I like Joe, but I wish they had done it last year when Pinella was available.
I don't know who they'd get now.
Still, I don't think it was the worst deal.
He's been paid 7 million over the last few years (to win championships) - twice as much as the next highest paid manager, so @ 5 million + 1 million for making the playoffs (which is pratically a given every year) + 1 milion for making the ALCS + 1 million for making the world series, your talking 6 million guaranteed, with incentives to 8 million.
He still would have been the highest paid manager in baseball, even with the base salary.
In terms of business practice, I thought it was fair. If you're a bber who has just won the Olympia or the Arnold, and a supplement company pays you based on those performances, only then to NEVER reach top 3 again, why should they give him the same money on the next go around. If a company rewards you for past performance, then you don't perform like that anymore - regardless of the reason (injury, bad luck, old age), it's not out of the ordinary for them to adjust their compensation.