MLB: Baseball superstar blew $100 million in contract mistake

In 2014, former All-Star shortstop Ian Desmond turned down a reported 7-year, $107million (£76m) contract extension from the Washington Nationals. Essentially he was choosing instead to 'bet on himself' by running out the two years left on his contract in the expectation that he could cash in even more as a free agent this year. He hoped he would be offered even crazier money elsewhere.

What he didn't bank on was his own form declining.

After one horrendous year, when many commentators said the pressure got to him, he turned down another offer from the Nationals for a little under $16million (£11m).

That was a big enough comedown on its own, but even worse was to come.

Desmond decided to wait it out again for a free agent deal, but it became increasingly clear that his payday wasn't going to come and that he'd probably have to sign a one-year deal somewhere.

But no one was quite expecting what he ended up with - a one-year, $8million (£5.7m) deal with the Texas Rangers.

Sure, most people would happily accept £5million for a year's work, but for a player who won multiple Silver Slugger Awards and who knows what he rejected in 2014, it's got to be pretty galling.

Furthermore, the Rangers are moving Desmond out of his favoured position to left field, where his value is immediately lowered. A big-hitting shortstop basically becomes a mediocre-hitting left fielder.

With his recent form struggling to match up to his best years, his decision two years ago is starting to look like one of the biggest blunders in sport.

Jim Bowden, a former general manager of his club, told MLB Network Radio: "I've never seen a worse contract for a player." .

"That's a shocking number," he added.

"He went from $107m to losing $99m over the last 12 months? You want to talk about a humbling sport?"