Arbitration News: Byrnes and D'Backs are $.75M Apart
Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic has reported that Eric Byrnes has asked for $5M and the D'backs have offered him $4.25M.
Looks like the Diamondbacks are nickle and diming last year's leader in homers and stolen bases (both absolute and success rate), and slugging percentage (for team members with at least 400 ABs). He was good for an extra basehit 44% of the times he got a hit. He was tied for second in RBIs, just one behind the leader, and he fielded 302 of 303 total chances (.997) mostly in center, but also in right and left fields.
On top of the fine on-field performance, he was a high energy presence in the clubhouse, which was exactly what the D'backs were hoping for from him. Moreover, he was a hit with the fans...something the D'backs took advantage of by having the Byrnes Dirty T-shirt promotion.
Consider also that going into 2006, Byrnes signed for $2.25M, barely above the $2.20M he had the year before. In essence, it was a raise that covered inflation. It took into account the abysmal, aberrant 2005. And it was below the average player contract in 2006, which was $2.75M. Mgr. Bob Melvin said Byrnes exceeded expectations. So the D'Backs got a real bargain in 2006 and would continue to do so in 2007 with Byrnes' figure: the sum he is asking for, $ 5M, is exactly half of what Luis Gonzalez' option would have been.
And yet the D'backs have come in with a figure that is not quite double a salary that was below average to begin with.
Just because the team is named after a venomous snake doesn't mean the front office has to be one.
K.R.
I think the $4.25M offer already includes a bump for being underpaid in 06. I think the Dbacks value EB at about $3M this year and last(ie $6-7M over two years).
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Cheapskates! They already have two rookies in the outfield, and one at shortstop and one sharing the catching duties. EB at 5M is a 50% savings over Gonzo!
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Poor Eric. I *told* him he should become a Giant!
This could be somewhat off topic, but I need some back up here. I'm smegging tired of listening to the boyz at KNBR being so sexist and obnoxious--yesterday I flipped on the radio to hear a lively discussion on breast implants. This has nothing to do with sports, and is just another example of how boyz seek to eliminate females from participation. This is not the first time I've had to turn off the radio in disgust--it seems that the only time women are featured on the show it's about their plastic-surgery enhanced bodies.
What really dusts my crops is how everyone is so hot&bothered about entertainers using performance enhancing drugs, because 'the children' might follow in their 'role model's' path to perdition . .. yet few die from overuse of 'roids.
Compare this to the thousands of women maimed and killed in plastic surgery, and virtually all of the female entertainers use 'performance enhancement' or they simply can't work at all.
These role models are emulated, which is why eating disorders harm so many teens, and why even preteens are now demanding, and getting plastic surgery. This is why women not in the entertainment field feel they have to get 'enhanced' to compete in the job market, and to keep their husbands/boyfriends interest.
My only hope is karma, that all those boyz yapping about women killing themselves are all born women in their next incarnation.
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"Dusts my crops". That's one I hadn't heard before. LOL
But, Kellia, I've got to say that in this market, Byrnesie is probably worth the $5 mil per he's asking for. Hopefully they get something worked out that's at least in the middle of the two figures.
Though, with what you just gave to Randy Johnson and now to former Brewer Doug Davis ($5.5 million in 2007, $7.75 million in '08 and
$8.75 million in '09), hopefully there is enough left in the coffer for EB. There might be plenty...I don't know much about the Diamondbacks' owner(s).
I'll be rooting for Byrnes on this one. If I were fantasy arbitrating this case (like I did over on our blog for the at-the-time 5 players that we hadn't signed), I'd rule for Byrnes.
- Adam
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