Whose paying for what?!?

 Jessica Fletcher  - contributing reporter

Season 48 is the year Cobbfather owners paid for the Atlanta Expos. So far ekoontz has maneuvered 10 trades with 9 different owner, that's nearly 30% of the league that he' traded with. He's whittled down to a pedestrian $21.3M payroll. But the kicker is, his trade partners are covering $13M of that salary. Let's break down his deals

Deal 1: He turned soft (putting it mildly) hitting defensive stud AAA shortstop prospect for his starting backstop, Jared Hafner on Rookie 1 contract.

Deal 2: Turned back of the rotation starter Gary Merchan (Arb1 - $1.2M) into backup catcher and fantastic pitch caller Bob Kiermaier (Rookie 2 contract), SuB Peter Zheng (Rookie 2 contract), and closer Buddy Gibson (Rookie 2 contract). 

Deal 3: Dealt quality starting pitching prospect Joe Madson (A+ Prospect - side note: 80 pitch quality 4-seam FB but velocity is 32, WIS if fun!) into starting DH Bruce Latham (Rookie 2 contract) and SuB Gabby Lunsford (Rookie 3 contract).

Deal 6: Traded pitching prospect Archie Easley (AA Prospect) for Sub Al Cubillan (Rookie 3 contract)

Deal 7: SuB Farmer Swanner , SuA prospect Gregory Dawkins (AAA Prospect on Rookie 1 contract), and starting prospect Wally Saberhagen for back end starter Ben Nicolino (Rookie 1 contract). - Not likely to have an impact this season. 

Deal 4, 5, 8, 9, & 10: Dealt away defensive and lefty hitting specialist Wayne Brow (AA Prospect), power hitting third baseman Grayson Lowry (AA Prospect), DH Gregor Diaz (A- Prospect), & Alfonso James (AAA Prospect), mid to late rotation starting prospect Corey Simmons (AA Prospect), SS Kenny Jacquez (4/$38M) and 2B Andy McLaughlin (Arb 1 - $1.6M) for $13M, Ace JC Wall (5/$40M) and potential ace prospect Damaso Ethier (AA Prospect). We might be talking about this group of deals in a few seasons. A three man playoff rotation of Wall, Gross, and Ethier sounds pretty amazing. 

Let's take a look at where owners are spending their money by position. Bonus money not included. 

Catcher - 

1. $7M - Fritz Butcher - Helena
2. $5.9M - Jeff Newfield - Austin
3. $5.4M - Marshall Van Ostrand - Colorado
4. $5.3M - Omar Acevedo - New York
5. $5.1M - Mike Walls - Washington DC

First Base

1. $20M - Alex Tarraga - Buffalo
2. $9.4M - Keith Halter - Columbus
3. $7.3M - Eduardo Ambriz - Pittsburgh
4. $7.1M - Gregory Treinen - Cincinnati
5. $7.1M - Eduardo Figureoa - New York

Second Base

1. $10M - Geronimo Nunez - Salt Lake City
2. $9M - Harry Padilla - New York
3. $8.8M - Chan Ho Jiang - Scranton
4. $8M - Clyde Spivey - Montreal
5. $7.5M - Bey Combs - San Juan

Shortstop

1. $20M - Cyrus May - Colorado Springs
2. $20M - Francisco Bonilla - El Paso
3. $9.5M - Helena
4. $8M - Al Rosario - Montreal
5. $6.5M - Malachi Bootcheck - Scranton

Third Base

1. $16M - Carl Marthinson - Scranton
2. $11.8M - Juan Siqueiros - Austin
3. $10M - Edgardo Melendez - Dover
4. $9.3M - Victor Nunez - Helena
5. $8.5M - Del Bailey - Santa Fe

Leftfield

1. $9.3M - Yoervis Colome - New York
2. $8.9M - Yoenis Portillo - Buffalo
3. $8M - Renato Martinez - Huntington
4. $7.5M - Vin Melhuse - Helena
5. $7.2M - Yohan Mairena - Salt Lake City

Center Field

1. $13.5M - Carmen Buller - Santa Fe
2. $10M - Anibal Castillo - Columbus
3. $7.5M - Forrest Kelly - Austin
4. $7.3M - Don Stubbs - Colorado Springs
5. $7.2M - Luis Carrasco - Santa Fe

Right Field

1. $19M - Felipe Benitez - New York
2. $13.3M - Lee Schlitter - Salt Lake City
3. $8.9M - Doug Cornelius - Ottawa
4. $7.5M - Al Martinez - Helena
5. $7.5M - Richie Barkley - OKC

Starting Pitcher

1. $20M - Louis Conley - New York
2. $20M - Samuel Ramirez - San Juan
3. $20M - Yovani Parraz - Pittsburgh
4. $20M - Gerald Kojima - Montreal
5. $18M - Koyie Ward - Huntington

Relief Pitcher

1. $12.2M - Rickey Kohn - Pittsburgh
2. $11.8M - Taylor McKay - Chicago
3. $8M - Christopher Romero - Washington DC
4. $7.5M - Eric Hampton - OKC
5. $7.3M - David Grichuk - Helena