Marlins starting pitcher Dontrelle Willis was among the 100 players who filed for salary arbitration Friday, the often acrimonious negotiating process that rankles baseball management every winter.

 

Mark Teixeira, Alfonso Soriano, Mark Prior and Josh Beckett were some of the other stars who filed before Friday's deadline.

 

Players will exchange proposed salaries with their teams on Tuesday. Willis is one of the few established big leaguers left on the Marlins, who have cut about $47 million in 2006 payroll after starting last season at $60 million.

 

Eligible for arbitration for the first time, the charismatic left-hander should have a strong case after going 22-10 with a 2.63 ERA last season, when he made only $378,500. He led the majors in wins and was runner-up to St. Louis' Chris Carpenter for the NL Cy Young Award.

 

Willis' agent, Matt Sosnick, said Friday he continues to negotiate with the Marlins for a one-year contract. But if the two sides can't come to an agreement before Tuesday, they would settle the issue in arbitration, Sosnick said.

 

 

 

 

SOURCE

Standard operating procedure. The Marlins FO have a history of coming to terms with players before ever going through the arbitration process. I would hope that will be the case with Willis.

Standard operating procedure. The Marlins FO have a history of coming to terms with players before ever going through the arbitration process. I would hope that will be the case with Willis.

 

 

Just ask AJ Burnett what one trip to arbitration with Samson will do for your desire to have anything to do with the team.

 

Honestly, this isn't looking great, we're talking a one year deal here, it isn't super hard to negotiate a one year deal with a super-two arbitration eligible player.

When it all comes down to it, Willis will get his money and the Marlins will have their ace!

 

CHOOOO-CHOOOO!

Standard operating procedure. The Marlins FO have a history of coming to terms with players before ever going through the arbitration process. I would hope that will be the case with Willis.

 

Just ask AJ Burnett what one trip to arbitration with Samson will do for your desire to have anything to do with the team.

 

Honestly, this isn't looking great, we're talking a one year deal here, it isn't super hard to negotiate a one year deal with a super-two arbitration eligible player.

Are you sure you want to throw your lot in with Burnett?

 

Samson had nothing to do with that arbitration hearing. The team president is rarely ever involved in individual contract negotiations, let alone a player they already have control of.

 

The arbitration process is a terrible thing for a player and team to subject themselves to. All you do in the meeting is hype your worth and listen to the organization trash you to a stranger. Some players can get over that. Many can't. I hope it doesn't have to come to that, and the present Marlins administration have done incredibly well to assure that it has not.

Standard operating procedure. The Marlins FO have a history of coming to terms with players before ever going through the arbitration process. I would hope that will be the case with Willis.

 

Just ask AJ Burnett what one trip to arbitration with Samson will do for your desire to have anything to do with the team.

 

Honestly, this isn't looking great, we're talking a one year deal here, it isn't super hard to negotiate a one year deal with a super-two arbitration eligible player.

Are you sure you want to throw your lot in with Burnett?

 

Samson had nothing to do with that arbitration hearing. The team president is rarely ever involved in individual contract negotiations, let alone a player they already have control of.

 

The arbitration process is a terrible thing for a player and team to subject themselves to. All you do in the meeting is hype your worth and listen to the organization trash you to a stranger. Some players can get over that. Many can't. I hope it doesn't have to come to that, and the present Marlins administration have done incredibly well to assure that it has not.

 

Still though, I maintain my stance of "it isn't super hard to negotiate a one year deal with a super-two player."

 

There's no complications over vesting options, likely only standard bonuses, and no haggling over a no-trade clause.

 

It's a one year deal, for the most marketable player on your team. Give him his $4 million and call it a day, being penny-wise but pound foolish with an important player such as Dontrelle is just not good business.

Dontrelle is too innocent to be trash talked. I think he might cry.

It's not difficult? The wage he makes from this contract will become the base for the next three years (arbitration-eligible players rarely ever see a decrease in wages). Throw in that the team and Willis were talking earlier about a long-term deal to buy out those arbitration years, you have some confusion over the numbers being offered and what is reasonable amount this year or two years from now.

How many more years until Dontrelle becomes a free agent?

4 more seasons, including this upcoming one. So think, if you give him $4M this year, he'll be making somewhere around $7-8M by the time he's eligible for free agency.

It's not difficult? The wage he makes from this contract will become the base for the next three years (arbitration-eligible players rarely ever see a decrease in wages). Throw in that the team and Willis were talking earlier about a long-term deal to buy out those arbitration years, you have some confusion over the numbers being offered and what is reasonable amount this year or two years from now.

 

4 more seasons, including this upcoming one. So think, if you give him $4M this year, he'll be making somewhere around $7-8M by the time he's eligible for free agency.

 

 

So, judging by the fact that you seem hesitant to give him that kind of money, I assume you're suggesting that he won't be worth $8 million, which is a paltry sum for a 26 year old left-handed top of the rotation pitcher (I guess that part is debateable) in his final year of eligibility.

 

Even if the Marlins go to arbitration and win, we're talking no lower than $3.5 million, and if Dontrelle wins, we're talking no higher than $5 million.

 

Arbitration rules guarantee you 80% of your contract from the previous year, so using foresight to look at the 2007 ramifications (assuming the $1 million difference) the team is splitting hairs over $800K. So is it really worth running the risk of having to go through the arbitration process (which changes the whole player-team relationship) for less than Brian Moehler is making this season? Unless, of course, Dontrelle doesn't factor into the Marlins plans much beyond 2008 or 2009 (which, understandably, one could be suspicious), in which case getting him as low as possible this year makes sense.

4M seems like too little for Willis. What's the reasoning in thinking that this is somehow the number that they're dancing around, or that the arbitrator would look to?

4M seems like too little for Willis. What's the reasoning in thinking that this is somehow the number that they're dancing around, or that the arbitrator would look to?

 

 

First year arbitration (or in this case "super-two") cases rarely jump into 8 figures. Given that Willis' 2004 was ho-hum, he doesn't figure to bank in on a record setting pay-day like Pujos was before the Cardinals gave him his $100 million deal.

 

That, and the few Marlins reports I've read suggest that he'll be making from $3.5-$4.5 million.

I expect them to reach an agreement before the hearing. If it doesn't happen, that could potentially fracture realtions between Dontrelle and the Marlins for awhile.

 

Hopefully it doesn't come to that.

Which is a good thing, because often an arbitration eligible player is awarded for even below-average seasons. Any double digit win or sub-5.00 ERA over the next season will add a few thousand to this upcoming year's contract. As you can see, it's not worth giving Willis or any arbitration eligible player what you'd ordinary pay a free agent coming off a Cy Young-calibar season. ou're just setting yourself up to overpay in the future. Nor is it worth it to offer him a long term contract for much the same reason. And that's not even getting to the fact that pitchers are risky investments, with a greater potential for career-altering injuries and inconsistency than batters.

 

Dontrelle might have earned it, but that doesn't mean the Marlins should be so stupid to give it to him now.

Free Agent money would be 12-14M, and multi-year. I'm not thinking that. I don't think anyone involved is. But I do think the arbitrator will give Willis 5, 7, 9, and 11...at least.....if he continues to perform anything like he did last year. The Marlins historically don't go long term with pitchers. At this point I'd settle for him just being on the team next year. But I would like the Marlins to avoid arbitration and offer Willis a 2/10.