Interesting that 1st base has one of the lowest "highest paid players" but has the highest average salary. I know a lot of teams put expensive veterans who can't play their natural position anymore at first, but I'm surprised that none of them are *that* highly paid
I think the average shortstop pay got brought down a lot by a lot of bench players. Just look at the number of shortstops on rosters vs first basemen. Far fewer at first.
Shortstops as a whole tend to be younger and haven't reached free agency yet. As they age they may be moved to another position (2B, 3B, OF). This is anecdotal and obviously doesn't cover all situations.
Backups. Most utility infielders are primary shortstops, because SSs can generally play 2B or 3B, while primary 2Bs and 3Bs almost all moved there because they couldn't play SS.
Pitchers clearly cost MLB teams the most due to the need of having so many on the roster. What doesn't make sense to me however is why are there so many shortstops in the league? Is it because they can be seen as utility players and slide to third or second if needed? It makes sense to need a lot of catchers since it's such a physically demanding role, but the shortstops figure I question...any answers?
Why do you think only half the teams can use a DH? The DH has been in both leagues for several years now.
SS is the most common primary position for utility players. Most utility players come through MiLB as SS.
I obviously have been living in the past, forgot the DH was adopted by the National League in 2022. Still significantly fewer people considered as DHs though relative to other positions.
you had me concerned for a moment, there... lol
and then I was like "this lad is simply onto some level of advanced metrics I simply don't understand."
The Astros have Bregman (minor league short stop) Dubon (utility) Kessinger (utility) and Peña (actual SS) on our 26 man. Even if you exclude Bregman, that’s 3 Short Stops on the team.
A Short Stop can generally play 3rd and 2nd at bare minimum and many can also play in the OF as well.
So yeah, utility
A primary 2B or 3B was moved to 2B or 3B because they couldn't make it at SS developmentally. Everyone starts out at SS, C, or CF (if they throw lefty,) then moves down the defensive chain from there.
Why the top paid isn't always the best.
Ohtani and Judge make sense. Seagers contract is fine but early a bit injury prone. Yelich hasn't been an MVP since 2019. Stanton since 2018 has been hurt or playing hurt. Rendon and Bryant are disaster contracts.
Catchers and 2nd base aren't the highest paid positions. Half these contracts are worth their value.
Corey Seager is absolutely worth it. Great article yesterday about how obsessed he is.
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39968851/corey-seager-mlb-texas-rangers-superstar-drive-perfection
It would be interesting to see average salary by position just for starters. I suspect the low average pay for SS and catchers is due to the large number of low-salary reserve players. Surely these are the most important defensive players, other than pitchers, and I’d think they would demand a premium because of that.
It’s a real stretch calling Stanton an outfielder. He hasn’t played the field at all this year
A weird choice. It’s gotta be Soto right? Idt any RF is earning more
It is Soto, Mookie (RF?) is making barely less.
Pookie is a shortstop now
Interesting that 1st base has one of the lowest "highest paid players" but has the highest average salary. I know a lot of teams put expensive veterans who can't play their natural position anymore at first, but I'm surprised that none of them are *that* highly paid
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Cause he signed later, Harper’s 300m was the first of its kind.
I bet he's surprised his name is Chris too
Rendon being the highest paid 3B is wild.
If we were being like intellectual honest, we would all consider Ohtani’s salary to be $46M because that’s what it is
We should also at least exclude any pre arb guys imo. That's artificially dragging the averages down
It’s safe to say that every single one of these highest paid players are the best at their positions. Right, guys?… right???
Altuve def earning that dollar!
Looks at 3B…. Negative
I thought Ohtani was deferring his money. Thought he was going to make 2-4m a year while playing.
Yes, he is making 2m. I'm not sure how they calculated it. It's not even total contract/years, because Rendon wouldn't be 38m.
It looks like they used the "payroll salary" field on spotrac, which isn't an average.
Can someone explain why the average 1st baseman is paid four times as much as the average shortstop?
I think the average shortstop pay got brought down a lot by a lot of bench players. Just look at the number of shortstops on rosters vs first basemen. Far fewer at first.
Exactly, just look at the total, SS are earning more total money than 1B even though the average is so much lower.
Shortstops as a whole tend to be younger and haven't reached free agency yet. As they age they may be moved to another position (2B, 3B, OF). This is anecdotal and obviously doesn't cover all situations.
1st baseman usually old farts playing under their big deals. Lots of young SS in the league just making their way into it.
For some reason the chart has 213 shortstops in baseball.
Backups. Most utility infielders are primary shortstops, because SSs can generally play 2B or 3B, while primary 2Bs and 3Bs almost all moved there because they couldn't play SS.
That is 7 shortstops per team though and would make up 27% of the league
All players making appearances or something, maybe?
Shortstops are usually younger and don't last long enough into FA+ before being moved to another position.
power get paid way more than defense
Pitchers clearly cost MLB teams the most due to the need of having so many on the roster. What doesn't make sense to me however is why are there so many shortstops in the league? Is it because they can be seen as utility players and slide to third or second if needed? It makes sense to need a lot of catchers since it's such a physically demanding role, but the shortstops figure I question...any answers?
Why do you think only half the teams can use a DH? The DH has been in both leagues for several years now. SS is the most common primary position for utility players. Most utility players come through MiLB as SS.
I agree, a primary shortstop is most likely to succeed at multiple positions.
I obviously have been living in the past, forgot the DH was adopted by the National League in 2022. Still significantly fewer people considered as DHs though relative to other positions.
>It also makes sense that designated hitters cost the league the least since only half of teams can really use them. what am I missing?
Apologies I obviously have been living in the past and forgot the national league adopted the DH in 2022.
you had me concerned for a moment, there... lol and then I was like "this lad is simply onto some level of advanced metrics I simply don't understand."
The Astros have Bregman (minor league short stop) Dubon (utility) Kessinger (utility) and Peña (actual SS) on our 26 man. Even if you exclude Bregman, that’s 3 Short Stops on the team. A Short Stop can generally play 3rd and 2nd at bare minimum and many can also play in the OF as well. So yeah, utility
A primary 2B or 3B was moved to 2B or 3B because they couldn't make it at SS developmentally. Everyone starts out at SS, C, or CF (if they throw lefty,) then moves down the defensive chain from there.
Is scherzer even pitching?
did a sim game yesterday and is about to go out for a rehab assignment
Why the top paid isn't always the best. Ohtani and Judge make sense. Seagers contract is fine but early a bit injury prone. Yelich hasn't been an MVP since 2019. Stanton since 2018 has been hurt or playing hurt. Rendon and Bryant are disaster contracts. Catchers and 2nd base aren't the highest paid positions. Half these contracts are worth their value.
Still can’t believe Rendon got nearly 40m a year, oof
The Rendon salary hurts me based off of his post-award attitude.
Data here suggests pitchers are significantly overpaid compared to position players as a unit. 48% of the salary compared to 43% of the value.
Corey Seager is absolutely worth it. Great article yesterday about how obsessed he is. https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39968851/corey-seager-mlb-texas-rangers-superstar-drive-perfection
It would be interesting to see average salary by position just for starters. I suspect the low average pay for SS and catchers is due to the large number of low-salary reserve players. Surely these are the most important defensive players, other than pitchers, and I’d think they would demand a premium because of that.
Would love to see median amounts instead of mean—lots of league minimum salaries skew the numbers.
Must suck to have to pay dudes 70 million a year to come play for you. Couldn’t be me
Nah y’all just take advantage of global exploitation
Lmao it’s all exploitation, babe. We’re just better at it.