It may be my imagination but it does not seem to save any money signing the long term deal at the time of the players first arbitration year.   My question is the second year of arb the best time to sign these deals, or the third year of arb??

The kicker to this question is-- has anyone ever allowed the player to win arbitration the first 2 years and that player not want to sign a long term deal in the last year of arb??  Losing the player to free agency??  I would love to wait for that last year of arb to sign the long term deal but do not want to take a chance on losing some of these players because I tick them off not signing them earlier??? 

I always wait till the third year of arb to sign the LT deal if I want to max out control over a player.  They always sign a five year deal at that time

Posted by shobob on 12/24/2010 11:48:00 PM (view original):
I always wait till the third year of arb to sign the LT deal if I want to max out control over a player.  They always sign a five year deal at that time

Thanks, Has anyone out there ever come accross a player who never lost arbitration not want to sign a long term deal in the last year of arb??

I don't think it's a matter of "winning" or "losing" arbitration.  It's a matter of being taken to arb three times.

Posted by traceysemmel on 12/26/2010 9:17:00 AM (view original):

Posted by shobob on 12/24/2010 11:48:00 PM (view original):
I always wait till the third year of arb to sign the LT deal if I want to max out control over a player.  They always sign a five year deal at that time

Thanks, Has anyone out there ever come accross a player who never lost arbitration not want to sign a long term deal in the last year of arb??

yes

Never sign a guy LT in his first arb year, or 2nd for that matter. I always arb twice then sign LT in the 3rd arb year if it's a guy I intend to keep.  It's never failed to this point.

Posted by tecwrg on 12/26/2010 9:38:00 AM (view original):
I don't think it's a matter of "winning" or "losing" arbitration.  It's a matter of being taken to arb three times.

In my experience, this is not true... every time (and I do not have a large sample size, so it may not be a rule) I have had players win in year 3 of arb, they have been willing to sign the following year; every time I have won in year 3 of arb, they have not been willing to sign.

Their patience rating could have something to do with that as well.

Posted by nanu on 12/26/2010 12:12:00 PM (view original):

Posted by traceysemmel on 12/26/2010 9:17:00 AM (view original):

Posted by shobob on 12/24/2010 11:48:00 PM (view original):
I always wait till the third year of arb to sign the LT deal if I want to max out control over a player.  They always sign a five year deal at that time

Thanks, Has anyone out there ever come accross a player who never lost arbitration not want to sign a long term deal in the last year of arb??

yes

Please post the player.