A Record Payroll
The Phillies' projected opening day payroll is more than $106 million, which would be a franchise record.
A Record Payroll
Todd Zolecki
The Phillies could have a record payroll of more than $106 million come Opening Day.
People figure out Opening Day payrolls differently, but here's how we did it: We projected a 25-man roster, and also included four other players (Jim Thome, Wes Helms, Kris Benson and Chris Snelling) who figure into their budget in some way, shape or form.
So, obviously, this projected number can change before March 31, when the Phillies open their season at Citizens Bank Park against the Nationals.
The Phillies will play $6 million of Thome's contract with the Chicago White Sox this season. (They pay him $3 million next year, too.) The Phillies so far are on the hook for just $100,000 with Benson. But if Benson eventually makes the 25-man roster as expected, his salary jumps to $500,000 for $600,000 total. He then can make up to $5.1 million based on incentives. Helms is owed $2.15 million in salary, plus a $750,000 buyout for his 2009 club option, to bring his figure to $2.9 million. Snelling is just $450,000, but he also figures into the equation. Both Helms and Snelling seem caught in a numbers game, but could be competing for a bench job if the Phillies decide to carry 11 pitchers.
Here are the salaries for everybody other than Thome and Benson: Pat Burrell ($14 million), Ryan Howard ($10 million), Brett Myers ($8.5 million), Chase Utley ($8.5 million, which includes a $1 million signing bonus), Adam Eaton ($8.125 million, which includes a $750,000 signing bonus), Jimmy Rollins ($8 million, which includes a $1 million signing bonus), Tom Gordon ($6.5 million, which includes a $1 million buyout for a 2009 club option), Brad Lidge ($6.35 million), Jamie Moyer ($5.5 million), Geoff Jenkins ($5 million), J.C. Romero ($3.75 million, which includes a $750,000 signing bonus), Pedro Feliz ($3 million), Wes Helms ($2.9 million, which includes a $750,000 buyout for a 2009 club option), Jasyon Werth ($1.7 million), Ryan Madson ($1.4 million), So Taguchi ($1.05 million, which includes a $125,000 buyout for a 2009 club option), Chad Durbin ($900,000), Eric Bruntlett ($600,000), Cole Hamels (a projected $500,000), Shane Victorino (a projected $490,000), Kyle Kendrick ($445,000), Chris Snelling ($450,000), Greg Dobbs ($440,000), Carlos Ruiz ($425,000), Clay Condrey ($420,000), Chris Coste ($415,000) and J.D. Durbin ($402,500).
Moyer gets an extra $500,000 when he reaches 165, 175 and 185 innings pitched. He threw 199 innings last season, so it's not a stretch to think the Phillies will be paying him $7 million. Other players have incentives and bonuses in their contracts, too.
Tack on Benson's incentives and it's easy to see how the Phillies' payroll could surpass $110 million.
I've heard about how cheap the Phillies are ever since I got on the beat. But that argument has become a bit of a cliche. I always say this to people, "If you want to rip the Phillies about money, don't rip them for not spending enough. If you can't win spending $90 million or more, you have bigger issues. You have front office issues. (The Diamondbacks, Rockies and Indians had some of the lowest payrolls in baseball last season, but they made their league championship series.) If you want to criticize the Phillies, criticize them about how they spend their money. Because they're spending enough money to give them a chance to win a World Series."
For example, Eaton is the fifth-highest paid player on the team.
That's not money well spent.
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Top prospect Carlos Carrasco impressed Charlie Manuel and Rich Dubee yesterday, but he's been pitching with plenty on his mind other than baseball. Just before he left for spring training, two men robbed his family's home in Venezuela -- with one of the men putting a gun to his sister's head.
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The Phillies opened their Grapefruit League scheduled yesterday with an 8-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. Jim Salisbury writes the scene.
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Rule 5 Draft pick Travis Blackley is trying to make the team, either as a starter or a reliever. He threw three scoreless innings yesterday, so he's off to a good start.
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Great input Zo'. The Phillies if they were a fwd thinking risk taking team, would have traded Thome when healthy and brought up Howard and let him learn on the job. If manuevered correctly they would not be spending 22,000,000 on first base this year. Thome's money could have been used to bring in pitching or to overpay Rowand and kept the clubhouse leadership intact....— Truth- Uh, Thome was healthy for about a year and a half of the time he was here... weren't they supposed to let him play a bit before trying to trade him?— John in LA
- Down at ST I was impressed by Jenkins watching him hit yesterday and in BP on Tues when he was taking the ball to left. He drops that left shoulder swings from his heels and the ball jumps off the bat and he can hit to all fields. That foul ball he got up into the wind down the right field foul line yesterday is still rolling down RT 19. He is ideally suited for CBP. Pencil him in for a big season.— Dull
- I totally agree on Jenkins. The guy is a sleeper on this team. He and Feliz could both go 25/80.— John in LA
- Looks like the two young pitchers stunk it up 2day! I hope they shake it off!!— Clinton, NJ
- Yeah. Poor Joe Savery, gave up 5 runs on 4 hits in just one inning pitched. Not a good first showing.— Norma
- THIS IS A BAD ARTICLE. THE PHILLES PAYROLL IS ACTUALLY JUST OVER $100 MILLION. SIGNING BONUSES & BUYOUT WOULD NOT COUNT AGAINST THIS YEAR'S PAYROLL. SIGNING BONUSES ARE PAID WHEN THE CONTRACT IS SIGNED & AN BUYOUTS ARE PAID ON THE NEXT YEAR'S PAYROLL— phils fan
- Thanks for posting these numbers. The big rumor after the playoff sweep was that the owners were going to cut payroll. Evidently, not so. It boils down to this - Given the fan base, tickets, stadium variances, and payroll, what kind of team maximizes the chances of getting to the World Series? Short answer: Not ones that commit $8M a year for the worst starting pitcher in the league. But also ones that commit to a core of perennial all-stars.— Mike H.
- I'm not sure exactly how those contracts are structured (so I don't know it this comments applies to any of them), but it is certainly possible to have a "signing bonus" paid several years after the actual signing. Imagine a $1,000,000 signing bonus paid in four annual $250,000 installments. Such money, while being paid out in a given year, might not be part of the player's contract for that year, but payable even if the player became injured and had to retire.— judas_priest
- Signing bonuses are paid out in specific terms, not always at once. Jimmy Rollins' $5 million signing bonus is paid $1 million each year for the first five years of the contract. Chase Utley's is divided differently. Same for Adam Eaton's. Also, buyouts also are paid before Dec. 1 each year. But thanks Phils Fan, what do I know?
- Pedro Feliz seems to be fitting in quite nicely. This team is going to crush the baseball this season. Good Pitching, not great, is all we need to win the NL East.— Casey
- Great article by Bill Conlin today.....— Truth
