MLB payroll information distributed to GMs at their
meetings in CA showed that the Yankees' '99 payroll of
$88.1M was the highest payroll in MLB history, according to
Murray Chass of the N.Y. TIMES, who writes that MLB's first
$100M payroll is "just around the foul pole." The team's
'99 payroll increased a "sizable" 34% from its '98 payroll.
The eight MLB postseason teams placed in the top ten in
payroll, as only the Dodgers and Orioles failed to make the
playoffs (N.Y. TIMES, 11/10). USA TODAY's Hal Bodley
reports that including $3.9M in termination pay, the
Yankees' '99 payroll totalted almost $92.0M. MLB's average
player salary increased 13.24% to nearly $1.6M (USA TODAY,
11/10). In a sidebar, Bodley notes that MLB's 30 teams have
guaranteed 495 players almost $2.6B through 2004. That
increases to $3.2B if the options for another 116 players
are considered. MLB Commissioner Bud Selig: "You have to
have very serious concerns about that" (USA TODAY, 11/10).
MEDIAN SALARY: MLB's median salary was $495,000, also a
record. It was $427,500 last year (USA TODAY, 11/10).