Z asks for $15.5 million in Arbitration

by Will23 on Jan 16, 2007 6:04 PM CST

From the espn.com article it says that the Cubs made Zambrano an offer of $11,025,000, a gap of $4,475,000 from what Z's agent requested.

To me, it's not a question of IF they will come to terms as how much. Perhaps they will just split the difference?

(If you have nothing to add to your proposed diary, then it probably belongs as a comment under another appropriate thread. The minimum is 300 characters.)

Poll

How much should Z get?

$15,500,000 (Z's offer)

29 votes

$13,400,000 (rough difference)

63 votes

Carte blanche! Z is the BEST!

30 votes

$11,025,000 (Management offer)

14 votes

136 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

the cubs made a fair offer

oswalt got 11 million last year in the same year of arbitration eligitibility as Z is in this year. Since they are fairly comparable in terms of quality, Z should expect to see something similar to what Oswalt got last year.

the fact that Zambrano is hitting this point a year later (and his salary would be adjusted for inflation/market somewhat) should be balanced by the fact that Oswalt was coming off a better season in 2005 than Zambrano had last year.

So I think offering 11 million was fair, and i think the cubs would win an arbitration hearing if it came to that. hopefully they will lock him up, and it won't come to that. but i think his agent is being unrealistic as far as arbitraiton numbers go.

DEJESUS!!!

by tomas21 on Jan 16, 2007 6:09 PM CST reply actions

Zambrano...

...is amongst the top five pitchers in baseball, and with the Cubs shooting themselves in the foot (or head, depending on your opinion) with Lilly, Marquis, and others, I think it's safe to say Big Z can, should, and will get nearly as much as he thinks he should. Home Town Discount, anyone??

Evey Hammond: Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici. V: By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe.

by dtpollitt on Jan 16, 2007 7:32 PM CST reply actions

Considering Zito is making

about 18mil a year, and we can all agree that Zambrano is on the cusp of becoming one of the top five pitchers, while Zito is not, then yes, Zambrano does deserve the money.

THE FONZ HAS ARRIVED!

by amaru on Jan 16, 2007 7:52 PM CST reply actions

zito

was a free agent, z is under cubs control and is arbitration0eligible. you can't compare the two.

DEJESUS!!!

by tomas21 on Jan 17, 2007 8:44 AM CST up reply actions

Yes, you can, because...

... Z knows very well, and so do the Cubs, that he's going to cash in bigtime NEXT offseason if the Cubs don't lock him up now, assuming he has another good year.

by Al Yellon on Jan 17, 2007 8:46 AM CST up reply actions

that is true

and will certainly come up in long-term contract negotiations, but i don't see how that makes zito's free agent contract relevant to zambrano's arbitration figures. free agent contracts aren't what is compared when they do arbitration hearings--other arbitration figures are what is looked at. that's all i was trying to say.

DEJESUS!!!

by tomas21 on Jan 17, 2007 8:56 AM CST up reply actions

Oh, I see what you mean...

... yes, you're right. But I was looking it from the standpoint that I think, as has been done for the last 13 years, the Cubs won't go to arbitration with Z, and instead will try to negotiate a longterm deal; in that case, as you note, Zito's deal definitely is a benchmark.

by Al Yellon on Jan 17, 2007 9:04 AM CST up reply actions

if you look at

what Lilly, Marquis, and Suppan got then he deserves the 15+ million a year. If you look at what he really deserves then I think its closer to the 11 million the Cubs offered.

Also, anyone else hope the Cardinals sign Jeff Weaver to his reported asking price of 4 years at 10 million per year? This would calm some of the razzing I've been getting about the Marquis signing. I in no way think Weaver is the pitcher we saw in the playoffs.

by whoshotjr on Jan 16, 2007 7:54 PM CST reply actions

I suspect...

... the Cubs and Z will either split the difference at around $13M for a year, or there will be a longterm deal announced around Opening Day (similar to the Ramirez annoucement two years ago).

by Al Yellon on Jan 16, 2007 8:10 PM CST up reply actions

I'm freaking out about this.

"I don't talk. I just let what I do talk for myself." -Johan Santana

by sparkles721 on Jan 16, 2007 9:59 PM CST reply actions

Don't be.

Zambrano is like Ramirez. He wants to make his money, and he has earned the right to do so. But he also, I think, wants to be a Cub for life, just like Aramis does, and I think he'll be willing to leave some money on the table to make it happen. My gut feeling is that the Cubs have not come this far, have not spent $300 million in one offseason, only to see their best pitcher walk away. If they were willing to pay D-Lee, Aramis, and Soriano the big bucks, they will pay Zambrano. I feel cautiously optimistic about that.

"Don't complain to me about the stormy weather, boys. Just bring the ship into port." --Steve Stone, September 2004

by ctcoff99 on Jan 16, 2007 11:52 PM CST up reply actions

"my gut feeling is that the Cubs...

...have not come this far, have not spent $300 million in one offseason, only to see their best pitcher walk away."

Aww...you must be new around here.

PINIELLA!

by theprognosticator on Jan 17, 2007 12:01 AM CST up reply actions

See, who says Cub fans are cynical? :)

How I can retain such optimism after 23 years as a Cubs fan is beyond me. If this were a couple of years ago, I am not sure I would feel that way. But Hendry has to know that his ass is already on the line based on what the team does this year, and losing Z would be akin to Larry Himes losing Maddux. Hendry would be digging his own grave to not keep Zambrano and he has to know that. If they are really trying to win the World Series--and $300 million in one offseason shows that they at least have entertained the notion--you don't lose your best pitcher as part of the building process. But, as Mike Royko always used to say, that's why they're the Cubs. We shall see.

"Don't complain to me about the stormy weather, boys. Just bring the ship into port." --Steve Stone, September 2004

by ctcoff99 on Jan 17, 2007 12:07 AM CST up reply actions

Z's signing is irrelevant

to the point you're making. Z is going to be a Cub this season whether Z voluntarily signs an extention or the arbitration process assigns him a salary. This year is not in question for Z.

I think that we have all recognized that the Cubs have to show significant progress this year for Hendry to be the GM next year. If they don't, he'll be fired. Otherwise, he'll be able to finish out his contract. Z's contract status may have an impact on Hendry's status after the 2008 season though.

by NO100 on Jan 17, 2007 10:39 AM CST up reply actions

spittin up my corn flakes!

HA!!!

That's where they got that Picasso.

by WrigleyCat on Jan 17, 2007 7:33 AM CST up reply actions

Just stop fooling around

and sign him for the long-term. I saw Maddux get away 14 years ago and I don't want to see such a disaster occur again. Whatever it takes. I'm sure Zambrano will leave some money on the table to stay in Chicago. Perhaps he'll be willing to sign a deal for a bit less than Zito signed for.

"Eighty-five percent of the $#@&$ world's working! The other 15 come out here! A %&$&# playground for the $&&*@!"

by danimal15 on Jan 17, 2007 10:49 AM CST reply actions

I don't think...

... anyone's "fooling around" here. Hendry knows how important it is to keep Z. It seems Z wants to stay. To make a deal of the size that will keep him will take some time to put together. It is, after all, still only January.

by Al Yellon on Jan 17, 2007 1:13 PM CST up reply actions