They call it "America's pastime, and it's easy to see why: the sport has been around since the 1800's, and a couple centuries later, fans are still filling up the stands to watch their favorite teams hit that ball out of the park. So really, it's no wonder that the sport has turned into a multi-billion-dollar industry.
We've seen some pretty amazing things happen at baseball games, such as when this dad caught a ball worth $1,000…and then watched his daughter do something with it that shocked everyone. Many of us have fond memories of going to games with our families or friends, and even for those who aren't crazy about the sport itself, just the atmosphere can be enough to have a great day watching the old ball game. I still think this little stray dog who wandered onto a Milwaukee Brewers field last year takes the cake for having the best baseball experience ever, though!
You'd probably assume that all the players responsible for making baseball so popular make significantly more money than the average person, but you might not know just how high their salaries are. Check out the payrolls of all the teams in the MLB, and see how much money is dished out to the players on your favorite team!
Don't forget to SHARE these baseball facts with all the fans in your life!
30. The Miami Marlins ($68,479,000)
Known as the "Florida Marlins" until 2012, this team has won two World Series, first against the Cleveland Indians in 1997 and then against the New York Yankees in 2003. Their two highest paid players, Dan Haren and Martin Prado, each earn a salary of $11,000,000.
29. The Houston Astros ($70,910,100)
The Astros' name reflects their city's role as the center for the U.S. Space Program. Throughout their history, the team has had nine of their players make it into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. With a salary of $10,000,000 a year, their current player Scott Feldman currently makes at least $2 million more than the next-highest-paid player on their roster.
28. The Tampa Bay Rays ($76,061,707)
The Rays' first decade of existence was pretty mediocre— they didn't even have a winning season from 1998 until 2008, when they played (and lost) against the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series. Since then, they've made it to the postseason multiple times, though they haven't advanced past the first round in 2008. Their top player, Evan Longoria, makes $11,500,018 every year.
27. The Oakland A's ($86,086,667)
This team (which is interchangeably known as both the A's and the Athletics) has truly been all over the country, starting in Philadelphia, then moving to Kansas City, then finally Oakland, California in 1968. The team was the focus of the book and 2011 film, Moneyball, which starred Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill and showed how the team succeeded even in the face of financial hardship. Top player Scott Kazmir currently plays for $13 million a year.
26. The Cleveland Indians ($86,091,175)
The team retired the number 455 (which represents "the fans") after the Indians sold out 455 consecutive games between 1995 and 2001, setting a record until the Boston Red Sox passed it in 2008. Nick Swisher currently earns the highest salary on the team at $15,000,000.
25. The Pittsburgh Pirates ($88,278,500)
Although they were once a recognized force in the MLB and the team of famed baseball player Roberto Clemente, the Pirates set a pretty undesirable record when they had twenty consecutive losing seasons: the most in the history of any North American professional sports. The streak finally ended in 2013. Their highest-paid player, Francisco Liriano, currently makes $11,666,667 a year.
24. The Arizona Diamondbacks ($91,518,833)
Since the Diamondbacks' inception in 1998, the team has won multiple titles, which include five National League West titles, one National League Championship pennant, and one World Series in 2001. Player Trevor Cahill earns a salary of $12,200,000.
23. The Atlanta Braves ($97,578,565)
The Atlanta Braves were once the team of Hank Aaron, who is famous for beating Babe Ruth's home run record in 1974 when he hit his 715th. By the time he retired, he'd hit a whopping 755 home runs in his career. Currently, the team's highest paid player is Melvin Upton, who earns $15,050,000 a year.
22. The San Diego Padres ($100,675,896)
In 1996, the Padres became the first MLB team to have a day specifically for military appreciation every year. In the year 2000, the team began wearing camouflage uniforms to honor the troops on days such as Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day. Their stadium frequently hosts numerous members of the military, thanks in part to the multiple military bases in the San Diego area. Their star player, Matt Kemp, earns $21,250,000 per year.
21. The New York Mets ($101,409,244)
In the Mets' first season in 1962, they had an abysmal season record of 40-120. They continued to poorly for the next few years, never even finishing their season above second-to-last place. Then, the "Miracle Mets" came along in 1969 and pulled one of the biggest upsets in baseball history when they defeated the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series. These days, their top player, David Wright, has a salary of $19,347,171.
20. The Colorado Rockies ($102,006,130)
Unlike many MLB teams who have retired multiple numbers in honor of exceptional team members, the Rockies have only retired the number 17, which was worn by first baseman Todd Helton. Troy Tulowitzki is currently their player with the highest salary, getting paid $20 million every year.
19. The Milwaukee Brewers ($105,002,536)
1982 marked the only time in the team's history that the Milwaukee Brewers have appeared in the World Series, which they lost to St. Louis Cardinals. They didn't advance to the postseason again until 2008, and in 2011, they won their first division title in 29 years when they beat the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League Division Series. Aramis Ramirez currently plays for the team for a salary of $14,000,000.
18. Minnesota Twins ($108,945,000)
The Twins are one of the oldest teams in the MLB, starting out in 1901 in Washington DC as the Washington Senators. The team moved to Minnesota in 1960 and were renamed after the "twin cities" of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Joe Mauer currently makes nearly $10 million more than the second-highest-paid player on the team with a $23 million salary.
17. The Baltimore Orioles ($110,146,097)
The Orioles set a strange record on April 29, 2015 during the riots surrounding the death of Freddie Gray when they closed their stadium to the public. It marked the first time in MLB history that a game had zero spectators, with the Orioles and White Sox playing to an eerily quiet stadium. The game was televised and broke a 131-year-old record for lowest paid attendance to an MLB game. Adam Jones is currently the team's highest paid player, earning $13,307,069 every year.
16. The Kansas City Royals ($113,618,650)
This Kansas City team takes their name from the American Royal, which is an event that boasts a horse show, livestock show, rodeo, and barbecue championship that's been held in the city since 1899. Alex Gordon currently plays for the team under a salary of $13,750,000.
15. The Chicago White Sox ($115,238,678)
The Sox were one of the American League's eight original teams, getting their start in 1900 as the Chicago White Stockings. The 1906 team was nicknamed "the Hitless Wonders" due to their defense-oriented team that ended up winning that year's World Series. John Danks plays for the team and takes home $15,750,000 every year.
14. The Cincinnati Reds ($117,197,072)
In 1869, the Cincinnati Red Stockings became the first all-professional baseball club. It disbanded the next year, but the team ended up being the origin of what we know today as the Cincinnati Reds. The team has won a total of five World Series titles, and Joey Votto plays for them for $14 million a year.
13. The Chicago Cubs ($119,006,885)
The Cubs played their first game in 1870, and they've played in Chicago since their inception. They're the oldest professional sports team in the history of the United States, and they've also set a less-impressive record by having the longest championship drought of any major U.S. professional sports team— they haven't won the world series in 106 years. They currently pay Jon Lester $20 million a year to play for them.
12. The Seattle Mariners ($119,798,060)
Even though the Mariners have never even appeared in a World Series game, they've made their mark on professional baseball in other ways. They won 116 games in 2001, which tied the 1906 Chicago Cubs for the most wins in a single season and set a record for the highest number of wins ever in the American League. Felix Hernandez makes $24,857,143 a year to play for them.
11. The St. Louis Cardinals ($120,869,458)
The Cardinals are one of the most beloved and successful teams in baseball history. They've won 11 World Series championships and have had numerous players (including the famous Mark McGwire) break records in the sport. They currently pay Adam Wainwright $19,500,000 a year to play for the team.
10. The Toronto Blue Jays ($122,506,600)
Based in Toronto, Ontario, the Blue Jays are the first and only team outside of the United States to both appear in and win a World Series championship. Although they haven't appeared in the playoffs since 1993, they still remain a fighting force in their division. Jose Reyes currently earns a salary of $22 million playing for the team.
9. The Philadelphia Phillies ($135,827,500)
The Phillies have maintained the same name and city since their creation in 1883. Partially because they've been around for so long and partially because they've had a few rough spots in their history, they have lost the most games of any major professional sports team in the history of the United States. Both Ryan Howard and Cliff Lee make $25 million a year playing for Philadelphia, but the latter is currently on the DL for an elbow problem.
8. The Texas Rangers ($142,140,873)
In 2010, the Rangers became the first team from Texas to win a World Series game… even if it was only one against the San Francisco Giants . They made it to the World Series again in 2011, but lost to the St. Louis Cardinals. Their most expensive player, Prince Fielder, makes $24 million every year.
7. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim ($150,933,083)
The Los Angeles Angels (which technically means "the the angels angels," if you think about it) was founded by Gene Autry, a.k.a. The Singing Cowboy. They retired his "number," 26, in 1982. Their star player, Josh Hamilton, earns $25,400,000 a year playing for the team.
6. The Washington Nationals ($164,920,505)
Along with the Seattle Mariners, the Nationals are one of two teams in the entire MLB that have never played in a World Series. The team started out in Quebec as the Montreal Expos: the first major league team in Canada. Jayson Werth is their highest-paid player, with an annual salary of $21,571,429.
5. The San Francisco Giants ($172,672,111)
The Giants have played in the World Series twenty times, which is a record for the National League. Willie Mays played on the team for a time, and they retired the number 24 in his honor. Matt Cain currently plays for the Giants for $20,833,333 a year.
4. The Detroit Tigers ($173,813,750)
The Tigers are the oldest one-name, one-city team in the American League. They also have numerous championships to their name, including four World Series, 11 American League pennants, and four AL Central division championships. Justin Verlander currently earns $28 million annually under the Tigers.
3. The Boston Red Sox ($187,407,202)
Even though Fenway Park is pretty small in comparison to other baseball fields, the Red Sox still have consistently high attendance at their games both at home and on the road. For nearly ten years straight between 2003 and 2013, the team set a record for major professional sports by selling out 820 home games. Hanley Ramirez has the highest salary on the team at $19,750,000.
2. The New York Yankees ($219,282,196)
If you're looking for famous baseball players, you'll find them in the history of the Yankees. Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, and Yogi Berra have all played for the Yanks, which have put a whopping 44 players into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. CC Sabathia currently boasts the highest salary on the team at $24,285,714.
1. The Los Angeles Dodgers ($272,789,040)
Legendary player Jackie Robinson played for the Dodgers and broke the color barrier in baseball. He is the first and only MLB player to have his number (42) retired throughout the entire MLB. Clayton Kershaw is currently the highest paid player for the Dodgers, with a salary of $31 million.
Thumbnail credit: Keith Allison/ Wikimedia Commons
Make sure you SHARE this post with all the baseball fans in your life!
