THE ALL-OVERPAID TEAM

CATCHERS Darren Daulton, Philadelphia: $2.25 million Coming off seasons in which he batted .194, .208 and .201, while never hitting more than eight homers, Daulton enjoyed a career year--he didn’t have much to top, of course--in 1990, batting .268 with 12 homers and 57 RBIs. That was enough for the Phillies, who awarded the free agent a three-year, $6.75-million contract, the record for a catcher. As Pittsburgh Pirate President Carl Barger said: “I wanted to cry.” Dave Valle, Seattle: $1.3 million The Mariner catcher batted .214 last year. He hit seven homers and drove in 33 runs. Death Valle? Not at all. New life, in the form a three-year, $3.6-million contract that contains bonus provisions lifting the possible total over $5 million.

FIRST BASEMEN Pete O’Brien, Seattle: $1.85 million Although he hit only .260 with 12 home runs and 55 runs batted in for the Cleveland Indians in 1989, the Mariners signed the free agent to a three-year, $5.6-million contract before the 1990 season, during which he went on to make his 1989 performance look good. O’Brien received $1.75 million while batting .224 with five homers and 27 runs batted in. He will make even more, $1.85 million, in 1991. Keith Hernandez, Cleveland : $1.6 million Despite hitting .233 while appearing in only 75 games in 1989, his final season with the Mets, the free agent still managed to sign a two-year, $3.5-million contract with the Indians. Hernandez was paid $1.9 million (including signing bonus) last season, when he was restricted by a back injury and hit .200 with one homer and eight RBIs. He is guaranteed $1.6 million this year, even though he will undergo back surgery Monday. It is uncertain when he will be able to return.

SECOND BASEMEN Juan Samuel, Dodgers : $1.575 million Samuel batted .242, drove in 52 runs and struck out 126 times for the Dodgers while receiving $1.25 million in the second year of a two-year, $2.8-million contract he negotiated with the Philadelphia Phillies. The Dodgers were so pleased with that performance, they awarded him a $325,000 raise to $1.575 million after electing not to let him leave as a free agent. Marty Barrett, San Diego: $1.1 million Although he appeared in only 86 games in 1989, the Boston Red Sox signed him to a two-year, $2.4-million contract. Then, concerned about Barrett’s range and bat speed, they moved Jody Reed from shortstop to second base. Thus, Barrett appeared in only 62 games last year while receiving $1.3 million (including signing bonus). He was released at the end of the season and signed by the Padres as a backup infielder, the Red Sox still obligated for all but $100,000 of his $1.1-million salary in 1991.

SHORTSTOPS Jose Uribe, San Francisco: $1.2 million Although he batted only .221 in 1989, Uribe signed a three-year, $3.85-million contract with the Giants and was paid $1.25 million (including signing bonus) last year while batting .248 with one homer, 24 RBIs and 20 errors. He will receive $1.2 million this year, although Mike Benjamin is expected to be the starting shortstop. Alfredo Griffin, Dodgers: $900,000 He received $900,000 while batting .210 with one homer, 35 RBIs and 26 errors, which encouraged the Dodgers to pick up his 1991 option at another $900,000.

THIRD BASEMAN Terry Pendleton, Atlanta: $2.55 million A .259 career hitter with a steady glove but limited power as evidenced by 44 homers in seven seasons, he was signed to a four-year, $10.2-million contract by the Braves after batting .230 with six homers and 58 RBIs in his final season with the St. Louis Cardinals.

OUTFIELDERS Milt Thompson, St. Louis: $2.1 million In seven seasons, he has never hit more than seven homers or driven in more than 68 runs, yet none of that mattered to the Cardinals when they signed him to a three-year, $6.3-million contract after he hit .290 in 1989. Thompson was paid $1.35 million last year, when his average fell to .218 with six homers and 30 RBIs. Rob Deer, Detroit: $2.017 million The Tigers signed the former Milwaukee Brewer free agent to a three-year, $6.050-million contract last winter despite Deer’s 823 strikeouts in the last five seasons, his .210 and .209 averages of the last two seasons and his modest RBI totals of 65 and 69. Deer did hit 53 homers the last two years, but he didn’t hit much else. Kevin Bass, San Francisco: $1.75 million In his last three seasons with the Houston Astros, Bass went backward. His home run totals dropped from 19 to 14 to five, while his RBI totals fell from 85 to 72 to 44. Yet, the Giants signed him to a three-year, $5.25-million contract as a free agent before the 1990 season, when he appeared in only 61 games because of injuries and hit seven homers with 32 RBIs while earning $1.75 million.

PITCHERS Matt Young, Boston: $2.1 million There is no explaining the three-year, $6.35-million contract Young received from the Red Sox as a free agent last winter. He was 8-18 with the Mariners last year and 14-30 over his last three seasons, missing 1988 entirely because of an injury. The 8-18 got him a raise from $925,000 to $2.1 million. Mike Witt, N.Y. Yankees: $2.67 million The Yankees gave Witt a three-year, $8-million contract as a free agent last winter, $2 million more than anyone else offered. Witt, now sidelined by an elbow problem, was 5-9 last season and 27-40 over his last three years. Pascual Perez, N.Y. Yankees: $1.9 million In one of the last signings by George Steinbrenner as the club’s managing partner, the eccentric Perez received a three-year $5.7-million contract before the 1990 season despite a 9-13 record with the Montreal Expos in 1989 and a modest career mark of 64-62. Perez promptly spent most of 1990 on the disabled list, receiving $1.8 million for a 1-2 record. He will get $1.9 million this year, though his availability remains in doubt as he recuperates from shoulder surgery. Mark Davis, Kansas City: $3.25 million Timing is everything. Davis had a 36-62 career record with 41 saves in eight seasons before registering 44 saves in 1989, his free agency season with the Padres. He capitalized by signing a four-year, $13-million contract with the Royals and promptly reverted to form in 1990 with six saves and a 2-7 record while receiving $3.25 million in salary and bonus. Note: Average of multi-year contract used when specific 1991 figure was unavailable