Yankees Are Only Team to Pay Tax

The New York Yankees are the only team in baseball projected to pay the new luxury tax.

After last week’s acquisition of reliever Armando Benitez from the cross-town Mets, the Yankee payroll comes to $180.3 million for their 40-man roster, including benefits.

The updated figure compiled by the commissioner’s office translates to a projected tax bill of $10.8 million that will come due Jan. 31.

No other team is above the threshold of $117 million established by baseball’s new labor contract.

The Mets had the No. 2 luxury tax payroll at $116.3 million, followed by the Dodgers ($109.2 million), Texas ($106.3 million) and Boston ($104.9 million), according to the calculations, which were distributed to teams last week and obtained Monday by Associated Press.

The actual tax will be determined based on final figures as of Dec. 20.

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The All-Star game was more popular in Japan than in the United States.

The showcase game July 15 received a 9.8 television rating in Japan, the commissioner’s office said.

That means a higher percentage of households watched the game there than in the United States, where the rating was 9.5 on Fox -- tied for the lowest in history.

In Japan, the game began at 9:30 a.m. local time, but it was shown in prime time in the United States.

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The Chicago Cubs put former USC All-American Mark Prior on the 15-day disabled list because of a right shoulder contusion. The move is retroactive to July 12.

Prior, 8-5 with a 3.01 earned-run average, is the first Cub starter to sit out a turn this season.

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Cleveland Indian shortstop Ricky Gutierrez was put on the 15-day disabled list because of a career-threatening compression of the spinal cord. Gutierrez was activated from the 60-day disabled list June 24 after rehabilitating from fusion surgery in October on two vertebrae in his upper back and neck. He appeared in 16 games this season, but continued to experience problems.... Kris Benson will sit out a scheduled start for the second time in just over a month, but the Pittsburgh Pirate pitcher disagrees with Manager Lloyd McClendon on the reason. McClendon said that Benson is having mechanical troubles. The right-hander said his shoulder is hurting and he needs to rest it.