Every team takes a different approach to the negotiation of contracts with players who have yet to qualify for arbitration. Technically, there’s no obligation to pay them any more than the league minimum salary, which currently sits at $535K. But all teams make some allowance for increases above that amount. Some use formulas with varying inputs; others appear largely ad hoc. Some range well over the minimum; others allow for only de minimis bumps. Read here for more on the process; better still, check out Zach Links’s reporting on the subject from early 2014.
We already learned recently of one notable 2017 pre-arb contract situation, as the Red Sox elected to renew Mookie Betts. A renewal occurs when the club can’t get the player to agree to the salary. The result is the same — the player gets what the team is willing to give — but the player gets to make clear his disapproval. In that case, Betts still received a relatively massive payday, with his $950K salary trailing only Mike Trout (in 2014) among pre-arb players.
Here are a few more notable salaries that have been reported since:
- The Astros ended up renewing their own pre-arb star, Carlos Correa, per Jon Heyman of Fan Rag. But he’ll get quite a bit less than Betts; in fact, for the second straight year, Correa will earn only the league-minimum rate of pay. (To be fair, he’s also one service class behind Betts.) As MLBTR previously reported, Houston has in prior years utilized a formula-based system that allows players to earn relatively meager boosts over the minimum, though it’s not known whether that specific approach is still followed. Clearly, though, Correa — one of the game’s most exciting young talents — would have been offered at least something more than the minimum. Presumably, then, he was docked back down owing to his refusal to sign, which is another element the Astros have reportedly employed. It obviously remains to be seen whether there’ll be any long-term strain on the relationship between player and team, but it’s not hard to see the possibility.
- There’s perhaps less cause for angst between the Mets and young ace Noah Syndergaard, who’ll earn $605,500 in 2016 with his renewal, as Heyman tweets. That’s certainly a reasonably significant increase over the minimum, and it falls in line with the team’s prior approach to setting arb salaries, as Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports. Syndergaard was hoping to earn a bit more, and declined to sign on to the team’s offer, but New York did not apply any penalty in setting the renewal price. It seems that the relationship between player and team remains harmonious, per Sherman. Syndergaard, unlike Correa, can also look forward to much higher earnings in the near future, as he’s nearly certain to achieve Super Two status.
- Finally, the Nationals have agreed to a $554,900 salary with emergent star Trea Turner, according to Heyman (via Twitter). That’s rather a healthy rate of pay for a player who’ll enter the year with just 135 days of service, though Turner’s outstanding half-season of work in 2016 — .342/.370/.567 with 13 home runs and 33 steals over 324 plate appearances — more than justifies such an increase. With Turner’s deal in the books, the Nats were able to line up with all 22 of their arb-eligible players. Looking ahead for the youngster, who’ll be moving back to his accustomed shortstop position this year, the biggest impact on his earnings (beyond his play) won’t be the team’s decision on how much to pay him before he reaches arbitration. Instead, it’ll be whether he can qualify for Super Two status. Without a 2015 cameo in the books, he wouldn’t have much of a shot; as things stand, he’ll be touch-and-go to reach arb eligibility a year ahead of the pack.
NickinAtl
not sure how large de minimus bumps are, but de minimis raises are very small
Jeff Todd
I can’t spell and I’m not a creative writer, but I’m sticking with bumps.
pjmcnu
I think Houston is being shortsighted. Nobody really gives a rat’s ass whether players register their “discontent” other than the teams, so what’s the point of punishing them? It’s not a PR debacle or “black eye.” They’re putting an extra bad taste in the mouth of a player that’s going to be hard enough for them to sign eventually – without a Betances style problem on top. Better to do what Boston & NYM did and just give them what you wanted to in the first place. You gain nothing but insignificant amounts of $$ from being petty. On the flip side, what is Betts doing? I know he had a great year, but virtually nobody gets $950K pre-arb. Take the win. I’m pro-player generally, but you gotta keep some sense of realism & perspective about the system you’re working within.
layventsky
The Red Sox typically have a much greater payroll than the Astros, so one would expect that they have more funds available for sizable pre-arb raises.
higuys
You’re completely ignoring the fact that all future deals are based off of these deals. If Boston (or any other club, for that matter) gave every pre-arb player their asking price then Correa would be a multimillionaire today. Every deal sets a precedent for every future deal, and that’s why teams don’t give out boatloads of cash pre-arb, it’s also why teams sell low during arbitration hearings. If they spend more on Correa this year, then every single team has to spend more on SSs every single year forever.
mike156
Extended time MLB minimums plus club manipulation of service time was a key issue that should have been addressed by the MLPA in the last CBA. They don’t seem to want to touch it. I love to hear the reason why. As for teams cramming down a lower salary when the player won’t sign what’s offered–it’s crude and nasty but probably effective.
pjmcnu
Probably because those that get screwed by that (young players) are not those that have power within the union. Guys have it happen to them, but by the time they’re powerful, they have other priorities. Making sure young guys get a bigger piece of the player salary pie is not one of them.
bfolls
They can’t get everything that they want. They had to pick their battles and make priorities. No international draft, increased MLB minimums, and no losing a first round pick for signing a guy who turned down a qualifying offer were the things they decided we’re most important
Dark_Knight
Like others have said, the players pick their fights.
Squabbling over $100,000s when you can eliminate draft pick compensation and earn more $1,000,000s.
66TheNumberOfTheBest
If you give a guy $750,000 instead of $500,000 in these pre-arb situations, does it come back to bite you when the players gets to arbitration?
Can giving them extra money now cost you another million or two later by setting a higher starting point for an arbitration raise?
Blue_Painted_Dreams_LA
Simple answer is yes
reflect
Complicated answer is still yes
altuve2017mvp
They have four years to make correa happy. They ain’t worried. He ain’t worried
Whyamihere
Correa has been all about his brand and his prestige. He took a discount so he could be the first #1 from Puerto Rico. When he signed his endorsement deal he talked about it holding him over until FA. He’s all about #Teamcjcorrea. He seems all but certain to go to the highest bidder when he gets to FA. If the Astros want to keep him, they’re going to have to pony up the money. This really isn’t a shot at Correa, by all accounts, he’s a great teammate, hard worker, and incredible leader, but he’s not going to be leaving money on the table. The good news for Astros fans, is he’s going to work hard for the next four years to put up incredible numbers and earn that contract.
altuve2017mvp
The Astros knew he would be cheaper and had the highest ceiling that’s why they took him #1. He didn’t settle, that was what he was worth at the time. I don’t think it will be a easy decision to leave Houston. By the time he hits the FA market(if he hits it) they will have the best team in the league that was built for him. Texas has no state tax. Because the numbers might be a little smaller the check will still come out as big or bigger then other teams. So it will come down to playing for a winner. Farm is strong and in 4 years I can’t imagine the talent that will be here or creeping up. Would u leave that?
Whyamihere
The reason why he was willing to be cheaper was because he wanted to be the first overall. He was a legit top 5 prospect, and didn’t have to settle for that low of a price. The Astros might have taken him #1 with a larger price tag, but he really wanted to be the first Puerto Rican #1, so he cut a deal. I’m an Astros fan too, and I’d love to see them be the best team in the Majors, but there’s going to be so much competition, I wouldn’t state it as fact. I think his situation will be a lot like Cano. Cano wanted to stay an Yankee, but that 10/240 Million was too much to pass up.
brandons-3
If any ballplayer is discontent let it be known to all 30 MLB teams I will take a third of the minimum for 20 years to play baseball.
Connorsoxfan
I’ll take a quarter.
JYD5321
MLPA will never look to change the 3 part compensation system, as this is the system THEY, not the owners, wanted. One can always get a better deal (ask to change the one element that benefits the owners), but that opens it all up. Right now, MLB players operate in the only major sport without a salary cap, and where the players (collectively) get a higher percentage of total revenues than in any other sport.
It’s the 3 part system that makes the whole thing work. It’s keeps the number of FAs low each year, creating demand so in excess of supply that salaries get bid up even when there is precious little talent available. Then when real talent becomes available in FA, the prices have to be insane, starting another baseline — all on an artificial limiting of supply. Better still, other players (arbitration eligible non-FAs) benefit as well from the inflated FA salaries via arbitration salaries, which tend to keep pace. Only players with less than 3 years (who are not super 2’s) don’t participate directly in the frenzy. Small price to pay (almost no price at all for stars or future stars).
Dumb and under capitalized owners and even dumber commissioners have never figured this out. Baseball is doing well $$ wise, but that’s because all the major sports have exploded. Relatively, baseball owners have lost ground to their counterparts in the NFL and the NBA. While baseball players (collectively) continue to widen their edge over their contemporaries.
66TheNumberOfTheBest
One day a commissioner in some sport will call the player’s bluff and make every single player a free agent every year.
The top guys will always get paid, but imagine 90% of the players facing a market like the one Chris Carter and Napoli and Lind, etc. faced this offseason every year.
JYD5321
Yep. May need a better capitalized and tougher/smarter group of owners behind him. The non-financial aspects of player movement might make them nervous, and disparity between large and small markets as well. But players would never do as well as a group. Too many fungible players available.
dust44
All 4 above mentioned players will make quite a bit of coin in upcoming years. Let’s not feel sorry for 100 mill players making 500k considering most 20-23 year olds r on meal plans in college right now not making a dime
Blue_Painted_Dreams_LA
As a former college player who has experienced playing with PR and Dominican teammates both at the college level and beyond, I’ll take my meal plan and call myself lucky for being born in the states.
tmengd 2
I’m not sure about the other players signing bonuses, but also remember Correa almost got 5m as a bonus. Plus his endorements. I’m sure he is ok.
The only player i can envision being a lifetime Astro on the current squad though is Altuve, they took a chance on him when no one else would. He seems to be all about loyalty. Correa maybe that way too but hard to say with his age. Although I love Springer, i could see him going to the Red Sox in FA as he is a lifetime fan, whereas Correa and Altuve were not lifelong fans of other teams to that extent.
Whyamihere
I’d put a better bet on Bregman. He seems to be the loyal baseball rat. Altuve was asked if he had any advice for young players and he said something like “don’t sign a long term deal” I would love to see any of Correa, McCullers, Bregman, Altuve, or Springer be Astros for life, but the reality is its a longshot to even have one guy do it. I don’t think Altuve feels like he owes any more to the organization given how cheap he is for an MVP caliber player.
Cam
If players don’t like the minimal or non-existent raises, they need to take it up with the MLBPA, who have been bargaining away the right of players they don’t represent yet, for years. But, that won’t happen – so the next set of players will face the same issues.