The payroll most likely will exceed $40-million, a significant increase nearly 70 percent from last season's opening day $24-million. The Rays have more than $20-million committed to seven players: Carl Crawford, $5.25-million; Troy Percival, $4-million; Cliff Floyd, $2.75-million; Akinori Iwamura, $2.4-million; Al Reyes, $2.3-million; Rocco Baldelli, $2.25-million; Gary Glover, $1.075-million. Four players remaining in arbitration (Carlos Pena, Scott Kazmir, Dan Wheeler, and Jonny Gomes) could make $13-million to $14-million; 12 or 13 players who will get the $390,000 minimum or slightly more; and openings for a backup catcher, super-utility type and left-handed reliever. Plus millions in incentives. The increase is considerably larger than the 20 percent promised by principal owner Stuart Sternberg but won't be a problem or force other cuts, executive VP Andrew Friedman said. "From the original thoughts that all of us had we're a good bit above that number, and it's just the way things worked out," Friedman said. "It's the opportunistic approach that we had this offseason."