35 free agents were offered arbitration this year, 12 more than last year. If you're not sure what offering arbitration means, click here to read our free agent arbitration primer.
The following players were offered arbitration today, and now have until November 30th to decide whether to accept. Type As who turn down arbitration cost a draft pick for a new team to sign; Type Bs do not.
Type A (14 players)
Grant Balfour
Adrian Beltre
Carl Crawford
Jorge De La Rosa
Scott Downs
Adam Dunn
Frank Francisco
Jason Frasor
Paul Konerko
Cliff Lee
Victor Martinez
Carl Pavano
Rafael Soriano
Jayson Werth
Type B (21 players)
Joaquin Benoit
John Buck
Randy Choate
Kevin Correia
Jesse Crain
Octavio Dotel
Pedro Feliciano
Jon Garland
Kevin Gregg
Brad Hawpe
Aaron Heilman
Trevor Hoffman
Orlando Hudson
Adam LaRoche
Felipe Lopez
Miguel Olivo
J.J. Putz
Chad Qualls
Yorvit Torrealba
Juan Uribe
Javier Vazquez
Regarding my predictions yesterday, I was correct on 46 of 62 players. That's slightly worse than my success rate last year, though I did predict that we'd see more than 30 total arbitration offers this year. I was particularly surprised by the decisions on Vazquez, Hoffman, Guerrier, Podsednik, Correia, Dotel, Hawpe, and Qualls. Vazquez and Hoffman were offered only because of gentleman's agreements that they'd decline.
We may be seeing more arbitration offers this year due to more value being placed on draft picks, especially with a strong 2011 class. Additionally, teams may have been more inclined to offer based on the expectation that players will decline in hopes of getting in on the lavish contracts given out so far.
All 65 of the arbitration decisions are noted in our Free Agent Arbitration Offer Tracker, which will also show who accepts on November 30th. The decisions are noted in our constantly-updated 2011 free agents list as well.
I’m a little surprised the Padres offered arbitration to Correia. He was awful last season. His command slipped, he gave up too many HR (hard to do in PetCo), and he seemed to refuse advice from his pitching coach considering he made the same mechanical mistake all season long.
I was a little shocked by that decision as well.
That’s why he’s no longer with the Giants.
He could just be a swingman pitcher this year. A little expensive though.
i think you’re jumping the gun a little here…still no word on Toronto.
Yes there is, I didn’t publish this until after Gregor Chisholm’s tweet.
Sorry about that. I didn’t see the update until after I posted.
Is it over now? or midnight PST?
It’s over now, all 21 teams are in.
mlbtraderumors.com/freeagentarboffers
Is the first year Tim that players have negotiated to decline once they were offered? kind of cheating.
Not at all, the practice definitely has precedent. Jason Marquis with the Rockies might be one in recent memory. Mark Grudzielanek did it with the Royals I believe also.
I see your point but don’t really see it as cheating. If the market dries up for these players at least they didn’t burn their bridges with their team, maybe they come back at a reduced rate (in general, b/c I don’t know of a single Yankee fan who would ever want to see Vasquez in pinstripes again).
I’m thinking that Frasor will be back for another year in Toronto. Despite him being a decent reliever, I just don’t think any team will be willing to give up a pick for him. Even if he’s in line for a raise, for AA it is worth the chance though, cuz you just never know.
wouldn’t be bad to have him back, should be a young bullpen, it will be nice to have a vet who can handle high pressure situations..oh wait
Yes, I think it’s a worthwhile gamble for the Jays. The worst case scenario is they slightly overpay in arbitration for one pretty good reliever (and even then it’s only for one year). The best case scenario is that somebody else makes him a better offer and the Jays get two draft picks. Not a whole lot to lose, plenty to gain.
To be honest, I think he stays… His wife is from Toronto and has a large family here. He is one of the only players who actually stays in Toronto for most of the offseason. I think it would have to be a pretty good deal to lure him away, considering he’s a type A I don’t see it
but then again i didn’t see Benoit getting that much, so stranger things have happened
Perhaps a team like the tigers, who have a protected pick and might sign two higher ranked players, would be willing to give up a third or fourth round pick for Frasor.
detroit didn’t have a protected pick, as of now it belongs to the red sox.. A’s have the last protected pick
These gentleman’s agreements make a mockery of the system, which is already a distortion given how many teams are getting sandwich picks.
Padres channel Eisenhower– “I shall go to Correia.”
The system is a mockery of itself. A guy like Grant Balfour shouldn’t have to worry about not being signed. I can’t really blame anyone for cheating it.
Who did Aaron Heilman have to kill to get type B status? There wasn’t at least one reliever better than Heilman, really? I mean, this is a guy who Mets fans wanted gone a few years ago, and they got their wish.
Tim I think you are right in saying that teams were more willing to offer Arb. b/c now it is more likely to be turned down. Already we have seen Benoit, Buck, Huff and even V-Mart sign for more than originally predicted. Money seems to be more free flowing this offseason, and when you even have teams like the Pirates willing to open up their checkbook free agents can cash in.
So who are the best draft-compensation-free free-agents out there now? I’d think those guys start getting signed ASAP.
These “gentlemen’s agreements” where players agree to decline offers of arbitration are dirty pool, IMO. The offers are disingenuous and they rig the draft. The league should step in and void the comp picks in such cases.
How could the league prove it? A Ken Rosenthal report isn’t proof.
Start by making the rule, which they apparently have not done. One would like to think that clubs might tend to follow the rules that the league makes for them. If you see a Brad Hawpe declining arbitration, you KNOW that was not a sound decision.
They should also not give compensation to teams that lose a free agent player that was just rented for a couple of months at the end of the season.
“Type As who turn down arbitration cost a draft pick for a new team to sign; Type Bs do not.”
I may be incorrect but I was under the impression that if a Type B Free Agent declined arbitration and signed with another team a supplemental pick would be awarded to the original team.
Type B free agent Brian Fuentes was not offered arb. by the Twins. Is this because the Twins think they may have to pay him too much?
Yes. Two of the criteria in arbitration are the player’s years of experience and his salary history. That’s two things that don’t really matter to a GM signing a free agent. Guerrier and Rauch were more likely to receive arbitration offers, IMO.
Type B free agent Brian Fuentes was not offered arb. by the Twins. Is this because the Twins think they may have to pay him too much?
Chances Dunn accepts arbitration
zero. he wants a multi year contract.
Chances Dunn accepts arbitration