Salary Scale

© Tangotiger

Note: For the 2008 pre-season. (Other Seasons.)

Assuming 4.4 million of free agent dollars per marginal win, player in a decline phase (at 0.5 wins per year), and inflation rate of 10%, here is how a player's perceived talent level, number of contract years, and total contract payments correspond.

If someone signs a 6/120 deal, then go to column numbered "6", and look for the closest dollar figure to "$120" you can find. In this case, we see "$122.6", which corresponds to row "5.0", meaning 5 wins above replacement (3 wins above average, for a full-time player). This player is being paid with an evaluation of 5.0 wins above replacement, with a 0.5 wins per year decline, and baseball payrolls increasing at 10% every year.

Note: a full-time league-average player would be worth +2.0 wins above replacement. Therefore, a league-average player should get an 8.8 million$, 1-yr contract, or 24 million$, 4-yr contract.

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  Years
WAR 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0.5 $2.2                  
1.0 $4.4 $6.8                
1.5 $6.6 $11.4 $14.1              
2.0 $8.8 $16.1 $21.4 $24.3            
2.5 $11.0 $20.7 $28.7 $34.5 $37.7          
3.0 $13.2 $25.3 $35.9 $44.7 $51.2 $54.7        
3.5 $15.4 $29.9 $43.2 $54.9 $64.6 $71.7 $75.6      
4.0 $17.6 $34.5 $50.5 $65.2 $78.0 $88.7 $96.5 $100.7    
4.5 $19.8 $39.2 $57.8 $75.4 $91.5 $105.6 $117.3 $125.9 $130.6  
5.0 $22.0 $43.8 $65.1 $85.6 $104.9 $122.6 $138.2 $151.1 $160.5 $165.7
5.5 $24.2 $48.4 $72.4 $95.8 $118.3 $139.6 $159.1 $176.2 $190.4 $200.7
6.0 $26.4 $53.0 $79.6 $106.0 $131.8 $156.6 $179.9 $201.4 $220.2 $235.8
6.5 $28.6 $57.6 $86.9 $116.2 $145.2 $173.5 $200.8 $226.5 $250.1 $270.9
7.0 $30.8 $62.3 $94.2 $126.4 $158.6 $190.5 $221.7 $251.7 $280.0 $305.9