Average salary for 2006 season soars to nearly $2.7 million

NEW YORK -- Baseball salaries were booming even before the free-agent escalation of the last 5 1/2 weeks.

The average salary shot up 9 percent this year to $2,699,292, according to final figures released Wednesday by the Major League Baseball Players Association. The increase was the highest since a 12.8 percent rise in 2001 and makes it likely the $3 million mark will be broken next year or in 2008.

"The increase in the average salary is a reflection of the growth in overall industry revenues, and that while the sport still has significant economic challenges, the increased average is a reflection of the level of the talent on the field," said Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer.

Baseball salaries are soaring, with Alfonso Soriano ($136 million), Vernon Wells ($126 million) and Carlos Lee ($100 million) agreeing to nine-figure deals since the end of the season, boosting baseball's total of $100 million contracts to 11.

Still, no one has approached Alex Rodriguez's record $252 million, 10-year contract, agreed to after the 2000 season.

The New York Yankees had the highest average salary for the eighth consecutive season, but their average dropped to $6.95 million from a record $7.39 million the previous year.

Houston was second at $4.28 million, up from ninth place in 2005. Boston was third at $3.99 million, down from $4.17 million the previous season, followed by the New York Mets ($3.86 million), the Chicago White Sox ($3.81 million) and the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals ($3.78 million).

The AL champion Detroit Tigers were ninth at $3.06 million, up from 15th.

Florida's average of $594,722 was the lowest in the major leagues since 1999, when Kansas City was at $534,460, the Marlins at $561,111 and Montreal at $572,290.

Among the teams with the 10 highest averages, only San Francisco ($3.8 million) had a losing record (76-85). Among clubs with the 12 lowest averages, the only one with a winning record was Toronto (87-75).

Third basemen had the highest average among positions ($5.87 million), followed by first basemen ($5.78 million), designated hitters ($5.59 million), outfielders ($4.88 million), starting pitchers ($4.87 million), shortstops ($4.06 million), second basemen ($2.79 million) and relievers ($1.43 million).

---

Average Baseball Salary

Year Minimum Average

1967 $6,000 $19,000

1968 10,000 NA

1969 10,000 24,909

1970 12,000 29,303

1971 12,750 31,543

1972 13,500 34,092

1973 15,000 36,566

1974 15,000 40,839

1975 16,000 44,676

1976 19,000 51,501

1977 19,000 76,066

1978 21,000 99,876

1979 21,000 113,558

1980 30,000 143,756

1981 32,500 185,651

1982 33,500 241,497

1983 35,000 289,194

1984 40,000 329,408

1985 60,000 371,571

1986 60,000 412,520

1987 62,500 412,454

1988 62,500 438,729

1989 68,000 497,254

1990 100,000 597,537

1991 100,000 851,492

1992 109,000 1,028,667

1993 109,000 1,076,089

1994 109,000 1,168,263

1995 109,000 1,110,766

1996 122,667 1,119,981

1997 150,000 1,336,609

1998 170,000 1,398,831

1999 200,000 1,611,166

2000 200,000 1,895,630

2001 200,000 2,138,896

2002 200,000 2,295,649

2003 300,000 2,372,189

2004 300,000 2,313,535

2005 316,000 2,476,589

2006 327,000 2,699,292