The Mets don't have anyone in the top five, but they have five million-dollar players, which is more than any other team has.

You can have million-dollar players in both those roles, but if there is no protection, no holes, they can't function.

Except for third base, the Yankees could field a starting lineup of million-dollar players, complete with a five-man starting pitching rotation and a three-man relief corps.

Gene Michael, the Yankees' general manager, chose not to dwell on the number of million-dollar players.

"Successful ones can become million-dollar players right away."

In this era of the million-dollar player and the Monday morning fan, the minor leagues seem to produce a gentler and more forgiving following.

The development of these kids is more important than the million-dollar players.

Twenty years ago, Nolan Ryan became baseball's first million-dollar player.

It was a strange evening, with million-dollar players wearing historic uniforms that looked as if they had been borrowed from a C.Y.O. league.

But to a caddie, a million-dollar player is a six-figure income.