Most players will reach a deal with their club before a hearing is needed, but if a deal is not reached, an independent arbitrator will allow each side to make their case before deciding which of the two figures exchanged the player should receive in 2010.
Only three players made it to a hearing last year.
(Editor's Note: * -- indicates player has agreed to a deal with his club.)
| Salary Arbitration Figures |
||
|---|---|---|
| Player | Asked For | Team Offered |
| Tim Lincecum (Giants)* | $13,000,000 | $8,000,000 |
| Felix Hernandez (Mariners)* | $11,500,000 | $7,200,000 |
| Jonathan Papelbon (Red Sox)* | $10,250,000 | $8,450,000 |
| Joe Blanton (Phillies)* | $10,250,000 | $7,500,000 |
| Justin Verlander (Tigers)* | $9,500,000 | $6,900,000 |
| Huston Street (Rockies)* | $8,350,000 | $7,100,000 |
| Andre Ethier (Dodgers)* | $7,650,000 | $6,000,000 |
| Wandy Rodriguez (Astros) | $7,000,000 | $5,000,000 |
| Edwin Jackson (Diamondbacks)* | $6,250,000 | $4,600,000 |
| Shane Victorino (Phillies)* | $5,800,000 | $4,750,000 |
| Jonathan Broxton (Dodgers)* | $5,400,000 | $4,100,000 |
| Corey Hart (Brewers) | $4,800,000 | $4,150,000 |
| Brian Wilson (Giants)* | $4,875,000 | $4,000,000 |
| Cody Ross (Marlins) | $4,450,000 | $4,200,000 |
| David Bush (Brewers)* | $4,450,000 | $4,125,000 |
| Josh Johnson (Marlins)* | $5,000,000 | $3,000,000 |
| Joe Saunders (Angels)* | $3,850,000 | $3,600,000 |
| Hunter Pence (Astros)* | $4,100,000 | $3,100,000 |
| Casey Kotchman (Mariners)* | $3,900,000 | $3,135,000 |
| Jeremy Hermida (Red Sox)* | $3,850,000 | $2,950,000 |
| Matt Garza (Rays)* | $3,350,000 | $3,350,000 |
| Frank Francisco (Rangers)* | $3,600,000 | $3,000,000 |
| B.J. Upton (Rays) | $3,300,000 | $3,000,000 |
| Ryan Theriot (Cubs) | $3,400,000 | $2,600,000 |
| Jeremy Guthrie (Orioles) | $3,625,000 | $2,300,000 |
| Maicer Izturis (Angels)* | $3,000,000 | $2,300,000 |
| Scott Hairston (Padres)* | $2,900,000 | $2,100,000 |
| Scott Feldman (Rangers) | $2,900,000 | $2,050,000 |
| Michael Wuertz (Athletics)* | $2,900,000 | $1,900,000 |
| Erick Aybar (Angels)* | $2,750,000 | $1,800,000 |
| Carlos Marmol (Cubs)* | $2,500,000 | $1,750,000 |
| Carlos Ruiz (Phillies)* | $2,500,000 | $1,700,000 |
| Skip Schumaker (Cardinals)* | $2,750,000 | $1,450,000 |
| Todd Coffey (Brewers)* | $2,450,000 | $1,700,000 |
| Brian Bruney (Nationals) | $1,850,000 | $1,500,000 |
| Tim Byrdak (Astros)* | $1,900,000 | $1,300,000 |
| Angel Pagan (Mets)* | $1,800,000 | $1,275,000 |
| Ramon Ramirez (Red Sox)* | $1,250,000 | $1,060,000 |
| Brandon League (Mariners) | $1,325,000 | $900,000 |
| Mike Adams (Padres)* | $1,200,000 | $875,000 |
| Jeff Mathis (Angels) | $1,300,000 | $700,000 |
| Sean Marshall (Cubs)* | $1,175,000 | $800,000 |
| Carlos Villanueva (Brewers)* | $1,075,000 | $800,000 |
| Sean Burnett (Nationals) | $925,000 | $775,000 |
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
So let's get this right. Felix Hernandez ask for $11.5 mil. The team offers $7.2 mil. Then turn around and pay him $15.6 (ave for his 5 yr deal). He is 23 and a better than ave pitcher. He gives up 3 years of free agency. Do you really want to pay a young pitcher that much when he could blow his arm out by 25? Great country this America!
what does the country have to do with what felix is making..?
It's irrational to use Felix's average salary over the 5 years of his deal to account for his payment this year. For one, his salary isn't linear over the 5 years - it's rumored the M's will pay him $6.5 million plus prorated signing bonus and performance bonuses in 2010. His highest paying year, 2014, he'll make $20 million plus prorated signing bonus and performance bonuses. As with any contract given to a player still under club control, he gets substantially less than market value for his arb-eligible years and market or slightly less for what would have been his free agent years. He's trading a small amount of money for long term financial security.
I think the whole structure of baseball salaries is wrong. Players are paid for what they did, not what they can or will do. Talented, young, hungry players make a mark after 2 or 3 seasons and then demand huge long term contracts (especially with greedy agents). Once the contract is in hand, many of them get fat and complacent and underperform until that contract year arrives again (if they still have any gas in the tank). I believe in the corporate structure of paying employees base salaries and providing a contract filled with performance bonuses and incentives. If a player has a stellar season and can make $10 to $30 million or more then he is helping his team win! Bottom line, winning. Winning brings in fans and revenue for the team. It is a business. In private business good employees are paid according to how they affect the bottom line profit of their company and baseball is a business.
I grew up in an era when players played for the love of the game and playing at a high level was their goal. They actually used to stay after games to sign autographs too. We as fans are being robbed of what could be by the owners, players and agents who have turned the salary into the priority. There also used to be team loyalty. Now money determines where and for whom the players play. *not just baseball