Arbitration Offer Feedback

24 free agents were offered arbitration yesterday; several notable names were not.  The deadline for those 24 to accept or decline is Sunday at 11pm CST.  If a player accepts, he’s under contract on a one-year deal for ’09 and his salary cannot be reduced by more than 20% (most players get raises). 

Anyway, let’s round up feedback on yesterday’s decisions.

• Plenty of good insight from Yahoo’s Jeff Passan.  How about the idea that the D’Backs didn’t offer arbitration to Dunn because they didn’t want to shell out too much money on draft picks next year?
• River Ave. Blues says yesterday’s arb decisions were the first clear indicator of the U.S. economy affecting MLB. I agree.  The decisions not to offer arb to Bobby Abreu, Pat Burrell, Adam Dunn, Kerry Wood, and others serves as proof that teams are exercising extra caution.
• Buster Olney agrees, suggesting that teams are scared of overpaying free agents.  He says some execs believe Abreu will be fortunate to make $8MM a year on his next deal.
• Joel Sherman finds the Abreu decision fascinating.  He suggests Abreu would’ve gotten a $17.5MM arbitration award.  While the right fielder would’ve forfeited no-trade rights by accepting, the Yankees would’ve had to eat a significant amount to move him.
• Ken Rosenthal says even the Yankees are cutting back, and their ’09 payroll will "almost certainly be below their $209 million figure at the start of ’08."
• Tony Massarotti gives five possible reasons for the slow market.
• Ken Davidoff feels Jason Varitek is a good candidate to accept Boston’s offer of arbitration.