OK so heres the story ... Joined brand new world.  Great luck to find a 20 year old pitcher projected to 100 on team.  Seasons 1 to 4 his contract was automaticly renewed. The first season he came up for ARB, as a 24 year old, I did the right thing and signed him to a 5 year contract worth about $60mil.  Payed off because he was won 4 straight ML CY Young Awards.

Last season (season 8), he still has 2 years remaining on his contract (Seasons 8 &9).   I was trying to see if there was some way I could extend him but came to the conclusion I couldn't.  1st question - Was I right?  Could I have extented him even with 2 years remaining on his current contract?

So now season 9, last year of his contract, and the World has just rolled over.  Went directly to Contracts/Free Agent Report/ Season 10 (next season) and got the bad news ....."With free-agency looming, I'm going to at least see what the market has to offer.  Let's talk again in the offseason."

So now Im going to lose him.  Is it my fault?  Is there something I did wrong or something I could have done different?  ****** me off!

No. If he wants to test the market, you have to let him leave Cleveland and go to Miami. 

Console yourself by writing an angry letter to your fictional season ticket holders. 

(Seriously, you might have wrung another year or two out of him by waiting until after his 2nd arb year to offer the long term deal, but that might have backfired on you and you can't change history. He's leaving. Budget so you can offer him a max deal ($10M bonus, $20M/season for 5 years, NTC, Player Option) and hope your ballpark/pitching coach is enough to break any ties.)     
     

Yeah I guess I did make 1 mistake.  I could have ARBed him at least 1 or 2 years before offering the extention.  Thats what I get for trying to do the right thing.

I don't even mind offering him the max, 1st guy I ever saw worth it and he's still only 28 years old.  Just hope I get him back. 

What a game this is.  I got like 200 seasons and Im still learning crap.

Well, I once had the guy I arb-ed twice tell me to go screw, so I lost him after his final arb-eligible season. That was painful. 

The safe way is to arb him once and then give him the LTC. At least, I've yet to hear someone losing a guy after taking him to arb only once.

Sox, you had a guy refuse a long term deal before he went to arb for the third time?

I always arb twice and sign to 5.

Budget enough for the max contract and raise your coaching budget as much as possible.  Next season get the best pitching and bullpen coach possible.  That's the best you can do.

I meant arbed twice, then played his 3rd arb season, then refused to sign an extension (when he was rightfully an FA). It was right around when the FA logic change happened ~1 1/2 years ago. 

Posted by soxfan121 on 7/12/2010 6:29:00 PM (view original):
Well, I once had the guy I arb-ed twice tell me to go screw, so I lost him after his final arb-eligible season. That was painful. 

The safe way is to arb him once and then give him the LTC. At least, I've yet to hear someone losing a guy after taking him to arb only once.

Did you really???

You just made my day!!! (sorry)... I've been signing my top guys after only taking them to arb. once, as I was afraid of exactly that.

Glad I could bring some joy to your dreary existence, iain. ;-)

Posted by soxfan121 on 7/12/2010 7:48:00 PM (view original):
I meant arbed twice, then played his 3rd arb season, then refused to sign an extension (when he was rightfully an FA). It was right around when the FA logic change happened ~1 1/2 years ago. 

It sound to me like you offered him arbitration 3 times, he became a FA and refused to sign a new deal with you (when he was rightfully a FA)?

My concern is, an arbitration eligible player refusing a long term deal, making you take them to arbitration so they can gain early free agency.