The Associated Press

NEW YORK - Just a few days into the season, baseball already has produced a startling statistic: The average salary dropped for the first time in nearly a decade.

Not that major-leaguers will be sweating to make their mortgage payments. Despite the 3 percent drop from the start of last season, players on opening day rosters averaged $2.49 million, according to a study by the Associated Press.

The New York Yankees bucked the trend, pushing their payroll to a record $183 million, led by Alex Rodriguez, whose $21.7 million salary topped the majors for the fourth straight year.

Boston, forever chasing New York in the standings and at the box office, was second at $125 million.

Milwaukee, the team controlled by the family of baseball commissioner Bud Selig, has the lowest payroll at $27.5 million. Tampa Bay is 29th at $29.5 million - but that includes $7 million the Devil Rays are getting reimbursed by St. Louis to pay nearly all of Tino Martinez's salary.

The average salary, which was $2.56 million at the start of last season, hadn't dropped since 1995, immediately following the 7 1/2-month strike that wiped out the World Series for the first time in 90 years.

"There are a number of factors involved. Certainly, the economy is a big one," Selig said. "Teams had to tighten their belts because of debt."

The number of players making $1 million, which had been 425 in 2001, dropped for the third straight year, to 374. The median salary - the point at which an equal amount of players is above and below - remained at $800,000, below the 2001 high of $975,000.

SHORT HOPS: The Rangers signed outfielder Gary Matthews Jr. to a minor-league contract. Matthews was released by Atlanta during spring training.

• Hall of Fame third baseman Mike Schmidt will make his managerial debut tonight for the Phillies' Class-A affiliate.

• Twins rookie catcher Joe Mauer went on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained left knee. Mauer, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 amateur draft, tore medial meniscus cartilage and needs surgery.

• The Royals put infielder Desi Relaford on the 15-day disabled list and called up left-hander Jaime Cerda from Triple-A Omaha.

• Detroit placed designated hitter Dmitri Young on the 15-day disabled list with a broken right leg. He is expected to miss six weeks.

Young had a career year last season, batting .297 with 29 home runs and 85 RBI.