Dates for Arbitration Hearings Set

[JWCUB]

Both Ohman and Pierre have signed deals with the Cubs.

 

Do you know the specifics? At least on Pierre?

[Mark Priors Calves]

Both Ohman and Pierre have signed deals with the Cubs.

 

Do you know the specifics? At least on Pierre?

 

Nope, it was "breaking news" on the Score. As usual, no details were given. Only Zambrano remains to be signed.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

Both Ohman and Pierre have signed deals with the Cubs.

 

Do you know the specifics? At least on Pierre?

 

Pierre agreed to a one year $5.75M deal (halfway between what Cubs offered and he wanted).

 

Ohman agreed to a one year $610k deal (less than halfway between what Cubs offered and he wanted).

[Jon]

I love it when fairness depends on who the recipient is.

 

Why is it that veterans get rewarded for below-average performance but a guy who pitched in games for the Cubs in 2000 and 2001 before going down for a full two seasons, battling back, and contributing nicely for the team four years later can't?

 

 

Cause the arbitration process is based on service time. Comparing arbitration guys to free agents isn't remotely fair.

 

I'm completely with Hendry on this one. You have to make an example at some point otherwise, players (knowing that the Cubs won't go to arbitration) will keep pusing up their requests knowing they'll just get the halfway point anyways.

Arbitration money and free agent money are worth the same. I don't see how willingly throwing away millions of dollars is a different ballgame than worrying about a couple of hundred thousand for a guy who actually deserves it. One could pretty easily make the case that budging on arbitration numbers for a guy making less than a million isn't going to hurt the team nearly as much as the kinds of free agent contracts Hendry has signed in the past couple of years. The difference to the organization was chump change.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

I love it when fairness depends on who the recipient is.

 

Why is it that veterans get rewarded for below-average performance but a guy who pitched in games for the Cubs in 2000 and 2001 before going down for a full two seasons, battling back, and contributing nicely for the team four years later can't?

 

 

Cause the arbitration process is based on service time. Comparing arbitration guys to free agents isn't remotely fair.

 

I'm completely with Hendry on this one. You have to make an example at some point otherwise, players (knowing that the Cubs won't go to arbitration) will keep pusing up their requests knowing they'll just get the halfway point anyways.

Arbitration money and free agent money are worth the same. I don't see how willingly throwing away millions of dollars is a different ballgame than worrying about a couple of hundred thousand for a guy who actually deserves it. One could pretty easily make the case that budging on arbitration numbers for a guy making less than a million isn't going to hurt the team nearly as much as the kinds of free agent contracts Hendry has signed in the past couple of years. The difference to the organization was chump change.

 

I guess team chemistry isn't that valuable after all. :lol:

[goonys evil twin]

I love it when fairness depends on who the recipient is.

 

Why is it that veterans get rewarded for below-average performance but a guy who pitched in games for the Cubs in 2000 and 2001 before going down for a full two seasons, battling back, and contributing nicely for the team four years later can't?

 

 

Cause the arbitration process is based on service time. Comparing arbitration guys to free agents isn't remotely fair.

 

I'm completely with Hendry on this one. You have to make an example at some point otherwise, players (knowing that the Cubs won't go to arbitration) will keep pusing up their requests knowing they'll just get the halfway point anyways.

Arbitration money and free agent money are worth the same. I don't see how willingly throwing away millions of dollars is a different ballgame than worrying about a couple of hundred thousand for a guy who actually deserves it. One could pretty easily make the case that budging on arbitration numbers for a guy making less than a million isn't going to hurt the team nearly as much as the kinds of free agent contracts Hendry has signed in the past couple of years. The difference to the organization was chump change.

 

It's an organizational priority/CBA integrity thing, not necessarily a baseball decision. It doesn't make sense to squabble over 5 figures when you often times screw up with the 7 figures. But this wasn't about money, it was about slotting and all that.

[JeffH]

I know we're hungry for anything to talk about, but this is all so much nothing.

 

Ohman was eligible for arbitration, but had essentially no ammunition to take to a case.

 

Nevertheless, he asked for more than he knew any arbiter would likely award him.

 

He probably did this hoping to squeeze a little extra money out of the Cubs, knowing that they don't like to go through a hearing.

 

The Cubs, knowing that Ohman had a dog of a case, but still not wanting to go through a hearing, coughed up a little extra dough to get Ohman to settle.

 

In the end, he probably got an extra $50,000 out of the Cubs over the settlement figure they originally had in mind.

 

Good for him.

 

I'd be shocked if there were any hard feelings at all.

[JeffH]

But this wasn't about money, it was about slotting and all that.

 

Yes.

[SouthSideRyan]

I love it when fairness depends on who the recipient is.

 

Why is it that veterans get rewarded for below-average performance but a guy who pitched in games for the Cubs in 2000 and 2001 before going down for a full two seasons, battling back, and contributing nicely for the team four years later can't?

 

 

Cause the arbitration process is based on service time. Comparing arbitration guys to free agents isn't remotely fair.

 

I'm completely with Hendry on this one. You have to make an example at some point otherwise, players (knowing that the Cubs won't go to arbitration) will keep pusing up their requests knowing they'll just get the halfway point anyways.

Arbitration money and free agent money are worth the same. I don't see how willingly throwing away millions of dollars is a different ballgame than worrying about a couple of hundred thousand for a guy who actually deserves it. One could pretty easily make the case that budging on arbitration numbers for a guy making less than a million isn't going to hurt the team nearly as much as the kinds of free agent contracts Hendry has signed in the past couple of years. The difference to the organization was chump change.

 

Then let's just pointlessly give Murton 500,000 this year. Might as well make good with our younger guys right?

[Jon]

Then let's just pointlessly give Murton 500,000 this year. Might as well make good with our younger guys right?

Ohman was the only player who was arbitration eligible late in this process making under $2 million, I believe. Is the impact of setting an example with a guy like Ohman remotely close to that of helping to set the market value of bullpen pitches? If Jim wanted to set an example, why not do it by not signing Scott Eyre to a three-year deal that's worth up to nearly $15 million instead? Eyre hasn't really shown he's any more effective than Ohman. If Jim is so willing to throw around those kinds of deals for the bullpen, what short or long-term benefit would going to arbitration have?

 

Is it not possible that contracts like the one Eyre got have a bigger impact on an arbitration eligible bullpen pitcher's demands than letting get Ohman $100,000-$250,000 more?

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Then let's just pointlessly give Murton 500,000 this year. Might as well make good with our younger guys right?

Ohman was the only player who was arbitration eligible late in this process making under $2 million, I believe. Is the impact of setting an example with a guy like Ohman remotely close to that of helping to set the market value of bullpen pitches? If Jim wanted to set an example, why not do it by not signing Scott Eyre to a three-year deal that's worth up to nearly $15 million instead? Eyre hasn't really shown he's any more effective than Ohman. If Jim is so willing to throw around those kinds of deals for the bullpen, what short or long-term benefit would going to arbitration have?

 

Is it not possible that contracts like the one Eyre got have a bigger impact on an arbitration eligible bullpen pitcher's demands than letting get Ohman $100,000-$250,000 more?

 

Only players in their final years can compare their situation to all of MLB. A player like Ohman would only be able to compare himself to other first year arbitration guys.

 

Contracts like the one given to Eyre could affect arbitration cases, but only those players in their final year of arbitration.

[JWCUB]

Kinda off the arby topic, but I have a contract question. I believe that Wood has a mutual option in 07. I could be wrong about the year, but anyway, I was just wondering that if he has another injury plagued year, that if BOTH he and the Cubs could void that contract, and sign a new one. If that could happen, I would love to see him in the pen. But not at 13MM or whatever the figure is. Can someone help me on this?

 

Thanks

[SouthSideRyan]

If the option is declined by either (Wood would have to have one hell of a year to decline it) then they can come to terms on a different contract.

[JWCUB]

If the option is declined by either (Wood would have to have one hell of a year to decline it) then they can come to terms on a different contract.

 

Thanks, thats what I thought. If he has another injury plagued year, then I think he would know that he would only get a 1 year contract in FA. I just think he is destined for the pen. I believe his injury history dictates that. He really could be lights out if he would stay at relevers pay.

[Jon]

Only players in their final years can compare their situation to all of MLB. A player like Ohman would only be able to compare himself to other first year arbitration guys.

 

Contracts like the one given to Eyre could affect arbitration cases, but only those players in their final year of arbitration.

I was referring to a player's pre-arbitration request, not to his actual arbitration case. What a GM spends on similar players, I'd imagine, plays a factor in how much an arbitration eligible player like Ohman asks for. It's a signal to Ohman that Hendry highly (or over) values what Eyre provides and it wouldn't be an illogical jump to feel that Hendry would be willing to give him more because of that. It might not be significant in the hearing, but if Ohman sees Hendry sign Eyre for what he did, I'm guessing Ohman didn't exactly feel compelled to keep his request minimal.