http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2732239

 

Dontrelle Willis reached agreement Monday on a one-year, guaranteed $6.45 million contract with the Florida Marlins, a day before he was scheduled to exchange salary arbitration figures with the club.

 

 

Willis' deal includes $50,000 in incentives, a "sizable" advance on his salary, and bonuses if he makes the All-Star team or wins the Cy Young Award, Silver Slugger or National League Most Valuable Player Award, according to his agent, Matt Sosnick.

 

 

JOY

 

(edit) And sorry guess that shouldn't say 'extention', but just a one year contract for this year. Oh well. :dork

that is great news for Fish fans...i like the deal on both ends....

Coolness.

This is very good news. Avoids the unpleasantness of the Marlins dissing him in an arbitration fight. I think he accepted a small discount here. If they went to arbitration, and the Marlins figure was 6 Million, and Willis was 7 or even 8 million, I believe the arbitrator would have ruled in favor of Willis.

Thrilling.

 

 

I'd be more impressed with a 3 year deal.

Left-hander Dontrelle Willis is 58-39 with a 3.44 ERA over his Major League career. (Steve Mitchell/AP)

 

MIAMI -- Based on performance, Dontrelle Willis has posted numbers that rank up with some of the top young pitchers in the Major Leagues.

The Marlins' ace left-hander now is being paid accordingly.

 

Agent Matt Sosnick on Monday confirmed Willis has reached an agreement on a one-year contract.

 

Willis, who turned 25 on Jan. 12, is the Marlins' all-time leader in victories. A two-time All-Star, he has a 58-39 career mark with a 3.44 ERA. In 2006, Willis was 12-12 with a 3.87 ERA.

 

This is Willis' second season eligible for arbitration. A year ago, he made $4.35 million.

 

Willis' one-year deal with the Marlins is worth $6.45 million dollars. With incentives, he could make as much as $6.8 million.

 

The highest contract for a second-year arbitration-eligible starter is $6.5 million earned by Carlos Zambrano of the Cubs last year.

 

If Willis meets incentives, he would be in position to eclipse Zambrano's 2006 salary.

 

The D-Train reached terms with the Marlins the day before arbitration-eligible players are to exchange salary figures.

 

The financially-strapped Marlins have four players eligible for arbitration. Willis is the first to come to terms.

 

The Marlins also are closing in on a one-year deal with three-time All-Star third baseman Miguel Cabrera, arbitration-eligible for the first time. Cabrera's one-year deal will be in the neighborhood of $5.5 million.

 

Catcher Miguel Olivo and reliever Kevin Gregg also are expected to reach deals with the Marlins.

 

Willis is one of the league's most exciting young players. In 2005, he paced the Major Leagues in victories, posting a 22-10 record. He finished second to St. Louis' Chris Carpenter in the Cy Young Award voting that year.

 

In 2006, the Marlins had all five of their starting pitchers win 10 or more games, the first time that's happened in team history. The other four starters, all rookies, are Josh Johnson, Scott Olsen, Anibal Sanchez and Ricky Nolasco.

 

Johnson, Olsen and Nolasco also are represented by Sosnick.

 

Willis is a fan favorite who ran into some legal troubles recently. On Dec. 22, he was charged with DUI, and last week the left-hander entered a not guilty plea.

 

With three years and 143 days of MLB service time, Willis will be eligible for arbitration after the 2009 season. The Marlins, at this stage, have not shown interest in signing their prize left-hander to a multiyear deal. Technically, the club doesn't have to because they are in position to keep signing Willis to one-year contracts two more times after 2007.

 

Joe Frisaro is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Thrilling.

 

 

I'd be more impressed with a 3 year deal.

 

 

 

Well you know as well as I do that a 3 year deal is not the Marlins M.O.

 

A 3 year deal would be nice but I'll take the one year deal minus the messy arbitration hearing.

 

 

Finally some good off-season Marlins news. It only took until the middle of January.

Thrilling.

 

 

I'd be more impressed with a 3 year deal.

 

 

 

Well you know as well as I do that a 3 year deal is not the Marlins M.O.

 

A 3 year deal would be nice but I'll take the one year deal minus the messy arbitration hearing.

 

 

Finally some good off-season Marlins news. It only took until the middle of January.

 

 

Ya.

 

We are cheap. Its not like Dontrelle wasnt signing with us, so big f'in deal. So this is just not as messy, we just get to do this all again next year!

yaaay! :thumbup

Whoopdie f'ing doo.

 

It's not like he wasn't going to get paid this year...

There are those who for whatever reason refuse to recognize Willis as the unique exciting talented player he so obviously is. Like him or not, think he's under-rated or over-rated, you must give him credit for liking his situation, and saving The Marlins probably 1-2 Million dollars that they can go spend somewhere else.

I want to apologize to everyone for being happy that Dontrelle and the Marlins avoided arbitration.

 

 

 

 

Forgive me father I have sinned.

saved us alot of pointless time if they would have had to go to arbitration

 

very good news to hear

I want to apologize to everyone for being happy that Dontrelle and the Marlins avoided arbitration.

 

 

 

 

Forgive me father I have sinned.

 

:lol

I want to apologize to everyone for being happy that Dontrelle and the Marlins avoided arbitration.

 

 

 

 

Forgive me father I have sinned.

 

It has come to that hasn't it Don.

I doubt anyone is unhappy the Marlins avoided arbitration with the D-Train. Maybe some just put off by the Marlins offseason in general.

 

It is good to see the Marlins settle with Dontrelle before going to arbitration. Not a bad contract and like pierre says, saved the Marlins some money.

 

Unfortunately, I do no think there is a chance of avoiding arbitration with Miguel and I expect him to be awarded the highest first year arby salary in MLB history.

Whenever a team and a player can avoid a nasty fight, that's always a good thing.

 

You think they would have mentioned anything about the arrest during his arby hearing?? lol!

Whenever a team and a player can avoid a nasty fight, that's always a good thing.

 

You think they would have mentioned anything about the arrest during his arby hearing?? lol!

 

I have never looked at arbitration as being a "nasty fight." It's just part of the process. Not a real big deal. But it is good that he is on paper already. It may have saved us a mil or two but let's face it. He didn't exactly have an outstanding year either. I really think Miggy signs. But if not... He'll still be in teal next year.

I think this is around what was expected for Willis, the real question is how much will Miggy make, on the Herald (I think) he has already been offered the same amount, which is more than I would have originally thought.

I think this is around what was expected for Willis, the real question is how much will Miggy make, on the Herald (I think) he has already been offered the same amount, which is more than I would have originally thought.

Actually the amount that has surfaced with Cabs is 5.5 million, I am sure that is why they are still talking

Can't remember where I read that, though some of the articles have changed in the last hour or so on the newspaper websites. I agree most now appear to be quoting $5-6M.

I think this is around what was expected for Willis, the real question is how much will Miggy make, on the Herald (I think) he has already been offered the same amount, which is more than I would have originally thought.

Actually the amount that has surfaced with Cabs is 5.5 million, I am sure that is why they are still talking

 

Cabrera was offered the same amount as DTrain ($6.45 mil). He's still thinking about it...

 

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sport...ll/16468373.htm

I think this is around what was expected for Willis, the real question is how much will Miggy make, on the Herald (I think) he has already been offered the same amount, which is more than I would have originally thought.

Actually the amount that has surfaced with Cabs is 5.5 million, I am sure that is why they are still talking

 

Cabrera was offered the same amount as DTrain ($6.45 mil). He's still thinking about it...

 

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sport...ll/16468373.htm

 

he could/would get more.

 

 

the cheapness of this franchise is grating.

 

:pctoss

That's not the only thing grating around here.

 

He'll wind up with a number which represents what both sides agree is the highest number an arbitrator will approve. That is after all how this works. There's no fools on either side of these negotiations, it isn't about being cheap, both sides probably already have a number, they're most likely working on issues like compensation scheduling (as they did with Willis) and other ancilliary items.