MLBTR is the hottest spot on the internet for all your arbitration needs! I know, I know … bold marketing statement. But it’s true. We take the arb process seriously in these parts, from essential arbitration projections to detailed breakdowns to in-time coverage of the market as it unfolds. (Wondering about those projections? No doubt we’ll be aiming again for an early-October release.)
We also understand that the arb process is a bit of a wonky niche in the baseball transactional world. Even big hearing victories like these barely register on the news wire. But they are still quite important. And many smaller decisions are as well. If you’re the type who appreciates this sort of thing … well, that’s why you’re here.
Anyway, that’s all a bit of background to help explain why I thought it’d be worthwhile to follow up on a few notable players who were non-tendered (or designated just before the tender deadline) by their teams last fall. I even invented a new term, “re-tendered,” to encapsulate players who go from being non-tendered one year to offered arbitration again with another team. (Exciting times, I know.) This doesn’t work for non-tendered players who have already exhausted their arb eligibility (hence, no Avisail Garcia). We also won’t list players who are not yet arb-eligible but were non-tendered last fall (it’s possible for pre-arb players, too; Adrian Sampson is a possible example).
Tim Beckham would’ve been a prime candidate but for his recent PED suspension. Here are six remaining re-tender candidates:
Derek Dietrich, INF, Reds: Okay, he wasn’t technically non-tendered. But Dietrich was designated by the Marlins just before the non-tender deadline, so he’s in. Dietrich ended up on a minors deal in Cincinnati that pays $2MM in the bigs. He has repaid that handsomely, with 273 plate appearances of .207/.349/.514 hitting. While he hasn’t maintained an early storm of productivity, Dietrich remains a plausible tender candidate for 2020.
James McCann, C, White Sox: Another player who has faded after a blistering start, McCann still seems an easy tender choice for the White Sox. That’s a bummer for the division-rival Tigers, who finally decided to cut him loose. McCann owns a .282/.338/.458 batting line with a dozen long balls in 335 plate appearances.
Matt Shoemaker, SP, Blue Jays: He is nearing his 33rd birthday and has been hurt an awful lot — including an ACL tear that cost him the bulk of the present campaign. But Shoemaker has talent, as evidenced by the 1.57 ERA he posted in five starts before shredding his knee. He signed with the pitching-needy Jays for $3.5MM over the winter after the Angels non-tendered him. Perhaps the Toronto organization will double down, bettering that a lengthy respite for Shoemaker’s right arm will help him finally bounce back in full in 2020.
Hunter Strickland, RP, Nationals: Another player who was DFA’ed just before the arb decision point, the former Giants late-inning man signed in Seattle for $1.3MM and ended up in D.C. on deadline day. Strickland hasn’t actually thrown many innings this season due to injury, but a solid showing down the stretch could make him a keeper for a Nats club that will be looking to fill multiple bullpen vacancies over the offseason to come.
Blake Parker, RP, Phillies: Non-tendered by the Angels and inked for $1.8MM by the Twins, Parker sacrificed the remainder of his guaranteed salary when he elected free agency after he was cut loose by the Minnesota org earlier this season. He has already coughed up four earned runs on two long balls in five innings in Philly. The thing is, the Philadelphia organization is facing a strain on its relief unit and has good reason to keep running Parker out there. He has run up eight strikeouts without a walk thus far in Philly. While his velocity has continued to trail off, it’s still imaginable he’ll end up being worth a relatively affordable tender this fall.
Chris Herrmann, C, Athletics: It’s too soon to say on Herrmann, who’s earning just $1MM in Oakland after being non-tendered by the Astros following an offseason deal from the Mariners. He hasn’t hit a ton since making it back from a long injured list stint, but Herrmann has a nice opportunity ahead of him down the stretch. It’s certainly possible to imagine he’ll show the A’s enough to warrant a tender. You could throw teammate Robbie Grossman on this list, too, though he has produced tepid numbers in a much lengthier sample this year.
Did I miss anyone? Let me know in the comments!
Dietrich started off hot but at best he’s a bench bat. i get he’s hit a lot of homers but he cant single to save his life. worth non-tendering and resigning to a minor league deal at best.
Take away Dietrich against my Buccos and the Giants he has been absolutely putrid.
In 45 at-bats against those two team, he is hitting .377 with 11 HRs and 24 RBI
In his other 170 abs this season, .163 for 8 HR and 19 RBI
He’s totally non-tender guy. And kind of a turd.
Interesting stats…..as a Pirates fan even I didn’t realize that. The new age of baseball where a .207 average is part of a “handsome” stat line.
THANK YOU. I was scoffing at reading that he “repaid them handsomely” with .207 BA, too
Seriously, it’s like the overly flattering words they use to describe Harper and his .250 averages year in and year out, aside from 2015.
Well, I’m sure the writer is solely referring to his decent OBP, his overall power production, and the fact he’s come up with some big hits for Cincy..
But yeah, other then that, and his defensive versatility, he really hasn’t offered very much for Cincy. Still though, he’s a decent bench bat with great power that can pass defensively all over the diamond.
Now, I am certainly not saying DD is some extremely valuable weapon off the bench like Charlie Culberson, but then again, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better bench bat than Culberson in the NL!!
Speaking of which, that is truly saying something, considering that countless ignorant Braves’fans were questioning why the Braves even asked for him in the Kemp for Adrian Gonzalez, McCarthy, and Kazmir salary swap. Not to mention, those same morons wanted to just release him..It’s funny now how those same “fans” talk about how amazing Culberson is, and how they act like they’ve cared so greatly for him his entire Braves tenure..lol Braves’ fans are just some of the worst, and believe me, I know, I’ve been putting up with them my entire life..They make the vast majority of Braves Country look bad with their ridiculous homerism, stupid trade proposals, and they have more flip-flops then those “going out of business” gift shops in Florida…haha
Regardless, back then, I knew he was a great teammate, a really solid and versatile defender, and that he was about as clutch a hitter as it got in late-game, pinch-hitting situations, so I knew he could help the Braves. However, even as high as I was on Culberson as a solid bench piece, as much as I loved acquiring him back then, and as much as I thought the Braves got a steal, I HONESTLY had NO CLUE he could hit so well on such a consistent basis!! I would have never predicted he’d become such a vital piece to the Braves!! He has simply been an absolute blessing!!
Ever since coming to Atlanta, Culberson has been one of the best reserve utility players in all of MLB!! He has quickly won over those same naysayers that just wanted to release him, and has become a fan favorite and an icon in Atlanta. Every team needs them a player like Culberson, but the Braves have the one and only Charlie Clutch!!
generational
DD has been fine. BABIP suggests the BA should be coming up soon anyhow. Always going to be low because he has a flyball approach. He’s only mking 2MM this year and gets a raised based on that. I definitely think they’ll tender him considering how affordable he’ll be. He’s been well worth the small investment this year.
His .197 BABIP points for a correction in batting average. That, along with the fact that he’s a fan favorite and will be relatively cheap still, makes him all but certain to be tendered.
Is your sole reason because how he watched his out of the park blast earlier this season?
True good point
Dietrich leads the league in getting hit by pitches with 23. He finished first in 2016 and is 3rd amongst active players. In a conversation where hitting .207 but with an on base of .347, that his helping his value.
so he’s essentially Brandon Guyer but trade 20 homers for .030 in average. Guyer cant keep a job this year, and Dietrich got a minors deal last year.
Dietrich gets HBP so often because of how he acts after his HRs…
Well, no. But that doesn’t hurt it. He crowds the plate and it’s clearly a repeatable skill as he’s been near the top of the league the last 3 years. Might as well call it a walk for him because it’s a repeatable skill.
So? Is a HBP worth less because of that? No. Note to pitchers, if you don’t like a hitter admiring his home run, don’t give up a home run in the first place.
the hicks experiment has not materialized. aa get McCann back…
You heard him, AA, go get McCann to pair with McCann and dump Flowers.
I think he means the AA in Detroit,not the one in Atlanta.
You have to admit that having two catchers with the same last name on the same team would be pretty cool.
McCann is the only one on this list id see tendered a contract, but then again, id also see a multi-year extention as a higher likelyhood.
Toronto has no starting pitching and very little on the way. Since Shoemaker has a knee injury and not a shoulder injury I’d think a few million would be well worth it. They’re going to have to sign SOMEBODY to throw innings next year, and he’s got a decent shot at being “flippable” at the deadline if he does perform well.
As much as I like what I seen from Shoemaker on the mound, I wouldn’t retender him. The Jays are intent on letting there young unproven pitching take their lumps. I will be surprised if the opening day rotation has anyone over the age of 28.
I disagree.
If he was worth $3.5m coming off arm troubles in a clearly non-competitive year… he should be worth at least that in a (likely) more competitive year… especially after his hot start.
Plus… with his 5 starts he’s still 3rd on the roster in WAR among pitchers… and only one W behind the team leaders!! Can’t non-tender efficient production like that!
I know Ws aren’t a great measurement of success for pitchers…. but when your team leader has 4…. it’s probably been a long season.
It’s all about the process – direct quote from blind Jays fans.
Surveying the landscape of the Blue Jays pitching situation, they need to strongly consider bringing back Shoemaker. Pitching depth is a problem, Blue Jays don’t think much of Paulino anymore and who knows how Borucki’s elbow will hold up. Hopefully this Spring Training the Jays will work on rundowns and teach their middle infielders where to go.
What about Schoop? Or is free after this year?
He’s a free agent but Cron isn’t and is probably the number one player most likely to get re-tendered.
Cj Cron, easily number one.
He was DFA’d, not non-tendered.
The way MLBTR accurately predicts arbitration salaries
both player and club should
ask you guys what the players
salary should be!
They should just be the arbitrator. They understand that homeruns, RBIs, and saves don’t indicate true value like the current dinosaurs they have picking salaries