The following numbers will lean towards approximations for purposes of easier to show math

We had a payroll of 112M in 2012, and odds are it might not be too different than that for 2013.

Off the Books
12M - Lohse
12M - Berkamn
2.5M - McClellan
2.5M - Linebrink, Cox, Romero
===
29M - Total

Contract Raises
3M - Wainwright
4M - C.Carpenter
7M - Molina
1M - Furcal
2.5M - Garcia
===
17.5M - Total

Arbitration Raises (thanx to MLBTR for projections)
2.75M - Motte
3.25M - Mujica (thats full contract, not a raise like others here due to not on initial 2012 roster)
2M - Freese
1M - Boggs
.5M Rzepcynski
===
9.5M - Total

Anyone else not listed will have the same salary for the most part.

When subtracting the raises from the money off the books, we'll have approximately 2M for free agent contacts if stick to a hard 112M. I think we'll go a little over that however for a RH bench bat and a good veteran lefty.

I doubt the Cards will pay $3.2 for Mujica. Why should they.

blingboy wrote: I doubt the Cards will pay $3.2 for Mujica. Why should they.

Because they could trade Boggs?

Trade them both.

Not much room to add payroll. We may have to get creative with a trade. It would take a lot of guts for Mo to trade David Freese, but I wonder if he's pondering that. Could Carpenter do the job? It would give us more LR balance and another high OBP guy at the top of the lineup. I'm not sure what exactly I'm looking for in a trade of Freese. I probably wouldn't do it unless Furcal has surgery and we are gunning for a starting shortstop. I like David Freese. Solid number six hitter. Acceptable in the field. I worry about the long-term viability of his ankles. He's going to get a significant bump in salary.

FWIW, I've wondered the same thing, Sawatski.

Well, Brian, in my book, it's worth a lot!

I think the big question is replacing carpenter or garcia if for some reason they dont come back to form(although Im hoping they will)

after losing lohse our rotation would be:

waino
garcia
westbrook(e)
carp
lynn

if

waino
(shelby/rosenthal)
westbrook(e)
(shelby rosenthal/FA?)
lynn

as for a righty bench bat we could add reed johnson for prob 1.5mm

cardzZilla wrote: The following numbers will lean towards approximations for purposes of easier to show math

We had a payroll of 112M in 2012, and odds are it might not be too different than that for 2013.

Off the Books
12M - Lohse
12M - Berkamn
2.5M - McClellan
2.5M - Linebrink, Cox, Romero
===
29M - Total

Contract Raises
3M - Wainwright
4M - C.Carpenter
7M - Molina
1M - Furcal
2.5M - Garcia
===
17.5M - Total

Arbitration Raises (thanx to MLBTR for projections)
2.75M - Motte
3.25M - Mujica (thats full contract, not a raise like others here due to not on initial 2012 roster)
2M - Freese
1M - Boggs
.5M Rzepcynski
===
9.5M - Total

Anyone else not listed will have the same salary for the most part.

When subtracting the raises from the money off the books, we'll have approximately 2M for free agent contacts if stick to a hard 112M. I think we'll go a little over that however for a RH bench bat and a good veteran lefty.

Depressing but thanks for the numbers.

nathanleopoldjr wrote: Depressing but thanks for the numbers.

Since you seem to enjoy being depressed, I can understand you thanking cardzZilla.

I see no reason for depression myself, it is what happens every year to every team.  Players undercontract get raises that offset much of the savings of players not retained. 

cardzZilla's numbers do NOT include a possible larger raise for Wainwright should he re-sign this offseason and that contract replaces his 2013 option.  But I suspect should he re-sign, his new contract would start in 2014, much as Yadi's contract last offseason doesn't start until after his 2012 option year.

I don't see what's so "depressing" about guys getting paid what the system says they are worth.

Yes, of course ballplayers are overpaid - but that's the way the system is set up.  And as I've said many times over the years, while I'd like to see some restraint in spending, I have no desire to see the Cards leading the pack in that fashion while their comptition is still out there spending.

Lots of post season income for Cards again. I don't buy in to their hardship plea.

UncleDenny wrote: Lots of post season income for Cards again. I don't buy in to their hardship plea.

You dont have to buy in to it, it just is what it is...

If we have a payroll of over 110mm you cannot say we are cheap. The team we have right now can certainly be competitive...

Oqie11 wrote:

nathanleopoldjr wrote: Depressing but thanks for the numbers.

Since you seem to enjoy being depressed, I can understand you thanking cardzZilla.

I see no reason for depression myself, it is what happens every year to every team.  Players undercontract get raises that offset much of the savings of players not retained. 

cardzZilla's numbers do NOT include a possible larger raise for Wainwright should he re-sign this offseason and that contract replaces his 2013 option.  But I suspect should he re-sign, his new contract would start in 2014, much as Yadi's contract last offseason doesn't start until after his 2012 option year.

well, can't predict the future if i could, i'd have won the lottery and would be traveling in austrailia or wherever and not be posting on the forum LOL

however, any wainwright extension, if it happens will probably be for 2014. there also a chance that they'll negotiate a new contract for freese, but that fall into future predicting again.

i do agree that MLBTR probably overestimated mujica's raise, but i think that is cancelled out by underestimating freese's raise.

Wainwright's raise is only $2 million so there is an extra million to play with.

I dont think the Freese and Mijuca arb values are off much.  1st year arbs (Freese) dont get as much for the same performance as a 3rd year arb (Mijuca) due to several factors that are included in the arb considerations.

I would of guessed we would have more money to play with losing Lohse, Berkman, etc. Makes me question the Westbrook extension even more.

MLBTRADERUMORS has the arbitration numbers like this.
Matt Swartz's salary projections are below.

First time: David Freese ($2.6MM), Mitchell Boggs ($1.3MM), Marc Rzepczynski ($900K)
Second time: Jason Motte ($4.7MM)
Third time: Edward Mujica ($3.2MM), Kyle McClellan ($2.4MM)

grayssportsalmanac wrote:

waino
(shelby/rosenthal)
westbrook(e)
(shelby rosenthal/FA?)
lynn

and Kelly?

cardzZilla wrote: The following numbers will lean towards approximations for purposes of easier to show math

We had a payroll of 112M in 2012, and odds are it might not be too different than that for 2013.

Off the Books
12M - Lohse
12M - Berkamn
2.5M - McClellan
2.5M - Linebrink, Cox, Romero
===
29M - Total

Contract Raises
3M - Wainwright
4M - C.Carpenter
7M - Molina
1M - Furcal
2.5M - Garcia
===
17.5M - Total

Arbitration Raises (thanx to MLBTR for projections)
2.75M - Motte
3.25M - Mujica (thats full contract, not a raise like others here due to not on initial 2012 roster)
2M - Freese
1M - Boggs
.5M Rzepcynski
===
9.5M - Total

Anyone else not listed will have the same salary for the most part.

When subtracting the raises from the money off the books, we'll have approximately 2M for free agent contacts if stick to a hard 112M. I think we'll go a little over that however for a RH bench bat and a good veteran lefty.

We are only in a one year pinch. There will be tons of money coming off of the books after 2013:

Beltran-     $13m
Carpenter- $12.5m
Westbrook- $8.75m (pay buyout)
Furcal-       $7.5m
Schumaker- $1.5m

Total-         $43.25m

Of course there will be raises with more players eligible for arbitration and raises for Garcia and presumably Wainwright, but there still should be plenty of financial flexibility in the foreseeable future. We are in a good position.

The Cards only have $41M/yr on the books after 2013 according to Cot's. I can't see anyone currently in the picture getting a big new contract this year. I doubt they'll throw big money/big years at Motte. They can wait on Freese, and I expect they will.