List of highest paid baseball players
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
To comply with Wikipedia's guidelines, the introduction of this article may need to be rewritten. Please discuss this issue on the talk page and read the layout guide to make sure the section will be inclusive of all essential details. (April 2008) |
 |
This article may need to be updated. Please update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information, and remove this template when finished. Please see the talk page for more information. |
Contents |
[edit] Career earnings
The following chart lists the Major League Baseball players who have earned over $100 million total salary over their career (through the end of 2008 and not including bonuses).[1]
- $198,413,252 - Alex Rodriguez
- $188,245,322 - Barry Bonds
- $167,550,019 - Randy Johnson
- $162,258,269 - Manny Ramírez
- $161,230,000 - Derek Jeter
- $154,008,550 - Gary Sheffield
- $153,845,000 - Greg Maddux (retired)
- $147,353,682 - Ken Griffey, Jr.
- $146,259,585 - Pedro Martínez
- $144,533,619 - Mike Mussina (retired)
- $134,299,000 - Carlos Delgado
- $130,890,502 - Kevin Brown (retired)
- $130,095,446 - John Smoltz
- $128,639,293 - Tom Glavine
- $128,134,019 - Jeff Bagwell (retired)
- $125,058,996 - Jason Giambi
- $124,068,000 - Sammy Sosa (not retired, but was not under contract in 2008)
- $123,961,667 - Jim Thome
- $122,550,270 - Mike Hampton
- $121,001,000 - Roger Clemens
- $120,176,002 - Mike Piazza (retired)
- $117,552,133 - Chipper Jones
- $115,073,932 - Iván Rodríguez
- $114,158,000 - Curt Schilling (retired)
- $110,363,431 - Larry Walker (retired)
- $108,082,416 - Andy Pettitte
- $104,634,000 - Frank Thomas
- $103,100,001 - Bernie Williams (retired)
- $102,433,410 - Andruw Jones
- $100,616,066 - Shawn Green (retired)
- $100,405,001 - Mo Vaughn (retired)
[edit] 2007 annual salaries
Ninety-eight players made $8 million or more in 2007 season. The following chart lists the top-twenty highest paid players.
1. Alex Rodriguez New York Yankees $ 26,000,000 2. Jason Giambi New York Yankees $ 23,428,571 3. Derek Jeter New York Yankees $ 21,600,000 4. Manny Ramírez Boston Red Sox $ 17,016,381 5. Todd Helton Colorado Rockies $ 16,600,000 6. Andy Pettitte New York Yankees $ 16,000,000 7. Bartolo Colón Los Angeles Angels $ 16,000,000 8. Jason Schmidt Los Angeles Dodgers $ 15,703,946 9. Jim Thome Chicago White Sox $ 15,666,667 10. Bobby Abreu New York Yankees $ 15,600,000 11. Barry Bonds San Francisco Giants $ 15,533,970 12. Richie Sexson Seattle Mariners $ 15,500,000 13. Mike Hampton Atlanta Braves $ 15,475,185 14. Carlos Delgado New York Mets $ 14,500,000 15. Vladimir Guerrero Los Angeles Angels $ 14,500,000 16. Lance Berkman Houston Astros $ 14,500,000 17. J.D. Drew Boston Red Sox $ 14,400,000 18. Pedro Martínez New York Mets $ 14,002,234 19. Andruw Jones Atlanta Braves $ 14,000,000 20. Miguel Tejada Baltimore Orioles $ 13,811,415
Source for 2007 salaries: ESPN
[edit] Annual salaries by year
The following chart reveals the evolution of the highest paid player in Major League Baseball. A player's yearly salary is considered to be for the maximum value of the contract divided by the term of the contract in years.
YEAR SALARY/YR PLAYER TEAM/ORGANIZATION 1927 $70,000 Babe Ruth New York Yankees 1930 $80,000 Babe Ruth New York Yankees 1949 $100,000 Ted Williams Boston Red Sox 1966 $130,000 Willie Mays San Francisco Giants 1972 $200,000 Hank Aaron Atlanta Braves 1975 $740,000 Catfish Hunter New York Yankees
Major League Baseball's reserve clause was struck down in 1976, beginning an era of free agency and thus market-value player contracts
1979 $1,000,000 Nolan Ryan Houston Astros 1981 $2,000,000 Dave Winfield New York Yankees 1985 $2,130,300 Mike Schmidt Philadelphia Phillies 1986 $2,800,000 George Foster New York Mets 1990 $3,000,000 Rickey Henderson Oakland Athletics 1991 $4,700,000 José Canseco Oakland Athletics 1992 $5,800,000 Bobby Bonilla New York Mets 1993 $5,975,000* Ryne Sandberg Chicago Cubs 1995 $9,237,500 Cecil Fielder Detroit Tigers 1997 $10,000,000 Albert Belle Chicago White Sox 1998 $14,936,667 Gary Sheffield Florida Marlins 2000 $15,714,286 Kevin Brown Los Angeles Dodgers 2001 $22,000,000 Alex Rodriguez Texas Rangers 2005 $26,000,000 Alex Rodriguez New York Yankees
*Ryne Sandberg's 1993 contract was originally for $7,100,000 per year, but he retired before the contract expired and forfeited the back-loaded end of the contract.
[edit] Largest contracts
The following chart lists the Major League Baseball players who have signed contracts worth $100 million or more (including bonuses, but not including options or buyouts).
Derek Jeter's, Todd Helton's, Albert Pujols', and Vernon Wells', contracts were extensions offered by their current teams. Ken Griffey, Jr. was traded by the Seattle Mariners to the Cincinnati Reds on February 10, 2000 and signed a contract extension with the Reds the same day. The remaining contracts were signed via free agency and involved the player moving to a new team.
| Rank | Player | Team | Length of Contract | How signed | Salary |
| 1 | Alex Rodriguez | New York Yankees | 10 years (2008-2018) | Free Agency after opting out of previous contract | $275,000,000 |
| 2 | Alex Rodriguez | Texas Rangers* | 10 years (2001-2010) | Free agency | $252,000,000 |
| 3 | Derek Jeter | New York Yankees | 10 years (2001-2010) | Contract extension | $189,000,000 |
| 4 | Mark Teixeira | New York Yankees | 8 years (2009-2016) | Free agency | $180,000,000 |
| 5 | CC Sabathia | New York Yankees | 7 years (2009-2015) | Free agency | $161,000,000 |
| 6 | Manny Ramírez | Boston Red Sox* | 8 years (2001-2008) | Free agency | $160,000,000 |
| 7 | Todd Helton | Colorado Rockies | 11 years (2001-2011) | Contract extension | $141,500,000 |
| 8 | Miguel Cabrera | Detroit Tigers | 8 years (2008-2015) | Contract extension | $152,300,000 |
| 9 | Johan Santana | New York Mets | 6 years (2008-2013) | Contract extension after acquisition from the Minnesota Twins | $137,500,000 |
| 10 | Alfonso Soriano | Chicago Cubs | 8 years (2007-2014) | Free agency | $136,000,000 |
| 11 | Vernon Wells | Toronto Blue Jays | 7 years (2008-2014) | Contract extension | $126,000,000 |
| 12 | Barry Zito | San Francisco Giants | 7 years (2007-2013) | Free agency | $126,000,000 |
| 13 | Mike Hampton | Colorado Rockies* | 8 years (2001-2008) | Free agency | $121,000,000 |
| 14 | Jason Giambi | New York Yankees* | 7 years (2002-2008) | Free agency | $120,000,000 |
| 15 | Carlos Beltran | New York Mets | 7 years (2005-2011) | Free agency | $119,000,000 |
| 16 | Ken Griffey, Jr. | Cincinnati Reds* | 9 years (2000-2008) | Contract extension after acquisition from the Seattle Mariners | $116,500,000 |
| 17 | Kevin Brown | Los Angeles Dodgers* | 7 years (1999-2005) | Free agency | $105,000,000 |
| 18 | Albert Pujols | St. Louis Cardinals | 7 years (2004-2010) | Contract extension | $100,000,000 |
| 19 | Carlos Lee | Houston Astros | 6 years (2007-2012) | Free agency | $100,000,000 |
| *- no longer plays for team |
[edit] References
- ^ "Highest Career and Single-season Salaries". http://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/leaders_salaries.shtml. Retrieved on 2009-01-06.
[edit] External links
- "The Century in Dollars and Cents", Seattle Post-Intelligencer
