An updated look at the Phillies' 2013 payroll
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An updated look at the Phillies' 2013 payroll
David Murphy
One of the important revelations today: the Phillies should finish the season under the $178 million luxury tax threshold, meaning they won't incur a 30 percent penalty if they exceed it next year. Instead, that figure will be 17.5 percent. That's important, because the Phillies could very well go over.
Right now, they have $138.35 million guaranteed to 10 players. I'm projecting a $2.75 million arbitration salary for Nate Schierholtz, with Scott Hairston as my comparable, and I'm projecting $1.5 million for Antonio Bastardo. The Phillies usually sign a utility player for about $600,000 and a backup catcher for $800,000. Along with Domonic Brown, John Mayberry Jr., Vance Worley, Josh Lindblom and Jake Diekman, all of whom should make right around the minimum, the Phillies would have about $146.12 million going to 19 players.
Ruben Amaro Jr. indicated that he expects to have enough money to sign multiple high-profile free agents. He specifically mentioned the bullpen, where players like Carlos Villanueva, Mark Lowe, Peter Moylan, Jason Frasor, Joel Peralta, J.P. Howell and Randy Choate are all scheduled to be free agents.
The payroll:
Lineup
- Empty (3B/CF/LF)
- Chase Utley 2B - $15.0 million ($12.1 million against luxury tax threshold)
- Empty (3B/CF/LF)
- Ryan Howard 1B - $20.0 million ($25.0 million against luxury tax threshold)
- Empty (3B/CF/LF)
- Carlos Ruiz C - $5.0 million ($3.375 million against luxury tax threshold)
- Jimmy Rollins SS - $11.0 million ($9.5 million against luxury tax threshold)
- Domonic Brown RF - $0.480 million
Bench
- Nate Schierholtz LF/RF/LHB - $2.75 million
- Laynce Nix LF/1B/LHB - $1.35 million ($1.25 million against luxury tax threshold)
- John Mayberry Jr. LF/CF/RHB - $0.515 million
- Utility man - $0.600 million
- Backup Catcher - $0.800 million
Rotation
- Cole Hamels LHP - $24.0 million
- Cliff Lee LHP - $25.0 million ($24.0 million against luxury tax threshold)
- Roy Halladay RHP - $20.0 million
- Vance Worley RHP - $0.515 million
- Kyle Kendrick RHP - $4.5 million ($3.75 million against luxury tax threshold)
Bullpen
- Jonathan Papelbon - $13.0 million ($12.5 million against luxury tax threshold)
- Antonio Bastardo - $1.5 million
- Josh Lindblom - $0.515 million
- Jake Diekman - $0.495 million
- Empty
- Empty
- Empty
Comments (35)
Obvious move is to trade Halladay or Lee at some point, freeing up $20-+ million and you still start the year with a rotation of: Hamels, Lee/Halladay, Worley, Tyler Cloyd, KK. Bring in a few veterans arms for depth at AAA. All of a sudden, we're back to 2008 with Hamels atop the staff and we have guns leading off, in the outfield and (next year) at third base. If we keep the three aces, I don't see how we get enough offense.— eman- Finally, someone else besides me suggesting that a trade of Halladay or Lee wouldn't be that bad(preferably Lee). You could get a 10million per yr starter, a 10 million per yr hitter, and some more bullpen help or whatever allocation of money you'd prefer.Trade Lee and rollins this offseason, put galvis at SS and spend the next 2+ years bringing in some freakin offense.We won the whole darn thing with Cole as our ace and a dominant offense. Ruben let that 2009 world series impact his decisions too much, almost like he thought Cole wasn't going to get any better so he went overboard with (old)pitching. I've said before how much i really love watching our starters, but when trying to build a team you can't play favorites. Were an older team and that 25million goes a long way to rounding out a complete team. — The Pink Floyd
- Could someone explain what 'against luxury tax threshold' means?— 46 and 2
- The luxury tax is based on a players average salary of their contract not their salary for that year alone. If a player has a 4 yr deal for 20 mil and they are paid 3, 4, 6 and than 7 mil, the lux tax threshold is simply 5 mil — DogBiscuitthedope
- If a team's payroll is above 178 million for the season, they have to pay 1 dollar extra for every dollar over the limit (threshold) The penalties go up each subsequent year that you are over the limit. — commonwealth
- need to swing some deal for soriano where the cubs eat most of the contract and sign bourne for sure,.....maybe send Wigginton back to Oakland for McCarthy,...Beane doesn't hold onto guys at the end of their deals like McCarthy and wigginton still has a year left on an option— SyddBarrett
- Id move Lee over Halladay only because Doc has one year left, but then again Doc might be easier to move in that case. Not getting to worked up about Cloyd, he does deserve a shot but he has a ceiling a little bit higher than KK does. KK is great in his role, so keep him in it. Get another vet or two in the bullpen unless some in the group of Stutes, De Fratus, Aumont make waves. Maybe Pettibone will compete for a rotation spot next year?— ESFjellin
- I don't get Amaro. He signs Lee to a massive contract then want's to dump the contract? What about depth in the starting rotation? The last couple of years KK has been the guy to come in and fill in a hole when someone goes down--I think he's better suited for that role than an everyday #5. If the phils trade Lee, they have to replace Lee and Blanton and have someone who can come in like KK has this year and last year.— 46 and 2
- I guess we're all a bunch of genius GMs on here, who's next? What's your take?— 46 and 2
- You know they might sign Blanton, keep Kyle in the Pen along with Lind. Then they go out for an OF and 3B. That is the two spots they will need to fill. The pitching could actually make a comeback if arms hold up and the Pen is added to as efs wrote with the kids rather than another older arm.— Koons
- Grade: Incomplete. If you're gonna "retool" and truly give yourself the resources to rebuild next year and beyond, you gotta go all out. That Blanton, Pierre and Wigginton are still here concerns me. Lee, I'll wait and see what happens at winter meetings. Bottom line: I just can't bring myself to trust that Amaro is the man to see this whole thing through. The last paragraph above scares me. Throwing big money at relievers is pretty much the opposite plan of any top front office in baseball. See Rays, Tampa. Then again so is pretty much anything Amaro has done since last year (HTML deleted)
- Offseason = Josh Hamilton
45hrs in NL
And one solid 8th inning reliever from above— WFChamps - Thanks David...this is a very helpful look.
Trying to construct a roster in the mid 170's, which, after $10 million for benefits, would put us a little under the 2013 luxury tax...
I'd keep the starting pitching...unless Cloyd outpitches Kendrick in spring training, and then I'd move KK to bullpen--where he is doing great right now.
Murphy talks about 146 million to 19 players...
1. I'd invest 6 million and get the three best set up men you can buy
2. Melky Cabrera: 12 million
3. I'd drop Mayberry and resign Pierre: he just gets hits, 1.5
million
4. Delmon Young 7 million
5. Izturiz for 3b 2.5 million (i'm not thrilled with any potential 3b free agents)
6. galvis as utility
7. kratz as backup catcher
that would put us at 175 million, we'd get younger at a couple of positions, keep our theoretical strength of starting pitching. Then in 2014---you take off another 36 million from Utley and Doc.
Don't worry---I plan on keeping my day job.— kgood - Salary cap is jumping to $189m in 2014 as well.
For set up guy, I'd be interested to see if the Reds ppck up Madson's option at $9.5m. If they don't he could be a steal coming off surgery. He might not want to come back though.
I like Swisher better than Melky. Melky is probably getting a lot more than 12 I would think. Dude is sporting a .900 OPS. Think he gets 5/85. Swisher could be had for like 3/40.
I like Grady Sizemore too.
Brown, Sizemore, Swisher, I like. Brown, Victorino, Tori Hunter I like.
I realize Mark Renolds is a horrible strikeout machine but I'd give him a 1 year deal.
— JoeinSouthPhilly - HA! Those are the arms who would be available in the off season? WOW, let me get in line for my season ticket package now. Face it, they are going to stink again. I just hope they dump RAJ by then.— kozykoz26
- NO the Phillies can reload with sheer dollars. They are coming up on a new TV deal they want ratings. — JoeinSouthPhilly
- I love how you break the starting lineup down by batting order and not position. If the Phillies did that last year they may have realized that although Rollins was the best SS available, 11 million for a 7 hole hitter is too much.
I would add a combination of DeFratus/Stutes/Herdon/Aumont/Schwimmer/veteran to be names later for 2 spots in the bullpen. (all cheap) Leaving one spot to a high priced set up man.
I though Galvis would be the utility guy but he may need some time at AAA since he is missing so much this year. Regardless, not a lot should be spent on the utility guy. Same with back up catcher. Give it to Kratz.
So how much does that leave for 3B/RF/CF
Depending on the next 60 games, hopefully Brown can hit 7th and you can go cheap on an 8 hole hitter (Cody Ross type) Then you have big money to spend on 3B and RF/CF
I like your plan a couple weeks ago about adding Headley, Pagan and Swisher.
The Phillies will be in good shape next year. I love what they did today.— NickM - Does anyone else find it befuddling that the Phillies sent D. Brown to triple-A so he could learn to play left field, only to experiment with him at center in the minors then trade both Victorino and Pence, leaving every outfield position open except left field (which could be open next year anyway)?— OutofTownPhillyFan
- Very good article that frames next year's situation quite well. The money to fill multiple big holes seems to be there following today's wheeling and dealing and with several others (Blanton, Polanco)coming off the books one way or another. Third base is the obvious big challenge.
Count me among those who want Cliff Lee to stay. Worley is not a sure thing and Kendrick seems to have found a niche in the pen.
How do you like tonight's result? A 7-0 combined shutout of Strasburg and the Nats. Sharpest performance I've seen all year. Go figure.
— dasher - And Freddy Galvis is still neglected in drug purgatory.— lake
- I meant 8-0. Hard to believe, Harry.— dasher
- Papelbon was a BIG mistake. Will have to trade him even though will have to pay some of his salary! Amaro needs to step up now that money and prospects are gone. I would make Sanberg the manager and also would get rid of Dubee. I much rather watch exciting baseball with young players with a future instead of this over the hill gang!— bill poore
- RAJ made some good moves but he's also signed too many players for way more than they're worth. Get rid of Howard and his inflated salary and RAJ might be worth keeping, otherwise I'd love to see him gone too and get someone in the GM position who knows how to build a good team.— Fly Guy
- If the Nationals and Braves can leave the Phillies in the dust with payrolls of $81-$83 million, why does Amaro need to spend up to the tax threshold? The bullpen talent is fine- Schwimer, Stutes, DeFratus, Horst, and Aumont in addition to the guys you have listed bring as much talent as they are going to be able to get elsewhere. The Nationals are winning with Steve Lombardozzi, Rick Ankiel, and Bryce Harper playing the majority of games in the OF to this point. If I was RAJ, I'd quit making panic moves just because you can and be a little more patient in spending resources.— jtj06
- Great point by Eman, They do need to dump one of the big three's salary to address other needs, but Bobo will never do it. He's already talking about going after bullpen help despite the fact our lineup is going to be dreadful. The guy is basically a dope, but Monty loves his pet so here he will stay.— lazyboy
- Some people are projecting next year as if the team HAS to stay away from the luxury tax. That's not the case. Remember, the story has been that they would have been willing to pay the 17% if it meant a chance at winning. From what I've read in several reports they would be willing to pay the tax next season to retool. They just didn't want to do 17% in this wasted year and then have to do the 30% for a 2nd season over the threshold. I'm not saying they want a $200 million payroll, but I dont think you have to project next years payroll at exactly the tax limit either.— Sewellmatt
- @jt....I agree with your comment about panic moves and the fact that we don't need 3 All Stars in our OF to field a competitive team bext year.
I do disagree about the bp though. Stutes literally may never pitch again. DeFratus is on his way to TJ surgery, IMO. Aumont will never be a MLB pitcher of any consequence. That leaves Horst, a marginal lefty. Don't count out Herndon. He should be better coming off TJ surgery by mid year next year. Schwimmer is gaining confidence and made a mechanical adjustment and seems like he could help out a lot but the biggest thing will be KK staying in the pen all season. Our starters will have to stay healthy and I have serious worries about Doc being able to do that.— Mark1npt - RAJ is just coming into his prime. Give the man a chance. I think he knows what he is doing, with the advisers Gillick and Green. He will get some bats into this lineup. Have some faith!— georgekissel
- When did John Mayberry sign his no-cut, no-trade contract????????— joberzut
- Yes, let's dump all of our overpaid players--of course other teams are always looking for players they can overpay. Let's unload Cliff Lee even though we would have to probably pay half his salary, then get a less talented starter for $10 million--a little less than half his salary. Let's trade Papelbon, although we'd have to eat maybe $4 million per year of his $13 million per year contract, then sign a less secure closer for $9 million. Let's trade Rollins, who was not wanted by any other teams for the price, then replace him with Galvis, whose defense is marginally better, although he can't hit nearly as well and is not as fast as J-Stroll can be (as shown last night).
I'm sick of Amaro, too, but let's be realistic, huh?— The K Man - Your forgetting the Brewers offered Rollins a nice contract, we should have let them have rollins and we sign Aramis ramirez, with a legit power bat at third you can go for defense at shortstop, heck we coulda tried signing furcal if you wanted more offense then galvis gives from that position. Dumping Lee is about clearing a ton of salary so we can actually get some offense around here, AND he'll bring the best return of players, so what if "they" have to pay portions of their salaries as part of a trade, last time i checked, that aint coming from your bank account. Just saying that our team is old and we have no farm system, clearing money is a good thing when your payroll is capable of reaching 180million. Take one look at the starters we had when we won in 08, i don't remember seeing 3 20mil players on that list. Not to mention the big 3 that u don't wanna "downgrade" to help other areas, has yet to even get to a world series. — The Pink Floyd
- we are not trying to stay under the tax in '13. That was the reason for trading Pence now and not during winter. This way the tax is only 17% and not 30% (and never was $1-$1 for amount over as someone posted)— jeff gross
- Fransden at third doesn't look all that bad so far.whats wrong with keeping Pierre he's got speed and can lead off, why not resign him' for centerfield?— Rumrunner11
- Kendrick won't be in the rotation next year. He's found a home in the pen. Leave him there.
— thorshuffle - Opie of Mayberry is getting more lost by the day. Did you see his eyes, how wide they were, when he was at bat. Deer in the headlight eyes. I wanted him to be the guy, but.........— Rumrunner11
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