| I'm assuming that's the opening day rosters. If so, the Yankees payroll includes guys no longer witht he team, like Karsay, Stanton, and Quantrill
Next year the Yankees payroll should be a lot lower. If not lower, it simply won't go up much. Bernie Williams (13 mil), Kevin Brown (16 mil), Al Leiter (7 mil), Alan Embree (3 mil), Paul Quantrill (3 mil), Mike Stanton (4 mil), and Steve Karsay (6 mil) will all no longer be paid by the Yankees. That's 51 million that won't count against the Yankees payroll next year.
Only 4 of those guys still have roster spots (Bernie, Brown, Leiter, and Embree), and with a healthy rotation, they won't need to replace Brown or Leiter, since they can just plug Chacon and Wang in there instead. I'm fine with a rotation of Johnson, Mussina, Pavano, Wang, and Chacon. With Jaret Wright in the bullpen or making spot starts. So, basically next year's Yankee team will be the same as this year's, minus 50 million dollars, and plus a new centerfielder. |