The Pittsburgh Pirates finished the 2011 season with an estimated 40-man payroll of $53,441,206, according to Pirates Prospects calculations. The estimate is based on all announced salaries, estimated salaries, pro-rated salaries based on how much time players spent in the majors and minors, performance bonuses, signing bonuses, and any other contract details that have been made available.
In 2010 the Pirates Prospects estimate was $1.36 M short of the actual results. The reason for the difference is mostly due to a lack of information on performance bonuses and actual salaries for most of the league minimum players. The 2011 estimate is about $9 M more than what the Pirates officially spent in 2010. Below are the details.
The payroll projection on Opening Day was $42,583,500, which means the Pirates added over $10.8 M in payroll during the 2011 season. A few of the big expenses during the season:
- The Pirates added about $5.5 M to their payroll when they traded for Derrek Lee and Ryan Ludwick at the trade deadline.
- Another boost came when they signed Jose Tabata to an extension, awarding him a $1 M signing bonus in the process.
- The September call-ups added an additional $565 K.
- The in-season additions of Xavier Paul, Brandon Wood, Mike McKenry, Matt Pagnozzi, and Jason Grilli added about $1.2 M to the payroll.
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