Slow Pitch: MLB's Average Salary Compared To '17 Only Rose 3%

MLB's average salary this season compared to '17 "amounted to a cost-of-living bump, as it rose 3% -- and the ramifications from this depressed market may only be beginning," according to Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY. The average salary this season is $4.61M compared to $4.47M last year. A record 130 players will earn at least $10M, "compared to 124 players a year ago and 107 players" in '16, led by Angels CF Mike Trout’s $34.08M salary. Only three players received contracts in excess of $100M this winter, and just two players "received more than a five-year deal." Teams spent $1.98B on 65 "multi-year contracts this winter," compared to $2.98B on 57 deals a year ago, and $2.06B on 30 multiyear contracts in '16. Just 10 teams managed to even spend the $50M they "received for their cut" from the MLBAM sale to Disney, "invoking anger from the union and threats of potential collusion grievances." The Yankees and Dodgers, who had the "two highest payrolls in baseball a year ago," have shed more than $100M, with the Yankees now ranking just 10th in payroll at $160.75M and the Dodgers right behind at $156.87M. Their payrolls are higher when "factoring salaries paid for players no longer on their roster." Yet, both clubs remain below the $197M luxury tax threshold, "fulfilling key offseason goals." The Giants, for the "first time since MLB began keeping official records, will have baseball’s biggest payroll." Players on their opening-day roster will earn $220.88M. The Giants’ payroll does include 3B Pablo Sandoval’s entire $19.6M salary. The Red Sox, who released Sandoval last year, are "paying all but $545,000 of his salary." With Sandoval's dollars factored in, the Red Sox have the "highest payroll" at $224.2M (USA TODAY, 3/29).

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TIGHT WALLET: In Seattle, Ryan Divish wrote the question on if the Mariners are "spending enough on player payroll is an annual debate." Some believe the team "never spends enough on free agents." Mariners President & CEO Kevin Mather said, "We are spending more money on payroll than we ever have and we are spending a percentage of revenue on payroll that when the commissioner figures it out, he is not going to be happy with us either. The industry has been spending 49, 50, 51 percent of their revenue on player payroll over the last 10 years. We are well above that number." The Mariners are projected with the eighth-highest "opening-day payroll." Mather will "not flirt with the competitive balance tax threshold" of $195M, particularly with the Opening-Day payroll. Mather: "I’m not going over that number. It’s not the money. It’s the draft picks" (SEATTLE TIMES, 3/28).

SPEND IT TO MAKE IT: In Minneapolis, Sid Hartman notes the Twins begin the season with their "highest ever" payroll. However, looking at next year, they have only $37.7M in payroll allocated because so many of their players are "either on one-year deals, entering the final year of their contract or about [to] get big paydays in arbitration." Twins President Dave St. Peter said that balancing the roster and the payroll is "one of the biggest challenges the team faces during this season and in forecasting the long-term future" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 3/29).

ROLL OUT THE BARREL: In Milwaukee, Tom Haudricourt notes the Brewers' payroll figured to "take a big jump" in '18, and "not merely because of the acquisitions" of CF Lorenzo Cain and LF Christian Yelich. Payroll "plunged to below" $60M for the past two seasons, "ranking at the bottom of the 30 clubs." The Brewers "factor in other projected commitments, such as incentives and call-ups from the minors, and therefore consider their payroll to be north" of $100M for budgetary purposes (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 3/29).