Braves Payroll

Will over at Chop-n-Change has a new post up about the Braves Payroll for 2009. He takes the safe rout and expects no trades to make his estimate. I however am not going to play it safe. Here's what Will thinks the 2009 payroll will look like.

C Brian McCann- $3.5 million
1B Jarrod Saltalamacchia- $420,000
2B Kelly Johnson- $2.5 million
SS Edgar Renteria- $11 million (option)
3B Chipper Jones- $11 million (option)
OF Jeff Francoeur- $3.5 million
OF Brandon Jones- $400,000
OF Matt Diaz- $2 million

SP John Smoltz- $12 million (option)
SP Tim Hudson- $13 million
SP Matt Harrison- $380,000
SP Chuck James- $2.75 million
SP Jo-Jo Reyes- $420,000

CL Rafael Soriano- $7 million
SU Mike Gonzalez- $4.5 million
RP Joey Devine- $400,000
RP Peter Moylan- $420,000
RP Tyler Yates- $2.5 million
RP Will Startup- $400,000

Here's what I think.

C Brian McCann- $3.5 million
1B Mark Teixeira - $18 million
2B Kelly Johnson- $2.5 million
SS Yunel Escobar - $420,000
3B Chipper Jones- $11 million (option)
OF Jeff Francoeur- $3.5 million
OF Brandon Jones- $400,000
OF Matt Diaz- $2 million

SP John Smoltz- $12 million (option)
SP Tim Hudson- $13 million
SP John Garland - $12 million
SP Chuck James- $2.75 million
SP Jo-Jo Reyes- $420,000

CL Rafael Soriano- $7 million
SU Mike Gonzalez- $4.5 million
RP Joey Devine- $400,000
RP Peter Moylan- $420,000
RP Tyler Yates- $2.5 million
RP Will Startup- $400,000
RP C.J. Wilson - $975,000

1B/PH Kala Ka'aihue - $380,000
INF/OF Brent Lillibridge - $380,000
2B/PH Pete Orr - $420,000

There will be two other vet. players riding the bench. Neither of which we can speculate on right now. I have the deal for Tex going through and the Braves resigning him @ $18 mill (between the two quoted numbers Boras has said). I also have the Sox taking the Renteria trade and Garland resigning for what he'll make in 2008. That makes the team payroll a nice round $100 million. Annual inflation puts the team salary at $85m in 2009 with no changes to pay structure. The extra $15 is a number right between DOB's estimates for Liberty's increase. You will note that AJ is not on this list in either incarnation. I believe that he will leave after 2008 (I'm fairly sure he'll sign a short contract for 2008 with the Braves).

There it is. The dreamer's team of the future.