The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper The Spokesman-Review
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
Current Temperature
37°F
Current Conditions
Scattered clouds
View complete weather report
Subscribe now

A-Rod makes almost as all the K.C. Royals

Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez will make MLB-high $32 million. (Associated Press)
Associated Press
Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez will make MLB-high $32 million. (Associated Press)

The Kansas City Royals are barely making more than Alex Rodriguez this year.

The salaries for Kansas City’s 27 players on its opening-day roster and disabled lists total $36.1 million.

Rodriguez alone makes $32 million atop the New York Yankees’ $201.7 million payroll. He is baseball’s highest-paid player for the 11th straight year.

Overall, baseball salaries were nearly flat for this season, which started Thursday.

The average salary for the 844 players on opening-day rosters and disabled lists was about $3.3 million, up just 0.2 percent from last year.

The increase was the lowest since a 2.7 percent drop in 2004.

Philadelphia, once considered a small-market team, was second at $173 million. Boston is third on the salary list at $161.4 million, followed by the Los Angeles Angels ($139 million), the Chicago White Sox ($129.3 million), the Chicago Cubs ($125.5 million) and the New York Mets ($120 million).

There were 453 players – nearly 54 percent of those in the major leagues – making $1 million or more. That was up from 433 at the start of last season.

Behind Rodriguez on the list of top-earning players was the Los Angeles Angels’ Vernon Wells at $26.6 million, followed by Yankees teammates CC Sabathia ($24.3 million) and Teixeira ($23.1 million), then Minnesota catcher Joe Mauer ($23 million) and injured Mets pitcher Johan Santana ($21.6 million). Figures include salaries and prorated shares of signing bonuses and other guaranteed income. For some players, parts of deferred signing bonuses and salaries are discounted to reflect present-day values.

Zito in car crash

San Francisco Giants pitcher Barry Zito showed up at Dodger Stadium wearing a neck brace after his car was hit broadside at a West Hollywood (Calif.) intersection.

The pitcher was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he was examined and released.

The crash is still being investigated, and Los Angeles police said they don’t yet know if the other driver will be cited.

Clearing the bases

Tampa Bay pitcher Wade Davis agreed to a $12.6 million, four-year contract with the A.L. East champions that could be worth up to $35.1 million. The first four years of the contract are guaranteed, ensuring Davis will earn at least $12.6 million. … New York Mets left fielder Jason Bay will start the season on the disabled list because of a strained left rib cage. Bay (Gonzaga University/North Idaho College) will be eligible to return to the team on April 9. … The Mets also placed ace Johan Santana on the 15-day DL. He’s sidelined until at least midsummer after shoulder surgery.