Big Papi avoided arbitration with the Red Sox by accepting a one-year deal on Dec. 7, 2011. He asked for $16.5 million; the Red Sox offered $12.65 million. They settled on $14.575 million for the 2012 season.

See which players have most lucrative annual salaries and which ones are in the $100 million club.

The Yankees made sure they kept their star closer, agreeing to a two-year, $30 million contract in the December 2010. That's $15 million per year.

On Dec. 5, 2010, the Nats signed free agent Jayson Werth to a perplexing seven-year, $126 million contract. That's $18 million per year.

In July 2007 the Mariners completed a deal to hang on to their star, giving him $90 millioni for five years. That's $18 million per year.

On Nov. 14, 2011, the Dodgers locked up their standout star, agreeing to an eight-year, $160 million deal. It's the seventh largest deal in MLB history. The math is easy here: That's $20 million per season.

The Brewers signed left fielder Ryan Braun to a five-year, $105 million contract extension on April 21, 2011.The deal covers the years 2016-2020 and a mutual option for an additional year. That's $21 million per year, on average and just surpassed LF Carl Crawford's $142 milllion, seven-year ($20.3 million per annum) deal.

The Miami Marlins snagged free-agent shortstop Jose Reyes, who had been with the Mets since his 2003 debut, with a six-year, $106 million deal. That's $17.66 million per year.

A-Rod broke his own record as highest paid player (annually and overall contract) when he and the Yankees agreed in December 2007 to a 10-year, $275 million contract. That's $27.5 million per year.

Atlanta snapped up Uggla in a trade in November 2010, then awarded him in January 2011 with the highest salary ever for a 2B: five years, $62 million or $12.4 million per year.

The Phillies slugger signed a five-year, $125 million extension in April 2010. Starting in 2012, he'll make $25 million per year.

The three-time AL batting champion and the 2009 AL MVP, signed an eight-year extension in March 2010 worth $184 million. That's $23 million per year.

The Yankees ace signed a five-year, $122 million extension on Oct. 31, 2011. That's $24.4 million per year.

If you took the highest paid player (per annum) at each position and formed your own team, it would cost you a cool $218.54 million a year — still less than A-Rod's 10-year contract cost the Yankees. It's no surprise that the Bronx Bombers dominate this list of highest-paid players by position.

Source: Cot's Baseball Contracts