Baseball

[revenge]

Oh..yeah!!! baseball is the game of my choice, although i`m not sure on how well the yankees will do this year, only time will tell.

[Mr. Breeze]

The Yanks have been biting and scratching there way to the post season. I think Torre and the powers that be have done a great job trying to put together a rotation.

[mustangfury]

well i m in houston, so my team of choice is the Astros.. what do u guy think . will they win this year.. they looking good but i have my dought, that it will turn out like last year..

[Mr. Breeze]

Well it looks like the Chisox are the team to beat. They're ridin' on a high and they haven't been there since what? 62

[Mr. Breeze]

Anyone followin' the series so far it's the American league leadin'
LOL four ex- Yankee pitchers goin' at it.
:idea:

[Mr. Breeze]

Well it looks like my prediction came through and the Right sox won the series. I guess this will be my last report until springtime. We can still dicuss the game thogh I guess. I just Hope the Yankees get some good lefties in the off-season.
:(

[YugiohsDad]

Well it looks like my prediction came through and the Right sox won the series. I guess this will be my last report until springtime. We can still dicuss the game thogh I guess. I just Hope the Yankees get some good lefties in the off-season.
:(

You mean Buy some good lefties :) :lol:

[Mr. Breeze]

Pitchers and catchers should be reporting soon.
:smile:

[barbiegirl]

i cant wait for the baseball season to start. go yankees. ^_^

[rickeypadgett]

i cant wait for the baseball season to start. go yankees. ^_^


Wow a Yankees fan. Hmm.... Thought you would be a Pittsburg or Phily fan.

[barbiegirl]

i grew up a yankees fan. i grew up in new jersey not pennsylvania. go yankees. just need a pitching staff that wont get hurt. :-D

[Mr. Breeze]

The Bombers need lefties. Go Yanks ! :P

[Mr. Breeze]

With the kind of weather we've been gettin' here on the N. East coast I can smell the hot dogs and pine tar. Three weeks 'till pitchers & catchers report.
:P

[barbiegirl]

:-D woo hoo. i cant wait. ^_^

[lilfresh]

ya Go yankee!!
fav.team: Yankee
Fav.Player: Alex.Rodrigez :lol:

[flameswordsman1]

Why the Yankees? Can someone please jump off the yankee banwagon. What about the White Sox? Or even the Astros? I believe that they were the ones in the World Series last year.

[Mr. Breeze]

Well last night the Bombers put a whoopin' on the Rays. I don't what the record is but Abreau scored six ribbies by his lonsome last night, one three run dinger and a bases clearing double, in the same inning.
cool

[Mr. Breeze]

Well it looks like we could have another subway series here in the Big Apple. With both the Mets and Yankees clinchin' there respective divisions.
:) cool

[Mr. Breeze]

Tragety struck today on the upper east side of Mannhattan today when Yankees reliever Cory Lidle and an unidentified second passenger's plane crashed into a 40 story highrise. There was a distress call reported before the crash. I was working not too far from there.
-sk

[USO36]

When historians look back at the 2006 season, they might not fixate on what actually happened during it. What last year begat – the greatest rookie class in perhaps 25 years – should be a greater gift than the pleasure of watching Ryan Howard blast 58 home runs and the pain of watching the Detroit Tigers' pitchers try to field the ball in the World Series.

The list seems endless: Justin Verlander, Jonathan Papelbon, Jered Weaver, Ryan Zimmerman, Hanley Ramirez, Prince Fielder, Joel Zumaya, Matt Cain, Stephen Drew, Cole Hamels, Chad Billingsley, Russell Martin, Andre Ethier, Nick Markakis, Melky Cabrera, Josh Barfield, Chuck James, Jonathan Broxton, Scott Olsen, Josh Johnson, Carlos Quentin, Conor Jackson, Dan Uggla, Adam Wainwright, Ronny Paulino, Ian Kinsler, Josh Willingham, Matt Kemp, Andy Marte and Jeremy Hermida.

Oh, and Francisco Liriano, who might have won the American League Cy Young Award had his elbow not ****n up.

So forgive 2007 if it is not the horn of plenty that its predecessor was.





No, it should just be the year that two cornerstone position players and two of the most anticipated rookie pitchers in years arrive for good.

Here they are, along with six others, plus another 10 to watch for by midseason.

1. Alex Gordon, 3B, Kansas City Royals – Gordon threatened to return to Nebraska for his senior season before the Royals ponied up $4 million after choosing him second overall in 2005. That sum looks like a bargain now, with Gordon poised to supplant Mark Teahen at third base. No matter what the Royals say, Gordon will start the year with them and should be hitting third by June.

2. Delmon Young, RF, Tampa Bay Devil Rays – Young exceeded his hype in a late-season callup last year when he hit .317 with gap-to-gap power, flashed a tremendous right arm and showed not a nit of the attitude that had him labeled a potential problem. With third baseman Evan Longoria and shortstop Reid Brignac in the pipeline, the Devil Rays' coming talent is undeniable.

3. Philip Hughes, SP, New York Yankees – With all due respect to Chien-Ming Wang, the last great arm the Yankees developed was Andy Pettitte, and he arrived in 1995. General manager Brian Cashman's goal to restock New York's farm system starts with Hughes, a 6-foot-5 right-hander with a fastball-curveball-change complement that should land him in the Bronx by June at the latest.

4. Homer Bailey, SP, Cincinnati Reds – The next great Texas power pitcher may be in the big leagues by the time he turns 21 in May. The Reds flirted with promoting Bailey for the stretch run last season, and his numbers at Double-A – 7-1 with a 1.59 earned-run average – certainly merited it. Caution prevailed, and it's the only reason Bailey will start the season at Triple-A.

5. Mike Pelfrey, SP, New York Mets – Pedro Martinez's injury leaves a gaping hole in the Mets' rotation that Pelfrey should fill. Philip Humber could get a sniff, too – or both could be in there, depending on which Oliver Perez shows up to spring training – but Pelfrey has the better shot for one reason: His sinker rests in the mid-90s and can hit 98 mph.

6. Chris Young, CF, Arizona Diamondbacks – Once Carlos Gonzalez arrives in right field – which should be soon – the Diamondbacks' young outfield could be 1a. to Tampa Bay's No. 1, largely because of Young. Young's power caught up to his athleticism last season, when he had 57 extra-base hits in 402 Triple-A at-bats.

7. Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Colorado Rockies – Part of the bonanza 2005 draft that yielded Gordon, Zimmerman, Pelfrey and another dozen top prospects in the first round, Tulowitzki compares favorably to Bobby Crosby, with whom he shares an alma mater of Long Beach State. Unlike Crosby, Tulowitzki has managed to stay healthy.

8. Matt Garza, SP, Minnesota Twins – The Twins, normally conservative with their pitchers, shuttled Garza from Class A to the majors last season, and were he to have recorded one more out, he wouldn't have made this list. Because he had 50 innings on the nose, though, Garza is still considered a rookie, and with the final spot in the Twins' rotation open, it's his to lose.

9. Kevin Kouzmanoff, 3B, San Diego Padres – Age has stifled Kouzmanoff as much as injuries. He turns 26 in July, and while that seems old, it's a wonder teams don't hold back top prospects more to get them during the peak years in their late 20s and early 30s. Kouzmanoff has hit everywhere he's been – he was over .400 at Double-A most of last year – and the Padres are counting on him to more than replace the bat of Josh Barfield, for whom he was traded.

10. Daisuke Matsuzaka, SP, Boston Red Sox – OK, so in terms of pure impact this season, Matsuzaka should be No. 1 on this list. After all, he is technically a rookie – as are Yankees pitcher Kei Igawa and Devil Rays infielder Aki Iwamura. And though Curt Schilling and Josh Beckett may say otherwise, Matsuzaka should be the Red Sox's No. 1 starter by the end of the season.

10 more to watch

• Billy Butler, DH, Royals – When Mike Sweeney gets hurt – it's no longer an if – Butler and his prodigious bat will get the call.

• Yovani Gallardo, SP, Milwaukee Brewers – While the Brewers' rotation is set and solid, GM Doug Melvin won't be afraid to plug in the hard-throwing 21-year-old upon an injury.

• Andy LaRoche, 3B, Los Angeles Dodgers – Should the Dodgers choose to put Wilson Betemit in the Chose Figgins role, LaRoche, brother of Pittsburgh first baseman Adam, would get the rest of the at-bats at third.

• Tim Lince***, SP, San Francisco Giants – Mighty mite throws 100, has perhaps the best curveball in the minor leagues and could be an All-Star as a starter or closer.

• Adam Miller, SP, Cleveland Indians – With their bullpen still a question, the Indians could go the route Minnesota did with Liriano, starting Miller in relief before easing him into their rotation.

• Troy Patton, SP, Houston Astros – The left-handed Patton could make the leap from Double-A even if Roger Clemens comes back to Houston.

• Glen Perkins, SP, Twins – Garza's main competition is a 6-foot left-hander with gaudy strikeout totals – like some other guy in the Twins' rotation.

• Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C/1B, Atlanta Braves – If Scott Thorman doesn't cut it at first base, Saltalamacchia could move there for good, with Brian McCann entrenched behind the plate.

• Tony Sipp, RP, Indians – Left-hander throws 96 with a great slider. He's closer material should the Keith Foulke/Joe Borowski/Roberto Hernandez experiment falter.

• Joey Votto, 1B, Reds – Scott Hatteberg's fine season notwithstanding, the Reds can keep Votto – whose power numbers have gotten progressively better – down for only so long.


Jeff Passan is a national baseball writer for Yahoo! Sports. Send Jeff a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.

[USO36]

The flush New York Yankees once established that a $200 million payroll will get you close but not necessarily win it all, and now the downtrodden Chicago Cubs will examine the impact of $300 million spent in a single offseason.

In the months after the St. Louis Cardinals turned 83 wins in this division into a World Series championship, the Cubs declared themselves all in and pushed as much money across the table as Tribune would allow. That meant more bats and more arms and a new guy to run things, even if it wouldn't necessarily get them the division's best defense (Cardinals), best starting rotation (Milwaukee Brewers) or even the best manager (Cardinals), though the offense should be a real, uh, bear.

Anyway, the next seven months will be spent gauging the Cubs' dynamic winter, its immediate impact on a last-place finish, and its broader influence on nearly a century without a championship. One thing is for sure: Baseball is a more interesting place when the Cubs are contending, or thinking they can.

Chicago Cubs


First impression: Of all the fresh starts and new guys on the field come opening day (April 2 in Cincinnati), perhaps none will have the impact of Derrek Lee, an exceptional and elegant hitter who basically lost his 2006 season when he broke his wrist in an April collision with Rafael Furcal. Alfonso Soriano apparently will bat leadoff and play center field, though the Cubs still are considering his ideal position. If they trade Jacques Jones, Soriano could relocate into one of the corners. He should hit plenty of home runs at Wrigley Field, but expect his 2006 on-base percentage – a career-best .351 – to fall; he was intentionally walked 16 times with the Washington Nationals last season, or one more than in his previous seven years combined.

Competition: Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly and probably Rich Hill are set at the top end of the rotation, and the Cubs presumably didn't spend $21 million on Jason Marquis to make him a long man. So, the final spot goes to Mark Prior or Wade Miller, whoever's healthy (or healthier). Sean Marshall could also get an opportunity here. Cliff Floyd either makes a run at Matt Murton's job in left or becomes the fourth outfielder. The middle infield appears set with Cesar Izturis at short and Mark DeRosa at second, leaving Ronny Cedeno in a utility role with Ryan Theriot.

Healing: The usual suspects: Prior and Kerry Wood. Wood has taken his career to the bullpen, where he could develop into anything from a middle reliever to a closer. Floyd had surgery on his Achilles' in late October.

Next: Felix Pie, the lanky Dominican outfielder who possesses power, speed and a tendency to strike out, spent all of last season at Triple-A Iowa. He looks to be headed back.

Cincinnati Reds

First impression: It surely is a long shot, but amid the Reds who are familiar by face or name or game, Josh Hamilton – working on life phase No. 2 or 3 or 4 – will be trying to win a job. He is 25 years old, aged as outfield prospects go. He has played 15 games in four years, all for the Hudson Valley Renegades of the New York-Penn League late last season. He is in camp as a Rule 5 flier, giving him six weeks to find a place amid Ken Griffey Jr., Adam Dunn, Ryan Freel, Bubba Crosby, Jeff Conine and Chris Denorfia. In a "The Natural" scenario, Hamilton reclaims his unattended baseball tools, takes center field, and the Reds move the 37-year-old Griffey to right. More likely, Hamilton has his moments, isn't nearly ready for the big leagues, and he returns to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for another year or two in the minors.

Competition: Kirk Saarloos, the right-handed sinkerballer who was so versatile the past two seasons for the Oakland Athletics, has a good chance to fill out the Reds' rotation behind Bronson Arroyo, Aaron Harang, Eric Milton and Kyle Lohse. Right-handers Matt Belisle, Elizardo Ramirez (recovered from shoulder tendinitis) and Homer Bailey also have a shot. David Weathers, Mike Stanton and Todd Coffey will be considered for the closer's role.

Healing: Milton is back from elbow surgery and in the final year of his contract. Griffey has healed from a broken hand suffered in the offseason. Reliever Eddie Guardado, back as a non-roster player, had Tommy John surgery in September and isn't expected to pitch until late summer.

Next: Bailey, at 20 one of the top pitching prospects in the game, had a 1.59 ERA in 13 Double-A starts in 2006. He possesses a mid-90's fastball, which is a good start, but the Reds would like to see more consistency in his off-speed pitches.

Houston Astros

First impression: Richard Hidalgo wandered out of Baltimore Orioles camp last spring and, at 30, seemed destined for retirement. But, after a season out of the game, he got after it in the Venezuelan winter league (where he played for Al Pedrique, a special assistant to Astros GM Tim Purpura) and is back in Houston, where he spent the first 7½ years of his career. Hidalgo has a good chance to win a three-way battle with Luke Scott and Jason Lane for right field. He'd also be a candidate to protect Carlos Lee offensively, giving the Astros a pretty good Lance Berkman-Lee-Hidalgo middle of the order.

Competition: Like the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, the Astros are building their rotation assuming Roger Clemens won't pitch again, but with one eye on the telephone. After Roy Oswalt, they've rebuilt the top of their rotation with right-handers Jason Jennings and Woody Williams. Left-hander Wandy Rodriguez is a good bet to win the fourth spot. Chris Sampson and Fernando Nieve, with some competition from veteran Brian Moehler, vie for the fifth. The Astros also are considering adding Steve Trachsel. Third base is Morgan Ensberg's to lose. If he does, Mike Lamb or Mark Loretta will step in.

Healing: Brandon Backe underwent Tommy John surgery in September and could return before the end of the season. Utilityman Chris Burke, a favorite of Astros Manager Phil Garner, has recovered from shoulder surgery.

Next: Venezuelan right-hander Paul Estrada, 24, had a solid year at Double-A Corpus Christi and followed up with more of the same in the Venezuelan winter league. He could help fill out the bullpen.

Milwaukee Brewers

First impression: The Brewers haven't finished with a winning record since 1992, the first year of the Phil Garner era and the last year Bud Selig was just the owner of the franchise and not the owner/commissioner. Now, with Ben Sheets, Chris Capuano, Jeff Suppan, Dave Bush and Claudio Vargas, it appears they've assembled a quality starting rotation, assuming Sheets' shoulder holds up. They upgraded one of the league's least productive offenses with switch-hitting catcher Johnny Estrada, and otherwise will rely on Prince Fielder, Bill Hall (35 home runs, up from a previous career-high of 17) and Geoff Jenkins, who had a big September, wasn't traded, and apparently will be back for his 10th season in Milwaukee.

Competition: The Brewers have plenty of outfielders, the only sure job being Hall's in center field. The most likely scenario has Corey Hart in left field and Jenkins in right, though Kevin Mench could win left field outright, Hart could win right field outright, or Jenkins and Mench could platoon in one corner. Gabe Gross, who hit .294 in 187 at-bats against right-handers, won't be forgotten, either.

Healing: Corey Koskie continues to suffer from post-concussion syndrome, which already has cost him half a season and threatens at least some of this one as well. Veterans Tony Graffanino and Craig Counsell will compete for playing time at third base, a situation that could become a platoon.

Next: Ryan Braun, 23, is the longshot candidate at third base if Koskie is unable to perform. He hit .303 with 15 home runs and 40 RBI in 59 games in the Southern League last season.

Pittsburgh Pirates

First impression: Without getting too carried away, there is a place for optimism in Pittsburgh. The Pirates played their final 72 games two games over .500, then dealt from a strength (closer Mike Gonzalez) to acquire Adam LaRoche from the Atlanta Braves and build up an offense that was last in the league in scoring and home runs. Their pitching, which actually was decent in areas, is generally young and talented, with more on the way. They have a batting champion on one corner of the infield and a 30-plus homer guy on the other, power hitters on the outfield corners and decent defense – with a chance to get better – in the middle.

Competition: Pirates management is asking more of second baseman Jose Castillo, who got heavy, had his batting average fall to .253 and his errors climb to 18. If the problems persist, manager Jim Tracy has the option to move Freddy Sanchez to second and Jose Bautista to third. He would prefer to keep Bautista as a super-utilityman. The first four places in the rotation go to Zach Duke, Ian Snell, Paul Maholm and Tom Gorzelanny. The fifth looks to be between Tony Armas Jr., Shawn Chacon and 27-year-old left-hander Shane Youman, who made five late-season appearances in 2006.

Healing: The Pirates have no serious injuries. Left fielder Jason Bay has recovered from late-November knee surgery and Snell (elbow) and Maholm (shoulder) are expected to open camp without restrictions.

Next: A trio of former first-rounders with injury histories – right-handers John Van Benshoten and Bryan Bullington and left-hander Sean Burnett – could provide depth.

St. Louis Cardinals

First impression: The Cardinals didn't do much in the offseason, suggesting they more believed the team that ran through the San Diego Padres, New York Mets and Detroit Tigers in October than the team that lacked consistency from June to September. The sense around the organization is that general manager Walt Jocketty is trolling for another starter – perhaps Jon Lieber – and collected a surplus of outfielders and relievers for that purpose. Along the way, they were outbid for Jeff Weaver ($8.5 million for one year from the Seattle Mariners vs. their own offer of $12 million for two years), also lost Suppan, passed on the expensive high-end and mid-level pitchers, and weren't interested in the likes of Trachsel or Chan Ho Park. As it stands, their only sure winner is Chris Carpenter, though Anthony Reyes and Adam Wainwright have the potential to break through.

Competition: Pitching coach Dave Duncan vs. the rotation. The Cardinals have long believed there is more to right-hander Kip Wells than his results suggest. His ERA has gone 3.28, 4.55, 5.09 and 6.50 in the past four seasons, but they like his arm, so he's in. So, apparently, is Braden Looper, who hasn't started a game since A-ball in 1997.

Healing: Closer Jason Isringhausen threw in early February for the first time since September hip surgery. As potentially unstable as the rotation is, it would be devastating if Isringhausen weren't ready by opening day, because Wainwright would go back to the ninth inning. Right fielder Juan Encarnacion had wrist surgery in December and should be ready for camp. He's slightly ahead of center fielder Jim Edmonds, who had foot and shoulder surgeries over the winter.

Next: If injuries foul the rotation, the Cardinals might turn to Blake Hawksworth, a 23-year-old right-hander who was the organization's Pitcher of the Year in 2006. He has not pitched above Double-A.

[Mr. Breeze]

Why don't you just post the link to the sports site. it will save you a lot of typing lol.
GOYANKEES
:twisted:

[USO36]

Angels: The game's best pitching staff will give the Angels enough to win the division, but their offense lacks the firepower the league's truly elite teams have.

Astros: Carlos Lee upgrades the offense, but he won't make up for the loss of Andy Pettitte and -- maybe -- Roger Clemens. Neither will new starters Jason Jennings and Woody Williams.

Athletics: I believe in Billy Beane as much as anyone, but Oakland is due to take a step back after losing another ace and Frank Thomas' 39 home runs.


Blue Jays: The Blue Jays have too many weaknesses to close the gap on the top two teams in the division. Holding off the Orioles will be a big enough challenge.

Braves: There are too many questions -- the health of Chipper Jones and Mike Hampton among them -- and the biggest one looms: Where will Andruw Jones be playing in August?

Brewers: If Ben Sheets stays healthy, this club has enough talent to surprise some people. But I'm not ready to climb back on its bandwagon after being burned last year.

Cardinals: Doubts abound because of a revamped rotation, an uncertain outfield and a closer on the mend. No doubt about this, though: They still have Albert Pujols and Chris Carpenter.

Cubs: Alfonso Soriano and a healthy Derrek Lee will make a difference on the field, but the most important change is Sweet Lou taking over in the dugout.

Diamondbacks: I like Brandon Webb and all the young talent. I don't like Randy Johnson's chances of returning to his pre-Yankees form.

Devil Rays: If the Devil Rays don't want to trade Rocco Baldelli, perhaps they should make him a pitcher. Their staff has more than a few holes.

Dodgers: Like the Angels, their A.L. neighbors, the Dodgers have enough pitching for the regular season but not enough power for October.

Giants: Barry Bonds seems primed for a big year, but without anyone younger than 31 in the lineup, injuries are likely to be a problem.

Indians: The best third-place team in the majors will come up just short in the pitching department and won't be able to overtake the Twins or Tigers.

Mariners: Felix Hernandez's bounce-back season and Ichiro's continued brilliance won't be enough for a club with too many pieces that just don't seem to fit.

Marlins: Just like last year (and probably next year, too), they have enough talent to hang in the race but not enough experience to win it.

Mets: Powered by the league's best lineup, the Mets will win the East again. But when the postseason arrives, their rotation will be aced out by the Phillies'.

Nationals: Next year: beautiful new ballpark. This year: ugly times aplenty. Thanks to the weakest rotation in the major leagues, 100 losses appear likely.

Orioles: Three young starting pitchers on the rise give the Orioles more hope than they've had in years. Still, anything better than fourth place would be a surprise.

Padres: With old men Greg Maddux, David Wells and Trevor Hoffman, they have enough pitching to match the Dodgers, but their lineup falls a little short.

Phillies: All the top teams in the NL have weaknesses, but the big bat of Ryan Howard will offset the Phillies' and lead them to the World Series.

Pirates: PNC Park, considered by many to be the best in baseball, deserves a better team. The Pirates have some good young players, just not enough of them.

Rangers: The Rangers finally are getting enough pitching to go with one of the league's most productive offenses. But they still won't have enough arms to make the playoffs.

Red Sox: Putting Jonathan Papelbon back in the bullpen eliminates the Red Sox's only weakness and makes them better than the Yankees.

Reds: There are workhorses at the top of the rotation and power in the lineup, but the lack of a finisher in the bullpen will mean a lot of close losses.

Rockies: Look for Todd Helton to rebound and the offense to score plenty of runs. Getting out the other guys is going to be the problem.

Royals: The addition of Gil Meche will make them better, but the improvement won't show up in the win column because they're in baseball's toughest division.

Tigers: A deep rotation, power arms in the bullpen and the addition of Gary Sheffield make Detroit the only team in the majors without a weakness.
My Team Go Detroit Tigers

Twins: The Twins were my pick to win the World Series in January -- thanks to Johan Santana, Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau -- but since then I've come to doubt the back of their rotation.

White Sox: One of the big four in the A.L. Central has to falter. Because of potential cracks in the rotation, don't be surprised if Ozzie's gang is the one.

Yankees: The Yanks' run of division titles will end, but they'll slug themselves into the playoffs as a wild card. Can they overcome the A-Rod drama in the postseason? I don't think so.

[USO36]

NEW YORK (AP) -- The Yankees' pinstripes might as well be green.

Four of the top seven players on baseball's salary list play in the Bronx, led by Alex Rodriguez at a record $27.7 million, according to a survey of contract terms by The Associated Press.


A-Rod is followed by Jason Giambi ($23.4 million) and Derek Jeter ($21.6 million), with Boston's Manny Ramirez fourth at $17 million.

"I love being the highest-paid player in the game. It's pretty cool," Rodriguez said when he arrived at spring training, explaining the money allows him to do more charitable work. "You get crushed, but you know what? It's pretty cool. I enjoy it."

Colorado's Todd Helton ($16.6 million) was fifth, and the Yankees' Andy Pettitte was tied for sixth with the Los Angeles Angels' Bartolo Colon at $16 million.

"We should make it. We're the ones doing the entertaining," said San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds, 11th on the list at $15.5 million.

The Yankees' opening-day payroll dropped slightly for the second straight season to $195.2 million from $198.7 million last year and a record $205.9 million in 2005.

Boston was next at $143.5 million -- and that doesn't include the $51.1 million fee the Red Sox paid the Seibu Lions for pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. The Yankees' figure also didn't include the $26 million they sent to the Hanshin Tigers for pitcher Kei Igawa.

The New York Mets were third at $117.9 million, followed by the Chicago White Sox ($109.7 million), the Angels ($109.3 million), the Los Angeles Dodgers ($108.7 million) and the Seattle Mariners ($106.5 million).

"Owners wouldn't pay it if they weren't making it," said Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina, whose $11.1 million salary ranks him just 50th.

Tampa Bay had the lowest payroll at $24.1 million and Florida was 29th at $30.05 million, double last year's figure of just under $15 million. Nineteen of 31 players on the Marlins make the minimum $380,000.

Payroll figures don't include cash transactions, such as money the Yankees are receiving from Texas for Rodriguez and the White Sox are getting from Philadelphia for Jim Thome.

An influx of injured players kept baseball's average salary from breaking the $3 million barrier on opening day. The average was a record $2.94 million, up 2.7 percent from last year's opening average of $2.87 million. Although many large contracts were signed during the offseason, many were backloaded.

There were 32 more players on the disabled list this year than at the start of last season. That meant the addition of nearly three dozen extra players -- nearly all earning close to the minimum. Baseball's average broke the $1 million barrier in 1992 and the $2 million mark in 2001.

Sixty-six players made $10 million or more, and that $1 million club jumped from 409 to 425 -- matching the record set in 2001. That doesn't include Russ Ortiz, listed at the minimum with San Francisco, while Arizona, which released the pitcher last year, pays him $7,120,000.

The median salary -- the point at which an equal amount of players fall above and below -- matched the $1 million record set last year.

"There's no doubt that there are a dozen or more players who are overpaid, but that's the American way. Shouldn't we all be overpaid? Don't we all want to be overpaid?" said Dodgers second baseman Jeff Kent, 70th at $9.8 million. "A lot of these guys don't make that average salary. They make the median, which is closer south than north. Agents are getting smarter, ballplayers are getting smarter, and the business is generating so much money that there needs to be give and take. I wish I was making $25 million, but I'm not. And the average salary is closer to my salary than the guys getting paid a lot more. But, so be it."

Figures for the study included salaries and prorated shares of signing bonuses and other guaranteed income for the 847 players on opening-day rosters and disabled lists, plus Mets reliever Guillermo Mota, serving a 50-game suspension following a positive steroids test. For some players, deferred money was discounted to present-day value.