I had a RP that had been arbed three times but that I didn't want to go to free agency. So, pre-arb, I offered exactly what he was asking (two-year deal), plus a mutual option. He declined. "Let's work together and get this done; we're real close to a deal." I thought the mutual option was neutral, but I removed it anyway and tried again. Declined: "Let's work together and get this done; we're real close to a deal." So, I added a year that he wasn't asking for, with a mutual option. He accepted.

Questions:
1) Did he not accept his own terms because of being arbed three times? (Is that common?)
2) Could I have lowered the annual amount since I went to a year beyond what he was asking?
3) Should I have just kept offering what he was asking until he stopped rejecting?

1/ Arbed three times, you're fortunate he was still open to re-signing.
2/ Probably would have been rejected if you lowballed him.
3/ No idea.

Sounds to me like all he wanted was the extra year.