Friday, January 18, 2013

A quick look at payroll

So the Astros' Bud Norris has a $3m guaranteed contract for 2013. Unless Wesley Wright has nude pictures of Jeff Luhnow and makes a KILLING in the arbitration negotiation, and assuming that the Astros don't sign any other free agents, Bud Norris' $3m will make him the highest-paid player on the team. I thought it would be fun to look and see how many teams have players on the roster making more than $3m guaranteed (and this is as of January 18, 2013, and does not include arbitration cases yet to be decided):

Dodgers: 19 (!)
Blue Jays: 14
Yankees: 12
Red Sox: 12
Angels: 12
Rangers: 11
Tigers: 10
White Sox: 10
Nationals: 10
Phillies: 10
Giants: 10
D'Backs: 10
Royals: 8
Reds: 8
Cardinals: 8
Cubs: 8
Rockies: 8
Rays: 7
Twins: 7
Orioles: 6
A's: 6
Brewers: 6
Indians: 5
Braves: 5
Mets: 5
Pirates: 5
Padres: 5
Mariners: 4
Marlins: 1

Again, there are plenty of players whom Baseball-Reference pegs to go over $3m or 2013, but this is the list. It's not a criticism - at all - but there are 242 players making more than the highest-paid player on the Astros.