Cubs and Big Z Avoid Arbitration, Agree to 1/$12.4 M

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

It seems that Todd Walker actually helped the Cubs get this deal done prior to the hearing.

 

Link.

 

The process, which included late-night talks Sunday and Monday, got an unexpected additional half-hour when former Cubs second baseman Walker's arbitration hearing with the San Diego Padres ran long.

 

Thanks, Todd.

[CuseCubFan69]

It seems that Todd Walker actually helped the Cubs get this deal done prior to the hearing.

 

Link.

 

The process, which included late-night talks Sunday and Monday, got an unexpected additional half-hour when former Cubs second baseman Walker's arbitration hearing with the San Diego Padres ran long.

 

Thanks, Todd.

 

Todd Walker is the gift that just keeps on giving. Who did the Cubs get for him again?

[Outshined_One]

It seems that Todd Walker actually helped the Cubs get this deal done prior to the hearing.

 

Link.

 

The process, which included late-night talks Sunday and Monday, got an unexpected additional half-hour when former Cubs second baseman Walker's arbitration hearing with the San Diego Padres ran long.

 

Thanks, Todd.

 

Todd Walker is the gift that just keeps on giving. Who did the Cubs get for him again?

 

Jose Ceda, who is one of the more intriguing pitching prospects in the Cubs' system. :D

[RynoRules]

I'm glad they didn't go to arbitration, but this last-minute deal doesn't necessary mean the two sides will have a better working relationship regarding an extension compared to where they would be if they went to arbitration.

 

If you have a record of making deals and coming to agreement, it's much easier to find common ground and make a deal.

In theory if you split the gap, but that's not really what happened here.

 

It'll get done, in my opinion, but I don't really think this is the big step towards that.

 

As a vet of labor-management relations, I disagree with your statement. Its a sign, no matter how small, that the sides would prefer to find middle ground and maintain good will rather than engaging in a feud. That's the essence of bargaining. The fact that they avoided arb. is a good sign.

[Jon]

I'm glad they didn't go to arbitration, but this last-minute deal doesn't necessary mean the two sides will have a better working relationship regarding an extension compared to where they would be if they went to arbitration.

 

If you have a record of making deals and coming to agreement, it's much easier to find common ground and make a deal.

In theory if you split the gap, but that's not really what happened here.

 

It'll get done, in my opinion, but I don't really think this is the big step towards that.

 

As a vet of labor-management relations, I disagree with your statement. Its a sign, no matter how small, that the sides would prefer to find middle ground and maintain good will rather than engaging in a feud. That's the essence of bargaining. The fact that they avoided arb. is a good sign.

But arbitration has a risk to it that negotiating an extension doesn't have, especially with the two figures being so far apart. If Zambrano and his agent felt that they had a good shot at having their figure selected, they likely wouldn't have settled for this deal. And realistically, they had to realize that they didn't have a great shot at $15.5 million.

 

When it comes to negotiating for an extension, though, Zambrano isn't going to have that disadvantage.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Some good quotes from Carlos on the whole process.

 

Said Zambrano: ''This is a good relationship between Jim Hendry and me, and thank God everything was like this. I think everybody's happy.''

 

 

''I'm ready to lead this team to the championship and win in this city,'' he said. ''The fans deserve for us to go to the playoffs and to win for the city of Chicago.

 

''And I'm here for that, and hopefully we can do that four years in a row.''

 

 

Hendry also had a good quote on how the Cubs planned to proceed if it had gone to a hearing.

 

In fact, neither side seemed to fear the potential fallout of an arbitration hearing. Hendry said this case was unusual because, unlike most arbitration cases, the team planned to focus solely on comparing the player to others at his service level while trying to mitigate the validity of using this winter's free-agent market as a gauge.

 

''Not one part of our case was ever going to be to say anything disparaging about Carlos,'' Hendry said. ''There wasn't going to be any tearing down of Carlos Zambrano because, first of all, he's our best pitcher. I've got nothing bad to say about him. ... And the person that was going to present our case had been told by me that's the way it was going to be.''

 

 

Link.

[RynoRules]

I'm glad they didn't go to arbitration, but this last-minute deal doesn't necessary mean the two sides will have a better working relationship regarding an extension compared to where they would be if they went to arbitration.

 

If you have a record of making deals and coming to agreement, it's much easier to find common ground and make a deal.

In theory if you split the gap, but that's not really what happened here.

 

It'll get done, in my opinion, but I don't really think this is the big step towards that.

 

As a vet of labor-management relations, I disagree with your statement. Its a sign, no matter how small, that the sides would prefer to find middle ground and maintain good will rather than engaging in a feud. That's the essence of bargaining. The fact that they avoided arb. is a good sign.

But arbitration has a risk to it that negotiating an extension doesn't have, especially with the two figures being so far apart. If Zambrano and his agent felt that they had a good shot at having their figure selected, they likely wouldn't have settled for this deal. And realistically, they had to realize that they didn't have a great shot at $15.5 million.

 

When it comes to negotiating for an extension, though, Zambrano isn't going to have that disadvantage.

 

No they wouldn't, b/c by settling they build good will with Hendry that can be cashed in when the truly important topic is broached: a long term deal. This is far more important than squabbiling over a couple of mill for one season. Its the forest through the trees.

[Cubsown2007]

Good for him. Z deserves it. Glad to see he got paid close to what he is worth, we need him in good spirits heading into this season.

[Jon]

I'm glad they didn't go to arbitration, but this last-minute deal doesn't necessary mean the two sides will have a better working relationship regarding an extension compared to where they would be if they went to arbitration.

 

If you have a record of making deals and coming to agreement, it's much easier to find common ground and make a deal.

In theory if you split the gap, but that's not really what happened here.

 

It'll get done, in my opinion, but I don't really think this is the big step towards that.

 

As a vet of labor-management relations, I disagree with your statement. Its a sign, no matter how small, that the sides would prefer to find middle ground and maintain good will rather than engaging in a feud. That's the essence of bargaining. The fact that they avoided arb. is a good sign.

But arbitration has a risk to it that negotiating an extension doesn't have, especially with the two figures being so far apart. If Zambrano and his agent felt that they had a good shot at having their figure selected, they likely wouldn't have settled for this deal. And realistically, they had to realize that they didn't have a great shot at $15.5 million.

 

When it comes to negotiating for an extension, though, Zambrano isn't going to have that disadvantage.

 

No they wouldn't, b/c by settling they build good will with Hendry that can be cashed in when the truly important topic is broached: a long term deal. This is far more important than squabbiling over a couple of mill for one season. Its the forest through the trees.

But you could also just as easily say that Zambrano settling on a figure below a million or so below the middle ground for this year just gives Hendry the impression that he'll cave on the extension.

[Mizzou]

I know that there are incentives tied to this contract like being an All Star, winning the Gold Glove, winning the Silver Slugger, etc. Does anyone know how much Zambrano can make this year with incentives?

[RichHillIsABeast]

I know that there are incentives tied to this contract like being an All Star, winning the Gold Glove, winning the Silver Slugger, etc. Does anyone know how much Zambrano can make this year with incentives?

 

He can earn $2MM in incentives according to the Tribune. So the max amount he can get is $14.4MM, since his base salary is $12.4MM.