O's not offering Koji arbitration

[weams]

Sure 3-6 years players almost always get a raise. But FA arbitration is another story all together, which is the case for Koji.

There is no way Millwood is going to a raise if the Orioles offer him arbitration and they go through the process...

True. He made 12 Mil. Unless we try to pay him like...let's say 6. And he asks for nine. I think he gets it. Russell the love muscle would have a tough time with that.

[weams]

:cussing::cussing::cussing:

This is uncalled for. One can think that AM has a good plan and executes it generally well without being an "azz kisser." It's even possible to disagree with him from time to time about certain things. Name calling is unhelpful.

I like MacPhail's plan and I've liked a lot of his moves. I've also found some odd (for the record, I wasn't opposed to Garrett Atkins, but I doubted Mike Gonzalez would be worth it).

Not offering Koji arb make very little sense to me. Would it not have been possible with either Koji or Millwood to, at the very least, have the "the player will certainly turn it down" gentlemen's agreement?

I am not certain that the union likes those deals.

[Sports Guy]

I am not certain that the union likes those deals.

Vazquez and the Yanks did it.

[Johnny]

http://twitter.com/danconnollysun/status/7223222797860864#

Help me out: Why are people hitting the ceiling over two overpaid mid-thirties pitchers, one who was horrible after about 5 starts, the other was a part-time reliever?

If we're talking about improvement, let's talk about the increased financial flexibility rather than two potential prospects/or two stop-gaps.

We have 6 starters (Guts, Matusz, BB, Arrieta, Britton and Tillman), we have 5 experienced late innings guys (Simon, Berken, DH, Gonzalez, Johnson) and no third baseman, SS, or 1B!!!

These two moves take about $14 million off the books. Even if their arbitration contracts were equal to last year, they would cost $17 million (Millwood made $12 remember). I would rather spend that on a bat than these two.

Both players will take arbitration if they want a payday, so essentially we probably wouldn't land an extra pick.

Koji would be nice to have back, but we can replace him for equal or less money (even if his replacement is in fact Koji). Millwood would just block Britton/Tillman.

[McNulty]

Help me out: Why are people hitting the ceiling over two overpaid mid-thirties pitchers, one who was horrible after about 5 starts, the other was a part-time reliever?

If we're talking about improvement, let's talk about the increased financial flexibility rather than two potential prospects/or two stop-gaps.

We have 6 starters (Guts, Matusz, BB, Arrieta, Britton and Tillman), we have 5 experienced late innings guys (Simon, Berken, DH, Gonzalez, Johnson) and no third baseman, SS, or 1B!!!

These two moves take about $14 million off the books. Even if their arbitration contracts were equal to last year, they would cost $17 million (Millwood made $12 remember). I would rather spend that on a bat than these two.

Both players will take arbitration if they want a payday, so essentially we probably wouldn't land an extra pick.

Koji would be nice to have back, but we can replace him for equal or less money (even if his replacement is in fact Koji). Millwood would just block Britton/Tillman.

Were mad because there is little to no downside to offering him arb.

He takes it and we get a short term deal on a solid reliever. Even if he's hurt/sucks its still a sound investment.

If he doesn't accept and signs elsewhere, we get a draft pick.

[e16bball]

Inexplicable.

What's the absolute worst thing that happens if he accepts? You lose arbitration and end up paying him $6-7M for one season. There's no way on God's green earth he gets any more than that, and I'd be surprised if it even went that high. There is no situation I can envision in which the Orioles will be unable to afford that deal. If they can't afford $6M for Koji, that's terrifying...because it means either (1) their max payroll is SIGNIFICANTLY lower than we all think/hope it is or (2) they've somehow gone out and spent $40M+ in annual salary in this FA/trade market.

Which is not to mention, of course, that if he does accept and you REALLY don't want to pay him what he might earn, you can trade him a la Rafael Soriano. Some team out there looking to compete immediately (I'm thinking of LAA and TB off the top of the head) would certainly be willing to pay the one-year arbitration price tag for a guy who was absolutely brilliant in relief last season.

But let's say they get stuck with Koji and a $6M price tag. Some say that $6M is prohibitive for a reliever who is extremely effective when healthy...but is always hurt. The problem is, we know for a fact that the Orioles don't believe that, considering that they gave up that EXACT salary, a longer commitment, and a draft pick for Mike Gonzalez less than one year ago. If they thought Gonzo (if healthy) was worth $6M, there's really no rational argument to be made that Koji (if healthy) is an anchor at the same price.

If they re-sign him in short order, this is largely a moot point. But if he walks and we get nothing, this will immediately become most probably the worst decision of MacPhail's tenure. Garrett Atkins only cost us money...not offering Koji and letting him walk would cost us one highly-regarded young talent.

[DrungoHazewood]

Doesn't make much sense on the surface. Seems like a pretty poor move but I am willing to hear an explanation, not that I expect a satisfactory one.

Yea, I'm willing to listen to the logic behind this one. But I don't expect much, I don't see how it makes any sense. The downside is that you get a reliever who works fast, throws strikes like almost nobody else, but is injury prone, for a little more than you might want to pay. That's the downside.

The upside is either draft pick compensation, or $5M for a guy who gets you 40 saves and a 2.00 ERA.

[SilentJames]

Were mad because there is little to no downside to offering him arb.

He takes it and we get a short term deal on a solid reliever. Even if he's hurt/sucks its still a sound investment.

If he doesn't accept and signs elsewhere, we get a draft pick.

Exactly. Something better be working because this doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

[clapdiddy]

We need to be prepared to be disappointed. It is completely obvious that MacPhail cannot compete with the other GM's in our division.

I've prepared myself for the idea that Lyle Overbay and Ty Wigginton will be our corner infielders next season.

[DrungoHazewood]

The one other semi-halfway plausible explanation here would be either an explicit agreement to not offer him arbitration as a condition of his contract, or a similar gentleman's agreement.

I think we're pretty sure the explicit agreement wasn't there, right?

[RVAbird]

From Roch:

Uehara will test the market and seek out a multi-year deal. The Orioles want to retain him, but there are concerns about his injury history.

THEN OFFER HIM ARBITRATION. If he's set on seeking out a multi-year deal, offer him arbitration, let him decline, and get the pick. You can still sign him to a deal later on if no one overpays him.

I don't understand this at all. If the argument is over length of contract, what could we possibly have to lose by offering arbitration?

Link

[baltfan]

The one other semi-halfway plausible explanation here would be either an explicit agreement to not offer him arbitration as a condition of his contract, or a similar gentleman's agreement.

I think we're pretty sure the explicit agreement wasn't there, right?

I was thinking this as well. Perhaps they were worried that angering Koji could hurt them in the future in the Japanese market. If they think Koji might get $7mm in arbitration, I can at least see where the costs vs. benefits are close enough to make it a toss up.

[Sports Guy]

From Roch:

THEN OFFER HIM ARBITRATION. If he's set on seeking out a multi-year deal, offer him arbitration, let him decline, and get the pick. You can still sign him to a deal later on if no one overpays him.

I don't understand this at all. If the argument is over length of contract, what could we possibly have to lose by offering arbitration?

Link

Yep....if he wants a multi-year deal, then he isn't going to go for a 1/5 type deal.

[Johnny]

Were mad because there is little to no downside to offering him arb.

He takes it and we get a short term deal on a solid reliever. Even if he's hurt/sucks its still a sound investment.

If he doesn't accept and signs elsewhere, we get a draft pick.

Paying top dollar (at $5-6 million, Koji would be near the top of the food chain for set-up/middle reliever) for a product that will be unreliable at best is not a sound investment. Especially when we can probably land a similar pitcher -only one who pitches the whole season, for the same money.

If you paid for a Caddy, Audi, BMW, Mercedes and it spent 10-15 percent of the year -roughly a month- in the shop, and then had a stipulation that you couldn't drive it two days in a row you wouldn't say, "my, this was a sound investment!" as you sip you complementary coffee in the dealer waiting room.

[Sports Guy]

I was thinking this as well. Perhaps they were worried that angering Koji could hurt them in the future in the Japanese market. If they think Koji might get $7mm in arbitration, I can at least see where the costs vs. benefits are close enough to make it a toss up.

Really? how could this anger Koji and other japanese players?

That makes no sense.

Here is your explanation..the Orioles are stupid. That is the explanation.

Why do we have to continue to find some kind of motive here? How about the motive is they are just not a smart team?