The Rockies offered arbitration to reliever Rafael Betancourt (Type A) and starter Jason Marquis (Type B), according to Tracy Ringolsby of Inside The Rockies. They did not offer to Yorvit Torrealba (B) or Joe Beimel (B).
The Marquis decision comes as a mild surprise. Ringolsby says there are indications he will reject the offer in search of a multiyear deal, which would net the Rockies a supplemental pick.
Betancourt rejected the Rockies' two-year, $7MM offer earlier in the offseason, so this arbitration offer gives them a chance to either keep him on a one-year deal or receive two draft picks for their loss. The Rox already rejected Betancourt's $5.4MM club option, so they might be thinking he'd get less than that in arbitration. From Betancourt's point of view, he'll be a lot less attractive to other teams if he turns down the Rockies' offer.
