Pirates enter season with lowest payroll

In the latest updated figures,the Pittsburgh Pirates entered the 2010 season with the lowest payroll in Major League baseball.

The Pirates payroll according to a report in USA Today is $34.9 million with an average salary of $1.3 million and median salary of $452,000. The publication said the figures are based on documents obtained from the MLB Players Association and club officials and filed with Major League Baseball’s Central Office.

Pitcher Paul Maholm is the Pirates highest paid player. But the $5 million he is slated to earn in 2010 is the lowest salary for the top paid player from each Major League team.

The next team closest to that is the San Diego Padres, whose top paid player, pitcher Chris Young, has a contract worth $6.4 million for this season.

The highest paid team to no one’s surprise is the Yankees, whose payroll is at $206 million with an average of $8.2 million and median of $5.5 million. The Tampa Rays payroll is $71.9 million with a median of $1.8 million and average salary of $2.6 million.

Local product Lastings Milledge is also on the low end of the Major League pay scale with a salary of $452,000. He is part of a Pirates outfield that started opening day with a combined payroll of around $1.3 million with Andrew McCutchen ($422,500) and Garrett Jones ($425,000).

Milledge’s salary in his inaugural major league season in 2007 with Mets was $383,000. He earned $452,000 last year with the Nationals so a big season by the Lakewood Ranch High graduate should move him into the seven figure bracket.