Arbitration Cancellation
Two of the big names are removed from the arbitration process, as Prince Fielder and Jonathan Papelbon signed deals with their teams before today’s 1pm deadline. Fielder will receive a 1 year/$15.5 million contract, while Papelbon receivedsa 1 year/$12 million contract. The Brewers also reached an agreement with Manny Parra and the Red Sox came to terms with Jacoby Ellsbury.
Per Sean McAdam’s NECN piece, “Since taking over as general manager of the Red Sox before the 2003 season, Theo Epstein has never had a salary arbitration case go before an arbiter. That record is still intact.”
Papelbon is a free agent after the 2011 season and all indications suggest he will test the market next winter. Fielder and Heath Bell will also be free agents next winter.
The list of late signees includes: the Astros’ Micheal Bourn and infielders Jeff Keppinger and Clint Barmes, the Padres’ Ryan Ludwick, the Cubs’ Sean Marshall. Matt Garza and Geovany Soto, the White Sox’ John Danks, Carlos Quentin and Tony Pena, the Diamondbacks’ Stephen Drew and Joe Saunders, the Yankees’ Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes and Boone Logan,….and on and on.
From Ron Blum at AP, “among those in arbitration who finalized agreements Monday were Colorado pitcher Matt Lindstrom ($6.6 million for two years), Cleveland shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera ($2,025,000); Florida struck deals with right-handers Leo Nunez ($3.65 million) and Edward Mujica ($800,000, and Toronto settled with right-handers Shawn Camp ($2.25 million), Casey Janssen ($1,095,000) and Jesse Litsch ($830,000) and Baltimore (settled with) right-hander Jim Johnson ($975,000).”
Martin Luther King Day follow-up
Major League Baseball announced last Thursday that this year’s Civil Rights Game will be played in Atlanta on Sunday May 15th. From the press release:
“Major League Baseball and the Atlanta Braves today announced that the Braves will host the Philadelphia Phillies in the fifth annual Civil Rights Game at Turner Field on Sunday, May 15, which will highlight the largest collection of Civil Rights Game activities in the five-year history of the event. The Civil Rights Game Week consists of a four-day (May 12-15) series of events, which have been designed by MLB and the Braves to pay tribute to all of those who fought on and off the field for equal rights for all Americans.”
“In addition to the continuation of the MLB Beacon Awards Banquet, the Baseball and Civil Rights Roundtable Discussion and the Youth Summit/"Wanna Play?" event, MLB and the Braves have installed two new marquee events to illustrate Baseball's role in supporting diversity in today's workforce and in the civil rights movement: the Selig Business Conference and Chasing the Dream: A Red Carpet Tribute to Hank Aaron.”
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