While writing last night’s First Pitch, I took a moment to see what Francisco Liriano’s restructured deal actually paid him. Originally, Liriano signed a two-year, $12.75 M deal. After breaking his arm, the deal was restructured as a one year, $1 M deal with a lot of performance bonuses. Last night I was reminded that Liriano has reached a lot of those bonuses this season.
Last year we learned the details of Liriano’s contract, most notably that he would make $6 M this year, with the potential for an extra $500,000 based on innings pitched, and an extra $2 M based on games started. Liriano won’t get enough innings to earn the extra $500,000, but he has already earned the full $2 M for games started. His contract paid him $400,000 each for 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 starts. Currently, Liriano has 27 starts. That makes his total salary for the year $8 M. It also means that he ended up making $11.125 M over two years.
The 2014 payroll projection has been updated with the figure, and now has the Pirates at just under $81.4 M for the year. That doesn’t include other performance bonuses, although those shouldn’t add much. The biggest known potential bonus would be Andrew McCutchen’s $125,000 bonus if he wins the MVP award.
Tim started Pirates Prospects in 2009 from his home in Virginia, which was 40 minutes from where Pedro Alvarez made his pro debut in Lynchburg. That year, the Lynchburg Hillcats won the Carolina League championship, and Pirates Prospects was born from Tim's reporting along the way. The site has grown over the years to include many more writers, and Tim has gone on to become a credentialed MLB reporter, producing Pirates Prospects each year, and will publish his 11th Prospect Guide this offseason. He has also served as the Pittsburgh Pirates correspondent for Baseball America since 2019. Behind the scenes, Tim is an avid music lover, and most of the money he gets paid to run this site goes to vinyl records.
He could have seven or eight more starts…
I am hoping Hurdle is looking at the numbers when determining his WC game pitcher. Liriano should not be the choice. Worley or Cole should. Too many RH batters and Frankie’s numbers (or Volquez’s) v. Giants nowhere near as good as Vanimal or Cole.