Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Joe Beimel and Tampa Bay backup catcher Josh Paul became the first two players to have salary arbitration hearings this year.
During Friday morning's hearing in Phoenix, Paul asked arbitrators for a raise from $475,000 to $940,000 while the D'Rays argued for $625,000. He hit .260 last season, driving in 8 runs with one home run in 146 games, hardly enough to earn nearly a million dollars.
Later in the afternoon, Beimel asked three different arbitrators for a raise from $425,000 to $1.25 million while the Dodgers countered at $912,500. He was 2-1 with a 2.96 ERA and two saves in 62 appearances last year.
While decisions on the cases are expected this weekend, history shows that owners have the edge, winning 269 cases to the players' 200 since arbitration began in 1974.
Out of the 106 players who filed last month, only 12 remain scheduled for hearings, which run through Feb. 20th. Buckle up, because this can only get more exciting as Minnesota catcher Joe Mauer, Florida third baseman Miguel Cabrera, Washington closer Chad Cordero and Chicago Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano still have not reached deals with their respective clubs.
Update: Looks like that controversial 2005 ALDS incident still haunts Josh Paul. While catching for the Los Angeles Angels in Game 2, he failed to apply the tag to A.J. Pierzynski resulting in a late ninth-inning rally for the Chicago White Sox. As if anyone in Chicago will ever let you forget, the Sox went on to win their first World Series since 1917 that year. Long story short, the arbitrators chose Tampa Bay's offer.
Update #2: Joe Beimel lost his arbitration case on Saturday, as well and will earn $925,000 in 2007 instead of the $1.25 million he had requested.
[MLB]
4 comments:
some of those boys are in line for a huge payday in '08, especially Miguel Cabrera - who will be so gone from Florida...
Man Muscles better be taken care of.
I could totally see Miguel Cabrera leaving Florida..
I donno what we're gonna do with our guys though.. need to keep them.
cubs are insane not to give c-zam whatever the fuck he wants. have you seen that man snap a bat on his knee? he's scary. i wouldn't want to cross him.
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