So the days of Wilson Alvarez, the oxymoronic “free” agent pitcher, are officially numbered. He’s near the end of the last year of his five-year contract. For those scoring at home, the portly southpaw has been paid $2,058,824 per win — all 17 of them. That also figures out to $100,000 per inning.
Officially, Alvarez now has left elbow tendinitis. Unofficially, the pain is lower on the team’s anatomy — right where the wallet fits.
Moreover, Alvarez passed on his chance to actually give something tangible back to the Rays after five years of masquerading as a prime time starting pitcher. He could have done that by retiring. Then the Rays would be off the hook for money still owed for this year’s bad pitching and ineffectual rounds of rehab, which obviously never included any sit-ups.
But he won’t.
“Whatever they think is best for the organization, I say do it,” disingenuously remarked Alvarez, who would still be obscenely paid should the Rays release him.