I have three players I want to keep up for arb. Each has 3 yrs of MLB experience...so this is their first arb (correct?)



Is the number ($) next to the "Negotiate Long Term" column the salary that I can sign them for this year?



jAnd I gather that it makes no sense to offer arb in the first year of eligibility? Correct?



I want to keep these guys long term. One is my #2 starter with a history of 200-220 innings and a lowish ERA. Another is a 3B guy with a good stick (and I don't have any 3B's in the pipeline right now). Another is a CF who is decent but not terrific.



Keith

Probably. Check last year's salary to be sure. You're a n00b so I don't want to lead you down the wrong path based on limited and, possibly, incorrect info.

If you hit "Negotiate Long Term", it will show you what they're asking for LT. I think the number you're looking at is their arb asking price.

LT demands will likely increase. It's a "cheaper now, cheaper later" proposition. Of course, if he suffers a devasting injury after you've signed him for 5 years instead of arbing, you'll kick yourself in the nuts for 4 seasons.

Mike is correct that it might not necessarily be the first arb year for the player. If, for example, a player with options remaining and 3.000 years ML experience is signed via arbitration, then demoted and spends the whole year in AAA, he will still have only 3.000 years ML experience and be up for arbitration the following year as well. See Roger Balboa as a similar example. He'll still demand arb. 2 more times, but his demands this time are low (in line with someone who is having his first arb. hearing).

$ - The dollar amount listed represents the player's arbitration demands for the selected season. You may offer the player any amount of money you deem reasonable during hearings and an arbitrator will rule immediately.
(This is from the HELP, which can be found towards the upper-right of HBD pages).

When you said "I gather that it makes no sense to offer arb in the first year of eligibility? Correct?" did you mean you gather is makes no sense to offer a LT deal in the first year? If so, that is in line with the conventional forum wisdom. There may be certain circumstances where it is worth it, in my opinion, but most often it is not.

I don't understand what I am looking at with Roger Balboa, would you mind explaining to a newbie?

Yes, if I am reading you correctly, the number next to the "Negotiate Long Term" is what they want this year. Generally, you can usually offer a bit lower and win an arbitration demand, but losing an arbitration hearing may make them less likely to sign long-term with you in the future.

As far as strategy, for guys I intend to keep long-term, I always go to arbitration twice, offer them what they demand and then sign them long-term after the second arb year. But others may have a different opinion.

Quote: Originally posted by itunes on 12/28/2009I don't understand what I am looking at with Roger Balboa, would you mind explaining to a newbie?

Just an example of how a player may actually end up with multiple "first-year" arbitration proceedings. He was first arb-eligible in S9. Rather than take him to arb, his then-owner released him. He was signed as a FA and spent much of S9 in AAA, and so did not accrue another season of ML experience time. Currently, his ML service time is at 3 years, 57 days, so he is (in effect) experiencing the same arb-eligibility in S10 that he was in S9.

If he is signed, never plays in the minors again, and never signs a LT deal, he will have been arb-eligible in 4 different seasons.

Balboa used 3 years of ML experience, so he went to arbitration in season 9, but spent a significant portion of it in AAA. If you mouse-over the "3" next to "ML Years" you see 3.057. This means that he hasn't accrued 4 years of ML service time yet, so his demands will be more along the lines of somebody in his first year of arbitration.

If I understand the rules correctly, it is possible that he will wind up being arb'd 4 times instead of the normal 3. Although, somebody who gets sent to AAA rarely is worth enough to sign when their arb demands jump.

It's in a similar vein to waiting until the 25th game of the season to call a guy up. He will play that whole season without accruing a full year of ML service time, so he will have 3 more seasons at the rookie scale before his first arbitration hearing.

OK, that makes sense. Thank you.

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