List of highest paid baseball players

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[edit] Salary over entire career

The following chart lists the Major League Baseball players who have earned the greatest total salary over their career (through the end of 2006 and not including bonuses).

1. $172,711,352 - Barry Bonds
2. $147,707,727 - Alex Rodriguez
3. $143,348,927 - Randy Johnson 
4. $133,845,000 - Greg Maddux 
5. $133,251,000 - Roger Clemens (est. $12.25 million for 2006)
6. $130,890,502 - Kevin Brown (retired)
7. $130,624,340 - Ken Griffey, Jr.
8. $129,766,173 - Gary Sheffield
9. $128,134,019 - Jeff Bagwell (retired)
10. $126,311,965 - Manny Ramirez
11. $123,568,000 - Sammy Sosa 
12. $122,392,167 - Mike Mussina
13. $120,444,000 - Pedro Martinez
14. $118,030,000 - Derek Jeter 
15. $113,139,293 - Tom Glavine
16. $111,676,002 - Mike Piazza
17. $110,363,431 - Larry Walker (retired)
18. $108,095,446 - John Smoltz
19. $103,799,000 - Carlos Delgado
20. $103,100,001 - Bernie Williams
21. $100,405,001 - Mo Vaughn (retired)
22. $ 97,376,294 - Albert Belle (retired)
23. $ 93,461,668 - Jim Thome
24. $ 93,158,000 - Curt Schilling
25. $ 92,885,467 - Chipper Jones
26. $ 92,126,410 - Ivan Rodriguez
27. $ 92,075,086 - Mike Hampton
28. $ 91,116,066 - Shawn Green
29. $ 89,295,996 - Rafael Palmeiro (retired)
30. $ 87,037,500 - Juan Gonzalez (retired)
31. $ 86,514,000 - Frank Thomas
32. $ 81,756,945 - Chan Ho Park
33. $ 78,860,000 - Matt Williams (retired)
34. $ 78,467,500 - Barry Larkin (retired)
35. $ 78,201,854 - Jason Giambi
36. $ 77,015,500 - Craig Biggio
37. $ 76,603,815 - Roberto Alomar (retired)
38. $ 76,082,416 - Andy Pettitte
39. $ 74,688,354 - Mark McGwire (retired)
40. $ 74,030,125 - Mariano Rivera
41. $ 73,706,500 - Andruw Jones
42. $ 70,983,474 - Moises Alou
43. $ 70,677,500 - Tim Salmon (retired)
44. $ 69,850,001 - Cal Ripken, Jr. (retired, no data available for 1981-1984)
45. $ 68,243,667 - John Olerud (retired)
45. $ 68,100,100 - Al Leiter (retired)
46. $ 68,010,367 - Jim Edmonds
47. $ 67,436,500 - Jeff Kent
50. $ 67,430,000 - Vladimir Guerrero
51. $ 67,151,344 - Steve Finley
52. $ 67,135,000 - Robin Ventura (retired)
53. $ 66,947,501 - David Cone (retired)
54. $ 66,665,500 - Kenny Rogers
55. $ 66,470,000 - Raul Mondesi (retired)
56. $ 65,860,818 - Fred McGriff (retired)
57. $ 65,743,750 - Kevin Appier (retired)
58. $ 65,504,063 - Chuck Finley (retired)

[edit] $100 Million Contracts

Main article: $100 million sports contracts

The following chart lists the Major League Baseball players who have signed contracts worth $100 million or more (including bonuses, but not including options or buyouts). Interestingly, the top 4 were signed in the off-season before the 2001 season.

Derek Jeter's, Todd Helton's, Albert Pujols', and Vernon Wells' contracts were extensions offered by their current teams. Ken Griffey, Jr. was traded by the Seattle Mariners to the Cincinnati Reds on February 10, 2000 and signed a contract extension with the Reds the same day. The remaining contracts were signed via free agency and involved the player moving to a new team.

Rank Player Team Length of Contract Salary
1 Alex Rodriguez Texas Rangers* 10 years (2001-2010) $252,000,000
2 Derek Jeter New York Yankees 10 years (2001-2010) $189,000,000
3 Manny Ramirez Boston Red Sox 8 years (2001-2008) $160,000,000
4 Todd Helton Colorado Rockies 11 years (2001-2011) $141,500,000
5 Alfonso Soriano Chicago Cubs 8 years (2007-2014) $136,000,000
6 Vernon Wells Toronto Blue Jays 7 years (2008-2014) $126,000,000
6 Barry Zito San Francisco Giants 7 years (2008-2014) $126,000,000
8 Mike Hampton Colorado Rockies* 8 years (2001-2008) $121,000,000
9 Jason Giambi New York Yankees 7 years (2002-2008) $120,000,000
10 Carlos Beltran New York Mets 7 years (2005-2011) $119,000,000
11 Ken Griffey, Jr. Cincinnati Reds 9 years (2000-2008) $116,500,000
12 Kevin Brown Los Angeles Dodgers* 7 years (1999-2005) $105,000,000
13 Albert Pujols St. Louis Cardinals 7 years (2004-2010) $100,000,000
14 Carlos Lee Houston Astros 6 years (2007-2012) $100,000,000
*- no longer plays for team

[edit] Annual Salary

The following chart reveals the evolution of the highest paid player in Major League Baseball. A player's yearly salary is considered to be for the maximum value of the contract divided by the term of the contract in years.

YEAR    SALARY/YR  PLAYER             TEAM/ORGANIZATION
1927      $70,000  Babe Ruth          New York Yankees
1930      $80,000  Babe Ruth          New York Yankees
1949     $100,000  Ted Williams       Boston Red Sox
1966     $130,000  Willie Mays        San Francisco Giants
1972     $200,000  Hank Aaron         Atlanta Braves
1975     $740,000  Catfish Hunter     New York Yankees

Major League Baseball's reserve clause was struck down in 1976, beginning an era of free agency and thus market-value player contracts

1979   $1,000,000  Nolan Ryan         Houston Astros 
1981   $2,000,000  Dave Winfield      New York Yankees
1985   $2,130,300  Mike Schmidt       Philadelphia Phillies
1986   $2,800,000  George Foster      New York Mets
1990   $3,000,000  Rickey Henderson   Oakland Athletics
1991   $4,700,000  José Canseco       Oakland Athletics
1992   $5,800,000  Bobby Bonilla      New York Mets
1993   $5,975,000* Ryne Sandberg      Chicago Cubs
1995   $9,237,500  Cecil Fielder      Detroit Tigers
1997  $10,000,000  Albert Belle       Chicago White Sox
1998  $14,936,667  Gary Sheffield     Florida Marlins
2000  $15,714,286  Kevin Brown        Los Angeles Dodgers
2001  $22,000,000  Alex Rodriguez     Texas Rangers
2005  $26,000,000  Alex Rodriguez     New York Yankees

*Ryne Sandberg's 1993 contract was originally for $7,100,000 per year, but he retired before the contract expired and forfeited the back-loaded end of the contract.

[edit] Current salaries

The following chart lists the hundred highest paid players in Major League Baseball for the 2006 season.

Rank Player Team Salary
1 Alex Rodriguez New York Yankees $21,680,727
2 Derek Jeter New York Yankees $20,600,000
3 Jason Giambi New York Yankees $20,428,571
4 Barry Bonds San Francisco Giants $20,000,000
5 Jeff Bagwell Houston Astros $19,369,019
6 Mike Mussina New York Yankees $19,000,000
7 Manny Ramirez Boston Red Sox $18,279,238
8 Todd Helton Colorado Rockies $16,600,000
9 Andy Pettitte Houston Astros $16,428,416
10 Magglio Ordonez Detroit Tigers $16,200,000
11 Randy Johnson New York Yankees $15,661,427
12 Chan Ho Park San Diego Padres $15,333,679
13 Pedro Martinez New York Mets $14,875,000
14 Lance Berkman Houston Astros $14,500,000
15 Mike Hampton Atlanta Braves $14,475,185
16 Jim Thome Chicago White Sox $14,166,667
17 Bartolo Colon Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim $14,000,000
17 Albert Pujols St. Louis Cardinals $14,000,000
19 Chipper Jones Atlanta Braves $13,666,667
20 Bobby Abreu New York Yankees $13,600,000
21 Carlos Beltran New York Mets $13,571,429
22 Andruw Jones Atlanta Braves $13,500,000
22 Vladimir Guerrero Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim $13,500,000
22 Carlos Delgado New York Mets $13,500,000
25 Curt Schilling Boston Red Sox $13,000,000
25 Johnny Damon New York Yankees $13,000,000
25 Hideki Matsui New York Yankees $13,000,000
25 Richie Sexson Seattle Mariners $13,000,000
29 Adrian Beltre Seattle Mariners $12,900,000
30 Roy Halladay Toronto Blue Jays $12,750,000
31 Ichiro Suzuki Seattle Mariners $12,530,000
32 Scott Rolen St. Louis Cardinals $12,456,336
33 Kerry Wood Chicago Cubs $12,000,000
33 Paul Konerko Chicago White Sox $12,000,000
33 Javier Vazquez Chicago White Sox $12,000,000
33 Jorge Posada New York Yankees $12,000,000
37 Jim Edmonds St. Louis Cardinals $11,979,548
38 Miguel Tejada Baltimore Orioles $11,811,546
39 Jason Kendall Oakland Athletics $11,571,429
40 J.D. Drew Los Angeles Dodgers $11,400,000
41 John Smoltz Atlanta Braves $11,000,000
41 Aramis Ramirez Chicago Cubs $11,000,000
41 Roy Oswalt Houston Astros $11,000,000
41 Mike Sweeney Kansas City Royals $11,000,000
45 Gary Sheffield Detroit Tigers $10,756,171
46 Garret Anderson Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim $10,750,000
46 Torii Hunter Minnesota Twins $10,750,000
48 Luis Gonzalez Arizona Diamondbacks $10,673,328
49 Ivan Rodriguez Detroit Tigers $10,616,410
50 Tom Glavine New York Mets $10,500,000
50 Billy Wagner New York Mets $10,500,000
50 Mariano Rivera New York Yankees $10,500,000
50 Jason Schmidt San Francisco Giants $10,500,000
54 Jeff Kent Los Angeles Dodgers $10,453,382
55 Phil Nevin Chicago Cubs $10,333,347
56 Shawn Green Arizona Diamondbacks $10,213,898
57 Edgar Renteria Atlanta Braves $10,000,000
57 Jason Varitek Boston Red Sox $10,000,000
57 Éric Gagné Los Angeles Dodgers $10,000,000
57 Troy Glaus Toronto Blue Jays $10,000,000
57 Alfonso Soriano Washington Nationals $10,000,000
62 Eric Milton Cincinnati Reds $9,833,333
63 Matt Clement Boston Red Sox $9,825,000
64 Pat Burrell Philadelphia Phillies $9,750,000
65 Ben Sheets Milwaukee Brewers $9,625,000
66 Jose Contreras Chicago White Sox $9,500,000
66 Derek Lowe Los Angeles Dodgers $9,500,000
66 Eric Chavez Oakland Athletics $9,500,000
69 Derrek Lee Chicago Cubs $9,416,667
70 Randy Wolf Philadelphia Phillies $9,125,000
71 Ken Griffey Jr. Cincinnati Reds $9,044,182
72 Javy Lopez Boston Red Sox $9,000,000
72 Mike Lowell Boston Red Sox $9,000,000
72 Greg Maddux Los Angeles Dodgers $9,000,000
72 Freddy Garcia Chicago White Sox $9,000,000
72 Brad Radke Minnesota Twins $9,000,000
72 Ryan Klesko San Diego Padres $9,000,000
78 Odalis Perez Kansas City Royals $8,750,000
78 Darin Erstad Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim $8,750,000
78 Johan Santana Minnesota Twins $8,750,000
78 Jason Isringhausen St. Louis Cardinals $8,750,000
82 Rafael Furcal Los Angeles Dodgers $8,730,196
83 Sean Casey Pittsburgh Pirates $8,500,000
83 Carlos Lee Texas Rangers $8,500,000
85 Kris Benson Baltimore Orioles $8,333,333
86 Jeff Weaver St. Louis Cardinals $8,325,000
87 Mark Buehrle Chicago White Sox $8,000,000
87 Kenny Rogers Detroit Tigers $8,000,000
87 Dmitri Young Detroit Tigers $8,000,000
87 Carl Pavano New York Yankees $8,000,000
87 Livan Hernandez Washington Nationals $8,000,000
92 Barry Zito San Francisco Giants $7,900,000
93 Russ Ortiz Baltimore Orioles $7,875,000
94 Kevin Millwood Texas Rangers $7,868,893
95 Geoff Jenkins Milwaukee Brewers $7,833,333
96 Keith Foulke Boston Red Sox $7,750,000
96 Mark Mulder St. Louis Cardinals $7,750,000
98 Jaret Wright Baltimore Orioles $7,666,667
98 Brian Giles San Diego Padres $7,666,667
100 Jon Lieber Philadelphia Phillies $7,583,333

Source for 2006 salaries: ESPN

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../l/i/s/List_of_highest_paid_baseball_players.html"