Mat Latos was sent down, a reminder of how fleeting MLB success can be...

Mat Latos was sent down, a reminder of how fleeting MLB success can be - CBSSports.com

A relatively minor transaction was announced by the Blue Jays Monday, when pitcher Mat Latos was outrighted to Triple-A Buffalo. He had the right to elect free agency, but instead he accepted the assignment to the minors. Team that with the fact that Latos is only 29 years old and it got me thinking that Latos' career is a perfect illustration just how hard it is to have a very good and long career in Major League Baseball.

Latos was a full-time starter for the first time in 2010. Through 2013, he'd put together four straight healthy and overall pretty damn good seasons. It was fair to say he was among the best starters in baseball who hadn't (yet) made an All-Star team. He was 51-35 with a 3.27 ERA (116 ERA+) and averaging 200 innings per season. That's not an ace, but it is a mid-rotation -- or even a number two -- workhorse. He was an integral part of two straight Reds playoff teams.

Think about a pitcher with that sort of resume heading into free agency. Ian Kennedy's last four seasons before free agency were considerably worse and he got five years and $70 million, just to name one example.

It really looked like Latos was on track to getting close to nine figures.

Latos problem is between his ears................well maybe one other place too.

To busy making noise in the clubhouse to focus on pitching.

Career earnings of $25 million over 9 years

71-59 all time win-loss record. He even went 7-3 in 2016. 3 14-win seasons.

His wife is smoking hot, wonder if she has spent most of that $25M.

His wife is smoking hot, wonder if she has spent most of that $25M.

And she's nuts.

5 years after inking a $11.5 million two-year contract with the Cincinnati Reds, Latos just signed with the New Jersey Jackals, a non-MLB affiliated minor league team that competes in the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball. Can-Am Baseball caps all league salaries at $4,000 per month.

His wife, Dallas, has also reportedly been living separate from Mat for some time. She has deleted her "Dallas Latos" Twitter account and started a new Twitter account under her maiden name, and she also switched the name on her Instagam account to her maiden name in addition to deleting all photos of Mat from it.

Ouch.

I hope Mat figured out a thing or two about investing while he was still in the bigs.

Wow.

Did read where he stated if he wasn't playing baseball he'd like to be a tattoo artist.

He was good for San Diego.

He was good for San Diego.

He was good for the Reds.

He was good for the Reds.

Buster Posey agrees.

He was good for San Diego.

Buster Posey agrees.

2012: 14-4; 3.48 ERA & over 200 innings pitched.

2013: 14-7; 3.16 ERA & over 200 innings pitched.

2014: 5-5; 3.25 ERA

Buster Posey agrees.

He saved the Reds buts in game 1 when Cueto got hurt and I believe it was on short rest. Wouldn't have even been in that position.

5 years after inking a $11.5 million two-year contract with the Cincinnati Reds, Latos just signed with the New Jersey Jackals, a non-MLB affiliated minor league team that competes in the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball. Can-Am Baseball caps all league salaries at $4,000 per month.

 

His wife, Dallas, has also reportedly been living separate from Mat for some time. She has deleted her "Dallas Latos" Twitter account and started a new Twitter account under her maiden name, and she also switched the name on her Instagam account to her maiden name in addition to deleting all photos of Mat from it.

 

Ouch.

 

I hope Mat figured out a thing or two about investing while he was still in the bigs.

I am just shocked that once the money stopped rolling in that their relationship blew up...they are both such solid people...:lol2:

If he manages to get one more year in he's looking at a pension of over $200,000.