This year has been my best year arbing my players.  I don't really have much of an idea what I am doing though, so I thought I'd start this thread.  I have been trying to offer around 80% of what players made last year while also making sure they make more than the average player with their experience, etc.  One player left and not sure what to offer, any ideas, strategies, tips?   Hardball Dynasty – Fantasy Baseball Sim Games - Player Profile: Josh McEnroe

Comparable Salaries for Players at Same Position and Similar Experience
Minimum:	$343,000		Average:	$1,558,100		Maximum:	$6,000,000

I was thinking of going around 2.2M?  Too high, too low?  Discuss please internet, I need you.

We need to know what he is asking for in Arb to be of any help...  Also wouldn't hurt to know your plans for him in the future.

He is asking 4.6M.  No big plans for the future, just a good left hand bat/back up catcher for this year.  I will deal him later if I can or let him go FA when he is done arbing.   I have better guys in minors to take his place, but they aren't ready yet.  

If you can live with paying the 4.6 if you have to, lowball him as low as you can.  Seems like it's a filp of a coin sometimes anyway as to whether you win or not.  Why offer 2.3?  Offer 80 or 90% of his last salary and see what happens.

If he's asking for 4.6 and you offer 2.2, the arbitrator will certainly side with him.

I've done that before and gotten burned, so I feel I need to be a little more conservative, so I have some more FA money.  Have you had much of a success rate arbing 80-90% of last years salary?  

What would you offer then?

I'd offer around 3.8M but I'd be prepared to pay the 4.6.  Or you could ink him to a 2-3 year deal with a Mutual if you intend to trade him down the road.

When I try to lowball a guy, I bid more than the average but less than his request.    Usually works about 50% of the time.

I upped it to 2.8 and he got the 4.6.  Crapshoot I swear...

Ive lost a lot lately using 83-85%. 

On second thought I think I got too greedy.  I had been rolling through doing somewhere between 70% of demands, and a little over the average.  70% of 4.6 is 3.22.  I've never had success going less than 70% before.  Have any of you got any success stories of lowballing guys?

I have won a lot of cases offering the absolute minimum I can.  I don't think there's any logic to it, so if you want a guy and you're willing to keep him at his Arb price anyway, just offer as little as possible.

Hardball Dynasty – Fantasy Baseball Sim Games - Player Profile: Geovany Molina

Hardball Dynasty – Fantasy Baseball Sim Games - Player Profile: Pablo Canseco

2 examples.  Both were in their first year of Arb, but I have paid similar to people further along.  No time to look right now, but it can be done, and it seems completely random.  Somewhere I recall seeing $10M saved on a 3rd year guy.