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At $22 million, here is Santana’s bi-weekly check

Posted on February 1st, 2008 – 3:41 PM
By Michael Rand

johan_1.jpgMany thanks to Sassbottom for not only alerting us to this website, but also for making a jpg. out of the information. Heck, he pretty much wrote the post for us. One time only: SassBall. In any event, it shows that Johan Santana, should he make the $22 million a year being reported (averaged out here for our purposes) would, as a NY resident filing single (it’s almost the same if he files married … only a difference of a few hundred dollars a week) get a bi-weekly check of a little more than $436,000. There’s plenty about tax law that we don’t know — as opposed to, say, grunge bands or 1980s TV commercial jingles — so there could be some loopholes along the way. But yeah, that’s a pretty nice check every two weeks, no?

Update: Vote for the COW. We’ll dole it out when we post weekend links tomorrow.

19 Responses to "At $22 million, here is Santana’s bi-weekly check"

Stu says:

February 1st, 2008 at 3:59 pm

There’s plenty about tax law that we don’t know — as opposed to, say, grunge bands

But you do know all the lyrics to Mudhoney’s “The Earned Income Tax Credit (Gonna Tap You Out)”, so there is that.

Paul Peter Paulos says:

February 1st, 2008 at 4:00 pm

Truman ? I don’t whoever the President was when Babe Ruth was in his prime (what a physique) came by Spring Training once. (supposedly this is true existing on a newsreel). The Pres asked the Babe how he, the Pres, could make 100 grand while the Ruth made twice that. The Babe always clear eyed after a night of Everclear replied “Because I had a better year”…Johan had a better year too.

Jon says:

February 1st, 2008 at 4:16 pm

“It’s payday, man. What do you want to do?”

“I dunno. How about we get 22 pizzas and 436,000 double cheeseburgers?”

“It’s like you read my freakin’ mind, man.”

Sassbottom says:

February 1st, 2008 at 4:29 pm

I’m happy to announce that a single bi-weekly paycheck from Mr. Santana could pay the mortgage on a nice four-bedroom, 2.5-bath home in the quaint suburb of Mill Creek, WA, about 20 miles north of Seattle. And the new Toyota parked out front.

Really puts things in persepective.

superrookie says:

February 1st, 2008 at 4:37 pm

don’t forget to take out the taxes for the states in which Santana played his away games. For instance, some states charge an arm and a leg for a Sports Entertainment tax on a gameday salary.

Is there info on that anywhere?

Paul Peter Paulos says:

February 1st, 2008 at 4:38 pm

and a teacher in most inner city areas starts at about 30 thou…more perspective

Sassbottom says:

February 1st, 2008 at 4:45 pm

Supa-Rook: Wouldn’t it sort of equal out? Half of his games are at home, half on the road … he won’t be taxed at (very high) NY rates for road games.

Anyway — say what you will about Johan Santana and skyrocketing salaries. None of this changes the fact that Tom Brady is the most handsome athlete of his day.

PPP: Were you educated in the inner city? If so, my initial thought is that your teachers were wildly overpaid.

Diddy says:

February 1st, 2008 at 4:45 pm

Based on state and city taxes, Johan would have the same take-home pay with a MN based salary of $20,618,150.00 annually.

C’Mon, Bill Smith should have been using this in his negotiating tactics! Did Johan even consider the cost of living adjustments…

Sassbottom says:

February 1st, 2008 at 4:46 pm

Diddy makes a helluva point.

And also I’m drunk.

BC Beneke says:

February 1st, 2008 at 4:50 pm

yes, let’s talk about Grunge bands, I’d rather deal with that than the anger I’m feeling right now with the whole Santana situation and the botch job that it appears that Bill Smith and company at Puckett Place have done.

Looking at the 2008 roster it kind of looks like a phrase that rhymes with Puckett place.

Sassbottom says:

February 1st, 2008 at 4:51 pm

Actually, I’m not drunk. Haven’t been for almost eight months. Yay, sobriety.

It’s important to keep in mind that Santana’s off-the-field earning potential as a New York Met is waaay higher than what he can score in Minnesota. He goes from a regional celebrity to a national (international?) sensation.

“HE WILL CHANGE LIVES,” as Earl Woods might have said.

Stu says:

February 1st, 2008 at 4:57 pm

yes, let’s talk about Grunge bands

“1040 EZ (Ain’t That Easy),” Screaming Trees

“Is Heroin A Business Expense?” Alice In Chains

“Itemized Deductions Make Me Sick,” Soundgarden

“Your Dad’s W-2 Form (In My Pants),” TAD

“Elderlywomandoesn’tpayintoficainasmalltown,” Pearl Jam

Dave MN says:

February 1st, 2008 at 5:19 pm

Stu: What would the Razor and Tie created version of that album be called? Buzz Tax?

That comment just won you my COW vote.

Paul Peter Paulos says:

February 1st, 2008 at 5:57 pm

Sass, what’s your attitude about ? Did your parents whack your pee pee or something ?

Stu says:

February 1st, 2008 at 6:05 pm

I vote for S.U. Perrookie, because he’s not a doper.

ramon says:

February 1st, 2008 at 6:39 pm

Diddy’s point actually illustrates the problem here. Lower cost of living doesn’t make up for the higher cost of ego. If Santana did go to free agency, and KC offered five mil more a year than either NY or LA team or Boston, do you think Santana would’ve gone to KC? Like Sassbottom alluded to, all the world may be a stage, but you ain’t made it in showbiz until you made it on Broadway.

We’re a big farm system for big market teams because, essentially, we are a big farm. And we like it this way: Good folk, low cost of living, relative peace and quiet, the ability to wear polo shirts and sweaters to weddings and funerals. Losing the superstars and not being able to attract the big name free agents is the price we pay for what we got here. Can’t have it both ways.

The few of us who have achieved a higher status while remaining residents - Prince, Keillor and myself are the only names that come to mind right now - aren’t looking for endorsement deals. The best catcher in baseball is involved in exactly how many national ad campaigns? What was Hrbek shilling after the World Series wins?

I, for one, have a little pride that we’re not the ones perverting baseball’s economics. Doesn’t it irk any of you that the Players’ Union was (according to Jon Heyman) pressuring Santana to be uncompromising? To use his leverage to radically change the market? I’m no fan of the owners but my respect for the Players’ Union took a huge dive.

What’s the message here? I respect the WGA for fighting to get writers a fair shake of the internet. But what the Players’ Union is doing is purely about power and greed. What’s going on in NY is leaving a worse taste in my mouth then anything Smith or Pohlad did.

fasolamatt says:

February 1st, 2008 at 8:22 pm

I vote for Stu. But then I vote for Stu every week that I don’t vote for myself.

jama says:

February 1st, 2008 at 8:33 pm

I vote for fasolamatt for 2 reasons:

1. The Fasolink

2. I’d like to hear what he has to say about C.C. Sabathia leaving the Indians, because we know they won’t give out this type of money. (If you win, you must write about C.C. and C.C only)

Jon says:

February 2nd, 2008 at 12:24 am

jama - I like it. I’m casting my vote for fasolamatt for this very reason.