BITCH BETTER HAVE MY MONEY

DOLLARS AND SENSE

Three people emailed and asked if I could break down what I meant when wrote: "the A's outfield as a more expensive commodity than their pitching staff for the first time since Billy Beane was named GM."

Now, I've gone through and listed the A's outfield versus the starting pitchers for 2006. All possible eight of them. Mind you, I didn't even adjust for what some of the players will earn with their new contracts for 2006 or in arbitration - which could be 10% - 30% more.

Now, I may have been wrong when I suggested that this was the first time in a long time that the A's outfield earned more than the staring pitchers. I'll head back to 2004 and check. I think I was in denial about the Jermaine Dye deal.

2006 Salary	STARING PITCHING	2006 Salary	OUTFIELDERS
$1,000,000	Rich Harden *	$7,000,000	Mark Kotsay *
$8,500,000	Barry Zito *	$4,000,000	Jay Payton
$500,000	Danny Haren *	$316,500	Nick Swisher
$5,000,000	Esteban Loaiza *	$2,500,000	Milton Bradley ***
$316,500	Joe Blanton *	$875,000	Bobby Kielty ***
$350,000	Kirk Saarloos **
$2,000,000	Joe Kennedy **
$600,000	Juan Cruz **
TOTAL		TOTAL
$18,266,500		$14,691,500

* Does not include signing bonus or performance incentives or other clauses increasing the value of contract.

** Rights controlled by Oakland Athletics.

*** Rights controlled by Oakland, arbitration eligible.

STRIKE THAT, REVERSE IT

2004 Salary	STARING PITCHING	2004 Salary	OUTFIELDERS
$336,500	Rich Harden *	$5,500,000	Mark Kotsay *
$3,000,000	Barry Zito *	$11,666,667	Jermaine Dye *
$5,000,000	Tim Hudson *	$316,500	Nick Swisher *
$4,450,000	Mark Mulder *	$2,200,000	Eric Byrnes *
$2,000,000	Mark Redman *	$875,000	Bobby Kielty *
$350,000	Kirk Saarloos *
TOTAL		TOTAL
$15,136,500		$20,558,167

* Does not include signing bonus or performance incentives or other clauses increasing the value of contract.

Wow, was I ever in denial about Jermaine Dye's contract

And take away the multiple starters from 2006 and the outfield and starting pitching is fairly even, until the arbitration hearings start. Byrnes was traded, but that still doesn't make it close in 2004. The signing bonuses might have made it a bit closer. But, still. I was wrong. I believe I was in denial about Dye's deal and what he made with the White Sox this season; $4,000,000.

Now, let's do a little math. In 2004, the A's paid $35,694,667 for the starting pitchers and outfielders (let's pretend Byrnes wasn't traded). In 2006, without the arbitration flux the A's will pay a bit more than $32,958,000 for all eight of their starting pitchers and outfielders.

Wow, was I overworked and sleep deprived Tuesday night.

The A's might be on the same pay scale in 2006 as they were in 2004 for the combo of starters and outfielders...the Loaiza deal doesn't look so crazy, now (but it is).

Why the swing? Joe Blanton is cheaper than Tim Hudson. Danny Haren is cheaper than Mark Mulder. Jermaine Dye is gone. Also, I was mentally factoring in signing bonuses and contract incentives. The pitchers had several performance bonuses factored in, and the A's drafted Hudson, Zito and Mulder. Mulder receiving one of the larger signing bonuses at the time he was drafted and signed.

But, there's something we might be overlooking, when it comes to the A's payroll for 2006. Eric Chavez made $5,325,000 in 2004 and will earn close to $10,000,000 in 2006. The weight of one questionable contract left rightfield and moved to 3rd base.

But, I'm not going to venture out into how Dye's contract compares with Chavez' when it comes to declining performance.

Not yet, anyway.

Let's look at 2004 as compared to 2005 in salaries at the start of each season:

PLAYER	2004 SALARY		PLAYER	2005 SALARY
Jermaine Dye	$11,666,667		Jason Kendall	$10,571,429
Mark Kotsay	$5,500,000		Eric Chavez	$8,500,000
Eric Chavez	$5,325,000		Mark Kotsay	$6,500,000
Tim Hudson	$5,000,000		Barry Zito	$5,600,000
Mark Mulder	$4,450,000		Octavio Dotel	$4,750,000
Jim Mecir	$3,300,000		Erubiel Durazo	$4,700,000
Damian Miller	$3,000,000		Jay Payton	$3,500,000
Barry Zito	$3,000,000		Scott Hatteberg	$2,450,000
Chris Hammond	$2,400,000		Eric Byrnes	$2,200,000
Scott Hatteberg	$2,300,000		Ricardo Rincon	$1,900,000
Erubiel Durazo	$2,100,000		Bobby Kielty	$875,000
Mark Redman	$2,000,000		Keiichi Yabu	$750,000
Arthur Rhodes	$1,800,000		Juan Cruz	$600,000
Ricardo Rincon	$1,750,000		Keith Ginter	$583,333
Chad Bradford	$965,000		Alberto Castillo	$450,000
Mark McLemore	$600,000		Mark Ellis	$400,000
Eric Karros	$550,000		Adam Melhuse	$385,000
Billy McMillon	$450,000		Bobby Crosby	$350,000
Frank Menechino	$400,000		Rich Harden	$336,500
Adam Melhuse	$357,500		Kiko Calero	$330,000
Bobby Kielty	$347,500		Justin Duchscherer	$329,500
Eric Byrnes	$328,000		Danny Haren	$323,500
Chad Harville	$307,000		Marco Scutaro	$323,500
Justin Duchscherer	$302,500		Charles Thomas	$319,000
Marco Scutaro	$301,500		Joe Blanton	$316,500
Esteban German	$301,000		Nick Swisher	$316,500
Bobby Crosby	$300,500		Huston Street	$316,000
	TOTAL			TOTAL
	$59,102,167			$57,975,762

Again, wow.

Let's revisit this and maybe some of you would like to project the Opening Day 2006 payroll. There might be a free copy of the 2006 Baseball Prospectus book and/or a copy of the Baseball America Top Prospects book. I promise, I won't try to autograph them.

DARN, THAT'S THE END