The Brewers opened the season with a payroll of $80.18 million for 2009, but have since added expenses in several ways. First of all, that figure doesn't include any of their mid-season pickups (Frank Catalanotto, Felipe Lopez, Jody Gerut, Claudio Vargas and others), but it also doesn't include any of the performance or award-based incentives Brewers will pick up this season. All told, the Brewers are already on the hook for at least $200,000, can probably expect to pay out $2.675 million more, and could possibly end up shelling out as much as $10.025 million to the following players:
(All information on incentives was gathered from Cot's Contracts. While Cot's is easily the most thorough publicly available resource on contracts, the information is unofficial and may not be complete.)
Mike Cameron:
Already obtained: None
Likely to obtain: $750,000. Cameron has already made 414 plate appearances in 2009, and needs to reach 425 to trigger his first incentive, valued at $175,000. He's on pace to make 633 plate appearances, which would earn him another $175k for reaching 475, and $200k each for reaching 525 and 575.
Others: None
Braden Looper:
Already obtained: Unknown
Likely to obtain: $750,000. Looper's contract includes $750,000 in incentives, the first of which was triggered when he made his 19th start, and the last of which occurs at his 30th start. Looper has already made 22 starts, so he needs to make eight more to get the full $750k.
Others: Looper's contract includes a mutual option for 2010 with a $750k buyout if the Brewers decline. The buyout goes to $1 million if Looper makes 30 starts or pitches 180 innings in 2009 (on pace for 33 starts and 191 innings), and the cost of the option increases from $6 million to $6.5 if Looper makes 30 starts.
Trevor Hoffman:
Already obtained: $50,000. This was a bonus for being selected to the All Star Game.
Likely to obtain: $550,000. Hoffman is on pace to finish 43 games in 2009, and has incentives in his contract paying him $150k for finishing 35 games, and $200k each for finishing 38 and 41.
Others: Hoffman can also earn $200k for finishing 45 and 48 games, and $250k for finishing 50 and 52 games. His contract also includes incentives for appearing among the frontrunners for the MVP, Cy Young and Rolaids Relief awards.
Prince Fielder:
Already obtained: $25,000. Prince's All Star incentive paid off this season.
Likely to obtain: $500,000. Fielder needs just 35 more plate appearances to reach 500 and earn an additional $500k.
Others: None
Todd Coffey:
Already obtained: $75,000. Coffey earned $25,000 each for appearing in his 20th, 30th and 40th game.
Likely to obtain: $125,000. Coffee has 49 appearances now and is on pace to make 75, which would earn him another $25k for his 50th game, and $50k each for his 60th and 70th.
Others: None
Ryan Braun:
Already obtained: $50,000. All Star incentive.
Likely to obtain: None
Others: Braun is due at least $41.5 million over the remaining six seasons of his contract, but could receive an additional $6 million over the next four seasons if he would have qualified as a Super 2 player following this season. Follow this link for an explanation of how that is calculated.
Jeff Suppan:
Already obtained: None
Likely to obtain: None
Others: Suppan has a bunch of award-based incentives he's unlikely to approach this season, including incentives for appearing in the All Star Game, Cy Young voting, MVP voting or winning the World Series MVP. If he had an MVP/Cy Young caliber season, he could feasibly pocket well over $1 million extra. He's also due $300,000 if traded.