Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Opening Day payroll

So the 25-man roster is set, now is a good time to talk about the Opening Day payroll, and compare it to 2009.

CATCHERS
J.R. Towles - $406,500
Humberto Quintero - $750,000

2010 total: $1.1565m
2009 total: $2.11m
Difference: -$953,500

INFIELDERS
Lance Berkman - $14.5m
Geoff Blum - $1.5m
Kaz Matsui - $5.5m
Tommy Manzella - $400,000
Pedro Feliz - $4.5m
Jeff Keppinger - $1.15m
Chris Johnson - $400,000

2010 Total: $27.95m
2009 Total: $34.4275m
Difference: -$6.4775m

OUTFIELDERS
Carlos Lee - $18.5m
Michael Bourn - $2.4m
Hunter Pence - $3.5m
Jason Michaels - $800,000
Cory Sullivan - $400,000

2010 Total: $25.6m
2009 Total: $21.8735m
Difference: +$3.7265m

ROTATION
Roy Oswalt - $15m
Wandy Rodriguez - $5m
Brett Myers - $3.1m
Bud Norris - $401,000
Felipe Paulino - $415,000

2010 Total: $23.916m
2009 Total: $21.65m
Difference: +$2.266m

BULLPEN
Brian Moehler - $3m
Jeff Fulchino - $425,000
Sammy Gervacio - $402,500
Chris Sampson - $815,000
Tim Byrdak - $1.6m
Matt Lindstrom - $1.625m
Brandon Lyon - $4.25m

2010 Total: $12.1175m
2009 Total: $17.824m
Difference: -$5.7065m

DISABLED LIST
Alberto Arias - %415,000
Yorman Bazardo - $400,000

2010 Total Payroll (minus the DL pay): $90.74m
2009 Total Payroll: $97.3054m
Difference: -$6.5654m

Now, I put Lance in with the Infielders, because as soon as he's ready, he'll be back in the lineup. Notice that the only increases among positions are in the outfield and the rotation - due to arbitration increases. The Astros shed payroll by over $6.5m, and may have gotten better. Of course, ridding themselves of Valverde and Tejada accounted for quite a bit of the drop in payroll, but the Astros will still spend almost $91m on their 25-man roster in 2010.

Thoughts?