By this time tomorrow, all unsigned arbitration eligible players will have exchanged proposals with their respective teams. We'll be keeping track of everything at MLBTR, but in the meantime here are some links to posts and resources that will help make sense of arbitration, a fixture in baseball offseasons for nearly 40 years:
- MLBTR’s Arbitration Tracker offers a look at the many unsigned players plus those who have already agreed to terms.
- MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz listed his projected arbitration salaries and they've been on the money so far.
- Swartz also broke down arbitration salaries for hitters and pitchers, explaining the importance of innings pitched, home runs and RBI.
- Last offseason I weighed in on what matters in arbitration and explained what doesn't apply.
- Teams and players make the headlines, but agencies are an integral part of the process, so check out our Agency Database.
I am assuming that the same language regarding arbitration in the prior CBA still applies to the new CBA. We didn’t hear of any changes to the arbitration terms, other than a slight expansion of the size of the super 2 pool.
I’m trying to get a grip on why it seems important not to miss the 11 AM cut-off? If I’m the GM and I have offered arb to my players and I don’t sign them before 11 today what’s the problem? If I offer a contract and it’s too low, from the players perspective, we are at the mercy of the arbitrator. What happens if
I offer, tender, them a contract but I don’t offer them a figure? Is there any way the player can walk if I tender him a contract but he doesn’t like the figure?
At what point can they be declared free agents in this tendering contracts and not agreeing on the arbitration number.
Ex. David Ortiz if the Sox give him a figure of $6 M for one year and the arbiter says he’s worth $14—I’m assuming the Sox have to pay that amount. Short of signing the contract and trading him, they must pay him.