FanPost

Top opening day payrolls

Here are the top payrolls, according to Cot's Baseball Contracts.  These numbers include bonuses and money owed former players.

 

NY Yankees - $206,811,689

NY Mets - $139,102,235

Chicago Cubs - $137,945,612

Detroit Tigers - $129,598,000

Philadelphia Phillies - $128,307,380

Boston Red Sox - $122,624,689

LA Angels - $113,709,000

LA Dodgers - $109,175,853

Houston Astros -$105,035,000

Seattle Mariners - $99,596,926

Chicago White Sox - $98,418,500

Atlanta Braves - $97,692,834

St. Louis Cardinals - $93,612,500

13 MLB teams have payrolls of $90 million or more.  That's almost half the teams in both leagues. 

Looking at that list, I don't think anyone can really say that the Sox and Yankees are both "Evil Empires."  The Sox are 6th in total payroll, and are closer in terms of salary to the Rays than they are to the MFY.  Tampa Bay raised their payroll from $43,745,597 on Opening Day last year to $64,876,368.  The MFY are $67.5 million ahead of the 2nd highest payroll (the Mets).