Rays Re-Sign Gross, Avoid Arbitration

by R.J. Anderson on Jan 14, 2009 2:49 PM EST Comment 33 comments

Per The Heater: one-year, ~1.255 million.

I can't wait to see how much the Tampa chapter of the BBWAA costs the Rays in Bartlett's case.

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Now he can say he's the highest paid Gabe on the team.

by Tommy Rancel on Jan 14, 2009 2:51 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

But is he the highest paid Gabe in history?

by R.J. Anderson on Jan 14, 2009 2:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Kapler made almost $3.5M in 2003

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Jan 14, 2009 2:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I was thinking Gabe White or Alvarez, but I doubt either has that beat.

by R.J. Anderson on Jan 14, 2009 2:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Hmmm...

Kapler made 3.3 according to Cot’s and 3.425 according to B-Ref.

White made as much as 3.316 according to B-Ref also in 03.

03 was a good year to be a Gabe.

by rglass44 on Jan 14, 2009 3:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Eh

That’s a little higher than I would have thought was appropriate, but I won’t complain.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Jan 14, 2009 2:53 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I thought someone here said he would get 3 mil

This seems very affordable to me

by Rays4242 on Jan 14, 2009 5:21 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

A first year arb player?

No way. I would have guessed around $1.1 or 1.2M.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Jan 15, 2009 1:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Taking a shot at You Know Who??

Is that the way that sounds to me?? The Tampa Chapter of the BBWAA?

Joe

by joedobr on Jan 14, 2009 3:09 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

No?

The chapter’s pick was Bartlett and I’m sure his agent is thankful.

by R.J. Anderson on Jan 14, 2009 3:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I think this is a shot at Rocco Baldelli

paying Gross more than double….blasphemy

by Tommy Rancel on Jan 14, 2009 3:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Nothing Gross does is blasphemous, he has Jesus on his side.

by Erik Hahmann on Jan 14, 2009 3:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

We're never going to be able to sign another player without Rocco being brought up.

by R.J. Anderson on Jan 14, 2009 4:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Sorry about that.

Y’all aren’t hoping for him to miss a ton of games, right?

For those children who claimed they’ve been a fan of their favorite team all their life, or even since they were about four or five years old: bullshit. There’s always that certain event or certain player that draws to the sport and draws you to a team. For me, Nomar Garciaparra was that reason. - Nick Coviello: I Try To See Rocco, But All I Think Is Nomar; 1/9/09

by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Jan 14, 2009 8:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Of course not.

However, that doesn’t mean we don’t expect it.

by R.J. Anderson on Jan 14, 2009 8:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

True.

You should never root for another team’s players to get injured. I rooted for a fastball up on Longoria, and then karma decided to take half of the Sox of the field it seemed.

by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Jan 15, 2009 7:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Due to cold weather, Bossman may miss the first week

I am thinking Nando will be our CF during that week.

Evan Longoria and David Price - the fight for my heart

by joeybw on Jan 14, 2009 3:21 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

We've covered this in a post below this one

by Erik Hahmann on Jan 14, 2009 3:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Now we trade him

by Raymondo on Jan 14, 2009 4:54 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I can't wait to see how much the Tampa chapter of the BBWAA costs the Rays in Bartlett's case

Likely next to nothing.

by RaysTheRoof on Jan 14, 2009 5:58 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Bartlett got an MVP vote and the team MVP.

That raised his price.

by R.J. Anderson on Jan 14, 2009 6:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

i doubt it raised it significantly.

by RaysTheRoof on Jan 14, 2009 6:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Significantly would suggest by millions.

So not that much. But they definitely are earning him some extra cash.

by R.J. Anderson on Jan 14, 2009 7:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

does any of it go to topkin?

maybe him and bartlett had an agreement in place where they would split the money bartlett would get in his arb case for the MVP votes and team MVP

TB Rays in 09!!!

by RaysOfHope on Jan 14, 2009 11:33 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The sad thing is now he has to stand by it, even though it was the most God-Awful vote he's ever cast.

by kericr on Jan 15, 2009 2:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Read some of the old baseball abstracts

to see how arbitration works. I guarantee you it adds a couple hundred thou to his asking price, which in turn means the final deal he gets will be higher.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Jan 15, 2009 1:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Are you thinking Gross got more than expected?

Seems he got about what the process result would have been.

Arbitration is where most significant raises come in the game now. Free Agency results in huge money for a few, but looking at the results of the last few years, there are far more decliners than gainers. Almost all arb awards are increases.

It will be interesting to watch the development of the next CBA. Owners have started calling for a cap, the arb process could be a point of contention, and the draft process could be reevaluated, with trading, FA compensation, etc. all hitting the table. If the economy remains stagnant it could get a lot uglier than the last few rounds.

That the Rays will have so many players moving into the arb years over the next 2 seasons will really test the FO. They’ve done a good job of being proactive, but agents aren’t complete idiots and some will likely advise clients to go year to year vs. for security. Youth is a very highly prized commodity in the game right now – it will be interesting to see how the market adjusts.

The Rays have probably saved a boatload of future cash by being aggressive on some key guys. If not extended, Balfour, Bartlett, and Navarro among others will be moving through the process through the next 2 years. Upton, Howell, and Garza join in next season, Sonny the next, then Price and who knows who else the following. Not to mention the FA openings that will arise. Gonna need some more of those Shields / Longo deals. But no more rosters with only 2 guys making $4MM +.

by nyyfaninlaaland on Jan 15, 2009 1:19 AM EST reply actions 0 recs