The Rockies Are Still Playing A Player Who Was On Their Very First Roster... Which Was 30 Years Ago
As far as major league baseball franchises go, the Colorado Rockies are among the newest ones. The team made its debut in 1993 and has had fairly limited success in 30 years. Their peak was in 2007; they reached the World Series before getting swept by the Red Sox. Since then, the team hasn't made it past the NLDS.
That limited team success doesn't mean the team has been devoid of superstars. Vinny Castilla was a regular fan favorite, joining the Rockies after the 1993 expansion draft. He was a member of that inaugural roster and stayed with the team through 1999, returning in 2004 and again in 2006 before retiring.
Todd Helton played his entire 17-year career with the Rockies. He and Castilla spent five seasons together, manning the infield corners at first and third base, respectively.
Helton officially retired after the 2013 season. Castilla hasn't played since 2006. Yet the Rockies are still paying both of them this year.
Todd Helton (L) and Vinny Castilla (Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
Toward the end of his career, Helton agreed to a two-year, $38 million contract extension with the Rockies. He deferred $13 million of that money, plus 3% interest, to after his retirement. That means he's made a little more than $1.3 million every season for the past decade, even though he hasn't played in a single MLB game.
In his final season, Castilla signed a one-year, $2.1 million contract to rejoin the Rockies. He took $500,000 of that money during the season while deferring the rest. Castilla started those deferred payments in 2015 and will continue to earn $106,666 each year until 2029. By the time he receives his final payment, he'll be just shy of his 62nd birthday.
Rockies fans can take solace in the fact that Helton and Castilla are currently employed by the club. They both serve as special assistants to the general manager. So, while it's frustrating that the payroll includes multiple players who aren't on the field, they're at least contributing in some capacity.
Still, it's a pretty sweet deal to keep making money a decade—or in Castilla's case, nearly a quarter century—after you're done playing.
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