The Diamondbacks face a pair of option decisions after the season:
- First baseman Adam LaRoche has a $7.5MM mutual option with a $1.5MM buyout. It's pretty rare to see both sides pick up a mutual option.
- Reliever Bob Howry has a $3MM club option with a $250K buyout.
Aside from LaRoche and Howry, the D'Backs' impending free agents are Brandon Webb, Chad Qualls, Aaron Heilman, and Rodrigo Lopez. The group is earning about $15.5MM in 2010. The Diamondbacks are also paying Eric Byrnes $10.6MM this year.
The D'Backs must prepare for a sizeable increase to players under contract – just under $20MM total. Dan Haren, Edwin Jackson, Mark Reynolds, and Justin Upton all get bumps in the $4MM range.
More increases will come from arbitration-eligible players. Stephen Drew, Miguel Montero, and Blaine Boyer are second-year guys, with Conor Jackson and Kelly Johnson entering their third year. Augie Ojeda could be a fourth-year player.
Thanks to Cot's Baseball Contracts for the information.
You forgot about Eric Byrnes coming off the books. Even though he is in Seattle – AZ still has Byrnes’ $11.7M on the 2010 payroll.
Good point, I added it
Thanks – you got the number right too – where i didn’t in the first post – Seattle still pays some of his salary this year… Unfortunately not as much as AZ would like.. 😉
Your overall point doesn’t change though. Some tough decisions coming. AZ probably cant afford to have 2 catchers being paid pretty well. Also, qualls will most likely be gone, Webb gone… so some important spots to fill. Will they look to move Drew? C Jackson? K Johnson?
Another question – if AZ falls out of contention, Webb doesnt return, etc… should AZ look to firesale? Move anyone not named Upton, Montero, Reynolds?
I would think Haren would have value…