Annual Salary

The following chart reveals the evolution of the highest paid player in Major League Baseball.

 YEAR - $ SALARY/YR - PLAYER            - TEAM/ORGANIZATION
 1930       $80,000 - Babe Ruth 
 1985 -  $2,130,300 - Mike Schmidt      - Philadelphia Phillies
 1986 -  $2,800,000 - George Foster
 1990 -  $3,200,000 - Robin Yount
 1991 -  $3,800,000 - Darryl Strawberry - 
 1992 -  $6,100,000 - Bobby Bonilla
 1993 -  $6,200,000 - Bobby Bonilla
 1994 -  $6,300,000 - Bobby Bonilla
 1995 -  $9,237,500 - Cecil Fielder
 1997 - $10,000,000 - Albert Belle 
 1998 - $14,936,667 - Gary Sheffield
 2000 - $15,714,286 - Kevin Brown
 2001 - $22,000,000 - Alex Rodriguez

 - - - - - - - - - - - - - unconfirmed - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

 YEAR - $ SALARY/YR - PLAYER            - TEAM/ORGANIZATION
 1927       $70,000 - Babe Ruth 
 1949      $100,000 - Ted Williams 
 1961 -     $75,000 - Mickey Mantle
 1966 -    $130,000 - Willie Mays 
 1972      $200,000 - Hank Aaron 
 1979 -             - Pete Rose 
 1980 -  $1,000,000 - Nolan Ryan        - Houston Astros - 1st player to pass $1 million a year mark
 1981 -  $2,000,000 - Dave Winfield 

Total earnings

The following chart reveals the Major League Baseball players that have earned the most total salary in their career (through the end of 2003).

 $109,845,000 - Greg Maddux 
 $104,463,215 - Barry Bonds
 $ 99,461,930 - Kevin Brown 
 $ 98,001,000 - Roger Clemens
 $ 97,376,294 - Albert Belle  (retired)
 $ 95,159,654 - Ken Griffey, Jr.
 $ 94,295,000 - Randy Johnson 
 $ 93,010,002 - Gary Sheffield 
 $ 90,568,000 - Sammy Sosa
 $ 85,030,097 - Larry Walker
 $ 83,765,000 - Barry Larkin
 $ 83,238,334 - Mo Vaughn
 $ 82,437,500 - Juan Gonzalez
 $ 82,297,996 - Rafael Palmeiro
 $ 82,199,437 - Tom Glavine
 $ 78,860,000 - Matt Williams
 $ 78,283,144 - Mike Piazza
 $ 78,027,000 - Alex Rodriguez
 $ 77,194,000 - Pedro Martinez
 $ 76,700,000 - Cal Ripken, Jr. (no data available for 1981-1984)
 $ 76,885,715 - Bernie Williams
 $ 75,603,815 - Roberto Alomar
 $ 74,688,354 - Mark McGwire (retired)
 $ 72,014,000 - Frank (Edward) Thomas
 $ 68,342,501 - David Cone (retired)
 $ 66,599,000 - Carlos Delgado
 $ 64,320,000 - Raul Mondesi 
 $ 63,532,727 - Manny Ramirez