There are a record 127 MLBers who will earn $10M or more this season, and "no team has fewer players earning at least that much" than the World Series-champion Royals, according to Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY. The Royals have a franchise-record $131.5M Opening Day payroll, but the wealth "is spread out throughout their roster." Royals Senior VP/Baseball Operations & GM Dayton Moore said, "We have to make the budget work. Consequently, we've had to spread money out based on what the payroll is on any given year." Nightengale notes the average MLB salary "rose to a record" $4.4M, the second consecutive year it has exceeded $4M (USA TODAY, 4/4).
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TEAM
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PAYROLL
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TEAM
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PAYROLL
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Yankees
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$222,997,792
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White Sox
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$112,998,667
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Dodgers
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$222,145,522
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Rockies
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$112,645,071
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Tigers
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$194,876,481
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Twins
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$105,333,200
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Red Sox
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$191,639,761
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Pirates
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$103,778,833
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Rangers
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$186,038,723
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Padres
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$101,424,814
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Giants
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$172,253,778
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Astros
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$94,893,700
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Cubs
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$154,575,168
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Reds
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$89,955,059
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Orioles
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$145,533,782
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D-backs
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$89,264,063
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Cardinals
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$143,053,500
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A's
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$86,806,234
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Mariners
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$141,683,339
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Phillies
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$83,980,000
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Nationals
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$141,652,646
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Marlins
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$77,314,202
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Blue Jays
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$138,701,700
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Indians
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$74,311,900
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Angels
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$137,251,333
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Brewers
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$69,282,737
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Mets
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$133,889,129
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Braves
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$69,005,791
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Royals
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$131,487,125
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Rays
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$57,097,310
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INSIDE THE NUMBERS: The AP's Ronald Blum noted the Cubs "boosted payroll" this season by $51M, while the Mets "hiked spending" by nearly $38M coming off their World Series appearance. The Astros made their first postseason appearance in a decade last season, and they raised payroll by almost $26M after "starting last season with the lowest payroll" in the league. Meanwhile, the Phillies "cut spending" by $43M and the Brewers are down by $40M. Dodgers P Clayton Kershaw at $33M "is the highest-paid player for the second straight year," followed by D-backs P Zack Greinke at $31.8M and Red Sox P David Price at $30M (
AP, 4/3).
BOOM OR BUST: In Baltimore, Childs Walker noted the Orioles' front office "delivered a three-month storm of spending that vaulted" the team's payroll this year. To "pay for that spending, the Orioles raised ticket prices." Orioles Exec VP/Baseball Operations Dan Duquette said that the team's free-agent spree, which included re-signing 1B Chris Davis and P Darren O'Day and bringing in P Yovani Gallardo and DH Pedro Alvarez, was a "natural product of the club's long-term planning." Walker noted the Orioles had "operated conservatively for many years and entered the offseason with few long-term commitments," which "left them room to bid liberally on players they wanted to keep." Davis' new seven-year, $161M contract -- the largest in franchise history -- "helped push the payroll" up 29% from '15. The club "announced increased ticket prices" less than three weeks after Davis signed. Orioles VP/Communications & Marketing Greg Bader said that overall sales are "similar to what they were at the same point" in '15, when the Orioles drew 29,374 fans per game, second-best since '05 (Baltimore SUN, 4/3).
SLIDING HEAD FIRST: In Miami, Barry Jackson cited a source as saying that even though the Marlins' payroll ranks among the lowest in the league, team Owner Jeffrey Loria will "take on salary this summer if the Marlins are in the race." Jackson noted with a ballpark that is just five years old, it is "tough to stomach this low a payroll, even with the worst TV contract in baseball." The Marlins "believe they'll be able to afford" a $100M payroll eventually when they get a new TV deal, but their contract with FS Florida "doesn't expire" until '20 (MIAMIHERALD.com, 4/3).
