Rozner: $15 million payroll bump

[UMFan83]

Apologize if its a repost, I did not see this posted yet.

 

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=67739

 

 

The answer is $115 million, give or take a million or two.

 

The question is, of course, what's the Cubs' payroll expected to be next season?

 

Every year around this time, it's a subject that gets more attention than just about any other, and even more so this off-season as ownership is in a state of flux.

 

However, that uncertainty exists only outside the organization, where fans wonder if there's money to spend.

 

That answer is "yes,'' so the real questions ought to center around how the Cubs will spend, rather than how much.

 

He goes on to say that the Cubs payroll right now is $100 million for 21 players. Is this true? He says if we can move Dempster and Jones, we would have about $25 million to spend

[moorecg]

Well THAT, if true, means no A-Rod...and likely no Abreu unless you do get someone to pick up Jones' salary.

[inari]

I'll take a 15% upgrade any day of the week. That'll let us improve the team significantly if the money is spent wisely.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

wow, a whole article with no potshots at Aramis?

[Andy]

If you can unload Jones for crap and plug in some low-priced vets or guys from the minors for the last couple slots that makes ARod vaguely possible.

[anabiono]

thanks for signing marquis hendry

 

it helps in our quest for arod

 

blah

[CUBZ99]

So if the Cubs tender Prior and keep him for $3MM and resign Wood for $5MM, that would leave them with $7MM to spend on 4 positions. It would be nice to see Hendry trade Marquis, Dempster and Jones, just to have some money to spend. Lets pray that Hendry isn't nuts about Hunter. I don't think Hunter is a terrible CF, but his production doesn't justify the type of contract he is going to get this year in free agency.

 

In regard to Arod, Hendry has shown in the past that he is not shy about backloading contracts or being creative with signing bonuses. I think if he truly has $15MM - $20MM to spend this year, it may open the possibility of signing Arod.

[BigbadB]

If it is true that the Cubs have authority to up payroll by 15m, then someone with the power to make a decision like that is still currently in place. If that's the case, why only 15m?

 

If the team is going to be sold, what difference would 15m or 25m really make in the overall scheme of things. If it chases off a buyer, I'm sure there will still be other buyers interested. In other words, I doubt if forking out the cash for someone like ARod would really deter someone from buying, so why stop at a 15m increase. And even if the Cubs did get so daring to spend 25m on ARod, the door would still be open to deal off guys like Jones, Dempster, Marquis to make ARod more affordable.

 

If 15m means Andruw Jones or Torii Hunter, I'd much rather see them go after ARod for more money.

 

Signing someone like ARod should make purchasing the Cubs even more entertaining to a potential buyer, IMO.

 

ARod increases the value of the team, whereas I don't see any other free agent out there that does that.

 

It's probably a pipe dream to wish for ARod, but I think it still has to be explored.

[CuseCubFan69]

I'll take a 15% upgrade any day of the week. That'll let us improve the team significantly if the money is spent wisely.

 

So Hendry can't buy any gum or candy then?

 

I'd trade Soriano to the Yanks and sign ARod.

[C.C.]

Well THAT, if true, means no A-Rod...and likely no Abreu unless you do get someone to pick up Jones' salary.

 

Not unless you back load the contract.

[JWCUB]

I think if Lou has any say in it, the Cubs will at least talk to Boras and Arod. Test the water so to speak.

[Have a seat, Neifi]

If it is true that the Cubs have authority to up payroll by 15m, then someone with the power to make a decision like that is still currently in place. If that's the case, why only 15m?

 

If the team is going to be sold, what difference would 15m or 25m really make in the overall scheme of things. If it chases off a buyer, I'm sure there will still be other buyers interested. In other words, I doubt if forking out the cash for someone like ARod would really deter someone from buying, so why stop at a 15m increase. And even if the Cubs did get so daring to spend 25m on ARod, the door would still be open to deal off guys like Jones, Dempster, Marquis to make ARod more affordable.

 

If 15m means Andruw Jones or Torii Hunter, I'd much rather see them go after ARod for more money.

 

Signing someone like ARod should make purchasing the Cubs even more entertaining to a potential buyer, IMO.

 

ARod increases the value of the team, whereas I don't see any other free agent out there that does that.

 

It's probably a pipe dream to wish for ARod, but I think it still has to be explored.

I totally agree with this. $25 million on A-Rod will help this team a heckuva lot more than $15 million scattered around various places.

[C.C.]

If it is true that the Cubs have authority to up payroll by 15m, then someone with the power to make a decision like that is still currently in place. If that's the case, why only 15m?

 

If the team is going to be sold, what difference would 15m or 25m really make in the overall scheme of things. If it chases off a buyer, I'm sure there will still be other buyers interested. In other words, I doubt if forking out the cash for someone like ARod would really deter someone from buying, so why stop at a 15m increase. And even if the Cubs did get so daring to spend 25m on ARod, the door would still be open to deal off guys like Jones, Dempster, Marquis to make ARod more affordable.

 

If 15m means Andruw Jones or Torii Hunter, I'd much rather see them go after ARod for more money.

 

Signing someone like ARod should make purchasing the Cubs even more entertaining to a potential buyer, IMO.

 

ARod increases the value of the team, whereas I don't see any other free agent out there that does that.

 

It's probably a pipe dream to wish for ARod, but I think it still has to be explored.

I totally agree with this. $25 million on A-Rod will help this team a heckuva lot more than $15 million scattered around various places.

 

They would run away with the division. Not sure about the playoffs.

[abuck1220]

and this is where the $2.5 mil for blanco, $3-4 mil for eyre, etc really comes back to bite you.

 

there's not really anyone worth spending $15 mil on, so you might as well pony up an extra $10 or so and get arod.

[JeffH]

If you count all of last year's signing bonuses against the 2007 payroll, it was probably already in the $115 range.

 

In that case, a 2008 payroll of $115 would be essentially no increase.

 

From the standpoint of determining how much ownership is willing to spend, I think it's wise to count the money when it's paid and not when MLB "takes it up" for the purpose of determining luxury tax.

 

Generally, when a signing bonus is going to be paid in installments, it is reported as such (like Jacque's). Otherwise, I think it's safe to assume that it's all paid up front.

[USSoccer]

We have Jones, Dempster, Blanco, Eyre, Ohman and Marquis tying up a decent amount of useless or redundant payroll. If we could move half of these guys, it makes it a little more likely we could land ARod.

 

This is Hendry's chance to make up for the wasting of millions of dollars on garbage over his tenure.

[don_kessinger_was_good]

$15MM payroll bump.....sounds to me like my #1 target would fit in nicely with the Cubs plans. Sweet.

 

FUKUDOME

 

Bat him LEADOFF, move Lee up to SECOND, then hit Aramis 3rd and Alfonso 4th. They'll have a field day driving in runs. Bat Soto and DeRosa 5th and 6th behind them, decent protection from those bats. I like it.

[C.C.]

$15MM payroll bump.....sounds to me like my #1 target would fit in nicely with the Cubs plans. Sweet.

 

FUKUDOME

 

Bat him LEADOFF, move Lee up to SECOND, then hit Aramis 3rd and Alfonso 4th. They'll have a field day driving in runs. Bat Soto and DeRosa 5th and 6th behind them, decent protection from those bats. I like it.

 

Sign him for his name alone. The. Best. Baseball. Name. EVER!

[Bruno7481]

$15MM payroll bump.....sounds to me like my #1 target would fit in nicely with the Cubs plans. Sweet.

 

FUKUDOME

 

Bat him LEADOFF, move Lee up to SECOND, then hit Aramis 3rd and Alfonso 4th. They'll have a field day driving in runs. Bat Soto and DeRosa 5th and 6th behind them, decent protection from those bats. I like it.

 

No offense to Mr. Fukudome, he may turn out great. But I'd be fairly disappointed if the Cubs committed their entire payroll increase to a mystery man from Japan.

 

I know numbers are good, but that is far from a guarantee as we have seen with others.

[BigbadB]

$15MM payroll bump.....sounds to me like my #1 target would fit in nicely with the Cubs plans. Sweet.

 

FUKUDOME

 

Bat him LEADOFF, move Lee up to SECOND, then hit Aramis 3rd and Alfonso 4th. They'll have a field day driving in runs. Bat Soto and DeRosa 5th and 6th behind them, decent protection from those bats. I like it.

 

No offense to Mr. Fukudome, he may turn out great. But I'd be fairly disappointed if the Cubs committed their entire payroll increase to a mystery man from Japan.

 

I know numbers are good, but that is far from a guarantee as we have seen with others.

 

I don't think DKWG is suggesting they spend $15m on Fukudome. I would imagine the rest would be spent upgrading pitching and or bench help.

[UK1679666180]

One of those things where you're going to have to trust the scouting dept. as well as Hendry and Randy Bush on this one as far as Fukudome, if they show interest.

 

Given the holes at other spots, I'd be disappointed as well as if they spent most of the avail. on other positions on anyone not nicknamed A-Rod.

[JeffH]

you're going to have to trust the scouting dept. as well as Hendry and Randy Bush

 

That is one scary thought.

 

I think I'll just re-read that over and over again instead of watching The Exorcist tonight.

[nilodnayr]

Rozner's "21" is just wrong and ridiculous. In reality we have 7.5M to spend at a 115M payroll.

 

Z=15M, 5M bonus/5 years

Sori=13M, 8M bonus/8 years

Lee=13M

ARam=14M, 5M bonus/5 years

Lilly=7M, bonus already paid

Dempster=5.5M, 1M bonus/3 years

Marquis=6.375M

Jones=5M, 4M bonus (paid 1/06-1/08)

Trax=100K buy out (please, God)

DeRo=4.75M

Howry=4M 1.5M bonus/3 years

Eyre=3.8M player option

Blanco=2.8M, 750K bonus/2 years

Ward=1.2M club option

Ohman=1.6M

Murton~500K

Wuertz~800K

Cedeno~500K

Theriot~400K

Hill~400K

Fuld~400K

Hart~400K

Marmol~400K

Soto~400K

Marshall~400K

Pie~400K

Wood?

 

Theres my 25, without Wood, as hes a FA. In addition to the 20 Rozner has, I added in Cedeno, Fuld, Marshall, Ohman, Pie. I'm not sure how you leave off a guy under contract for next year and a guy who succeeded in the rotation for half the year and add in a guy whos going to be a FA, but I guess I should just be happy he included ARam. Anyway, if you add up just the salaries (no bonus $), thats a 25 man roster of around 102M. However, if you add in the pro-rated bonuses thats about another 5.5M. Cots has us listed at 99.67M with signing bonueses. Rozner confirms the 2007 payroll was $100M, so to be consistent we should include the pro-rated signing bonueses. Meaning that we've eaten up half of that money in escalating contracts. So, we only have around 7.5M left to spend this offseason.

 

The big problem is next offseason, where we only shed about 6M or so from the books. Fortunately, we don't lose a ton value (closer, CF, set up man, both lefties in the BP, backup catcher, and top PH). Its not a big loss, we lose crap like Jones and Blanco, our pen loses 4 guys, two of which stink. The big losses will be Howry, Ward, and Dempster. Hopefully Marmol will pave the wave for young starters who can't make it as starters to shift to the pen instead of investing tons of money in crap FAs. Unless we get another big boost in payroll, we aren't going to have any flexibility.

 

Z=+2.5M

Sori=+3M

Lee=0

ARam=+1.65M

Lilly=+5M

Dempster=-5.83M

Marquis=+3.5M

Jones=-6.33M

DeRo=+.75M

Howry=-4.5M

Eyre=-3.8M

Blanco=-3.175M

Ward=-1.2M

Ohman=-1.6M

Murton~+2M

Wuertz~+800K

Cedeno~+1M

Theriot~+100K

Hill~+100K

Fuld~+100K

Hart~+100K

Marmol~+100K

Soto~+100K

Marshall~+100K

Edited October 31, 2007 by nilodnayr

[nilodnayr]

If you count all of last year's signing bonuses against the 2007 payroll, it was probably already in the $115 range.

 

In that case, a 2008 payroll of $115 would be essentially no increase.

 

From the standpoint of determining how much ownership is willing to spend, I think it's wise to count the money when it's paid and not when MLB "takes it up" for the purpose of determining luxury tax.

 

Generally, when a signing bonus is going to be paid in installments, it is reported as such (like Jacque's). Otherwise, I think it's safe to assume that it's all paid up front.

 

If I count the 2007 payroll as you described in the last paragraph, Cubs 2007 payroll was around 107M.

[Mephistopheles]

$15MM payroll bump.....sounds to me like my #1 target would fit in nicely with the Cubs plans. Sweet.

 

FUKUDOME

 

Bat him LEADOFF, move Lee up to SECOND, then hit Aramis 3rd and Alfonso 4th. They'll have a field day driving in runs. Bat Soto and DeRosa 5th and 6th behind them, decent protection from those bats. I like it.

 

Fukudome isnt going to hit more than fifteen HRs a year hear. He's probably more Mark Kotsay than Grady Sizemore. The money would be better spent on a quality SS: Miguel Tejada. An OF of Jones - Soriano - Pie would be good defensively and would be serviceable offensively. Our money would be better spent getting the out-enigma that is Ryan Theriot out of the lineup.