Typically, following the trade deadline, I will look at the updated payroll, and maybe give a look ahead to the future payroll. I can’t think of a year where this has been more appropriate than this year.
A big part of the Francisco Liriano trade yesterday was about shedding the remaining $18 M of his salary, and putting that to better use in the future. When asked on Monday about whether they would spend the money, and when they would finally spend, Neal Huntington discussed how their payroll has gone up to new franchise records each year.
“The payroll from what was a franchise high I think my first or second year here, to a franchise high in 2012, a franchise high in 2013, a franchise high in 2014, a franchise high in 2015, and a franchise high in 2016,” Huntington said.