MLS's 11 highest-paid players and the one who's the best value for the money

Tuesday was a high holy holiday to Major League Soccer nerds. Because, as it does twice a season, the Players Union released salary information on every player in the league – with a base and guaranteed figure.

Now, we’re often told that the numbers aren’t entirely accurate. That some figures include transfer fees spread out across the length of the contract, since they count against the salary mechanisms. Others don’t include substantial bonuses. And still others have actually been bought down with Targeted or General Allocation Money.

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Still, since neither the clubs nor the league will correct the record on these numbers – claiming that we’ve been misinformed but refusing to divulge more accurate information – we have little choice but to go off them.

It’s no use comparing players on Designated Player contracts, earning multiple millions a year, to your middle-class players, as it were. Because a statistical side-by-side analysis never holds up. That’s because the value in those DPs has historically been in their name recognition, although more and more teams are filling those slots with lesser-known difference-makers on the upswing of their careers.

However, we can compare the league’s rich and famous to one another.

Helpfully, the Washington Post’s Soccer Insider blog ranked the 50 top earners. So let’s look at the top XI – because that’s a good soccer number – and assess how much bang they’ve given for their buck lately.

1. Kaka, Orlando City: $7.168 million

The former AC Milan superstar and World Player of the Year has played just 11 minutes so far this season before going down with a hamstring injury. But last season, the Brazilian playmaker put together nine goals and 10 assists in just 23 starts. A strong return even at a salary that’s been the highest in the league – and its history – since his arrival in 2015.

2. Sebastian Giovinco, Toronto FC: $7.116 million

The pocket-sized Italian got off to a slow start but has rediscovered his transcendent form with three goals in his last three games, including a brace against the Chicago Fire. Regardless, he deserves the benefit of the doubt after becoming the MVP in his first year, 2015, and getting robbed of it last year. If anything, Giovinco is underpaid.

3. Michael Bradley, Toronto FC: $6.5 million

Bradley has never been the sort of player whose impact is easily captured by stats. In fact, he more or less specializes in the stuff that doesn’t show up on basic, traditional stat sheets. But consider that in the three full seasons he’s been in Toronto, the club has posted its three best records and reached the playoffs its only two times. Sure, you could argue that he consistently played a bit better at AS Roma, where he was also surrounded by better players, but he’s nonetheless lifted TFC to a higher level.

4. Andrea Pirlo, New York City FC: $5.915 million

The Italian was, in truth, always a strange signing. He was never much of a mile-muncher in AC Milan and Juventus’s midfields, hanging back and spraying passes. That doesn’t really square with the MLS style of play. And it became even more antithetical when new manager Patrick Vieira implemented an uptempo system last year. Still, Pirlo, shoehorned into the lineup, bagged 11 assists last year. But it all felt – and feels – forced.

5. David Villa, New York City FC: $5.61 million

The opposite is true of Villa, who is shaping up as one of the best striker signings the league has ever made. He seemed past it when the World Cup and Euro and everything-else winner arrived from Atletico Madrid. But he rattled off 18 goals and eight assists for an expansion team and 23 more tallies last year, when he was named league MVP. He already has five goals in the first seven games of 2017. No arguments here.

6. Giovani dos Santos, LA Galaxy: $5.5 million

As Steven Gerrard, who arrived to more fanfare, fizzled, Gio stepped up. With 14 goals and 12 assists, he could well have been an MVP finalist in 2016, even as L.A. lived through a difficult year. The Galaxy have slipped further, however, and Dos Santos has wilted as well, averaging less than a shot on goal per game.

7. Bastian Schweinsteiger, Chicago Fire: $5.4 million

There was widespread skepticism about this signing last month, not least from this very blog. It seemed a dumb move, given Schweini’s broken engine and largely diminished effectiveness. But to the surprise of most, he has chipped in two goals (from just three shots on target) and an assist in his first four games and steeled a Fire team with a surprising winning record. Go figure.

8. Jozy Altidore, Toronto FC: $4.875 million

Altidore has been injured a lot since returning from Europe, but he has nevertheless managed double-digit goals in both of his seasons in Toronto. So far this year, Altidore’s three goals are tied for the TFC lead with Giovinco, and his two assists rank second on the team. When he is healthy, he’s usually worth his hefty pay. But that, through no fault of Altidore himself, is unfortunately not a given.

9. Clint Dempsey, Seattle Sounders: $3.893 million

Deuce put up double-doubles – double-digit goals and assists – in both of his first two seasons with Seattle. But midway through 2016, he was struck down by an irregular heartbeat that cost him the rest of the season – and the Sounders’ first-ever run to the MLS Cup title. Not even Dempsey himself knew if he’d be back to his old self, but so far this year, he has three goals and an assist from seven appearances and reasserted himself on the national team. His pay is also a lot less from when he first returned from England, making him a more sensible asset.

10. Diego Valeri, Portland Timbers: $2.608 million

Probably the best No. 10 in MLS over the last four years, Valeri has racked up 42 goals and 46 assists in 124 appearances. So far this year, he has five goals and four assists. Given that he earns about half of what some of the other guys on this list make, he might be the best value for money among them.

11. Tim Howard, Colorado Rapids: $2.475 million

There were questions over this move as well, but the iconic national team goalkeeper instantly proved his worth with seven shutouts for the Rapids down the stretch last season. He gave up just one goal in two playoff appearances. Putting a price on goalkeepers is hard, but Howard has instantly established himself among the league’s best.

So what’s the takeaway here?

Well, if you spread these salaries among less expensive players, you might get more value out of it. Such is the nature of the DP arrangement. However, as far as performing according to the expectations placed on DPs goes, these guys all produce more or less as you would hope.

Except Pirlo, who seems to slow his team down, no matter how many assists he gets.

And we’ll see if Schweinsteiger can keep it up over the length of a grueling summer in MLS.

Leander Schaerlaeckens is a soccer columnist for Yahoo Sports. Follow him on Twitter @LeanderAlphabet.