updated 4:42 p.m. ET April 7, 2005

NEW YORK - Baseball’s big-money boom pushed the average salary to a record $2.6 million on opening day, and the New York Yankees’ payroll of just under $200 million topped five teams combined.

Following a rare drop from 2003 to 2004, the average climbed 5.9 percent to $2.63 million, according to a study by The Associated Press.

“That means we’re going in the right direction,” San Francisco Giants outfielder Marquis Grissom said. “When they go up, it’s always good.”

Three Yankees were among the top five in salary: Alex Rodriguez, at $25.7 million, was No. 1 for the fifth straight year; Derek Jeter was fourth at $19.6 million; and Mike Mussina was fifth at $19 million.

San Francisco’s Barry Bonds, who started the season on the disabled list following knee surgery, was second at $22 million, followed by Boston’s Manny Ramirez at $19.8 million.

While the players on the Yankees’ opening-day roster totaled $205.9 million, cash received by New York in trades, notably last year’s deal to acquire A-Rod from Texas, cut the team’s payroll to $199.77 million.

New York is spending more than the $187 million total of Tampa Bay ($29.9 million), Kansas City ($36.9 million), Pittsburgh ($38.1 million), Milwaukee ($40.2 million) and Cleveland ($41.8 million).

“That doesn’t mean we’re going to go out and give up,” Kansas City first baseman Mike Sweeney said. “We have talent and heart, and if you play with heart, you can win games.”

While the NFL and NBA have salary caps, baseball does not. The current labor contract expires after the 2006 season.

“Sometimes in baseball it’s better being the underdog because you can sneak up on somebody,” Pittsburgh outfielder Matt Lawton said. “It’s been like this the last couple of years, but the deal’s up in 2006 and, hopefully, we can get something done (to make it better) — but without a salary cap. Nobody wants that.”

The World Series champion Boston Red Sox were second to the Yankees, with their players earning $121.3 million. The New York Mets were next at $104.8 million, followed by Philadelphia ($95.3 million) and the Los Angeles Angels ($95 million).

Last year, the average salary dropped 2.5 percent, the first decrease since the 1994-95 strike and only the third since record-keeping began in 1967.

NBA players averaged $4.9 million in the 2003-04 season, according to a preliminary estimate by their union, which did not provide a figure for the current season. In the NHL, where a lockout canceled the current season, players averaged $1.83 million in 2003-04. NFL players averaged $1.33 million last year, according to their union.

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