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MLB: 5 Disappointing Players From The 2014 Season

By Glenn Moore

Sep 7, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis (22) makes a play on a hit by Chicago White Sox third baseman Conor Gillaspie (not pictured) during the seventh inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 7, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis (22) makes a play on a hit by Chicago White Sox third baseman Conor Gillaspie (not pictured) during the seventh inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /
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These five players were disappointments during the 2014 MLB season.

The MLB season brings excitement, joy and pleasant surprises. Just take a look at the Kansas City Royals. Raise your hand if you had the Royals in the World Series?

While feel-good stories rule the headlines, there is a dark and disappointing place in MLB. Being labeled a disappointment with your respective team. And there were plenty of those this season.

Some players can blame injury. Some can blame playing with a new team. But the fact remains, these players did not live up to expectations and hindered their team at some point in the season. And a few of these players were coming off signing a big contract in the offseason.

Here are five disappointing players from the 2014 MLB season:

1. Jason Kipnis, Cleveland Indians

Coming off his first All-Star appearance in 2013 and signing a six-year, $52.5 million contract extension in the spring, Jason Kipnis was expected to lead the Cleveland Indians back to the postseason for the second-straight year.

Injury and inconsistency led to a disappointing season for the 27-year-old. Kipnis hit a career-low .240 with six home runs in 500 at-bats in 129 games. This was after a 2013 campaign where he hit 17 home runs in 564 at-bats.

Dropping 44 points in his average and playing bad defense, Kipnis became a liability in the lineup and in the field.

Among 16 qualified second basemen, Kipnis’ .330 slugging percentage was worst in the group.

If the Indians want to reach the postseason again, a rebound season from Kipnis is needed.

Aug 9, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Joe Nathan (36) is relieved in the ninth inning by Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus (7) in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. The Toronto Blue Jays won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 9, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Joe Nathan (36) is relieved in the ninth inning by Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus (7) in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. The Toronto Blue Jays won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Joe Nathan, Detroit Tigers

Joe Nathan was historically bad. On a personal level and MLB level.

Over the last 100 years of MLB, only seven pitchers had worked at least 50 innings in the ninth inning in a single inning and had been less effective than Nathan’s first year with the Tigers.

Also, Nathan’s career worst ERA with at least working 50 games in season, before his 2014 campaign was 2.96 (2003 with the Giants). This year, he worked 62 games and finished the season at 4.81.

Early in the season, Nathan was one of the big reasons why the Tigers had one of baseball’s worst bullpens.

3. David Wright, New York Mets

To David Wright’s credit, he did end the season on the disabled list and had a shoulder problem that was bothering him since June. But Wright did manage to play 134 games for the Mets and collect 586 plate appearances.

Making $20 million this year and for the next four seasons, Wright failed to reach double-digits in home runs for the first time in his 11-season career.

Wright has seen his stats drop since 2011, and has only hit more than 20 home runs once in the last four seasons. He doesn’t get much support around him in the lineup, but he was still able to put up strong numbers on bad Met teams in the past.

This season’s lack of production has left many speculating if Wright’s good years are behind him.

Sep 4, 2014; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Carlos Beltran (36) singles allowing shortstop Derek Jeter (not pictured) to score during the third inning against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 4, 2014; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Carlos Beltran (36) singles allowing shortstop Derek Jeter (not pictured) to score during the third inning against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Carlos Beltran, New York Yankees

Limited to only 109 games with bone spurs, Carlos Beltran’s first season with the New York Yankees was a major disappointment. Coming off signing a three-year, $45 million deal in the offseason, Beltran didn’t live up to expectations.

He finished the season with career-lows in batting average (.233) and on-base percentage (.301). He only hit 15 home runs and drove in 49 runs.

Beltran has moved around MLB a lot in the past ten years. He’s bounced around from the Royals to the Astros to Mets to the Giants to the Cardinals and ending up in New York. But the one constant with Beltran has been his ability to adjust and produce with his new team without missing a beat.

A disappointing season for Beltran was a big reason why the Yankees missed the playoffs for only the second consecutive season and third since 1995.

5. Josh Hamilton, Los Angeles Angels

In his first two-years with the Los Angeles Angels, Josh Hamilton has hit only 31 home runs. That’s over a span of 240 games.

He has hit over 31 home runs in one season three times in his career.

The Angels are still waiting for Hamilton to show up after signing the left fielder to a five-year, $125 million contract in the winter of 2012. And he’s due even more money the next three seasons ($25 million in 2015 and $32 million in ’16 and ’17).

He started the season hot, hitting .444 in the team’s first eight games. But a thumb injury sidelined him for the next 48 games.

Hamilton was able to finish the season with a batting average of .263, but he has not lived up to his big contract.

The Angels were good this season, reaching the postseason. If Hamilton can play the way he did in Texas with the Rangers, the Angels will be back in the postseason.

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