Nomar Garciaparra,
$45.25 million
After the beloved shortstop won the 1997 AL Rookie of the Year, Dan Duquette (left) signed Nomah to a five-year, $23.25 million deal with two option years that brought the total to $45.25 miillion (more than $50 million with performance bonuses met by Garciaparra). After having a few MVP-like seasons -- and a couple marred by injury -- he was traded to the Cubs in the last option year, 2004.