NEW YORK, N.Y. - Zack Greinke and the Los Angeles Dodgers have knocked Alex Rodriguez and the New York Yankees off baseballs payroll perch, part of an off-season spending spree that has the average salary approaching $4 million for the first time. The Dodgers are ending the Yankees 15-year streak as baseballs biggest spenders and as of Tuesday had a projected payroll of $235 million, according to study of all major league contracts by The Associated Press. New York, which last failed to top the payroll rankings in 1998, was a distant second at $203 million. After that, it was another huge gap to Philadelphia at $180 million, followed by Boston at $163 million and Detroit at $162 million. Houston is last at $45 million, up from $27 million at the start of last year, and Miami at $48 million remains 29th. Some large-market teams are among the smaller spenders, with the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs projected at $89 million, ranked 22nd and 23rd. Rodriguez, who holds the record for the largest deal in baseball history at $275 million over 10 years, is suspended for the season for violations of baseballs drug agreement and labour contract. Because of the ban, he will earn only $2,868,852 of his $25 million salary — 21 days pay for the 183-day season. Greinke would have become the highest-paid player, even if Rodriguez was getting all his cash. The pitcher has a $24 million salary in the second season of his $147 million, six-year contract, and because he can opt out of the deal after the 2015 season, baseballs accounting rules call for his $12 million signing bonus to be prorated over the first three seasons. "Weve got great ownership and a great fan base, and we need to do what we can to win games," Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said last week in Sydney, where Los Angeles swept its opening, two-game series against Arizona. "I dont think the guys worry about it. I know we dont worry about it," Colletti said. "Were expected to win, and thats how we go about it. Money doesnt mean you win. Money just means you have a chance to get the best players." As of Tuesday, the average salary projected to be between $3.95 million and $4 million, with the final figure depending on how many players are put on the disabled list by the time opening-day rosters are finalized at 3 p.m. Sunday. That translates to a rise of 8 to 10 per cent from last years opening average of $3.65 million and would be the largest increase since 2006 or possibly even 2001. "Im not surprised. With the type of revenues clubs are enjoying these days, the average salaries are going to go up," New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said. Illustrating the rate of escalation, the opening-day average was $1.07 million when Derek Jeter first reached the major leagues in 1995, broke the $2 million mark in 2001 and spurted past $3 million in 2008. "I think its great. I think it just shows the game is growing, fan interest is there," said Jeter, the Yankees captain who is retiring at the end of this season. "The business of baseball seems like its booming pretty good right now." The average U.S. wage in 2012 was $42,498, according to the Social Security Administration, the latest figure available and an annual increase of 3.12 per cent. Following Greinke on the highest-paid list are Philadelphias Ryan Howard and Cliff Lee at $25 million, the Yankees CC Sabathia at $24.3 million, and Seattles Robinson Cano and Texas Prince Fielder at $24 million each. The APs figures include salaries and prorated shares of signing bonuses and other guaranteed income for players on active rosters, disabled lists and the restricted list. For some players, parts of deferred money are discounted to reflect current values. Payroll figures factor in adjustments for cash transactions in trades, signing bonuses that are the responsibility of the club agreeing to the contract, option buyouts, and termination pay for released players. For instance, the Yankees are receiving $18.6 million from the Los Angeles Angels to cover most of the $21 million due to outfielder Vernon Wells, who has been released, and $13 million from the Chicago Cubs to pay most of the $18 million owed outfielder Alfonso Soriano. The Mets payroll include buyouts to Johan Santana ($4.9 million present value) and Jason Bay ($2.7 million present value). ___ AP Sports Writer Dennis Passa and AP freelance writers Mark Didtler and Jon Santucci contributed to this report. Thon Maker Jersey . Carreno Busta broke his opponent five times in the match, but also lost his serve three times in the second set before prevailing in the tiebreaker. 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The 18-year-old centre was the Senators first-round pick (17th overall) in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. The six-foot 196-pound native of Salmon Arm, B. WINNIPEG -- Rookie Sean Monahan admitted he wasnt very good in the shootout while playing junior last season. But now that hes in the NHL, the Calgary Flames centre showed big improvement in that department by scoring the winner in the eighth round of a 5-4 shootout victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday. It was a goal that halted Calgarys (7-11-3) six-game winless streak, and it marked the first shootout goal -- on the first shootout shot -- of Monahans young NHL career. "My first year in junior, I was alright (in the shootout)," said Monahan, who had played with the Ottawa 67s. "Last year, I wasnt too good so I was kind of nervous there, but I felt good once I got off the ice." Monahan, who also had an assist, scored low on goalie Al Montoyas blocker side. "I went down the wide side and its a move I usually try to do in practice and fortunately enough it worked," he said. Juri Hudler had given Calgary a 4-3 lead with less than four minutes left in the game, but the Jets didnt let up as centre Bryan Little tied it 4-4 with six seconds left. With Montoya on the bench for the extra attacker in the final 30 seconds of regulation, the Jets (10-10-3) swarmed goalie Reto Berra and Little put a rebound in an open side of the net. Montoya, who was playing so starter Ondrej Pavelec could have a break, stopped 24 shots in regulation and five in overtime. Berra was barraged by 47 shots, including three in overtime, for his second win of the season. Michael Cammalleri scored his team-leading ninth goal of the season on the power play for Calgary and added an assist. T.J. Brodie also had a goal and assist and Lance Bouma scored shorthanded. Michael Frolik, Olli Jokinen and Dustin Byfuglien also scored for Winnipeg. Byfugliien added an assist and Grant Clitsome and Blake Wheeler each had a pair of assists.dddddddddddd Winnipeg saw a four-game home winning streak halted, but are 4-2-1 in their last seven games. "That was a pretty strange game in my books," Jets coach Claude Noel said. "I thought either team could have won it any time. We chased the game, not only from a goals standpoint, but I thought it was pretty wild in a lot of ways. "I was wondering how it would go. I wasnt settled all night. There was no point that I was comfortable." Calgary coach Bob Hartley echoed his bench counterpart. "If that one was not exciting for them, it sure was for me," Hartley said of the capacity crowd of 15,004 at the MTS Centre. "We made it interesting, we made it tough on us, but at the end we found a way to win so big two points." After Boumas short-handed goal at 11:17 of the third period made it 3-2, Byfuglien tied the game with 7:50 left, scoring his fifth goal in as many games on the power play off a rebound. But Calgary regained the lead when Hudler blasted a shot from the top of the face-off circle that cut by Montoya with 3:26 left in regulation. "I think we gave up some point-blank opportunities, way too many quality chances," Jets captain Andrew Ladd said. Hartley was impressed with the way Berra reacted to Littles late tying goal. "Hes a very proud young man," Hartley said. "And despite the fact that he gave the equalizing goal late in the game, he never lost his focus. "What to say about his performance? I rarely saw a goalie give four goals and play that well." Calgary hosts Columbus on Wednesday and the Jets take on the visiting Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday. ' ' '