Today the Pirates announced that they avoided arbitration with Neil Walker and James McDonald, clearing their arbitration slate. Walker settled at $3.3 mill and JMac at $3.025 mill. Both were the midpoints of their filing numbers. This should effectively give us the Pirates payroll for the year. The question is, what is it?
I follow several Pirates reporters and there seems to be a discrepancy in projected payroll. Bill Brink over at the Post Gazette believes it is $75 million currently with Liriano's deal making it above $80 million. On the other hand, Tim Williams of Pirates Prospects has it currently at $68.3 million with Liriano pushing it near $75 million. Although I usually disagree with Tim, I respect his work and tend to side with him here. He has a chart with all of the salaries and is usually spot on with money projections. I don't know where Bill is getting that extra money but I think he miscalculated. So say when it's all said and done we're near $75 mill. That's a solid number for the Pirates but I still think it's a bit too much.
Trading Garrett Jones could be an option again as it has been. We have way too many 1B/RF players and we added Brad Hawpe for a tryout (a famous Hurdle boy from the Rockies). His salary could be dumped for more relief help or a good potential prospect. I like the idea of selling high on him, as many of you know, because I think we can get the same value out of a combo of the guys we have already. But with where the Pirates payroll is at, I'd be fine with keeping him too. Or at least more comfortable.
Will the Pirates sign anyone else to affect this payroll? Probably not unless they add some washed up relievers and revitalize their careers (there's one every year). I like where the Pirates are at and I'm exited for pitchers/catchers to report.
UPDATE: Tim replied to my question of the payroll difference on Twitter. He said that his payroll deducts what the Yanks/Astros are paying Burnett and Wandy. That makes sense now for that discrepancy.
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