British readers might not know the name of Mookie Betts but stick with us. In 2019, the Boston Red Sox shortstop was one of the best baseball players in the world – but had just one year remaining on his contract and was being paid top dollar, as the Americans would say.
Fenway Sports Group, the owners who ended a 86-year title drought called the 'Curse of the Bambino', did not want to pay Betts the money. And so he left, won two World Series at the Los Angeles Dodgers and FSG were – and still are – criticised for a monumental mess-up.