Mike Trout $430 million????

According to insiders, the Los Angeles Angels and their star outfielder Mike Trout are finalizing a 12-year deal worth a reported $430 million. Yes, you read it right. $430 million. This contract would break Bryce Harper’s record-breaking contract by $100 million even though the contract is a year shorter.

This contract will keep the 27-year old Trout with the Angels for the remainder of his career. Trout has won two American League MVP awards and finished second four times. He will receive an average of nearly $36 million a year, topping Zack Greinke’s previous record average of $34.4 million with the Arizona Diamondbacks. The $430 million-plus total is more than 30 percent larger than the $330 million deal Bryce Harper signed with the Philadelphia Phillies

Since Trout still had left two years on his current contract, there wasn’t really a need for this deal yet. But with Bryce Harper openly starting to lobby to bring Trout to Philadelphia, it may have rung a bell at the Angels’ front office.

Trout is arguably the best player around at the moment. In 1,065 games, he has slashed .307/.416/.573 with 240 home runs, 648 RBIs, 793 runs and 189 stolen bases. No player in history has put up more Wins Above Replacement through his age-26 season than Trout’s 64.3.

But nevertheless, the Angels seem not to have learned from the big contracts of Albert Pujols ($240 million, 10 years) and Josh Hamilton ($125 million, 5 years). Both contracts are considered albatrosses.  No doubt there will be a time when Trout’s numbers start to decline. Then what?

Next to winning two MVP titles, Trout was voted Rookie of the Year in 2012, the season he ended second in the MVP voting for the first time of two years in a row.

One can only wonder who is worth $430 million. Sure I can imagine that players need to get several million because they can play only for a limited period of time and then they have to make enough money to make ends meet for the rest of their life. But $430 million?