Cabrera offered arbitration

[Dick Allen]

I still think that the best deal for him would be to sign a one year deal with a team that intends on starting him the whole season. That will give him a chance to build value and go for one more big deal next offseason while he's still young enough to get a 3-5 year contract. He would at the minimum probably be platooning if he signs with the sox this year, not an ideal place for him.

If he's only going to get a one year deal, arbitration is the way to go. If KW really plans on sitting him,(although we've always been told the line-up is the manager's decision) there will be grievances filed. It really makes no sense offering a player arbitration, and paying him $11-12 million and sitting him for guys making $400k who haven't proven anything on the major league level. Hopefully he just refuses, but I've said all along, I don't think its as cut and dried as most think.

[Chisoxfn]

It should also be pointed that him accepting arbitration could be prudent. He has a good season and the economy improves and all of a sudden he gets a 3 year deal worth substantially more money than he would have gotten today (plus he made more annually this year).

[whitesoxfan101]

Sounds like a game of chicken to me being played by both sides, but if he accepts arbitration, he'll be traded before spring training starts IMO.

Edited December 5, 2008 by whitesoxfan101

[kjshoe04]

I really hoped we had heard the last of OC....actually if he does come back it wouldn't bother me too much, at least we'd have one of our holes filled.

[whitesoxfan101]

I really hoped we had heard the last of OC....actually if he does come back it wouldn't bother me too much, at least we'd have one of our holes filled.

 

That's how I look at it too to be honest, but I don't think there is any way he's on our roster on March 1st, unless you can't trade guys who took arbirtation and I don't know about it. I can't imagine we'd bring him back, it's clear what the organization thinks of him. Kenny saying he'd be a backup to Chris Getz and guys like that makes me laugh though, he can't expect anybody to actually take a comment like that seriously I would hope.

Edited December 5, 2008 by whitesoxfan101

[ptatc]

If he's only going to get a one year deal, arbitration is the way to go. If KW really plans on sitting him,(although we've always been told the line-up is the manager's decision) there will be grievances filed. It really makes no sense offering a player arbitration, and paying him $11-12 million and sitting him for guys making $400k who haven't proven anything on the major league level. Hopefully he just refuses, but I've said all along, I don't think its as cut and dried as most think.

 

i don't think a grievance would hold up. The manager can play whomever he wishes. If they fine him for complaining about it or don't allow him in the dugout he would have a case. I don't think not playing a player is a grievable (I don't think that's a word but you get the point) offense.

 

[flavum]

He's gone. This is all posturing.

[Dick Allen]

"As we sit now, we're bumping up against our break even point as far as payroll " KW 12/4/2008.

Edited December 5, 2008 by Dick Allen

[bighurt4life]

If he's only going to get a one year deal, arbitration is the way to go. If KW really plans on sitting him,(although we've always been told the line-up is the manager's decision) there will be grievances filed. It really makes no sense offering a player arbitration, and paying him $11-12 million and sitting him for guys making $400k who haven't proven anything on the major league level. Hopefully he just refuses, but I've said all along, I don't think its as cut and dried as most think.

 

Not a chance that any grievance can be won by him. KW has been clear that he's not a starter next year, if he chooses to take the arb offer then it's his own damn fault. Even if he were to file a grievance, what could he possibly win??? They can't make ozzie play him.

[Dick Allen]

Not a chance that any grievance can be won by him. KW has been clear that he's not a starter next year, if he chooses to take the arb offer then it's his own damn fault. Even if he were to file a grievance, what could he possibly win??? They can't make ozzie play him.

No, but they might strip a draft pick or two from the White Sox.

[Dick Allen]

i don't think a grievance would hold up. The manager can play whomever he wishes. If they fine him for complaining about it or don't allow him in the dugout he would have a case. I don't think not playing a player is a grievable (I don't think that's a word but you get the point) offense.

Making a player less attractive to other teams because they have to forfeit a 1st round pick, and saying he won't be playing because of Chris Getz, a minor leauger who was waived by the Rockies and a guy who hit .220 in AAA will have some fallout IMO.

Edited December 5, 2008 by Dick Allen

[whitesoxfan101]

No, but they might strip a draft pick or two from the White Sox.

 

Because he said he wouldn't start the guy? Don't be ridiculous. I know you hate KW, but at least be logical.

Edited December 5, 2008 by whitesoxfan101

[Dick Allen]

Because he said he wouldn't start the guy? Don't be ridiculous. I know you hate KW, but at least be logical.

Yes. I'm being very logical. The point you are missing is he made Cabrera less attractive on the open market by offering arbitration. A typical bench player isn't worth the draft picks let alone the 8 figure salary. Then trying to intimidate or suggest he not accept the offer, and that if he did, he would be on the bench. For a team that supposedly is at its payroll threshold now, per KW, it makes zero sense to have an $11-12 million player riding pine. The greivance I believe wouldn't be so much about riding pine as much as the comments made. Trying to influence a decision and a right through scare tactics. I really don't hate KW. II just don't drink his kool-aid with every meal.

Edited December 5, 2008 by Dick Allen

[clyons]

Per the collective bargaining agreement, its the team's perfect right to offer arbirtation and Cabrera's whether to accept that offer or not. A sustainable grievance has to arise out of a violation of the agreement. There wouldn't be one here.

[maggsmaggs]

Telling quote from KW:

"There are parameters that we have right now," Williams said. "And at least payroll-wise, we are bumping up against our break-even point as we sit here today."

 

So I guess our payroll will be significantly smaller than last year.

[Jimbo's Drinker]

Telling quote from KW:

 

 

So I guess our payroll will be significantly smaller than last year.

 

 

I never believe what KW says.

[bschmaranz]

I never believe what KW says.

 

I don't think anyone should

[ThunderBolt]

I don't think anyone should

Except when he tells us just who the Tigers are in position to compete with.

[Chisoxfn]

"As we sit now, we're bumping up against our break even point as far as payroll " KW 12/4/2008.

One thing I had forgotten is that the Sox payroll was 120+ so yes they have cut a ton but they also don't have as much cash on there books this year so I'd say that they might have a bit of room but they are still at 96M as we speak. I believe we'll see the teams payroll in the 96-104M range (in terms of what they actually pay, so any cash the Sox are getting from another club would mean they could spend more than such), which means that the Sox would still likely have some moves to make if they want to get super agressive.

[santo=dorf]

Good. He's a fiery guy we need. Someone with some flare who won't be afraid to tell it like it is...

...and then get made to look like a fool by the reliever in front of a national audiance.

[sox1844]

Yes. I'm being very logical. The point you are missing is he made Cabrera less attractive on the open market by offering arbitration. A typical bench player isn't worth the draft picks let alone the 8 figure salary. Then trying to intimidate or suggest he not accept the offer, and that if he did, he would be on the bench. For a team that supposedly is at its payroll threshold now, per KW, it makes zero sense to have an $11-12 million player riding pine. The greivance I believe wouldn't be so much about riding pine as much as the comments made. Trying to influence a decision and a right through scare tactics. I really don't hate KW. II just don't drink his kool-aid with every meal.

 

Good post. I agree 100%. I mean no matter who you are, if its a bad economy and you're looking at 10-11 mill guaranteed for 1 year, you have to at least THINK about it right? And you're less attractive b/c of losing a pick. I don't see why KW would make it seem like a challenge for OC to accept. I think that again Kenny's massive ego is getting in the way of making good decisions.

 

Obviously he'd try to trade OC right away if he did accept, but either way. HE was the one who offered arbitration, now he's going to bench a great (expensive) player out of SPITE it he accepts? GROW UP. It reminds me of the Seinfeld when Jerry trys to return a $600 jacket out of spite.

[hi8is]

...and then get made to look like a fool by the reliever in front of a national audiance.

i still like OC for doing that... seriously.

i really dug that move by him.

flame me all you want - i thought it was great and i want all my players to have that intensity.

[EvilMonkey]

i still like OC for doing that... seriously.

i really dug that move by him.

flame me all you want - i thought it was great and i want all my players to have that intensity.

I sortof liked the move, at the time, but realized right away that if he didn't get a hit out of it, or at least a walk, he would have looked like a fool on national TV. He turned out to be a fool.

[sox1844]

I sortof liked the move, at the time, but realized right away that if he didn't get a hit out of it, or at least a walk, he would have looked like a fool on national TV. He turned out to be a fool.

 

I liked it. At least it was something! Some life, some passion. Plus Balfour kept yelling F-U to Uribe, and OC was over it. Who cares if he looked like a fool. I'd rather look like a fool who goes down fighting than a fool who just stands by while his team gets destroyed.

[caulfield12]

Let's say for argument's sake Cabrera did stay with the White Sox.

 

That gives us one more option in Lillibridge to put out there in the CF competition with Owens and Anderson (and perhaps Taveras).

 

It provides flexibility to move Alexei into CF, if Lillibridge looks good again over at 2B and wins the job outright. I know many sources have Getz and Lillibridge rated around equally based on 2008, but Lillibridge has a lot more upside potential, whereas Getz as viewed skeptically by many as a utility player (although the same is being said about Lillibridge, in all fairness.)

 

The bottom line is that it's nice to have 2-3 options for most positions around the diamond...with the exception of the starting pitching and possibly catcher (although Armstrong has a better upside than keeping Toby around at $2.25 million), we're setting pretty, especially if Beckham, Viciedo and Flowers arrive sooner rather than later.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20...sp&c_id=cws

Good (but boring) summary of where the organization stands now heading into Winter Meetings...commitments for $82.2 million, plus Jenks will probably go up to $5 million from $500K and the White Sox have to decide whether to offer DeWayne Wise arbitration.

 

Nothing that has happened on the Hot Stove this week has helped Rafael Furcal's market. The Giants and Cardinals are now out. And the Braves are no longer interested in moving Yunel Escobar, now that they've dealt away Brent Lillibridge in the Javier Vazquez trade. The Tigers are exploring only low-budget options. So at this point, Furcal's choices appear to be the A's or Dodgers, with the Orioles lurking as the most likely mystery team. from espn.com

 

Looks like Cabrera or Furcal would be ending up in LA, Oakland and possibly Baltimore or Toronto.

Edited December 5, 2008 by caulfield12