So much for the Orioles being reluctant to spend money.
The Birds will have a club record payroll to start the 2014 season, at a reported $107,406,723, according to the Associated Press.
That’s good for second-lowest in the spend-heavy American League East. Of course, the one team in the division that doesn’t spend is also a perennial contender. Fun.
However, this puts them right in the middle of the pack in MLB, as they come in at 15th out of 30 teams. As far as the AL East goes, New York leads the way with the second highest payroll in baseball (behind only the LA Dodgers) at $203,812,506. Next is Boston at fourth in MLB, with a payroll of $162,817,411. Toronto has the third highest payroll in the division (10th in baseball) at $132,628,700.
The Tampa Bay Rays round out the AL East, coming in at 28th in baseball with a payroll of $77,062,891. That puts them ahead of only the Miami Marlins and Houston Astros.
(Wow, what wonders pitcher development can do, huh?)
Here’s the entire list, via a tweet from ESPN’s All-Money-Talk-All-The-Time Darren Rovell:
Complete MLB Opening Day payrolls from @AP pic.twitter.com/wdSubeIpgx
— darren rovell (@darrenrovell) March 26, 2014
