Earlier we took a quick look at payroll, in which we found that 242 players will make more than the Astros highest-paid player. So what will payroll look like in 2013?
Guaranteed Contracts
We'll start with the players whose contracts are set.
Bud Norris: $3m
Carlos Pena: $2.9m
Jed Lowrie: $2.4m
Jose Veras: $1.85m
Wesley Wright: $1.025m
Philip Humber: $800,000
Total: $11,975,000
That's six players. Obviously, there are 19 other spots to fill. Those 19 players are all going to be for right around league minimum, which in 2012 was $480,000. Some quick multiplication shows that 19 players at league minimum is $9.12m. Let's say the Astros give a player here and there a little over League Minimum, and increase that to $9.25m. This would bring total possible payroll to $21,095,000.
We don't know exactly how much everyone will make in 2013 (yet), but it's pretty much set that the Astros payroll will be under $22m.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
