2010 payroll after 12/9

[cheezscott]

Ok dumb question here I know were planning on being in the 80 million range this year, is that for the 25 man total - or 40 man total???Thanks! And is a guy like Riske (4.5m covered by insurance) Thanks again...

[And That]

If the Brewers set their major league payroll budget at $80 million, it would mean any salary they plan on owing to a player between now and then end of the 2010 season. That includes all the players that come and go on the 25-man roster (basically, anyone who spends time with the team during the season), plus the $8.55 mil they owe to Bill Hall, Braden Looper and David Weathers.

 

I doubt the Brewers lump in minor league salaries to the major league payroll budget - guys on the 40-man that are in the minor leagues will, for the most part, have minor league contracts. I imagine they have a different budget for that.

[dadofandrew]

Well, the Brewers never make their budget public, and any estimates are just guesses. As for insurance, no one knows if they have insurance on Riske or not...I would assume they would, as $4.5M is not a low salary, but teams rarely make that public.

 

As for Hall, they may have "written it off" last year (well, 2009) under "future obligations". With his money included, I would bet the 2010 team costs over $90M.

[And That]

The Brewers are closely held with a very exclusive market for new investors and probably not in need of many new, large loans... I doubt they are writing off a salary that they know they have to pay. There's almost no reason for them to "pretty up" the books just for themselves. They could factor in the potential buyouts they gave to Looper and acquired in Weathers into the 2009 budget, though. Without knowing when they end their fiscal year, they could have just included those buyouts before they closed the books. Hall, on the other hand, they'll be cutting a check to every 2 weeks beginning in April. That's something they pretty much have to build in to the upcoming budget.

 

If they have an insurance benfit paying out a player's salary, they obviously won't count that against payroll but I suppose they might include player contract insurance premiums into the overall payroll budget.

[dadofandrew]

They could buy an investment the day before the fiscal year ends to pay Hall's salary, which would cancel out profits. The the investment (like an annuity) would pay the Brewers as needed to pay Hall's salary...that would save them money on taxes as well.

 

Of course, I dunno if that is possible or not, but it seems logical for a large business to do.

 

In the past, they have only counted major league salaries for their major league payroll, but they include all DL'd players salary, publicly at least. They also count the players replacing those DL'd, though they are often near minimum.

 

I would assume the 40 man players not on the 25 man is just budgeted into minor league payroll. I believe they make more when they are on the 40, but compared to other expenses, not that much.

 

Personally, I bet MA has told Doug to spend about $80M...but not to count Hall or Riske. That's why I expect the Opening Day payroll to be in the high $80's, with some wiggle room for the deadline.

[thebruce44]

The figure we see Doug bring up is the 25 man roster opening day payroll, as shown on Cotts:

 

http://mlbcontracts.blogs...1/milwaukee-brewers.html

 

Considering the sunken costs of Hall, Riske, Looper, and Weathers, I don't know if we are going to open the year at $80 mil. A lot of the moves so far seem to be financially motivated. If Doug can find some pitching for cheap, I think he will go for it. If they are up around $80, and have another loosing year I wouldn't want to see them trading away players like some teams are doing this offseason to get cheaper. But nobody really knows all their finances, so here is to hoping they can get as much production out on the field as possible.

[cheezscott]

So if we add Wolf which looks like its gonna happen. That puts us in the 85-89 range and were still talking a middle releaver for 4-5 which puts up at 90-94. Seems way to high what am I missing.

[Roderick]

So if we add Wolf which looks like its gonna happen. That puts us in the 85-89 range and were still talking a middle releaver for 4-5 which puts up at 90-94. Seems way to high what am I missing.

Where did the $80M figure come from? Melvin?

 

By my calculations the Brewers spent low $90M last year (variables such as Riske insurance, various incentives, and Sept callups). Why would the Brewers not be in that ballpark again? Of course I count the "dead money" like Hall, Looper, Weathers when I calculate the budget.

[cheezscott]

right im kinda assuming Riske is covered by INS and they non tender Bush on Saturday. So are you thinking the salary to by in the 90's with Wolf and a 3-4 million dollar reliever. Plus Vargas to who will probably be 2 over 2 years???

[dadofandrew]

I had $62.1M plus 2 SP's. Now they look to be signing Wolf (or Garland) for $9M per, so they are at $71.1M...add in a reliever and the overage is $2M, as I had budgeted $3.5M for 2 guys like CV, and $500K for DiFelice, so now, they'll maybe spend $6M on those spots, I'd guess.

 

Without Bush, $73.1M, if they offer him arby, probably $78.6M. Those numbers do not include Riske or Hall.

[Invader3K]

Yeah, but you basically have to include Riske and Hall. I'm not sure how insurance works to cover Riske's contract, but Bill Hall certainly "counts", at least as far as Mr. Attanasio's bank account is concerned.

[dadofandrew]

As i said above, I feel the Hall decision was made knowing it would not affect payroll. MA pays it, but does not let it affect his team's chances to win.

[cheezscott]

so assuming 73 w/o Bush and 4.5 for Riske, and 8.5 for Hall your right in that 85 to 90ish range.

[kramnoj]

FWIW, and it may not be W anything, I emailed TH a while back about insurance for Riske, and while he didn't know, he didn't believe that the Brewers would have obtained insurance for Riske, the insurance payments not being worth it.

[wishicouldhit]

After signing Vargas, Hawkins, and Wolf what is the brewers payroll at?

I don't know how much vargas cost but with 10 mil and 3.5mil to wolf and Hawkins plus the estimated arb, I am guessing their payroll is around 82 Mil.

does any have a more accurate amount?

[dadofandrew]

With Bush and Counsell in the mix...but not Riske and Hall, I think you are accurate.

[wishicouldhit]

dadofandrew[/b]]With Bush and Counsell in the mix...but not Riske and Hall, I think you are accurate.

are u saying its close to 82mil not counting Riske and halls salary. I figured the projection with bush, riske, and hall but not Counsel.

 

With that being said, how high will the brewers put their payroll? 85 or 90 mil

[thebruce44]

I think the opening day 25 man payroll will be around $80-82 mil as it has been the past 2 years.

 

The money they owe Hall, ect is probably a write off. They probably move the money from something else they were planning to do, like upgrades to MP or draft pick signings bonuses.

 

Hopefully at this point they still have room to add another pitcher, but I think it is going to be something like Mulder. They may have to non-tender some players like Villy as their arby numbers go up and their cost/production declines.

[Tbadder]

Yeah...I think these are scary numbers as it really doesn't allow much wriggle room. If they non-tender McClung, Villy, and Bush they'll save potential money. But losing Bushie will hurt them competitively.

[dadofandrew]

I get $81.1M if I figure in Wolf at 10M, Hawkins at $3.5M, Bush at $4.5M, and Counsell at $2M. That is not counting Riske or Hall.

 

And I think CV will be offered arby...but I could be wrong.

[Invader3K]

Anyone catch the talk from McCalvy yesterday in regards to Riske? Apparently Melvin said he will be ready for spring training. So I guess we shouldn't be writing off Riske as of yet.

[rluzinski]

Melvin has already said that Hall's salary "counts". And insurance isn't free, so I don't see why we should assume they had it on Riske's contract.

 

Looks like the Brewers have about $94 mil committed to 2010 salaries. Can't see Melvin spending more than $1-$2 mil more.

[thebruce44]

Melvin said he and Attanasio understood the financial ramifications of designating Hall for assignment. But Melvin said he now might be able to deal Hall to a team interested in picking him up without that salary.

 

"Anytime you have to do that, it's tough," Melvin said of eating the money. "We made the decision to give Billy a multi-year contract (four years, $24 million) after he hit 35 homers (in 2006). It's not the last contract a team will have to absorb.

 

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/brewers/53054567.html

 

These comments make me think the team had some reserves to absorb Hall's contract on a one year basis. They are keeping their 25 man in line with past and future years though, so thank god they didn't drop it down to 72 mil. It appears that some fans are still going to complain about the team not spending more even with this risky commitment.

[Invader3K]

Plus the fact that the economy still isn't gang busters or anything.

 

I'm guessing if they find something where they can add a key starting pitcher and have to take on some additional payroll, they will. I just wouldn't expect them to trade for someone like Derek Lowe and take on all his salary or pay someone like Bedard $8 million next year.

[rluzinski]

There's no need to speculate on what a Melvin quote from 5 months ago meant. (I don't see how it infers that Hall's contract doesn't apply to the 2010 budget anyway).

 

In a recent JS article, Melvin specifically said that Hall's contract counts with regard to the 2010 budget. He also said something about allocating $2 mil for in-season allocations. Not sure if that article is online.

 

Cot's Contracts says that the Brewers are on the hook for "up to" $7.1 mil of Hall's 2010 salary, so at least Melvin recouped a little cash.