Rodriguez still the big catch
Alex Rodriguez makes more this year than his hometown Florida Marlins.
Boosted by his new deal with the New York Yankees, Rodriguez tops the Major League Baseball salary list at $28 million, according to a study of contract terms by the Associated Press. The 33 players on the Marlins’ opening-day roster and disabled list total $21.8 million.
“The Marlins? It’s amazing,” Rodriguez said. “And they still seem to find a way to be very competitive. They have a great pool of talent; they made some unbelievable trades, so they have great personnel people. To win two championships in 11 years, that’s really admirable, and I’m very proud of that organization, being from Miami.”
For the first time in baseball history, the average salary topped the $3 million mark. The 855 players on opening-day rosters and the DL averaged $3.15 million, up 7.1 percent from last year’s starting average of $2.94 million.
Florida’s highest earner doesn’t make the average. Pitcher Kevin Gregg tops the Marlins at $2.5 million.
Diversity decreases
The percentage of Major League Baseball players born outside the 50 states dropped slightly this year.
Of the 855 players on rosters at the start of the season, 239 were born outside the 50 states, the commissioner’s office said. The percentage dropped to 28.0 from 29.0 last year.
Martinez leaves early
Mets starter Pedro Martinez left New York’s game with the Florida Marlins after 57 pitches with what the team said was a strained left hamstring.
He retired Marlins catcher Matt Treanor on a groundout for the first out of the fourth inning, then immediately began grabbing his back and midsection, clearly in distress.
Beckett appears ready
Josh Beckett completed what should be his final step toward returning to the Boston Red Sox rotation.
Slowed by back spasms this spring, Beckett pitched five innings in an intrasquad game in Fort Myers, Fla., and manager Terry Francona hopes to start his ace Sunday at Toronto.
Clearing the bases
Former A.L. Cy Young Award winner Bartolo Colon will start Triple-A Pawtucket’s season opener Thursday as he tries to make it back up to the Boston Red Sox. … The Cleveland Indians say catcher Victor Martinez is day to day with a mild strain. … Right-hander Rudy Seanez agreed to a contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. … Carl Crawford’s $8.25 million contract option for 2009 was exercised by the Tampa Bay Rays, who declined Rocco Baldelli’s $6 million option and agreed to a $10.5 million, three-year deal with reliever Dan Wheeler.