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Actual Contracts Versus SPRO Projections

So how do the actual contracts given out to players this off season compare to our SPRO Salary Projections, both on the average and by maximum players per position. Overall, the average salary of players on the rosters listed, 752 players overall, in the USA Today Salary Database on April 8, 2013 was $3,980,093. SPRO projections were $3,968,545. That's a deviation of only 3 tenth of one percent.

And how does it compare to the highest players paid per position.

High Salary Actual	Who	Position	High Salary SPRO	Who
$23,000,000	Joe Mauer	C	$18,524,000	Joe Mauer
$23,125,000	Mark Teixeira	1B	$22,000,000	Prince Fielder
$15,285,714	Chase Utley	2B	$21,982,000	Robinson Cano
$29,000,000	Alex Rodriguez	3B	$22,000,000	Miguel Cabrera
$16,729,000	Derek Jeter	SS	$14,019,000	Derek Jeter
$21,000,000	Vernon Wells	OF	$20,670,000	Matt Holliday
$25,000,000	Cliff Lee	P	$22,000,000	Matt Cain Felix Hernandez Justin Verlander Jered Weaver

2013 Major League Baseball Rule 4 - 1st Year Player Draft
First Round

1    HOU    RHP Mark Appel
2    CHC    3B Kris Bryant
3    COL    RHP Jonathan Gray
4    MIN    RHP Kohl Stewart
5    CLE    OF Clint Frazier
6    MIA    3B Colin Moran
7    BOS    LHP Trey Ball
8    KC    SS Hunter Dozier
9    PIT    OF Austin Meadows
10    TOR    RHP Phillip Bickford
11    NYM    1B Dominic Smith
12    SEA    3B D.J. Peterson
13    SD    OF Hunter Renfroe
14    PIT    C Reese McGuire
15    ARI    RHP Braden Shipley
16    PHI    SS J.P. Crawford
17    CWS    SS Tim Anderson

18    LAD    RHP Chris Anderson
19    STL    LHP Marco Gonzales
20    DET    RHP Jonathon Crawford
21    TB    C Nick Ciuffo
22    BAL    RHP Hunter Harvey
23    TEX    RHP Alex Gonzalez
24    OAK    CF Billy McKinney
25    SF    SS Christian Arroyo
26    NYY    3B Eric Jagielo
27    CIN    CF Phillip Ervin
28    STL    LHP Rob Kaminsky
29    TB    RHP Ryne Stanek
30    TEX    SS Travis Demeritte
31    ATL    RHP Jason Hursh
32    NYY    CF Aaron Judge
33    NYY    LHP Ian Clarkin

The Hot Stove League
Free Agents, Options, and Player Signings

Find out what's going on in contract negotiations, what they've been paid, what they should have with the Stat Geek Baseball's SPRO Salary Projection system, and more.

Week of May 10, 2013

Players Re-Sign with Club
Anthony Rizzo signs 7 year $41m contract, with $3m incentives, 2 club option years in addition at $14.5m each with $2m buyouts with Cubs.
SPRO Analysis - Chicago overpays for Rizzo. It's just too early in the game to do this. I know it's a calculated gamble that the player, who in his first couple seasons, looks like a stellar cornerstone for the franchise and you've locked him up for nine years. But, there's too many instances of players who don't progress in this game. Should have waited at least one more season. SPRO can't get past letting him play out this season at $524,000 and going from there.

Week of April 22, 2013

Players Re-Sign with Club
Jose Valverde signs 1 year $2m contract, with $3m incentives with Tigers.
SPRO Analysis - Detroit gets bargain in Valverde. The last free agent to sign and he's back with the Tigers. Yes, last year didn't end well for Valverde, being replaced in the playoffs as closer, but Jose has had a good run in Detroit. This incentive laden deal is good for the club. SPRO, prorated for the five months left in the season, is $6,185,000.

For more on this year's Hot Stove transactions and Salary Projection analysis, check out the Hot Stove Page for former Week's Transactions.

Hot Stove - November 2012
Hot Stove - December 2012
Hot Stove - January 2013
Hot Stove - February 2013

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