No Arbitration for Old Men
December 1, 2008, 1:07 pmUPDATE (7:30) – No arbitration for Pudge, either. Cashman is saying that the team wants to control all of its 2009 salaries, so they didn’t offer anyone arbitration (not even Mike Mussina). Now that I think about Abreu’s situation, I think the Yankees just helped him out. Granted, Abreu will probably make less than $16 million (his ‘08 salary) in 2009, however, more teams will listen in on him now because they don’t have to lose a first round pick in order to sign him. By not offering him arbitration, the market has become a better place for Bobby Abreu (now, it’s just money, not draft picks).
UPDATE (7:00) - According to Jon Heyman, the Yankees are not offering Andy Pettitte or Bobby Abreu arbitration. The Andy news isn’t surprising, but the Abreu news is somewhat startling for fans. Abreu is a Type A FA, so first reactions will be critical of the Yankees (no draft picks once he signs with another team). However, league interest in Bobby has been waning, especially with Raul Ibanez, a cheaper left-handed bat, available. Basically, the Yankees didn’t want Abreu to accept arbitration, which would put them in a position to pay even more than what he earned last year. This goes to show you that the team is really trying to save its dollars for CC and other pitchers, rather than waste them on an aging Abreu.
From Ken Davidoff (Newsday):
Because the Yankees are trying to convince Pettitte to take a pay cut from his $16-million 2008 salary, it wouldn’t behoove them to offer him arbitration. Pettitte very likely would accept it and then, armed with the arbitration leverage, negotiate a higher paycheck.
This makes sense (earlier in his article Davidoff says that the Yankees will not offer Pettitte arbitration, according to inside sources), especially since Pettitte could be awarded more than $16 million. You can make the case that Andy hit a rough patch in 2008 and that his season’s numbers deteriorated due to injury (or that he was the victim of poor defense and bad luck) but, if you have the chance to skim a couple of million from the payroll and use it for other areas of need (and after his 2008 campaign, the Yankees have that opening) then you’ve got to take that opportunity and run with it.
Still, I hate the thought of seeing him in Dodger blue.
Andy still pissed Yanks ripped him outta $ when they signed him outta college:)
That would kill to see him with Torre in LA. It would also speak volumes about how Andy feels about the Yankee fans who supported him totally last year with his HGH/Clemons problemos – and watched him fall on his face (for whatever reason, injuries of not) down the stretch.
Then again, perhaps he misremembers Yankee loyalty….
I really don’t think that Pettitte will go to another team, although he would be a pretty nice pickup. He won’t cost a team any first round picks and he’s only searching for a one-year deal. A lot of teams would jump at that offer. However, Pettitte really owes the Yankees for sticking by him during the 2008 HGH scandal. I know loyalty and business shouldn’t converge in this way, but in this case, it seems necessary. The thing is, he knows it too. He’s basically posturing with these Dodger talks.
I can see not offering Pettitte because they either plan to resign him for less, or possibly let him walk if they land CC + another starter.
I don’t understand Pudge or Abreu. I read elsewhere neither player has offers from any other teams, so they might have just accept for fear of no one signing them in the bad economy. But the Yankees could have threatened to cut them right before the start of the season if they accepted arbitration and only paid them 60 days salary. Only downside to that is having to guys in ST who would have horrible attitudes knowing their jobs were gone before the season and possibly losing a couple guys off the 40 man roster when they accepted arbitration.
The non-offer for Abreu seems to indicate that they are adding another bat at 1B or OF and didn’t want Abreu accepting the arbitration and blocking that from happening. Otherwise, why not roll the dice and worse case is you have Abreu back for one more season.
^Exactly ted. I think the 40-man is the biggest thing and that, by not offering arbitration to Abreu, the Yankees are sending a subtle message in that regard. The financial aspect of it is getting a lot of press, but the Yankees are simply covering their roster, not their collective wallet.