Payroll

[Centerfield]

According to ESPN:

1. Johan Santana 20,144,707
2. Francisco Rodriguez 12,166,666
3. Oliver Perez 12,000,000
4. Gary Matthews Jr. 11,400,000
5. David Wright 10,250,000
6. Jose Reyes 9,375,000
7. Jason Bay 8,625,000
8. Luis Castillo 6,250,000
9. Jeff Francoeur 5,000,000
10. John Maine 3,300,000
11. Pedro Feliciano 2,900,000
12. Alex Cora 1,850,000
13. Angel Pagan 1,500,000
14. Ryota Igarashi 1,250,000
15. Hisanori Takahashi 1,000,000
16. Fernando Tatis 850,000
17. Henry Blanco 750,000
18. Frank Catalanotto 650,000
19 a. Rod Barajas 500,000
19 b. Mike Pelfrey 500,000
21. Fernando Nieve 414,000
22. Jonathon Niese 402,000
23 a. Raul Valdes 400,000
23 b. Ike Davis 400,000
23 c. Jenrry Mejia 400,000
Total Team Salary: 136,022,942

Maybe my math is wrong, but those numbers don't seem to add up to the stated team salary. Even if you factor in Beltran's $19 million (and deduct GMJ's $11M), you get something in the range of $119M.

I wonder where this is coming from.

The link at ESPN has us at fifth in the majors in payroll:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/teams/salaries?team=nym

But you wonder about the veracity of these numbers.

(any admin wanting to format, please help!)

[metirish]

Cot's has a lower number than espn

http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2004/12/new-york-mets.html

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=t2D-v1AlMPSKAzU06rNIuOA&output=html

[Guest Edgy DC]

The difference probably has something to do with bonus money and/or outstanding obligations to past players.

[Frayed Knot]

Maybe my math is wrong, but those numbers don't seem to add up to the stated team salary.

What are you using for "the stated team salary"?

[Centerfield]

According to ESPN, the number is: 136,022,942

Maybe they are including Beltran, all the DL guys and GMJ's full salary.

[metirish]

The Cot's spreadsheet is much more detailed than that espn link.

[Frayed Knot]

There's all sorts of ways of calculating team payrolls.
You can use the 25-man roster (which change often) or the 40-man (a bit more stable).
You can also use the specific yearly salary of each player (some of which vary wildly for accounting reasons) or use the per/yr average for the entire contract.
I believe the lux-tax threshold also adds in the benefits that go along with the salaries (something like an extra $6-8 mil per year) and includes any deferred money up front.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

The Buffalo Shuttlers receive prorated MLB minimum based on service time, rather than 400K outright, don't they?

[Farmer Ted]

I had a better year than half of those slugs and don't earn the amount of the meal money.

[ashie62]

I want Ollie's agent

[Frayed Knot]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: The Buffalo Shuttlers receive prorated MLB minimum based on service time, rather than 400K outright, don't they?

Depends on the contract.
Most minors leaguers still on the way up get "split" contracts where they'll get ML min for days on the ML roster but a greatly reduced rate (50-100K ?) for days in the bush leagues.
But someone like Sean Green and probably one of both of the Japanese guys get full pay even though they have no say about being sent down.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Meant the minor-league-contract guys. Specificity helps... flarg.

[Centerfield]

The interesting part about the payroll is that there appears to be very little flexibility going into next season.

[Ceetar]

Centerfield wrote: The interesting part about the payroll is that there appears to be very little flexibility going into next season.

Depends how you define flexibility. They're under their "budget" so that provides some room. Chances are Frenchy doesn't make the team next year, so that's $5 mill saved. (and if it's F-Mart, doesn't have to be used for RF. Actually, taht $5 probably goes to Bays contract increase..

If Davis and Thole are for real (something that's by no means a certainty), it's really only pitching to focus on. (Provided Beltran is still alive)

Maine would be the most likely turnover type guy, he's not making a ton, but provides some flexibility I suppose.

[Gwreck]

Not reflected there is that 2011 is an option year for Reyes, and presumably the Mets will be picking up his $11m option for that year.