AP Newsbreak: AP study projects average MLB salary tops $4M

The average salary when opening-day rosters are finalized Sunday will break the $4 million barrier for the first time, according to a study of all major league contracts by The Associated Press. Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw tops players at $31 million and Los Angeles projects to open the season with a payroll at about $270 million, easily a record. ''We're enjoying a tremendously bountiful season in baseball,'' said Toronto pitcher R.A. Dickey, the 2012 NL Cy Young Award winner with the New York Mets. ''MLB's revenues have grown in recent years, with the increase in national and local broadcast rights fees being a primary contributor,'' said Dan Halem, MLB's chief legal officer.