“According to [Major League Baseball Players Association] calculations, the average salary of 828 players on Opening Day rosters, including those on disabled lists, was $3,340,133 — a slight increase over the 2009 average of 3,317,475.”
“[T]he cumulative season-opening payroll of the 30 Major League clubs is $2,765,630,418…”
The minimum [MINIMUM] player’s salary is $400,000.
Alex Rodriguez’s salary this season is $33,000,000 or $203,700 a game (162 games).
If Alex Rodriguez had to share his salary with the 827 other major league players, they’d still make almost $40,000 apiece for the six month season.
In contrast:
Minor League Salaries:
First contract season: $850/month maximum. After that, open to negotiation
Class AAA–First year: $2,150/month, after first year no less than $2,150/month
Class AA-First year: $1,500/month, after first year no less than $1,500/month
Class A (full season)–First year: $1,050/month, after first year no less than $1,050/month
Class A (short-season)–First year: $850/month, after first year no less than $850/month
Meal Money: $20 per day at all levels, while on the road.
From here.
A close friend was a host family to a relief pitcher at Single A San Jose Giants (his name was Justin Hedrick). He said he made about $6000 for the full season. Ouch. He worked two jobs in the off season and was grateful to my friend for cooking good meals during the season. Sadly, he was recently released from the Red Sox.
Baseball paychecks are definitely backward looking. The player makes good in his twenties, and he can ride well in his 30’s. Weird.
Joe Morgan, Orel Hershiser and Jon Miller were talking about the minors Opening Night. They noted that the players in the minors hit just as far, throw just as hard and run just as fast as they do in the majors — they just don’t do it as consistently.
Minor league players on the parent team’s 40-man roster do make at least $32,500 a season. Their salary is a minimum of $65,000 if they are on the 40-man roster for a second year or they have major league service.
Actually, it’s been my impression that the minor leaguers run a little harder, throw a little harder, hit a little harder (all with less consistency, as you mentioned). They are twenty year old guys trying really, really hard to make it.
If you’ve every watched a multi-million dollar player take a lazy route to the ball or not leg out a single…well, you start to appreciate those minor league guys a lot more.
That tenacity and the fire in the belly is why I really enjoy minor league games these days. Going to the San Jose Giants home opener next week!
Ken, don’t you go to Isotopes games sometimes too?
Oh, absolutely. We’re counting the days until the Isotopes home season starts next week (they open away beginning tomorrow). And we’re talking Triple-A baby! Nine of the Isotopes players are on the Dodgers 40-player MLB roster.
Hey, we’ve got a pitcher in San Jose, Scott Nestor, who looks like he was a ‘Tope in 2008.
Know anything about him?
His ERA in 2009 was a sucktacular 6.65, so hopes remain mild.
My memory of minor league players is a lot like the minor league players themselves — inconsistent. 🙂