Filling In The Cracks

$53.4 million for 24 spots. Assuming a budget of $60 million, that means about $6.5 million left. Some of that would need to be kept in reserve for injuries and other players on the 40-man. Unless we're really backloading a contract, or unless the budget's a few million higher, the 'aces' aren't coming here.

Allegedly the team has offers out to five pitchers: Kevin Millwood, Jarrod Washburn, Brett Tomko, Shawn Estes, and Pedro Astacio. I can't see how we can compete financially for Millwood or Washburn. The other three are in our price range, but don't represent much of an improvement over what we have already.


STARTING PITCHERS (5)
Livan Hernandez -- $8 MM
John Patterson -- $1.5 MM?? (Aribitration Eligible as a Super-2)
Brian Lawrence -- $3.2 MM (Salary actually higher, but SD is paying the rest)
Ryan Drese -- $1.75 MM
TBD
TOTAL: $14.45 MM + TBD pitcher

RELIEVERS (6)
Chad Cordero -- $350K
Luis Ayala -- $1MM?? (Arbitration Eligible)
Gary Majewski -- $350K
Jon Rauch -- $350K
Joey Eischen -- $1.3 MM
Tony Armas -- $1 MM (? Deal not finalized)
TOTAL: $4.35 MM

CATCHERS (2)
Brian Schneider -- $3 MM (Arbitration Eligible, Made $2 MM)
Backup -- $500K (Long list of minor leaguers)
TOTAL: $3.5 MM

INFIELD STARTERS (4)
Nick Johnson -- $2.5 MM (Arbitration Eligible, Made $1.45 MM)
Jose Vidro -- $7 MM
Cristian Guzman -- $4.2 MM
Ryan Zimmerman -- $350K
TOTAL: $14.05 MM

OUTFIELD STARTERS (3)
Jose Guillen -- $4 MM
Alfonso Soriano -- $9.5 MM (Arbitration Eligible, made $7.5MM)
Ryan Church -- $350K
TOTAL: $13.85 MM

BACKUPS (5)
Damian Jackson -- $700 K
Marlon Anderson -- $900 K
Marlon Byrd -- $400 K
Robert Fick -- $850 K
Minor Leaguer (Watson? Harris?) -- $350 K
TOTAL: $3.2 MM