WEDNESDAY, 12:12pm: The Nationals won their hearing against Bruney, reports the AP. He'll be paid $1.5MM, saving the team $350K over his request.
TUESDAY, 5:13pm: The Nationals and reliever Brian Bruney were unable to come to an agreement on a contract for 2010, so the two sides went to an arbitration hearing today according to the AP (via The Miami Herald). Bruney filed for $1.85MM, the team $1.5MM.
Bruney, who turns 28 tomorrow, was acquired from the Yankees in December for the rights to the first overall pick in the Rule 5 Draft. He posted a 3.92 ERA with an 8.3 K/9 in 39 innings last year, battling elbow trouble in the first half. Bruney's fastball routinely sits in the mid-90's, but he often doesn't know where it's going (6.2 BB/9) and has trouble staying on the field (three DL trips since 2008).
The Nationals only other remaining arbitration case is lefty Sean Burnett, who filed for $925K. The team countered with $775K.
Edward
Why can teams trade rule 5 draft picks but not rule 4 picks?
Mike Axisa 2
They didn’t actually trade the pick. They traded a PTBNL, the Yanks told the Nats who to pick, and he became the PTBNL.
Guest 1640
Yeah I have no problem taking Jamie Hoffman back.
WolandJR
A player selected in the rule 5 and then traded is not subject to the same rules as a player that is selected in the rule 5 and kept, right? E.g. if the Yanks want to send Hoffman down, they don’t need to offer him back to the Dodgers.
Mike Axisa 2
No, the Rule 5 Draft rules still apply. He has to stick all year.
Utley4God
Seems like it’d be easy to hit midpoints on these two without arb hearings
Comment_and_Chill
well the nats just saved 350K lol
HABSPatsNatsFan
Way to Nickel-and-Dime a newcomer !!!!! 350K is a spit in the bucket compared to what they wasted on Kearns, DYoung, K Wells, Jorge Sosa et al. last year…. Come on Nats ! Show some CLASS !
JerseyJohn32190
Ya, stop trying to maximize your profits like any other business does and show some class!