Cot's Baseball Contracts: 06/08/2004

Notable historical salaries

Unofficial historical contract information collected from various books and publications.

Atlanta Braves
Milwaukee Braves

Henry Aaron of
Milwaukee Braves 1954-1965, Atlanta 1966-74,
Milwaukee Brewers 1975-76

1952: $200 per month with Indianapolis Clowns
1954:$ 5,000
1957:$22,500
1 year/$35,000 (1959)
1 year/$50,000 (1962)
1 year/$60,000 (1964)
1 year/$70,000 (1965)
2 years/$200,000 (1967-68)
2 years/$250,000 (1970-71)
3 years/$600,000 (1972-74)
1975:$250,000

Eddie Mathews 3b
Boston Braves 1952, Milwaukee Braves 1953-1965
Atlanta Braves 1966-67, Houston Astros 1967, Detroit Tigers 1967-68

1 year/$50,000 (1959)

Baltimore Orioles
St. Louis Browns

Eddie Murray 1b
Baltimore Orioles 1977-1988 & 1996, Los Angeles 1989-1991 & 1997
New York Mets 1992-93, Cleveland 1994-96, Anaheim 1997

6 years/$13.2M (1986-91)

Cal Ripken Jr. ss-3b
Baltimore 1981-2001

1 year/$0.175M (1983), plus bonuses

$15,000 in performance bonuses based on games
$25,000 in award bonuses (MVP)

4 years/$4M (1984-87), re-signed 1/84

avoided arbitration ($0.85M-$0.7M)

1 year/$1.7M (1988)
3 years/$6.3M (1989-91), plus $2.1M 1992 option
5 years/$30.5M (1993-97), re-signed 8/92

$3M signing bonus (paid in installments, 1993-94)
93:$4.5M, 94:$4.8M, 95:$6M, 96:$6M, 97:$6.2M
may accept front office job at $2M/year after retirement

2nd most lucrative contract in history

2 years/$15.1M (1998-99), plus $6.3M 2000 option
1 year/$6.3M (2001)
drafted 1978 (2-48)
agent: Ron Shapiro
ML service:: 19.057 (through 2000)

George Sisler of
St. Louis Browns 1915-1927, Washington 1928, Boston Braves 1928-30

1 year/$25,000 (1924) (as player-manager)

Boston Red Sox

Roger Clemens p
Boston 1984 - 1996, Toronto 1997 - 1998,
New York Yankees 1999 - 2003 & 2007, Houston 2004 - 2006

1 year/$28,000,022 (2007)

contract purchased 6/9/07

signed as a free agent 5/6/07 (minor-league contract)

to receive pro-rated portion of major-league salary after joining Yankees 6/9/07 (about $17.4M)

1 year/$22,000,022 (2006) (Houston)

contract purchased 6/06

re-signed as free agent 5/06 (1 year/$0.322M minor-league deal)

received pro-rated portion of major-league salary ($12,262,294) after re-joining Astros 6/22/06

1 year/$18M (2005)

avoided arbitration 1/05 ($22M-$13.5M)

complete no-trade clause

$3M assignment bonus if Clemens waives no-trade clause

1 year/$5M (2004) (Houston)

$3.5M of 2004 salary deferred for 2 years

incentives: ($25,000 All Star, $1.4M attendance)
10-year personal-services contract with Houston after retirement
signed as a free agent 1/ 04 (out of retirement)

1 year/$10.1M (2003) (all deferred to 2004-2014)

$8.1M present value at signing - paid as follows: 04:$0.6M, 05:$0.7M, 06:$0.9M, 07-12:$0.95M/year, 13-14:$1.1M/year

"declined" 2003 player option, receiving $10.3M buyout

2 years/$30.9M (2001-02), plus 2003 option (NY Yankees)

$5M bonus (paid 2001-02)

01:$7.8M, 02:$7.8M, 03:$10.3M player option ($10.3M buyout), 04:$7.2M club option
signed extension 8/00

3 years/$24.75M (1997-99), plus $8.1M 2000 club option (Toronto)

$2M signing bonus
97:$5.5M, 98:$7.5M, 99:$8M, 00:$8.1M option ($1.75M buyout)
side agreement (later invalidated by MLB) gave Clemens:

right to request a trade
right to approve team to which he is traded
right to request trade to Houston after any season during the life of the contract

4 years/$21.521M (1992-95), plus 1996 option (Boston)

$0.621M signing bonus
92:$4.4M, 93:$4.5M, 94:$5M, 95:$5.5M
Boston exercised $5.5M 1996 club option 3/93
1996 option ($1.5M buyout):

$5.5M club option if exercised before '93 season
$5.8M club option if exercised before '94 season
$6M player option with

220 IP in '94 or '95, OR
1st, 2nd or 3rd in '94 or '95 Cy Young vote

first player to receive $5M/year

signed extension 2/91

3 years/$7.5M (1989-1991)

$0.3M signing bonus

89:$2.2M, 90:$2.5M, 91:$2.5M
award bonuses

$0.1M each for Cy Young, MVP & WS MVP
$50,000 for LCS MVP

avoided arbitration 2/89 ($2.36M-$1.9M)

2 years/$2M (1987-88), plus incentives

87:$0.65M, 88:$1.35M
signed 4/87, replacing 1 year/$0.4M contract for 1987 (Boston had unilaterally renewed Clemens' contract when he walked out of training camp)

1 year/$0.22M (1986), plus $0.12M in incentives
1 year/$0.14M (1985)
drafted:

1983 (1-19) (Boston), $121,000 signing bonus
1981 (12-288) (NY Mets) (did not sign)

agents: Hendricks brothers
ML service: 21.142

Johnny Pesky inf
Boston Red Sox 1942 & 1946-52, Detroit 1952-54, Washington 1954

signed 1940 for $500 bonus & $150/month (also received $1,000 after first pro season)
1 year/$4,000 (1942), plus $5,000 at season's end
1 year/$20,000 (1947)
1 year/$17,500 (1948)

Ted Williams of
Boston Red Sox 1939-1960

1 year/$6,500 (1939)
1 year/$12,000 (1940)
1 year/$20,000 (1941)
1 year/$35,000 (1942)
1 year/$50,000 (1946)
1 year/$75,000 (1947)
1 year/$90,000 (1948)
1 year/$100,000 (1949)
1 year/$100,000 (1950)
1 year/$100,000 (1951)
1 year/$100,000 (1952)
1 year/$100,000 (1953)
1 year/$100,000 (1954)
1 year/$100,000 (1955)
1 year/$125,000 (1956)
1 year/$125,000 (1957)
1 year/$125,000 (1958)
1 year/$125,000 (1959)
1 year/$90,000 (1960)

Carl Yastrzemski of-1b
Boston Red Sox 1961-1983

signed 1958, receiving:

$108,000 signing bonus
2 year/$10,000 minor-league contract

1 year/$15,000 (1962)
1968:$100,000
1970:$125,000
3 years/$500,000 (1971-73)

most lucrative deal in baseball history at signing (2/17/1971)
1971:$160,000

1976:$175,000
1977:$242,500

Brooklyn Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers

Jackie Robinson inf
Brooklyn 1947-1956

earned $500 per month with 1945 Kansas City Monarchs
signed with Brooklyn 10/23/1945 for $600/month & $3,500 signing bonus
1 year/$5,000 (1947) (Major League minimum)
1 year/$35,000 (1950)
1 year/$37,500 (1955)
1 year/$33,000 (1956)
top salary: $42,500

Chicago Cubs

Ryne Sandberg 2b
Philadelphia Phillies 1981, Chicago Cubs 1982-1997

1 year/$2.3M (1996)
4 years/$28.4M (1993-97)

$3.5M signing bonus (paid 12/92)
93:$5.1M, 94:$5.1M, 95:$5.1M, 96:$5.1M, 97:$5.9M club option ($2.5M buyout)
up to $1.65M in award bonuses
$2M personal services contract (paid in first 4 years after retirement)
record $7.1M annual average at signing
signed 3/92

retired after 1994 season

3 years/$6.3M (1990-92)

92:$2.1M

signed 4/89

6 years/$3.97M (1984-89)

84:$0.25M, 85:$505M, 86:$0.665M, 87:$0.76M, 88:$0.84M, 89:$0.95M

signed 2/84

drafted 1978 (20-511)
agent: Jim Turner

Chicago White Sox

Joe Jackson of
Philadelphia A's 1908-09, Cleveland 1910-1915,
Chicago White Sox 1915-1920

3 years/$18,000 (1914-16), signed 2/1914

contract purchased from Cleveland 8/20/1915 for $31,500

3 years/$18,000 (1917-19), signed 8/16/1915
3 years/$27,000 (1920-22)

1920: $8,000

Cincinnati Reds

Pete Rose inf-of
Cincinnati 1963-1978 & 1984-86, Philadelpha 1979-1983, Montreal 1984

signed 1960 for $5,000, plus $7,000 signing bonus
1 year/$105,000 (1970)
1 year/$160,000 (1974)
1 year/$188,000 (1976), plus $188,000 1977 club option
2 years/$725,000 (1977-1978)
4 years/$3.2M (1979-82)

deal made Rose baseball's highest-paid player at signing

Cleveland Indians

Larry Doby of
Cleveland 1947-1955 & 1958,
Chicago White Sox 1956-57 & 1959, Detroit 1959

highest annual salary: $36,000

Bob Feller p
Cleveland 1936-1956

1 year/$10,000 (1937), signed 1/1937

Detroit Tigers

Ty Cobb of
Detroit 1905-1928

1 year/$1,500 (1906)
1 year/$2,200 (1907)
1 year/$5,000 (1908)

$4,000 salary, plus $800 bonus for hitting above .300

1 year/$10,000 (1911)
3 years/$27,000 (1910-12)
3 years/$36,000 (1915-17) (est.)
1 year/$32,500 (1921), as player-manager
1 year/$70,000 (1927), plus $35,000 in bonuses

$30,000 signing bonus
$40,000 1927 salary
$15,000 in Spring Training game receipts
$20,000 bonus if A's won pennant (paid despite Athletics' second-place finish in 1927)

Hank Greenberg of
Detroit 1930-1947

1 year/$115,000 (1947)

Houston Astros

Jeff Bagwell 1b
Houston 1991-2005

5 years/$85M (2002-06), plus 2007 club option

retired 12/06

$15M signing bonus (paid 02-06)

02:$8M, 03:$10M, 04:$13M, 05:$15M, 06:$17M, 07:$18M club option ($7M buyout)

$29M of total package deferred

02:$2M, 03:$3M, 04:$6M, 05:$8M, 06:$10M

Astros declined $18M 2007 option 10/06

Houston's insurance claim -- seeking to recoup $15.6M of $17M 2006 salary due to Bagwell's shoulder injury -- was denied 3/06. The Astros' subsequent lawsuit against Connecticut General Life was settled 12/06.

drafted 1989 (4-109)
agent: Barry Axelrod
ML service: 15.000

Craig Biggio 2b
Houston 1988 - 2007

1 year/$5.15M (2007)

re-signed 11/06

award bonuses: $50,000 each for MVP, WS MVP or Gold Glove, $25,000 for All-Star selection, LCS MVP or Silver Slugger

1 year/$4M (2006), re-signed 9/05
1 year/$3M (2004), plus $3M 2005 club option

04:$3M, 05:$3M club option ($1M buyout); signed extension 1/03

$1.5M/year in incentives

$0.25M each for 450, 500, 550, 600, 650 & 700 PAs
Houston exercised $3M 2005 option 10/04

3 years/$28M (2001-03)

$7M signing bonus

$1M of bonus due Jan. 15 each year 00-03
$3M of bonus due Jan. 15, 2004

01:$6M, 02:$7M, 03:$8M

4 years/$22.36M (1996-1999), plus $3M 2000 club option

re-signed as a free agent 12/95

drafted 1987 (1-22)
agent: Barry Axelrod
ML service: 18.099

Kansas City Royals

George Brett 3b
Kansas City Royals 1973-1993

1 year/$126,000 (1976)
5 years/$1.5M (1977-81)

1977:$200,000

5 years/$5M (1982-86) (est.)

1985:$1M

5 years (1987-1991), plus 1992-93 club options

signed extension May, 1984
1987-91:$1.5M annually, 1992:$1.5M club option, 1993:$1.5M club option
contract also paid Brett about $0.45M annually from real-estate deal
incentives: $100,000 for MVP, $50,000 each for World Series or ALCS MVP, $50,000 All Star, $100,000 Gold Glove, $60,000 for 550 plate appearances, $100,000 for 625 plate appearances
7 year personal services contract as VP after retirement, single room on road trips, $5M loan with 10 percent interest
as part of the extension, Brett agreed to give the Royals the bat he used in the July 24, 1983 "Pine Tar Game"

2 years/$7.7M (1991-92), plus 1993 club option

$0.5M signing bonus
1991:$3.1M, 1992:$3.1M, 1993:$3.1M ($1M buyout)
signed re-worked contract 5/21/1991

Minnesota Twins

Kirby Puckett of
Minnesota Twins 1984-1995

1 year (1984)
1 year/$0.13M (1985)
1 year/$0.255M (1986)
1 year/$0.465M (1987)
1 year/$1.09M (1988), avoided arbitration
1 year/$2M (1989)
3 years/$9M (1990-92), plus $0.75M in incentives

$1.5M signing bonus (paid over 3 years)
90:$2.2M, 91:$2.5M, 92:$2.8M
may earn $0.25M/year in incentives
first player to earn average of $3M annually

5 years/$30M (1993-97)

$6M signing bonus (paid over life of deal)
93:$4M, 94:$4M, 95:$5M, 96:$5M, 97:$6M
option to become free agent after 1995 season

agent: Ron Shapiro
drafted 1982 (1-3)

New York Mets
Tom Seaver p
New York Mets 1967-1977, 1983
Cincinnati Reds 1977-1982,
Chicago White Sox 1984-85, Boston Red Sox 1986

signed 1966 as amateur free agent, $50,000 bonus
1 year/$25,000 (1968)
1 year/$170,000 (1974)
1 year/$136,000 (1975)

pay cut of $34,000 from 1974 salary restored after Seaver won 1975 Cy Young Award

New York Yankees

Yogi Berra c-of
New York Yankees 1946-1965

1 year/$14,000 (1949)

Joe DiMaggio of
New York Yankees 1936-1951

1 year/$8,500 (1936) (highest-ever salary for a Yankee rookie)
1 year/$17,000 (1937)
1 year/$25,000 (1938)
1 year/$89,000 (1949)
1 year/$100,000 (1951)

Whitey Ford p
New York Yankees 1950-1967

1 year/$33,000 (1958)

Lou Gehrig 1b
New York Yankees 1923-1939

signed June, 1923, receiving:

$1,500 signing bonus
$2,000 salary for remainder of 1923 season

1 year/$25,000 (1931)
1 year/$31,000 (1935)
1 year/$39,000 (1938)

Reggie Jackson of
Oakland 1968-1975, Baltimore 1976, New York Yankees 1977-81
California Angels 1982-87

5 years/$2.9M (1977-81)

Mickey Mantle of
New York Yankees 1951-1968

1 year/$30,000 (1956)
1 year/$72,500 (1961)
1 year/$100,000 (1966)

Roger Maris of
Cleveland Indians 1957-58, Kansas City A's 1958-59
New York Yankees 1960-1966, St. Louis Cardinals 1967-68

1 year/$37,000 (1961)

Phil Rizzuto ss
New York Yankees 1941-1956

1 year/$5,000 (1941)
1 year/$37,700 (1949)
1 year/$40,000 (1950)
1 year/$32,000 (1955)
1 year/$30,000 (1956)

Babe Ruth p-of
Boston Red Sox 1914-19, New York Yankees 1920-1934,
Boston Braves 1935

signed 1914 for $600
annual salaries:

1914:$1,900, 1915:$3,500, 1916:$3,500, 1917:$5,000, 1918:$7,500, 1919:$10,000, 1920:$20,000, 1921:$30,000, 1922:$52,000, 1923:$52,000, 1924:$52,000, 1925:$52,000, 1926:$52,000, 1927:$70,000, 1928:$70,000, 1929:$70,000, 1930:$80,000, 1931:$80,000, 1932:$75,000, 1933:$52,000, 1934:$37,500, 1935:$25,000

Philadelphia Phillies

Mike Schmidt 3b
Philadelphia Phillies 1972-1989

6 years/more than $3M (1976-81)
6 years/$10M (1982-1987)
1 year/$2.25M (1988)
1 year/$0.5M (1989), plus roster bonuses & incentives

$500,000 each if on roster May 15 & August 15
additional incentives for games started

Pittsburgh Pirates

Roberto Clemente of
Pittsburgh 1955-1972

signed 10/9/1952 by Santurce Crabbers for $40/week, a $400 signing bonus and a new glove
signed by Brooklyn 2/1954 for $5,000 salary and a $10,000 signing bonus
1 year/$100,000 (1967)

Cot Tierney inf
Pittsburgh 1920-23, Philadelphia Phillies 1923,
Boston Braves 1924, Brooklyn 1925

1 year/$5,000 (1923)

St. Louis Cardinals

Stan Musial of-1b
St. Louis 1941-1963

1 year/$31,000 (1947)
1 year/$31,000 (1948)
1 year/$50,000 (1950)
1 year/$80,000 (1954)
1 year/$100,000 (1957)
1 year/$100,000 (1958)
1 year/$100,000 (1959)
1 year/$80,000 (1960)
1 year/$75,000 (1961)
1 year/$70,000 (1962)

Mark McGwire 1b
Oakland 1986-1997, St. Louis 1997-2001

2 years/$30M (2002-03)

02:$14M, 03:$16M
attendance bonus of $2/fan for each fan above 2.8 million
about 25% of $30 deferred at "reasonable" interest rate
2002-03 extension negotiated without an agent
retired 11/01, leaving extension for 2002-03 unsigned

3 years/$28.5M (1998-2000), plus $11M 2001 mutual option

$1M signing bonus
98:$8M, 99:$8.5M, 00:$9M, 01:$11M mutual option ($2M buyout)
attendance bonus of $1/fan for each fan above 2.8 million

bonus worth $586,493 in 2000

option exercised 11/00
signed extension 9/16/97

5 years/$28M (1993-97)

$7M signing bonus
93:$2.6M, 94:$1.6M, 95:$5.5M, 96:$5.6M, 97:$5.7M

1 year/$2.7M (1992)
1 year/$2.85M (1991)

re-signed 2/91, avoided arbitration ($3.3M-$2M)

1 year/$1.5M (1990)

re-signed 2/90, avoided arbitration ($1.72M-$1M)
may earn up to $170,000 in performance incentives

1 year/$0.455M (1989)

earned $55,500 in bonuses/incentives

1 year/$0.25M (1988)
1 year/$72,500 (1987)
1 year/$60,000 (1986)
drafted 1984 (1-10) by Oakland, $125,000 signing bonus
drafted 1981 (8-198) by Montreal (did not sign)
agent: Robert Cohen

Bruce Sutter rp
Chicago Cubs 1975-1980, St. Louis 1981-84, Atlanta 1985-89

6 years/$9.6M (1985-90) Atlanta

paid in 6 installments of $750,000, with balance to an annuity paying an estimated $44 million over 30 years
signed as a free agent 12/84

1981-84 St. Louis

reportedly signed $3.5M contract with St. Louis
acquired in trade 1/80

1 year/$700,000 (1980), won arbitration 2/80, Chicago

replaced tentative deal for 5 years/$2.375M (1980-84) rejected by Cubs owner Phil Wrigley

2 years/$300,000 (1978-79)

1978:$75,000

1 year/$50,000 (1977)
1 year/$19,000 (1976) (contract purchased 5/76)
signed as undrafted free agent by Cubs 9/1971 for bonus of $500, plus $500/month salary in minors
drafted 1970 (21st round) by Washington Senators (did not sign & instead attended Old Dominion University for 6 weeks)
agents: Bob Gilhooley & Jim Bronner

San Diego Padres
Tony Gwynn of
San Diego Padres 1982-2001

1 year/$2M (2001), plus incentives

additional $3.7M with 600 plate appearances

2 years/$10.6M (1999-2000), plus $6M 2001 club option

99:$4.3M, 00:$4.3M, 01:$6M club option ($2M buyout)
signed extension 4/97 (picked up 98 option at same time)

club declined 2001 option 11/00

2 years/$8.5M (1996-97), plus $4M 1998 club option

96:$4M, 97:$4M, 98:$4M ($0.5M buyout)
additional $0.5M/year for 500 plate appearances

club exercised $4M 1998 option 4/97

3 years/$12.25M (1993-95)

$1.15M signing bonus

93:$3.6M, 94:$3.25M, 95:$4.25M

signed extension 2/91

1 year/$2M (1991), plus $2M 1992 club option

91:$2M, 92:$2M club option ($0.2M buyout)
club must make decision on 1992 option by end of 1990 season

signed extension 12/88

5 years (1985-89), plus 1990 club option

six-figure signing bonus
total value of $4.5M if option is exercised
85:$0.5M, 88:$1M, 89:$1M, 90:club option
club added award bonuses 3/87
club added $0.5M 2/88
signed 11/84, replacing final year of previous deal, which was to pay $0.18M for 1985

84:$0.1M
agent: John Boggs (previously Lew Muller)
drafted 1981 (3-58)
(also drafted by San Diego Clippers in 10th round of 1981 NBA Draft)

San Francisco Giants
New York Giants

Willie Mays of
New York Giants 1951-1957, San Francisco Giants 1958-1972,
New York Mets 1972-73

1 year/$170,000 (1973)
1 year/$170,000 (1972)
1 year/$170,000 (1971)
1 year/$180,000 (1970)
1 year/$180,000 (1969)
1 year/$30,000 (1955)
1 year/$12,500 (1953)
1 year/$7,500 (1952)
1 year/$5,000 (1951) (Major League minimum)
signed 1950 for $4,000 signing bonus & $250/month

# posted @ 3:22 AM

Cot's Baseball Contracts

Notable historical salaries

MLB contracts,
team-by-team

Others

Transactions

Extras

Links

Reading List

Cot's Baseball Contracts

Notable historical salaries

MLB contracts, team-by-team

Others

Transactions

Extras

Links

Reading List

MLB contracts,
team-by-team