Each MLB Teams' Highest-Paid Player

[HammerDown]

Pretty interesting. I still don't see how Josh Hamilton can be considered as making more than Pujols based on how they calculated the cost. Must be initial signing bonus and Pujols is in his second season? Does anything else jump out at you?

From: Each Team's Highest-Paid Player: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com

When calculating the amount of the Qualifying Offer, MLB and the players' union find the average salary of the 125 highest-paid players. For each player on a 40-man roster or the 60-day DL on August 31st, they total his base salary, pro-rated signing bonus, pro-rated buyout on the first club or mutual option year, and earned bonuses at year's end. The calculations are more complicated in some cases, but just by following the basics of that method I thought it'd be interesting to list each team's highest-paid player in 2013.

Angels: Josh Hamilton, $17MM.
Astros: Bud Norris, $3MM.
Athletics: Chris Young, $9MM.
Blue Jays: Jose Bautista, $14.2MM.
Braves: Dan Uggla, $13.2MM.
Brewers: Rickie Weeks: $11MM.
Cardinals: Matt Holliday: $17.1MM (does not account for deferred money).
Cubs: Alfonso Soriano: $19MM.
Diamondbacks: Miguel Montero, $10MM.
Dodgers: Adrian Gonzalez, $21.9MM. Carl Crawford, $20.9MM. Matt Kemp, $20.25MM. The Dodgers are receiving $3.9MM this year from the Red Sox, so if you attribute some of that toward Gonzalez and Crawford, perhaps Kemp is their highest-paid player this year.
Giants: Tim Lincecum, $22.125MM.
Indians: Nick Swisher, $11MM.
Mariners: Felix Hernandez, $19.9MM.
Marlins: Ricky Nolasco, $11.5MM.
Mets: Johan Santana: $26.4MM.
Nationals: Jayson Werth, $16.6MM.
Orioles: Nick Markakis, $15.7MM.
Padres: Carlos Quentin, $10.5MM.
Phillies: Cliff Lee, $27.5MM.
Pirates: A.J. Burnett, $16.5MM. Burnett and Wandy Rodriguez are tied as the team's highest-paid player at $8MM, if you account for money received from their old teams.
Rangers: Adrian Beltre, $16MM.
Rays: David Price, $10.1MM.
Red Sox: John Lackey, $16.0MM.
Reds: Joey Votto, $19MM.
Rockies: Jorge De La Rosa and Michael Cuddyer, $10.5MM.
Royals: Ervin Santana, $12.75MM. He's still their highest-paid player if you subtract money received from the Angels.
Tigers: Prince Fielder, $23MM.
Twins: Joe Mauer, $23MM.
White Sox: John Danks, $15.75MM.
Yankees: Alex Rodriguez, $29MM.

 

[powerchord86]

Josh Hamilton Is probably the best player in the game right now.

 

[Smoke]

Josh Hamilton Is probably the best player in the game right now.

 

[huskers1217]

oh..and here comes the shitstorm...

 

[HammerDown]

Josh Hamilton Is probably the best player in the game right now.

Based on what? His average? His power? Maybe you should check his numbers over his last 100 games or so.

 

[HammerDown]

What jumps out at me is that the Astros top-paid player is "only" making $3M this year. The only other team in single-digits is the A's at $9M.

 

[bamabear82]

Uggla.

 

[jrs21]

Astros: Bud Norris, $3MM.
WTF......This poor guy is Totally underpaid!
I wonder how he is scraping by?

 

[jrs21]

What jumps out at me is that the Astros top-paid player is "only" making $3M this year. The only other team in single-digits is the A's at $9M.

Funny part of that: the Red Sox are paying a guy $3.9M NOT to play for their team this year.

 

[powerchord86]

:ss:

 

[jrs21]

:ss:

I figured thats where you were heading with that!
It had a good start, but then lost its momentum. Not enough partakers I guess.

 

[powerchord86]

I figured thats where you were heading with that!
It had a good start, but then lost its momentum. Not enough partakers I guess.

I knew I could at least get HD going with that one.

 

[powerchord86]

Oh and LOL at A-Fraud and the Yanks.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Well Johan is done after this year, thank god, and then the Mets are actually in great shape with their payroll. Sandy Alderson is a moneyball guy so I expect to see fewer and fewer Jason Bay type signings out of the Mets.

 

[ckhokie]

Giants: Tim Lincecum, $22.125MM.

woof.

 

[HammerDown]

Oh and LOL at A-Fraud and the Yanks.

It's so incredibly satisfying, it's it? I bet the old man is rolling over in his grave.

 

[powerchord86]

It's so incredibly satisfying, it's it? I bet the old man is rolling over in his grave.

 

[HammerDown]

Well Johan is done after this year, thank god, and then the Mets are actually in great shape with their payroll. Sandy Alderson is a moneyball guy so I expect to see fewer and fewer Jason Bay type signings out of the Mets.

Which brings up a question that I'm surprised I have no clue about: Are expiring contracts a good thing in MLB? Or is that just the NBA with a salary cap?

 

[Nasty_Magician]

I'm 100% positive A-Rod was given that contract because the Yankees were convinced he was going to break the All-Time Home Run record, and they NEEDED him in a Yankee uniform when it happened.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Which brings up a question that I'm surprised I have no clue about: Are expiring contracts a good thing in MLB? Or is that just the NBA with a salary cap?

I think an expiring "bad" contract is good in any sport. An underpaid guy having his contract expire in his prime, probably not as good for teams.