A look at the current payroll
News blogs, sports blogs, entertainment blogs, and more from Philly.com, The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News.
A look at the current payroll
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
Cash money. (Clem Murray/Staff file photo)
With Jimmy Rollins finally under contract for 2012 and beyond, the Phillies have a better idea of their payroll for the upcoming season. As noted in Sunday's Inquirer, it's wholly possible the Phillies have a lower payroll in 2012 than 2011, but the numbers will be similar.
The Phillies finished 2011 with approximately $176 million in payroll. They currently have guaranteed $135 million to 16 players in 2012. That figure will rise with raises through arbitration to Cole Hamels, Hunter Pence, Kyle Kendrick and Wilson Valdez.
The below table projects their salaries.
| Cliff Lee | $21.5 |
| Roy Halladay | $20.0 |
| Ryan Howard | $20.0 |
| Chase Utley | $15.0 |
| Jimmy Rollins | $11.0 |
| Jonathan Papelbon | $11.0 |
| Shane Victorino | $9.5 |
| Joe Blanton | $8.5 |
| Placido Polanco | $6.25 |
| Carlos Ruiz | $3.7 |
| Jose Contreras | $2.5 |
| Ty Wigginton | $2.0 |
| Jim Thome | $1.25 |
| Laynce Nix | $1.15 |
| Dontrelle Willis | $0.85 |
| Brian Schneider | $0.80 |
| Cole Hamels | $14.0* |
| Hunter Pence | $11.0* |
| Kyle Kendrick | $3.4* |
| Wilson Valdez | $0.90* |
| TOTAL | $164.3* |
The rest of the roster will likely be filled by pre-arbitration players. The major-league minimum will be $480,000 in 2012. Figure Antonio Bastardo, Vance Worley, John Mayberry Jr., Mike Stutes and any other young relievers will each earn around that.
So that could leave the payroll shy of $170 million to begin 2012. Why is that important? It certainly permits flexibility come July when Ruben Amaro Jr. could look to make a midseason trade if necessary.
The usual disclaimer: A roster on opening day is not always set in stone. Remember, Ben Francisco was the Phillies' starting right fielder last April.
Another calculation with Rollins aboard: The Phillies have guaranteed $105.4 million to seven players for 2013. In 2014, four players (Howard, Lee, Papelbon, Rollins) are guaranteed $74 million.
With Rollins out of the way, Amaro could now turn to an extension for Hamels, who is a free agent after 2012.
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.
Comments (48)
First of all, the 2011 Phillies might not have won the world series but they were the best team all year and were really just burned by a hot Cardinals team and a freak bad start by Lee. They have made improvements. An entire year from Pence. No more Ibanez. A healthy Polanco. A healthy Utley. Papelbon. A better, deeper bench.— Northeaster- @daystrum- get off your high horse. You lost all credibility with the "Cholly the chimp" comment. Yes, the team is open to criticism, but flat out insults like that put you on DogBiscuit's level. And I'm not even a fan of Manuel. Anyway, Amaro needs to tie up Hamels soon and add a right hand bat. Enjoy the holidays.— verve
- Last year we had 102 wins. This team looks a lot like last year. Yes, our position players are a year older, but we also get Pence for the full year. I think Mayberry has shown he can handle left field with similar hitting and better defense than the likeable Ibanez provided. Pappelbon instead of Madsen is likely a positive. If we can have a few less injuries we are on track for another very successful season.— JohnFC
10 Games into the season & J-Roll will be on the injury list- Let's see if I have this right. The Phillies have bad owners, a bad GM, a bad manager, and an overage, decrepit, bad team. Your right, boys. With all that badness, there might be a drop-off to 99 wins next year.— Dragon13
- Been a Phillie diehard for 40 years and my Dad and Grandmother go back another 40 years. While I love reading everything about the Phils, I hope posters appreciate this is the greatest most enjoyable period of time any of us has ever and may ever witness. Just enjoy...Gillick, Rube, Cholly, J-Roll and all involved. Just to check ourselves, some of you are critical about the best you will ever see....others appreciate. Regardless, we are talking Phils and I love it:)— Earls World
- For those tiresome individuals, you know who you are, who bellyache about having to watch a 102 win season again -- my question to you is who do you fear in the playoffs?
Here's where you guys miss the boat.The 2012 Phillies are not competing with the 2011 Phillies and They re competing with the 2012 NL.
Cards look stronger to you? Not to me. How about the Braves? Don't think so. Marlins? I think we need to see where Ramirez ends up before proclaiming them anything to fear. Diamondbacks? Reds? Cubs? Giants?
Economics is at work and the strongest team coming out of the off-season so far is the AL Angels. Could the Phils take them in a short series? We may get a chance to find out. But look at the financial load they've strapped on their backs in Anaheim. How many of you bellachers would be happy if the Phils did that?— Claudio Vernight - OMG!!! Emporwhatever, do you even understand baseball, or do you just like pretending? 20 pieces of average got you 102 wins last year... DUH??? I'll take that anytime...— chazjr
- I don't think the roster is quite yet set. With Rollins in the mix now, the roster is now ready for changes. RAJ couldn't make ANY moves until he knew the hand he had in place. Do not be surprised if a pitcher (Blanton/Kendrick) and a position player (Polanco/Victorino) are moved for an important 3B piece. Remember, if Polanco/Blanton/Prospect are moved for David Wright, another free agent outfielder (Beltran) is readily available. Moving Polanco/Victorino for Wright/Beltran is an upgrade to the offense. Let RAJ do his thing. 5 winning playoff seasons in row isn't shabby in Phillies history, is it? We all want to win the WS, and we simply can't. However, remaining competative, and possibly catching lightning in a bottle by the end of the season is key to going far in the playoffs. Phight On Phillies.— drhoffman
- I don't see a lot of creativity in building this team. They just keep giving more and more money to players who peaked very early in their careers. I see another season where Halladay, Lee and Hamels will have to be Supermen to compensate for the terrible offense. The odds of winning it all have diminished so now it's a question of milking the cash cow for all its worth.— AvoidSundanceVacations
- Carlos Ruiz is popular and probably does a great job calling games, but his arm is horrible. Runners have no fear of him when attempting to steal bases, no respect. His bat was as timely or active as in the past so I hope that turns around soon. Back in the day your catcher was a huge offensive contributor, Ruiz doesn't strike as that kind of bat.— Gtown65
- "With Rollins out of the way, Amaro could now turn to an extension for Hamels, who is a free agent after 2012."
Per Cot's contracts, so are Blanton, Contreras,Polanco, Ruiz, and Wigginton.
Graybeard
— graybeard - Why do we have to keep hearing that they "are a year older"? Since when is a 33 year old over the hill? If half of the team didn't spend weeks on the DL last year, we would have hit better, scored more, etc. etc. etc. Be happy with the best team in the NL and stop the constant complaining.— oakmontleo
- I feel like I died and woke up in Houston, or San Diego, or Washington D.C. when I read the comments on this site. I thought the Phillies won 102 games last year and gave everyone an awesome summer of tremendous baseball? Yeah they came up short in the first round of the playoffs and that was a big choke. However, if Postseason Extraordinaire Cliff Lee holds a 4 run lead in game 2, the whole series is different and the Phillies move on to play the Brewers in the NLCS. Was I devastated by their choke? HELL yeah! Do I think the Cardinals were a better team than the Phillies last year? No. Do I think the Phillies are doomed to choke every year in the playoffs? HELL no! We signed a top of the line closer in Papelbon...The Phillies still have the envy of the NL and maybe all of baseball with their top 3 starters and it's not inconceivable that Oswalt returns. Worley might not do as good as he did in 2011, but he looks like a more than adequate 4th starter for sure and who knows how good he might be? Howard's rehab from major surgery is troubling, but we have Pence & Utley for a whole year this time and I feel that Polonco will surprise people with a big, healthy bounce-back season. Their bench looks decidedly improved from last year. The Phillies managed to win a championship in 2008 with a lineup of home-run hitters who struck out a lot and couldn't play small ball. Is it inconceivable that they could win again in 2012?— drjimmy
- koons, just for the record, who would play SS with Beltran and Geo instead of JRoll? Where would Beltran play? instead of Vic, Mayberry, or Pence? WHy not try thinking before posting?— jeff gross
Popular Posts
About this blog
The Phillies Zone is the place for up-to-the-minute Phillies coverage from the Inquirer.
Matt Gelb
Inquirer Staff Writer
Bob Brookover
Inquirer Baseball Columnist
Search this blog:
Classifieds:
Site Services:
Partners:
Powered By:
