During a radio interview last night Rays owner Stuart Sternberg revealed that the team’s payroll will likely decrease significantly after this season:
Adding about $10 million in the form of Rafael Soriano and Kelly Shoppach this offseason puts the Rays’ current payroll at around $72 million after spending approximately $70 million last year. Asked what the Rays’ payroll will look like come 2011, Sternberg said: “It won’t be 70 and it won’t be 60.” Presumably that means somewhere in the $50 million range, which would basically be a return to the 2008 payroll of $51 million. However, several of the team’s key players have gotten more expensive since then and in particular Carl Crawford will be a free agent after making $10 million this season. If the Rays are indeed dropping from $70 million to $50 million or so, re-signing Crawford (or fellow impending free agents Soriano and Carlos Pena) figures to be very difficult.
