When calculating the amount of the Qualifying Offer, MLB and the players' union find the average salary of the 125 highest-paid players. For each player on a 40-man roster or the 60-day DL on August 31st, they total his base salary, pro-rated signing bonus, pro-rated buyout on the first club or mutual option year, and earned bonuses at year's end. The calculations are more complicated in some cases, but just by following the basics of that method I thought it'd be interesting to list each team's highest-paid player in 2013.
- Angels: Josh Hamilton, $17MM.
- Astros: Bud Norris, $3MM.
- Athletics: Chris Young, $9MM.
- Blue Jays: Jose Bautista, $14.2MM.
- Braves: Dan Uggla, $13.2MM.
- Brewers: Rickie Weeks: $11MM.
- Cardinals: Matt Holliday: $17.1MM (does not account for deferred money).
- Cubs: Alfonso Soriano: $19MM.
- Diamondbacks: Miguel Montero, $10MM.
- Dodgers: Adrian Gonzalez, $21.9MM. Carl Crawford, $20.9MM. Matt Kemp, $20.25MM. The Dodgers are receiving $3.9MM this year from the Red Sox, so if you attribute some of that toward Gonzalez and Crawford, perhaps Kemp is their highest-paid player this year.
- Giants: Tim Lincecum, $22.125MM.
- Indians: Nick Swisher, $11MM.
- Mariners: Felix Hernandez, $19.9MM.
- Marlins: Ricky Nolasco, $11.5MM.
- Mets: Johan Santana: $26.4MM.
- Nationals: Jayson Werth, $16.6MM.
- Orioles: Nick Markakis, $15.7MM.
- Padres: Carlos Quentin, $10.5MM.
- Phillies: Cliff Lee, $27.5MM.
- Pirates: A.J. Burnett, $16.5MM. Burnett and Wandy Rodriguez are tied as the team's highest-paid player at $8MM, if you account for money received from their old teams.
- Rangers: Adrian Beltre, $16MM.
- Rays: David Price, $10.1MM.
- Red Sox: John Lackey, $16.0MM.
- Reds: Joey Votto, $19MM.
- Rockies: Jorge De La Rosa and Michael Cuddyer, $10.5MM.
- Royals: Ervin Santana, $12.75MM. He's still their highest-paid player if you subtract money received from the Angels.
- Tigers: Prince Fielder, $23MM.
- Twins: Joe Mauer, $23MM.
- White Sox: John Danks, $15.75MM.
- Yankees: Alex Rodriguez, $29MM.
