Opening Day Payroll numbers are out - and the Reds are down $983k from '05

[jmcclain19]

Courtesy of The Hardball Times

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/ar...-day-payrolls/

The following chart shows total Opening Day player payroll figures for 2005 and 2006 (based on USA Today figures, which may differ from other sources):


Blue = 2006
Purple = 2005

Here are the numbers associated with the chart above:

Club	                    2006	        2005

New York Yankees         $194,663,079     $208,306,817 
Boston Red Sox           $120,099,824     $123,505,125 
Los Angeles Angels       $103,472,000     $97,725,322 
Chicago White Sox        $102,750,667     $75,178,000 
New York Mets            $101,084,963     $101,305,821 
Los Angeles Dodgers      $98,447,187      $83,039,000 
Chicago Cubs             $94,424,499      $87,032,933 
Houston Astros           $92,551,503      $76,779,000 
Atlanta Braves           $90,156,876      $86,457,302 
San Francisco Giants     $90,056,419      $90,199,500 
St. Louis Cardinals      $88,891,371      $92,106,833 
Philadelphia Phillies    $88,273,333      $95,522,000 
Seattle Mariners         $87,959,833      $87,754,334 
Detroit Tigers           $82,612,866      $69,092,000 
Baltimore Orioles        $72,585,582      $73,914,333 
Toronto Blue Jays        $71,915,000      $45,719,500 
San Diego Padres         $69,896,141      $63,290,833 
Texas Rangers            $68,228,662      $55,849,000 
Minnesota Twins          $63,396,006      $56,186,000 
Washington Nationals     $63,143,000      $48,581,500 
Oakland Athletics        $62,243,079      $56,186,000 
Cincinnati Reds          $60,909,519      $61,892,583 
Arizona Diamondbacks     $59,684,226      $62,329,166 
Milwaukee Brewers        $57,568,333      $39,934,833 
Cleveland Indians        $56,031,500      $41,502,500 
Kansas City Royals       $47,294,000      $29,679,067 
Pittsburgh Pirates       $46,717,750      $38,133,000 
Colorado Rockies         $41,233,000      $48,155,000 
Tampa Bay Devil Rays     $35,417,967      $29,679,067 
Florida Marlins          $14,998,500      $60,408,834

Looks like the Reds are $983,064 short of their 2005 payroll number

[vaticanplum]

I know where Toronto's extra money came from, but what about the White Sox's? Konerko, some of it...where else? The Arizona deal was a straight-up trade, wasn't it? Either I'm blanking or I wasn't keeping up well. That's a pretty huge jump, a third of their 2005 payroll.

[top6]

Originally Posted by vaticanplum

I know where Toronto's extra money came from, but what about the White Sox's? Konerko, some of it...where else? The Arizona deal was a straight-up trade, wasn't it? Either I'm blanking or I wasn't keeping up well. That's a pretty huge jump, a third of their 2005 payroll.

Thome. Plus they signed Contreras to a long term deal. But I agree with you - I live in Chicago and saw their payroll in the paper the other day and was stunned. It didn't seem like they did that much during the off season.

[vaticanplum]

Originally Posted by top6

Thome.

Ok yeah, I blanked. It's late. But still...a third, I agree, I would not have thought their payroll had jumped that much. Wow.

[reds44]

Originally Posted by vaticanplum

Ok yeah, I blanked. It's late. But still...a third, I agree, I would not have thought their payroll had jumped that much. Wow.

Vazquez added to that also.

[KronoRed]

That 983,064 could sign a nice veteran BP guy

[TC81190]

Originally Posted by KronoRed

That 983,064 could sign a nice veteran BP guy

In reality, I would like that to go towards the draft.

[RedsBaron]

Originally Posted by KronoRed

That 983,064 could sign a nice veteran BP guy

Why not spend it on a veteran middle infielder? You evidently can never have too many of those.

[KronoRed]

Originally Posted by TC81190

In reality, I would like that to go towards the draft.

You mean YOUTH? whoa now...lets not go all crazy

[registerthis]

I'm glad the Reds got that new stadium so that their payroll can finally go up. I got so tired of them being in the bottom third of the league in payroll back when they were in Riverfront. What a difference a new stadium makes!