The Diamondbacks announced that they avoided arbitration with catcher Miguel Montero (Twitter link). The sides agreed to terms on a one-year, $5.9MM deal minutes before this morning's scheduled hearing, MLB.com's Steve Gilbert tweets.
As MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker shows, Montero and his representatives at Octagon had asked for $6.8MM, while the Diamondbacks had countered with a $5.4MM offer. The Diamondbacks now have two unsigned arbitration eligible players: Ryan Roberts and Craig Breslow.
Montero, who earned $3.2MM in 2011, is entering his final season of arbitration eligibility. He posted a .282/.351/.469 line with 18 home runs in 553 plate appearances last year, when he made his first All-Star team. He'll join Yadier Molina, Mike Napoli and Russell Martin on next year's free agent market, assuming he doesn't sign an extension first.
Dbacks got a steal here. I’m still not entirely convinced that this whole process does not come back and bite them though. Since the contract is only a 1 year deal, he’s still going to hit FA at the end of the year. If he does, the Dbacks are almost certainly going to be in the market for a new backstop.
Unfortunately, that’s the impression I’ve gotten from this team the last two years or so. Hopefully we’ll get another postseason appearance to use as ammunition to keep the band together while we still have Upton.
Yadier Molina, Napoli, and Montero could all be free agents after this season. That’s a pretty impressive group of catchers.
Over the next few years… I’d take Napoli.
If we don’t extend Montero that would be a huge loss. I want a 5 year / 43 mil. deal.
Except I’m pretty sure Montero wants more than that…
unfortantly yes