Comments on: Phillies, Hunter Pence avoid arbitration for $10.4 million

By: Jonny 5

Jonny 5 — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 13:43:53 +0000

And that my friend is just so far. It could go higher. It’s not too much tax to pay as it sits though.

By: uyf1950

uyf1950 — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 09:52:56 +0000

Jonny 5 my friend. Just for your info, As you already know I like to keep track of 3 teams payrolls (Yankees of course, Red Sox and Phillies). According to my tracking of the Phillies payroll for the 2012 season with that settlement of Pence’s arbitration case I have the Phillies sitting at a tick over $180MM for the MLB Luxury Tax Threshold AAV. That total just over $180MM (includes rounding out the 40 man roster at minimum $ amount and an amount for benefits, incentives, etc… which usually for all teams is about $10MM plus).

Just thought you might like to know.

By: jwbiii

jwbiii — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:01:00 +0000

Never happened. They would have settled before the process got that far. Here’s the scorecard:
http://bizofbaseball.com/data/arbitrationresults.pdf

By: paperlions

paperlions — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:50:04 +0000

Jedi mind tricks? How do those go, exactly?

RAJ: “We will over you the most money and you will take it.”
Player: “Sounds good.”

RAJ: “You will sign this way over-market value contract.”
Player: “Okay.”

By: rooney24

rooney24 — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:33:55 +0000

I think that would be pretty unlikely, though technically possible. The two sides have been negotiating, so they should have an idea what the other side was thinking. I would think if there was a number in the middle that both could live with (or if the player’s last number were lower than the team’s), that they would have already signed a deal. If it ever were to happen, I think you might find a player that is quickly firing his agent.

By: sknut

sknut — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:32:03 +0000

His agent should be fired would be the first thing that should happen. But its an interesting question.

By: uyf1950

uyf1950 — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:14:13 +0000

Here’s a question. What would happen if the player submitted an amount lower than the team? And I wonder if it’s ever happened.

By: Francisco (FC)

Francisco (FC) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:10:11 +0000

Hmm… I would think both sides submit to the arbiter, and the arbiter reveals each side’s amount at the same time?

By: Alex K

Alex K — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:07:14 +0000

Also much lower probability of a felony gun charge.

By: mirmz

mirmz — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:06:29 +0000

For these arbitration cases, does the player or team submit their price first?

Or, is it a 1-2-3 “Draw! Holy cow, we’re still, after months of negotiations, $2.8M apart.”

I feel like the party that submits their number first would lose some leverage since the second party could then undercut/over-ask in order to find a middle ground…

By: Utley's Hair

Utley's Hair — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:06:06 +0000

If it was a duel, would Ruben need to bring his nunchucks? Or would he be able to use his Jedi mind tricks?

By: Jonny 5

Jonny 5 — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:03:05 +0000

It sure beats a duel. Much less tears from family members.

By: uyf1950

uyf1950 — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:59:35 +0000

Not a bad raise considering he made $6.9MM in 2011. It looks like another case of the 2 parties meeting in or very close to the middle of their salary submissions. Which I guess is a fair way to settle.

By: Utley's Hair

Utley's Hair — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:58:13 +0000

Good negotiation. Let’s eat…chocolate cake…or crispy bacon….

Lets get something long term done here, folks.