The Tigers and Rick Porcello have avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $8.5MM deal, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post (on Twitter). They've also agreed to a $6MM deal for 2014 with Austin Jackson, Sherman tweets.
Porcello, 25, was arb-eligible for the third time this offseason as a Super Two player. The Excel Sports client is controllable through the 2015 campaign and was projected to earn $7.7MM, per MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz. Porcello relies heavily on his high ground-ball rate and could see an uptick in performance with a new-look — and presumably, defensively superior — infield behind him in 2014.
Jackson, 26, is also controllable through the 2015 campaign, though he is not a Super Two player. A Scott Boras client, Jackson had been projected by Swartz to earn $5.3MM.
Arbitration is an area I don’t understand very well. But I am a little surprised to see Porcello being payed more than Jackson. Was he projected to get more in arbitration?
Teams control the exclusive rights to players for 6 years. During this time if they can’t agree on a contract arbitration is used to determine salary.
One factor that is considered is tenure and previous salary. Porcello broke into the majors a year before Jackson. Last year Rick was making about $5 million and Austin was making 3.5 so they both receive raises.
Another way to look at it is to compare their salary in their 4th year of team control. Rick was paid $5 million last year and Austin will get $6 million this year so in a sense Porcello isn’t/wasn’t being paid more.
Anyone else feel like that is about what they deserve as an AAV salary. Ajax maybe a little more but too much more and I’m looking elsewhere unless they both take steps forward. The playoffs really soured me on Ajax’s potential.
I agree, i think AJax is a great six hitter or 8 hitter, but having him hit leadoff often times hurts us more than helps us. I don’t know that we got anyone else this offseason who should hit lead off (Kinsler should probably be 2-5, Iggy isn’t good enough and Rajai is only a platoon player) but Jackson would probably produce more toward the bottom of the order, at least I think so.
I can’t remember the last time the Tigers had an actual leadoff hitter…Granderson would have done better in the middle of the order. Jackson has potential but it’s almost time to put him in the 6 spot for good.