The deadline for each team’s arbitration decisions is 11pm CST tonight. In this post I am gathering up all the rumors about those decisions. I’ll add updates throughout the day. Check out MLBTR reader predictions here and here.
- The San Francisco Chronicle says Frank Thomas will not be offered arbitration, perhaps because he’d like to come back. Alan Embree might be. MLB.com’s Mychael Urban talked to Embree, and the reliever doesn’t expect to be offered arb.
- Joel Sherman says the Yankees are wavering a bit on the decision to offer arbitration to Bobby Abreu, in fear that he could accept.
- Ken Davidoff says Abreu, Oliver Perez, and Mike Mussina will be offered arbitration. Andy Pettitte, Jason Giambi, Ivan Rodriguez, Moises Alou, and Luis Ayala will not be offered arb. River Ave. Blues doesn’t agree with the probable Pettitte decision. According to George King of the New York Post, the Yanks made an offer below $16MM to Pettitte a few weeks ago, which was rejected.
- Todd Zolecki says the Phillies won’t offer arb to Tom Gordon or Rudy Seanez. He believes Jamie Moyer will get an offer but Pat Burrell may be too risky.
- Padres GM Kevin Towers says it’s "doubtful" they’ll offer arb to Trevor Hoffman.
- Mark Bowman says John Smoltz won’t be offered arb.
- Jordan Bastian says A.J. Burnett will be offered arbitration.
- Ian Browne says it’s a "near given" the Red Sox will offer arb to Jason Varitek.
- Troy E. Renck says the Rockies will offer arb to Brian Fuentes.
- Ken Rosenthal says the decisions for Adam Dunn, Kerry Wood, and Sheets could go either way.
- Gordon Wittenmyer says the Cubs won’t offer arb to Wood if they expect him to accept. He says Bob Howry will not be offered arb.
- Scott Merkin says Juan Uribe and Ken Griffey Jr. will not be offered arb, while Orlando Cabrera probably will be.
- An arb offer to Mark Grudzielanek seems unlikely, but Dayton Moore wouldn’t rule it out.
