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Atlanta Braves Payroll Has Jumped for 2017… As Promised

By Alan Carpenter

Dec 31, 2015; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; A Clemson Tigers fan holds a 2 dollar bills prior to the 2015 CFP semifinal at the Orange Bowl against the Oklahoma Sooners at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Duyos-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2015; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; A Clemson Tigers fan holds a 2 dollar bills prior to the 2015 CFP semifinal at the Orange Bowl against the Oklahoma Sooners at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Duyos-USA TODAY Sports /
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One of the expectations for 2017 is that the Braves would be spending more when SunTrust Park came on line.  The spending might not be quite as  had been expected… but it is happening.

The rebuild has been painful… and indeed, there is considerable “finishing” work to be done to the structure for the Atlanta Braves.

No, I don’t mean SunTrust Park – although that’s also true – but in this case, I mean the team’s rebuild.  After yesterday’s announcement of Ender Inciarte‘s lengthy contract extension, we are starting to see what might be the shape of things to come.

Here’s what I mean:

  • Freddie Freeman:  under contract through 2021
  • Inciarte:  under contract through 2021, plus option for 2022
  • Dansby Swanson: under team control through 2021
  • Ozzie Albies: not yet ‘here’, but would be under team control through at least 2022 at this point.
  • Julio Teheran is signed through 2019, with a 2020 option
  • And then there’s that seemingly endless supply of pitchers coming, along with other not-so-incidental parts with names like Acuna, Riley, Maitan, … etc.

That’s a pretty good looking core.  And Matt Kemp is on the hook through 2019 as well.

But after 2 years of holding the dollars somewhat close, Coppolella hasn’t been shy about spending this off-season.

In short, the Braves are not only going to have their highest Opening Day payroll in history,they will obliterate the prior record.

COTS site figures had Atlanta at $1.06 million to open 2003, $1.02m in 2008, and $112m for 2014… the only times exceeding $100 million (though that mark has been reached in-season on many more occasions).

This year – so far – it’s looking like something in the neighborhood of $124 million.

It is noteworthy that there are numerous differences between COTS’ chart and mine.  Most notably, when the team pays a bonus, I count that as money spent immediately.  COTS’ charts are written with MLB AAV (Average Annual Value) figures in mind.  That’s important for the purposes of assessing luxury tax considerations.

One thing is clear, though, regardless of the “official” number:  the Braves won’t be having any concerns about that issue any time soon, so it makes sense just to compute the numbers based on actual cash spent in any given year.

The Spreadsheet

For space considerations, this is the smaller version.  The full version (with additional years) can be seen here.

Disclaimer:  it’s almost never perfect, but once corrections are made, they’ll be posted here. 😀

There are three sections to this:

  • 25-man active roster players, some of which are in as placeholders until we actually know which names will be official.
  • Players not expected to be on the 25-man list due to injury, or otherwise contracted separately (Tuffy Gosewisch in particular)
  • The adjustments section.  Here’s where ‘dead’ money comes into play (Hector Olivera) or checks arriving from other teams (Matt Kemp).
  • Bruce Sutter‘s Most Excellent Deal is shown here, but not included in the totals – we in the twitter-verse and blog-o-sphere have come to the conclusion that this is being handled separately.

The Future

Of perhaps more interest than just the 2017 number is the numbers for 2018 and 2019.  In other words, what resources will the Braves have available to them to fill holes once some of the ‘kids’ arrive and these short contracts start expiring?

Right now, cost commitments for 2018 look like $76 million.  For 2019 it’s $60 million.

More from Tomahawk Take

If today’s $124 million expenditure represents a “floor”, then that does leave quite a bit of space to work with.  One can imagine at least a pitcher being necessary… perhaps a catcher, too.  That could easily be accommodated.

Still Not Necessarily Done

Recognize that Coppy’s statements on Matt Wieters – while vague and a bit tepid – still tell us something about his ability to spend even now.

He has indicated in recent days that the team would have some interest in Wieters, though it would have to make sense in terms of dollars and years.

Still, that suggests strongly that if the team wanted to spend another 9-to-10 million dollars (probably the minimum that would be involved) this season to get the former Orioles Catcher, that it would be available.

$133 million payroll, anyone?  In 2016, that would get the Braves back in the midst of the pack… 15th overall.

Next: Here's Another Way to Spend Money

There was definitely a benefit to rebuilding.  And this time, I am referring to SunTrust Park.

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