Lots of talk about how much money the Phillies have tied up in X amount of players now that Cole Hamels has signed a six-year, $144 million contract extension. 

Here is how the roster sets up for next year:

*projected

Lineup

Jimmy Rollins SS - $9.5 million

Chase Utley 2B - $12.125 million

EMPTY (3B/LF/CF)

Ryan Howard 1B - $25.0 million

Carlos Ruiz C - $3.45 million

Hunter Pence - $14.0 million*

EMPTY (3B/LF/CF)

EMPTY (3B/LF/CF)

 

Rotation

Cole Hamels LHP - $24.0 million

Cliff Lee LHP - $24.0 million

Roy Halladay RHP - $20.0 million

Vance Worley RHP - $.515 million*

Kyle Kendrick RHP - $3.75 million

 

Bullpen

Jonathan Papelbon RHP - $12.5 million

Antonio Bastardo LHP - $1.5 million*

Jake Diekman RHP - $.485 million*

EMPTY

EMPTY

EMPTY

EMPTY

 

Bench

Laynce Nix LHB/OF/1B - $1.25 million

John Mayberry Jr. RHB/OF - .515 million*

Freddy Galvis - $.485 million*

EMPTY (Backup Catcher)

EMPTY (Bench bat)

 

All of that adds up to $153.075 million for 16 players, with nine spots left to fill. Add another $10 million for player benefits, which count against the luxury tax threshold, and the Phillies are $14 million under the $178 million threshold.

But club president David Montgomery acknowledged today that the club "may have to" exceed that threshold, which increases to $189 million in 2014. The penalty for a first-time offender like the Phillies would be under $3 million on a $190 million payroll, so the tax is not cost prohibitive. How far over the threshold they can go remains to be seen, and will dictate how, exactly, they can upgrade the roster moving forward.