And some free agents like Jackson and Sanders accepted one-year salaries far below their actual worth.
The 1992 salary is the first time a Mets player has received a one-year salary of $3 million or more.
Abraham, designated the team's franchise player with a one-year salary of $6.67 million, wants a long-term deal.
The Yankees may also have wanted John to retire so they could avoid paying him the rest of his one-year salary.
Darling won 15 games for the Mets last season and was counted on for more after winning a one-year salary of $1,050,000 in arbitration.
That is a far cry from the one-year, $1 million salary and $4 million in incentives the Diamondbacks offered.
That one-year salary would have been far cheaper than the long-term commitment they are making to Rogers.
His initial one-year salary for 2010-11 was set at $143,000.
Each player that signs a tender receives the one-year salary that corresponds to the tender level.
The Nets can give Burrell a one-year salary of $1 million.