Just had a pitcher get a 256 day injury as the season winds down. He's been thru 2 arbs and I wasn't going to do a third as he's just a 32 y/o LR.

Since you can't release injured players and his injury will extend beyond arb next season, I was wondering how to avoid arb.

I didn't put him on the DL. I sent him to AAA and removed him from the 40.

Will he become a FA instead of arb? I don't think so but that seems like my only hope.

Not what you asked, but his Arb demands should be significantly reduced due to the Ov drop following the injury.

Should be a FA i think... 6+yr Pro, not on 40 Man = MiL FA as far as i know.

That's what I would think but it seems like a loophole to rid yourself of injured players. I'm sure the MLBPA wouldn't allow that to happen. Of course, it very well may be a HBD loophole.

Didnt the Cubs do it to Prior, the season he went to San Diego?

Yep

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/priorma01.shtml?redir

Non-tendered after 5th ML season.

Alright then. It looks like I did the right thing. Yay me.

Carry on.

Quote: Originally Posted By MikeT23 on 4/08/2010
Alright then. It looks like I did the right thing. Yay me.

Carry on.

So did he get a minor league salary?

No, there are still 20 games in the season.

And you can't demote an DL player, right? But what if you remove him fom DL? Could you demote him then? Don't know how that would affect his abr status.

Is it possible that his FA demands would be greater than his Arb demands?

Mike if you have a question please refer to the ask MikeT thread.

That's why I didn't DL him, torre.

Yes, it's very possible. My problem was that I wasn't going to arb with him the third time. But you can't RELEASE an injured player so, if he's arb-el, I have no choice as the injury extends into the middle of next season.

My experience has been that arb-eligible players will still arb, even if they are in the minors and off the 40. I have, however, gotten pleasant surprises (lower than expected demands) recently on arbing players in the minors, although they were relatively low in overall rating.

Another advantage in sending an injured player to the minors is that his ML service time stops increasing. If his ML time is under the "rounding threshhold" (156 days?), you may get another arb at his previous experience level.