The 2010 Payroll
The Minnesota Twins still have questions remaining after their trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. While shortstop has been solved, second base, third base, and the rotation have not been.
As the off-season starts to get underway with arbitration offers, free agency and front office meetings, the Twins will have some payroll flexibility. Most teams, including the Twins, don’t publicize their plans for payroll. With that said, reports indicate that the team’s 2010 payroll could jump somewhere around $90 million.
While the jump would be nearly $25 million more than the team ended with in 2009, it is smaller than it seems. Players like Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau and Scott Baker are moving further into contracts and being awarded more guaranteed money. In addition, nine players will receive raises via arbitration.
With the raises and arbitration estimates based on various reports and opinions, the team’s payroll may be very close to the following before any signing or other trade occurs.
The total of $78.55 million may be a little low if the players gain more than the shown estimates through arbitration, and it could be lower if any of the nine players are non-tendered (not offered a contract).
When all is said and done, it seems as though the team’s payroll will climb more than $10 million just with arbitration and players advancing in current contracts. If reports of a $90 million payroll are correct, the Twins will have around $12 million or so to help bring in a starting pitcher and potentially fix second base, third base, or both.
* In bold are rough estimates of contracts after arbitration.
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