Ronald Blum
AP Baseball Writer
Dec. 20, 2006 07:00 PM
NEW YORK - Baseball salaries were booming even before the free-agent escalation that began more than a month ago.
The average salary shot up 9 percent this year to $2,699,292, according to final figures released Wednesday by the Major League Baseball Players Association. The increase was the highest since a 12.8 percent rise in 2001 and makes it likely the $3 million mark will be broken next year or in 2008.
"The increase in the average salary is a reflection of the growth in overall industry revenues, and that while the sport still has significant economic challenges, the increased average is a reflection of the level of the talent on the field," said Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer. advertisement
Baseball salaries are soaring, with Alfonso Soriano ($136 million), Vernon Wells ($126 million) and Carlos Lee ($100 million) agreeing to nine-figure deals since the end of the season, boosting baseball's total of $100 million contracts to 11.
Still, no one has approached Alex Rodriguez's record $252 million, 10-year contract, agreed to after the 2000 season.
The New York Yankees had the highest average salary for the eighth consecutive season, but their average dropped to $6.95 million from a record $7.39 million the previous year.
Houston was second at $4.28 million, up from ninth place in 2005. Boston was third at $3.99 million, down from $4.17 million the previous season, followed by the New York Mets ($3.86 million), the Chicago White Sox ($3.81 million) and the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals ($3.78 million).
The AL champion Detroit Tigers were ninth at $3.06 million, up from 15th.
Florida's average of $594,722 was the lowest in the major leagues since 1999, when Kansas City was at $534,460, the Marlins at $561,111 and Montreal at $572,290.
Among the teams with the 10 highest averages, only San Francisco ($3.8 million) had a losing record (76-85). Among clubs with the 12 lowest averages, the only one with a winning record was Toronto (87-75).
Third basemen had the highest average among positions ($5.87 million), followed by first basemen ($5.78 million), designated hitters ($5.59 million), outfielders ($4.88 million), starting pitchers ($4.87 million), shortstops ($4.06 million), second basemen ($2.79 million) and relievers ($1.43 million).
Figures were based on Aug. 31 rosters and disabled lists and do not account for money owed to released players or payments teams make or receive to cover parts of salaries of players who have been traded.
The commissioner's office has not computed its final figure, which usually differs from that of the union because of calculation methods.
Joined: 10 Aug 2006
Posts: 1753
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2006 7:45 am Post subject:
Before commenting on the highlighted portion, there's this absurdity to point out:
Quote:
"The increase in the average salary is a reflection of the growth in overall industry revenues, and that while the sport still has significant economic challenges, the increased average is a reflection of the level of the talent on the field," said Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer.
So: teams are spending more because the level of player talent is increasing? I think not!
Now, on to the more important point. The "averages" suggest that the Diamondbacks need to spend more to increase their chances of winning. Given the financial situation for the team (discussed here in some detail in a number of threads over an extended period of time), an increase in expenditures for player contracts doesn't seem likely to happen.
How, then, can we beat the "average" and produce a winning team while in the lower tier of team expenditures?
It seems to me that the strategy being followed of developing players through the farm system, and signing the best to contracts that extend the time of team control for managable amounts of money, while trading in a similar fashion, is our best shot at succeeding.
Among other things, this would argue for trading Eric Byrnes, and playing Scott Hairston...
_________________
Is It Next Season Yet?
I agree <especially on the EB part>. I think we have a solid team right now if we get a few breaks we should bust through the .500 mark next year for the first time in a while.
As low as our salary is <especially with the mistakes of the past like Green/Ortiz> that we need to still digest, there is considerable room next year and beyond to make at least one major pitching move.
We just need to suck it up this year and let our players mature a bit. I'm really excited about watching 2007 with 2008 in mind.
Joined: 10 Aug 2006
Posts: 1554
Location: clawing my eyes out, praying for sleep. booyah.
Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2006 10:04 am Post subject:
i'm worried about the rising cost of pitching, though. the great pitchers just aren't going to hit FA that often. 2006 offseason had a lot of questionable pitchers. is 2007 going to be any better?
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Hank, you're dead to me.
Joined: 10 Aug 2006
Posts: 1554
Location: clawing my eyes out, praying for sleep. booyah.
Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2006 2:16 pm Post subject:
if i had to bet, i'd bet that no pitcher who qualifies as an ace hits the FA market in the next year or two. not with the market how it is. which sucks for us -- it's looking more and more like az won't be able to get that second ace on the market. nobody's trading them, nobody's letting them walk for FA. and the few who will make it to FA are going to the big market teams.
so... do we have anybody, anybody at all down on the farm who looks like they might be an ace in the making?
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Hank, you're dead to me.
Those that can extend will try, but not all can. Of those that can and try to extend there'll be some that just can't/won't get the deal done.
I guess it'll come down to your definition of an Ace. Are talking about a true #1 or a Brandon Webb type? I think Zito's the top pitcher to hit the market this year but I don't think I'd call him an Ace.
Joined: 10 Aug 2006
Posts: 660
Location: Gilbert, AZ
Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2006 4:42 pm Post subject:
"Those that can extend will try, but not all can. Of those that can and try to extend there'll be some that just can't/won't get the deal done."
Sounds like a viagra commercial. Almost everyone needs pitching. This is why it's so important to cultivate all of your prospects. AZ needs to continue to grow position player prospects, because when the Jackson's and Drews arb clocks start running out, they can be traded for pitching much easier if there's someone behind them ready to take their place.
It's not realistic to just focus on pitching draft after draft. The D-backs are in a good spot as far as this goes. Some of these OF'ers will fetch the pitching that the team can't afford to pay for in free agency.
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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Oden
Anal Mod Squad
Exactly. If we were desperate for pitching now, we have several prospects that could be traded for pitching, not likely an Ace but a Westbrook, Haren, Willis type. Luckily we aren't that desperate.
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