That’s what Boras called Beltre’s deal with the Red Sox a little while ago. When the roomful of reporters couldn’t grok his meaning, he explained what he meant:
“A pillow contract is, basically, you lay down, it’s comfortable, it’s soft, it’s there. But the fact of the matter is it’s not with you all the time. That’s a one-year contract. Your pillow, you leave it, you come back, it’s there,” said Boras. “Short-term, you use it for a little bit, then you move on.”
Few people know this, but Boras has been giving nicknames to his contracts for years. For example, given that the Cardinals are never going to be rid of it, Boras refers to the Holliday’s deal a “herpes contract.”