This Day in Baseball History

1998 - Kevin Brown receives record contract from Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers and pitcher Kevin Brown make history. 

Both sides agree to a seven-year, $10 million contract, making the right-hander the first player in Major League Baseball history to receive a nine-figure contract. 

"From the first moment (Brown and his wife, Candace) visited with the Dodgers in Los Angeles, we knew that they were not only committed to us but committed to winning," Brown tells Jason Reid of the Los Angeles Times. "Everyone we met made it clear to us that getting the Dodgers back to the level they were at in the past was the priority.

"The money you can make is obviously important, but the competitive edge, the chance to win year in and year out, has always been the most important thing to me in the game. The Dodgers also were very committed to doing some things to help me be with my family, and all of that combined made the decision a lot easier."

While Brown is elated to become the first player to earn an average salary of $15 million per season, there are many people left angered by the Dodgers handing out such a large contract to one player. 

"As a former general manager, I'm alarmed by the contract," MLB's executive vice president Sandy Alderson tells Jim Salisbury of the Philadelphia Inquirer. "As a member of the commissioner's office, I'm alarmed by the contract. As a fan of the game, I'm alarmed by the contract."

Brown, who owns a 139-99 record and 3.30 ERA in 312 career starts, also has a no-trade clause in his contract and the Dodgers agreed to charter a jet to fly Brown's family from Georgia to Los Angeles 12 times a season. 

The 33-year-old spends the next five seasons with the Dodgers, compiling a 58-32 record and 2.83 ERA while earning two All-Star appearances and finished sixth in the NL Cy Young voting twice. Brown is traded to the New York Yankees following the 2003 season. 

Other major deals on this day

• 2007 - Giants sign Aaron Rowand to a 5-year, $60 million contact
• 2008 - Yankees sign A.J. Burnett to a 5-year, $82.5 million contract
• 2009 - Astros sign Brandon Lyon to a 3-year, $15 million contract
• 2013 - Mariners sign Robinson Cano to a 10-year, $240 million contract

Birthdays

1977 - Orlando Hudson
1979 - Garrett Atkins
1982 - Ervin Santana