Originally Posted by
BuckeyeRedleg
RAISES (from 2008 to 2009):
1. Arroyo.....$4,975,000 ($1.5M raise from 2009 to 2010)
2. Harang.....$4,250,000 ($1.5M raise from 2009 to 2010)
3. Cordero....$3,375,000 (no raise from 2009 to 2010)
4. Phillips.....$1,250,000 ($2M raise from 2009 to 2010)
5. Gonzalez...$1,250,000 (500K buyout in 2010)
6. Freel........$1,000,000 (last year of contract)
total: +$16,100,000 (+$5,500,000 more from 2009 to 2010)
ARB ELIGIBLE RAISES:
7. Encarnacion...guess: $4,000,000
8. Lincoln....guess: $1,000,000
9. Majewski...guess: $1,000,000
10. Belisle....guess: $1,000,000 (if not released)
11. Coffey...guess: $1,000,000 (if not released)
total possible: +$8,000,000
ARB INELIGIBLE RAISES (ELIGIBLE FOR ARB AFTER 2009):
12. Bray....$50,000*
13. Keppinger....$50,000*
14. Hopper....$50,000*
15. Burton....$50,000*
total possible: +$200,000
*based on Encarnacion's 2008 salary of $440,000.
ARB INELIGIBLE RAISES:
16. Masset...$12,500
17. Volquez...$12,500
18. Bailey....$12,500
19. Votto....$12,500
20. Cueto....$12,500
21. Bruce....$12,500
total possible: +$75,000
TOTAL RAISES: +$24,375,000
TOTAL OFF THE BOOKS: -$39,910,000
DIFFERENCE: -$15,535,000
So, not including re-signing Dunn, Affeldt, Weathers, Ross, or God forbid, Patterson the Reds will knock $15,535,000 off of the 2008 payroll once arbitration and raises are added and free agent contracts are knocked off the books.
Essentially, the Reds have $15.5 M to play with in FA to break even. That may all be used up on Dunn, however it is possible to re-sign Dunn at $15-16M per and still have the payroll remain relatively the same, even with the huge raises due for Harang, Arroyo, Phillips, and Cordero (+$13.85M).
My point is that if you re-sign Dunn ($16M per), Affeldt ($3M for one year), and Hairston ($2M for one year) the team payroll will only be roughly $5M more in 2009 than it is 2008. Freeing Arroyo or Cordero's contract just may be the difference in bringing in a C.C. Sabathia or standing pat once Dunn, Affeldt, and Hairston are re-signed.