Mets Arbitration Numbers

by Eric Simon on Jan 20, 2008 1:03 AM EST

The Mets and their five remaining arbitration-eligible players have exchanged salary figures. We are constantly reminded that the Mets haven't taken a player all the way to arbitration since David Cone in 1992, when Cone asked for $4,250,000 and the Mets countered with $3,000,000. Cone won his arbitration hearing, and the $4,250,000 purse was a record at the time.

The Mets probably won't make it all the way to arbitration with any of their current players, but they're quite a bit apart with some of these guys.

Player	Mets $	Player $
Endy Chavez	$1,725,000	$2,075,000
Ryan Church	$1,750,000	$2,450,000
Pedro Feliciano	$880,000	$1,200,000
Oliver Perez	$4,750,000	$6,500,000
Jorge Sosa	$1,700,000	$2,750,000

Oliver Perez is represented by Scott Boras, but I can't imagine the Mets will let him get to arbitration. The Mets will make every effort to retain Perez when (or before) his contract expires after this season, and they won't do themselves any favors by putting him in front of an arbiter.

Jorge Sosa is a different story, because the Mets could get along just fine without him, and I think Sosa would have a tough time convincing anybody that he is worth nigh $3 million.

Arbitration hearings would be held between February 1st and the 20th.

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Pay Feliciano his money.

.318/.379/.591
.299/.362/.543
.304/.396/.474
.317/.363/.517
.289/.375/.478
.288/.387/.474
.305/.385/.479
.278/.339/.399
Pick your poison

by BlackOps on Jan 20, 2008 1:29 PM EST reply actions

No Joke

That's the first thing I thought when looking at that chart.

by Shomov on Jan 20, 2008 4:42 PM EST up reply actions

Well

You have to understand that this is Feliciano's first year of arbitration eligibility, as it is for Aaron Heilman. Heilman avoided arb by signing for $1.2 million, and Feliciano will probably have to settle for something slightly less than that.

This has nothing to do with what Feliciano is worth on the open market. It has to do with service time, and he doesn't have enough -- nor does he fill a premium pitching role -- so his salary will be in line with others of his position/production/seniority.

by Eric Simon on Jan 20, 2008 5:28 PM EST up reply actions

"Have to understand"?

Neither Feliciano nor I HAVE TO understand anything. Feliciano has a decent K/BB ratio, and doesn't give up many homeruns. Although Heilman may have agreed to less than market value, Feliciano and the Mets are not very far apart and I think that Feliciano should roll the dice.

Thanks for the lecture, though.

by Shomov on Jan 20, 2008 6:54 PM EST up reply actions

Whoa

What crawled up your pants? Arbitration-eligible player salaries aren't dictated by the free agent relief pitcher market. Maybe Feliciano or Heilman could make $3 million as a free agent, but as first-year arb players they will make far less. Feliciano has been great the last two years, and he and the Mets aren't really that far apart (what's a few hundred thousand between friends?). He'll probably settle for somewhere around $1 million.

by Eric Simon on Jan 20, 2008 7:41 PM EST up reply actions

I apologize

You're right, but I was perturbed by the "you have to understand" command. I drink too much when watching football.

I miss baseball.

by Shomov on Jan 20, 2008 8:39 PM EST up reply actions

My bad, too

I didn't mean "You clearly don't understand so allow me to spell it out for you". It was more "Here's my feeble explanation of arbitration market forces".

by Eric Simon on Jan 20, 2008 10:27 PM EST up reply actions

Another factor though

is that it is clear (to me) that middle relievers like Heilman and Feliciano are not receiving value commensurate to their worth in their arbitration years as compared to other players. If Heilman was a starter with a 5.50 ERA, he probably would've gotten more money from the Mets. One way to change that would be for middle relievers to start taking their cases to arbitration and proving what they're worth, not to stick it to the team, but for the good of the profession!

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on Jan 24, 2008 4:49 PM EST up reply actions