As Spring Training approaches, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Arbitration hearing results expected today:
Utilityman Mauricio Dubon went to arbitration against the Astros yesterday. The 29-year-old requested a $3.5MM salary while the club countered with a $3MM figure. Dubon enjoyed a career year in 2023, hitting .278/.309/.411 while appearing in a career-high 132 games. Dubon also flashed his versatility with the glove by appearing at every position on the diamond except for pitcher and catcher, though the overwhelming majority of his playing time was split between second base and center field. Dubon’s strong performance last year led to an arbitration projection of $3.1MM from MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz.
The Associated Press reported yesterday that Dubon figures to be one of several players to have decisions handed down today in arbitration cases. Angels outfielder Taylor Ward, Orioles outfielder Austin Hays, and Orioles right-hander Jacob Webb are all also expected to receive resolutions to the salary disputes with their respective clubs. Ward requested a salary of $4.8MM for the 2024 campaign, while the Halos countered at $4.3MM. Hays requested $6.3MM while Webb requested $1MM, with the Orioles countering at $5.85MM and $925K respectively. Teams have typically won arbitration cases more often than players have in recent years, and that’s held up so far this season with a 2-0 record over players in hearings to this point.
2. Could more extensions be on the horizon?
It’s fairly common for teams and players to start looking into extension possibilities when the calendar flips to February and players begin to report for Spring Training. A few teams have gotten a head start on such negotiations this winter: most notably, the Royals extended star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. to a record-shattering deal yesterday. Looking beyond that, the Brewers and Tigers got together with top prospects Jackson Chourio and Colt Keith on pre-debut extensions earlier this winter. Could more extensions be on the horizon before Opening Day?
The Phillies reportedly plan to prioritize hammering out an extension with veteran right-hander Zack Wheeler, who’s currently slated to hit free agency after the 2024 campaign. Meanwhile, superstar outfielder-turned-first-baseman Bryce Harper has expressed interest in an extension that would allow him to remain in Philadelphia beyond the term of his current contract, which runs through his age-38 season. Looking beyond the Phillies, the Astros notably tried to extend several players last winter, finding success only with right-hander Cristian Javier. The club has reportedly not yet reopened talks with those players, though with both Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman ticketed for free agency after the coming season its possible negotiations could start in the near future.
3. MLBTR Chat today:
Even as Spring Training looms, there’s plenty of boxes still unchecked on the offseason shopping lists of clubs all around the league. Are you wondering what’s next for your favorite team, or perhaps curious about what the market for a particular free agent looks like? If so, tune in this afternoon when MLBTR’s Steve Adams hosts a live chat with readers at 1pm CT. You can click here to ask a question in advance, and that same link will allow you to join in on the chat once it begins or read the transcript after its completed.
Bryce Harper and Scott Boras seem pretty committed to convincing the Phillies to buy out his age 38-43 seasons. It’s not going to happen. Carry on gentlemen!
Unless there is creative math that lowers the AAV. I originally commented similarly but if the Phillies are committed to paying tax money each season moving forward without resetting it, the penalties increase each year and there could be a creative way that Harper and Boras continue to get paid instead of paying the Marlins for example that would help them beat you, etc.
Perhaps Boras can take up a “guilt collection” from current and former clients that got paid a fortune for poor performance/injury plagued twilight years. That is a very long list over the years. Start with his former teammates Rendon and Strasburg.
cws,
When are MLB owners going to take up their own “guilt collection” for all the players they’ve underpaid their first 6-7 years of their careers for several decades?
2 sides of the same coin. They both agree on these CBAs. No good guys or bad guys or victims. Harper zoned in on maximizing guarantee and went 13yrs to make it happen. Salaries of course rise. Foresight to take a little less and get an opt out to take advantage later was easy to foresee. Machado did exactly that the same offseason.
The percentage of players who become FA is small, the number who sign mega deals much smaller. I understand both sides agreed to the deal, but it took players decades to get anything close to a reasonable share of revenues.
Congratulations to Kansas City on giving a present day Corey Patterson a one sided, non team friendly mega contract. Witt Jr will never be a true star because of the combinstion of his BA/OBP/defense. Power/speed guy, that’s it. Patterson had better defense while Witt has better power, basically cancel each other out. They had very little financial obligations anyway, so whatever, I guess.
You win the Ignoramus Comment of the Day Award!
Maybe even of the entire offseason !
You’re welcome for the 70+ Mlb HR and the 90+ mlb sb.
I’m out of here.
Corey Patterson? Random comp. I’ll never understand the hostility towards a small market team actually paying players and doing what they’re supposed to, while other larger market teams (OAK) won’t put soda in clubhouses.
bye Felicia
How do they compare? Witt has already had two productive seasons, the most recent being elite. Witt is already in the conversation for best current SS in MLB.
You’re a clown. We may have taken you seriously if you said Hensley Meulens, but Corey Patterson? C’mon man, just grow up
He’s probably looking at this. Age 23 season:
Patterson .266/.320/.452, 4.3% BB%, 5 fWAR
Witt : .276/.319/.495, 5.8% BB%, 5.6 fWAR
Still a ridiculous comparison, as Witt improved accross the board laste year (4.7% BB% in 2022) and he was the #2 overall pick in the draft.
The businessman in me would tell Harper to pound sand but the human aspect, wanting to keep him happy and productive would make me strongly consider 2/60 but I’m not going to allow it to effect my luxury tax considerations ergo, no signing bonus, no adjustment to current salary.
So the hundreds of millions they are already paying him is not enough to keep him happy and motivated? They also have to give him even more money for years when his production is almost guaranteed to be garbage? The sad thing is that given Harper’s personality, you may be right. But they shouldn’t even consider it. PS he will *not* be “playing until 45” as he claims.Delusional. Werth thought the same thing, Finley thought the same thing, etc. Not going to happen.
Hey hey another bad take. You’re on a roll today!
But I do have a serious question for you, what’s it like to be poor?
My financial situation is irrelevant but congratulations on exposing yourself as a non-Christian. Joke’s on you, ultimately, in the grand scheme of things.
Being a non-Christian is a complement, thank you!
So you’re not only poor, you’re not intelligent either. Daaaaannnngggg sorry bro
Hey hey another bad take.
====================
Alvo’s right in this case. The idea of extending Harper is pretty insane. An extension for a guy with 8 years left is begging for money.
He signed a contract that was at the time the biggest contract in baseball history and now is coming back to ask for more money with 8 years left on his on current deal that goes through his age 38 season. He should be told to pound sand.
Harper’s AAA for CBT purposes is $25.4 million, so wouldn’t a 2/60 extenstion raise that?
It doesn’t affect CBT if nothing from the original contract changes. So if you take on 2/60 at the end, it wouldn’t affect the AAV for the original contract but the last two years would be a 30 million tax hit.
However, if Harper got a signing bonus for this season or at any point during his original contract it would effect his AAV.
I’ve pre-written my Jordan Montgomery signs with the Rangers comment and saved it in my draft folder just to save time. It’s a good one. so stay tuned.
I’d like to see the diamondbacks grab Montgomery, pushing Pfaat to fifth and giving them a TOR lefty but I do also expect the Rangers to bring Monty back.
He’d look good there but I think they’re set after signing E Rod. 1-3 is as solid as anyone in the league. Plus I think Nelson takes a huge step forward this year.
Austin Hays should easily win his arbitration case. As an all star and gold glove nominee, he more than demonstrated his worth to the Orioles last season
Two and a half WAR, asking to nearly double his salary? I doubt he gets what he’s asking.
This needs to be put in perspective. Hays was given a $2.7 million increase for 2023 to $3.2 million. He had his best season to date and the Orioles are countering with a $2.6 million bump. I think he gets his full ask.
Not sure if you looked at free agent prices recently, but 2.5 WAR for $6.3 million is pretty damn good value.
Per WAR, it’s his second best season but that doesn’t matter.
It’s arbitration, not free agency and teams have a much better grasps at what a players value is. I strongly doubt he wins his case. It’s extremely rare for a guy to double his salary in arbitration unless you’re an extraordinary talent.
A $2.5 million last year vs a $3.1 million request for 2024. It’s not the egregious increase you’re alleging, but if we did want to play the percentage game his salary more than quadrupled last season.
@Dyank and d036. I enjoyed following your back-n-forth here. Three reasons. 1st. I’m an Orioles fan. 2nd. Every dollar counts here in small marketville Baltimore. 3rd. Passionate point counter point action done with decorum. Thanks guys.
One question. Austin can be injury prone. Does that come in to consideration during this arb process?
I’m surprised he won his arbitration case. Doubling a players salary in his second time through arbitration and only posting a 2 1/2 war? I guess the arbitrator put a lot of stock in the All-Star nod.
You dont even realize who you’re talking to. You’re nothing, you’re nobody. You will never know what it’s like to actually matter. By the way, what was the “bad take” in the comment? That paying him 1/3 of a billion $ is not enough to keep him happy? Or that his age 39 and age 40 seasons wouldnt basically be guaranteed to be garbage? Or that Harper’s obvious lust for even more $ and his bratty personality in general doesn’t mean that he would mope about not being given an extension? Or the fact that he’s delusional in being so confident about playing until 45? Everything I said is true. They are rhetorical questions since I dont care if you respond and since I won’t bother to respond to you again. Again, you’re just an insignificant irrelevant nobody.
You must really enjoy talking to yourself.
It’s ok Alvi. People hide behind screens and spout off all the time. It’s a public board. Throw your idea out – some people agree, some people don’t, and you’ll almost always hear the negative comments while the people who agree just keep scrolling. FWIW, I agree with your assessment about Witt’s contract. The odds are against anyone becoming a superstar/HOF type. People flash a few great seasons and regress all the time. Injuries and age generally take their toll.
Ok I’ll bite. Who are we “talking to”?
He’s talking to me, just responded in the wrong spot. 🙂
I never read any of your insane comments until this thread Alvo and came to the conclusion that you’re a wannabe know it all when instead you’re nothing but a loud mouthed troll and worthy of being muted
Vlad is also having his arbitration hearing today. Should be interesting since clubs are mostly winning these.
Nah Dave, don’t prioritize a Wheeler extension. Let that GA boy reach free agency so he can receive a competitive bid to finish back home, not unlike ATL’s (reportedly) higher bid for Nola, so Zach can replace Fried.
Vlad Guerrero Jr.’s arbitration hearing is also today. He’s asked for $19.9M versus the Jays counter at $18.05M. Either way, he’ll break the arbitration salary record of $14M that Teoscar Hernández made last year for the Mariners. Has industry wide implications given it unlocks a new level of potential award.
You’d think they’d know that but alas. Major oversight!!
I think that the Jays have and arb hearing with Vlad today, as well.
If Witt doesn’t opt out, toward the end of yhe contract, KC fans will say the amount is too much for an old guy like Joey Votto, Miguel Cabrera, etc.
Happens every time once of these 10 plus year deals happen.
If he’ll be amazing he’ll opt out and get a better deal, if he underperforms he’ll opt in and all the currently giddy fans will lash at him like he’s a diseased leper.
That’s how it works.
For every major contract that has opt outs, player options, etc there should be a fan option in each contract as well lol. For actual fans of said team, where the fans get to veto or uphold opt outs, team options & player options. That would be sweet. Oh your gonna opt out after having a good year with 3 more years potentially under contract at a fair rate? BAM fan Vetoed lol your staying the next 3 years at 60 million, no new 5 years for 150 million for you