Padres MLB lowest $38.025 million payroll

Saturday February 6, 2010

Padres Major League Payroll for the 2010 Season  - as of 2/5/10        

Player Name    Position  2010 Salary

Signed for 2010      
Chris Young    SP     $6,375,000.00
Adrian Gonzalez    1B     $4,825,000.00
David Eckstein    2B     $1,000,000.00
Kevin Correia    RHP/SP     $3,600,000.00
Heath Bell    RHP/RP     $4,000,000.00
Mike Adams    RHP/RP     $1,000,000.00
Scott Hairston    OF     $2,450,000.00
Jerry Hairston    Util     $2,125,000.00
Jon Garland    LHP     $4,700,000.00
Yorvit Torrealba C     $750,000.00

NOT Arbitration Eligible  
(MLB minimum salary is $400k - this chart assumes the Padres will pay an average of $450k for players that are not eligible for arbitration and can be signed by the team for any amount the team chooses.
The Padres average salary for this type player in 2009 was LESS than $450k.)    
Headley, Chase    OF/3B     $450,000.00
Hundley, Nick    C     $450,000.00
Venable, Will    OF     $450,000.00
Cabrera, Everth    SS     $450,000.00
Kyle Blanks    OF     $450,000.00
Oscar Salazar    UT     $450,000.00
Tony Gwynn Jr.    OF     $450,000.00
Aaron Cunningham OF     $450,000.00
Greg Burke    RHP     $450,000.00
Luke Gregerson    RHP     $450,000.00
Mujica, Edward    RHP     $450,000.00
Thatcher, Joe    LHP     $450,000.00
Aaron Poreda    LHP/RP     $450,000.00
Sean Gallagher    RHP/RP     $450,000.00
Luis Perdomo    RHP/RP     $450,000.00
Adam Russell    RHP/RP     $450,000.00
LeBlanc, Wade    LHP/SP     $450,000.00
Mat Latos    RHP/SP     $450,000.00
Tim Stauffer    RHP/SP     $450,000.00
Clayton Richard    LHP/SP     $450,000.00
      
Totals                                         $39,825,000.00

Yes I know there are way too many pitchers. 16 in all.
So subtract $450k for each one or $1.8 million       
That leaves:

Total 2010 Padres Major League Payroll - $38,025,000.00

For those of you who are wondering what the rest of the guys on the 40 man roster will make in the minors, the AAA minimum is $2150 per month. $12,900 for a 6 month season. 10 of them won't push the payroll over $38.5 million if they are all making 4 times the minimum.

So there you have it in black and white,

The 2010 San Diego Padres Major League Payroll  -  $38.025 million.

Now there will likely be callups from the minors as players hit the DL and those guys will have to be paid the minor league minimum while they are in a Padres uniform, but if there are 5 extra players on the roster every day for the entire season then the team is still only right at $40 million. And that's only if they pay every non arbitration eligible player $450k. They only have to pay them $400k so that is not likely to happen.

I don't think that is quite in the spirit of promising the payroll would start with a 4. Right now it doesn't.


I feel a little ripped off..

I believed Jeff Moorad and Jed Hoyer when they promised $40 million or more in payroll. To nickel and dime your way into a payroll that is still at least $5 million less than last seasons opening day payroll is questionable at best. An insult to fans at the worst.

I do think this team is as good as the one that took the field on opening day last season, but not by much and to have the lowest payroll in baseball after promising more is embarrassing and not a good start to the fans relationship with Moorad, Hoyer and company.

The worst part is we know that Adrian Gonzalez, the best player on the squad, is going away mid season and he may be joined by Heath Bell, Jon Garland and others pushing the payroll down even further.

The Padres need to step it up! They need to have more than the MLB lowest $38.025 million payroll.

Thats my opinion. Now what do you think?