Note: For the 2008 pre-season. (Other Seasons.)
Assuming 4.4 million of free agent dollars per marginal win, player in a decline phase (at 0.5 wins per year), and inflation rate of 10%, here is how a player's perceived talent level, number of contract years, and total contract payments correspond.
If someone signs a 6/120 deal, then go to column numbered "6", and look for the closest dollar figure to "$120" you can find. In this case, we see "$122.6", which corresponds to row "5.0", meaning 5 wins above replacement (3 wins above average, for a full-time player). This player is being paid with an evaluation of 5.0 wins above replacement, with a 0.5 wins per year decline, and baseball payrolls increasing at 10% every year.
Note: a full-time league-average player would be worth +2.0 wins above replacement. Therefore, a league-average player should get an 8.8 million$, 1-yr contract, or 24 million$, 4-yr contract.
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| Years | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WAR | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 0.5 | $2.2 | |||||||||
| 1.0 | $4.4 | $6.8 | ||||||||
| 1.5 | $6.6 | $11.4 | $14.1 | |||||||
| 2.0 | $8.8 | $16.1 | $21.4 | $24.3 | ||||||
| 2.5 | $11.0 | $20.7 | $28.7 | $34.5 | $37.7 | |||||
| 3.0 | $13.2 | $25.3 | $35.9 | $44.7 | $51.2 | $54.7 | ||||
| 3.5 | $15.4 | $29.9 | $43.2 | $54.9 | $64.6 | $71.7 | $75.6 | |||
| 4.0 | $17.6 | $34.5 | $50.5 | $65.2 | $78.0 | $88.7 | $96.5 | $100.7 | ||
| 4.5 | $19.8 | $39.2 | $57.8 | $75.4 | $91.5 | $105.6 | $117.3 | $125.9 | $130.6 | |
| 5.0 | $22.0 | $43.8 | $65.1 | $85.6 | $104.9 | $122.6 | $138.2 | $151.1 | $160.5 | $165.7 |
| 5.5 | $24.2 | $48.4 | $72.4 | $95.8 | $118.3 | $139.6 | $159.1 | $176.2 | $190.4 | $200.7 |
| 6.0 | $26.4 | $53.0 | $79.6 | $106.0 | $131.8 | $156.6 | $179.9 | $201.4 | $220.2 | $235.8 |
| 6.5 | $28.6 | $57.6 | $86.9 | $116.2 | $145.2 | $173.5 | $200.8 | $226.5 | $250.1 | $270.9 |
| 7.0 | $30.8 | $62.3 | $94.2 | $126.4 | $158.6 | $190.5 | $221.7 | $251.7 | $280.0 | $305.9 |