Cubs payroll update

Earlier today the Cubs signed Paul Bako to a one-year deal worth $750. Bako can earn up to $300,000 additional based on playing time. I’ve updated the Cubs salary page to reflect the recent transactions (Wuertz being signed, and Pie, Olson, and Cedeno being traded). It’s not official that Rich Hill has been traded yet though it appears to be inevitable, but I’ll not remove him from the salary list until it’s official. Anyway, we heard early rumors that the 2009 payroll would be between $140 and $145 million. Crane Kenney confirmed this awhile back and it’s worth noting that the Cubs overall 2009 payroll is barely over $140 million now. This includes all minor league players who are on the 40-man roster, but not on the active roster. It also includes all of the arbitration eligible contracts that have been signed and it includes a league minimum salary for all others even though most of them will make slightly over league minimum (minimum being $400,000 and these guys often get $405,000 or something like that their 2nd year in the big leagues). I’ve now added in the $4 million signing bonus for Bradley, $4 million signing bonus for Dempster and the $875,000 the Cubs will send the Rockies for Jason Marquis. The total payroll of the Cubs, as of right now, is $140,387,000. So the Cubs don’t have any money left under that $140 million figure Kenney floated early in the offseason. As we’ve known for some time, any additional moves of significance will require ownership approval and it’s unlikely the team is sold before Opening Day. I think it’s a good bet that the 40-man roster you see on this page is the 40-man roster the Cubs begin the 2009 season with with the exception of Rich Hill being traded and someone like a Rich Aurilia being added to back-up the corner infield spots.