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Dodgers 2015 opening day payroll tops $266 million, down from 2014

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Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports

LOS ANGELES -- Opening day is here, which means another snapshot at the beginning of the season at the Dodgers payroll. The club's payroll in 2015, tracking money paid this season, is just over $276 million, a 1.4-percent decrease from 2014.

The Dodgers do have roughly $45 million tied up in dead money, about $20 million more than last season.

We have seen in recent days the Associated Press and USA Today release their annual payroll figures, and the Dodgers top those lists as well. Each has their own accounting method.

I have been tracking the Dodgers payroll for over six years, and for my purposes I use only the money paid out in that season. For instance, Zack Greinke is paid a $23 million base salary this season, so he counts as $23 million for my purposes. USA Today spreads Greinke's $12 million signing bonus (which was paid in 2013 and 2014) evenly over the guaranteed years of the contract; because Greinke can opt out after 2015, his signing bonus is spread over three years rather than six years, so $4 million gets added to his base salary, giving Greinke a USA Today 2015 salary of $27 million.

Similarly, Brandon McCarthy gets paid an $11 million base salary, plus his $6 million signing bonus as part of his four-year, $48 million contract. For my purposes, his 2015 is $17 million, while USA Today has McCarthy at $12.5 million (base salary plus $1.5 million of his signing bonus).

Here is the Dodgers' opening day payroll

Dodgers Payroll
Active Roster
Pos Player 2015 Salary Comments
C Yasmani Grandal $693,000
1B Adrian Gonzalez $21,000,000
2B Howie Kendrick $9,500,000
3B Juan Uribe $6,500,000
SS Jimmy Rollins $10,000,000
LF Carl Crawford $20,500,000
CF Joc Pederson $510,000
RF Yasiel Puig $4,500,000
1B/OF Scott Van Slyke $522,500
IF Justin Turner $2,500,000
C A.J. Ellis $4,250,000
OF Andre Ethier $18,000,000
IF/OF Alex Guerrero $4,000,000
IF Darwin Barney $2,525,000
SP Clayton Kershaw $30,000,000
SP Zack Greinke $23,000,000
SP Brandon McCarthy $17,000,000
SP Brett Anderson $10,000,000
RHP Chris Hatcher $522,500
RHP Joel Peralta $2,500,000
LHP J.P. Howell $4,000,000
LHP Paco Rodriguez $522,500
RHP Yimi Garcia $510,000
RHP Pedro Baez $512,500
RHP Juan Nicasio $2,300,000
Total Active Roster $195,868,000 (2014 was $172,541,600; up 13.5%)
Disabled List
Pos Player 2015 Salary Comments
RHP Brandon League $9,500,000
CL Kenley Jansen $7,425,000
SP Hyun-Jin Ryu $4,500,000
SP
Brandon Beachy $2,750,000
RHP
Chris Withrow $522,500
Total Disabled List
$24,697,500 (2014 was $71,825,000; down 65.6%)
Total Active Roster + DL
$220,565,500 (2014 was $244,366,600; down 9.7%)
Dead Money / Other
Player 2015 Salary Comments
SS
Erisbel Arruebarrena $3,000,000 off 40-man roster
OF
Chris Heisey $2,160,000 arb salary; in minors
SP
Joe Wieland $590,000 arb salary; in minors

Matt Kemp $18,000,000 traded to San Diego
Brian Wilson $10,000,000 released in December
Dan Haren $10,000,000 traded to Miami
Chad Billingsley $3,000,000 2015 option buyout
Dee Gordon $2,500,000 traded to Miami
Dustin McGowan $124,795 released in spring; 45 days term. pay
Cash from Boston ($3,900,000) Punto Trade
Total Dead Money
$45,474,795 (2014 was $25,475,000; up 78.5%)
Total 2015 Dodgers Payroll
$266,040,295 (2014 was $269,841,600; down 1.4%)