “The Royals have done enough for me.”
Meche thought it was unlikely he truly could earn his salary, and knew the Royals no longer were counting on him. So the 32-year-old from Louisiana decided to spend time where he could do the most good and experience the most peace – with his family.
What a refreshingly noble concept.
Unlike in the NFL, baseball contracts are guaranteed. Meche had signed a five-year, $55-million contract with the Royals before the 2007 season – the same giddy time when the Cubs gave Alfonso Soriano his eight-year deal.
The Royals went to the fifth year because he was on the verge of signing a four-year contract with the Cubs, who instead would sign Ted Lilly two days after Meche went off the board.
Meche gave the Royals two good years but his production vanished after he talked manager Trey Hillman into letting him stay in to finish a 132-pitch shutout over the Diamondbacks in June 2009. He still insists he didn’t hurt his shoulder in that outing but in his next 18 starts (split over ’09 and ’10) he went 2-9 with a 7.52 ERA, averaging just more than five innings.
He opted for a move to the bullpen rather than the surgery that might have restored him as a starter. He seemed healthy at the end of 2010 but never regained his confidence.
“It’s just the right thing to do,” Meche said of terminating his contract without seeking any compensation. “I’m not trying to look good. … I didn’t want to go through that again. To be the guy making $12 million and doing absolutely nothing to help this team. Not when I can walk away, be with my family.”
“I’m not that surprised,” Zach Greinke told the Kansas City Star’s Bob Dutton of his mentor. “People don’t realize it, but most guys really don’t play the game because of money. And it drives most guys crazy when they’re injured and can’t earn their money. I know it bothered Gil.”
Meche earned about $52 million from the Mariners, who drafted him in the first round out of high school in 1996, and Royals. But still … do you know anyone who wouldn’t trade 7 1/2 months of pain, inconvenience and first-class travel for $12 million?