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03-03-2003, 03:18 AM
Some Pirates players not happy with contract offers
By Joe Rutter
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Monday, March 3, 2003
BRADENTON, Fla. — It's safe to say there will be a few unhappy spring training campers in the Pirates clubhouse today.
This is the day the Pirates have set aside to renew the contracts of any unsigned players who haven't accrued enough service time to qualify for salary arbitration. Indications are that, for the second year in a row, several players won't put their signatures on the dotted line.
The issue is important because any player who doesn't sign his contract will be subject to a $10,000 penalty.
Relief pitcher Mike Lincoln is aware of the sanction. Still, he has no intention of signing his contract by the noon deadline.
"Not unless they make a different offer," Lincoln said Sunday morning. "I'm not going to change my mind if they don't change their offer."
Heading into yesterday afternoon, Lincoln was one of 10 unsigned players in camp. General manager Dave Littlefield said a few contracts were in the process of being finalized, but he expected the Pirates to take part in the renewal process.
"It's something you see happen all over the place," Littlefield said. "We'll continue to talk and see what comes out of it."
With the minimum salary increasing from $200,000 to $300,000, teams are trying to curb costs for their younger players while simultaneously trying to issue what they perceive are fair salary figures.
Some teams have decided to pay all players with less than two years of service time the $300,000 minimum. The Pirates aren't one of them. They have created a scale above the $300,000 minimum that is based on service time, performance and a player's role on the team. Built into the scale is the $10,000 penalty that is assessed when a contract goes unsigned.
Shortstop Jack Wilson had not signed his one-year deal as of yesterday afternoon, but he was planning to do so before the deadline. Wilson earned $232,000 last season and is staring at a raise of at least $68,000.
Was he happy with the offer he received?
"Yes and no," he said. "From what my agent says, getting renewed doesn't mean anything anymore. There's a certain bar for guys with my amount of time, and that's what I'm looking to get. But with the minimum salary going up, I can't complain."
Neither can pitcher Josh Fogg, who also plans to sign his contract.
"I think I've got a pretty good deal," said Fogg, who in his rookie year earned slightly more than the minimum. "It's a lot of money going from $203,000 to what I'm getting. Some guys are getting hosed, but I don't think I'm one of them."
The renewal period began yesterday and runs through March 11. The Pirates designated today as R-Day so the process wouldn't drag into the middle of the spring schedule.
"I agree with that," Fogg said. "Get it out of the way."
Last year in early March, the Pirates renewed the contracts of five players, something they had not done since renewing Dan Miceli and Jacob Brumfield in 1995. Those players discovered that Littlefield, in his first off-season, had created a scale that wasn't as generous as the one his predecessor, Cam Bonifay, used.
Taking a hard-line stance were Joe Beimel, Bronson Arroyo, Jimmy Anderson, Warren Morris and Craig Wilson. Arroyo, Anderson and Morris are gone, but Beimel and Wilson are candidates for renewal again this year.
Wilson, who earned $229,000 last year, wasn't tipping his hand yesterday morning. Beimel, who made $227,000, was deliberating whether to accept the Pirates offer. He wanted to talk with his agent before reaching a decision.
"I'm not complaining about what I'm making," Beimel said. "It's just the principle of the thing."
Why forfeit $10,000 out of principle? The theory is that a player can recover the lost money when he reaches salary-arbitration eligibility. But the gamble backfired in Anderson's case. He had a poor season, was released in December and had to settle for a non-guaranteed contract with the Cincinnati Reds.
Pitchers Salomon Torres, Kip Wells and Lincon fell just short of qualifying for salary arbitration, which this winter was given to any players who had accumulated two years and 137 days of service time. Torres missed the cutoff by seven days, Lincoln by 11 and Wells by 21.
Lincoln earned $267,500 last season when he compiled a 3.11 ERA in 55 appearances. His unhappiness likely stems from the fact the Pirates cost him 31 days of service time — and a chance to qualify for arbitration — by sending him to Class AAA Nashville on two occasions, the first when he had an 0.54 ERA.
"I didn't think they were offering a fair raise," Lincoln said.
Wells, who earned $272,500 last year, also was among the unsigned players mulling his decision yesterday.
"Whether I sign or not won't change anything or the way I pitch," he said. "Everything will take care of itself down the road."
Torres, who returned to the majors in September after a five-year layoff, adopted the same philosophy.
"I'm not playing this year for the money," he said. "I'm playing to establish myself as a pitcher in the major leagues. If I do that, we won't be having this conversation next year."
Then there was outfielder Rob Mackowiak, who was unsigned and oblivious to the looming renewal date. Mackowiak, who earned $227,000 last year, had no idea what the Pirates were offering and didn't care.
"I don't pay attention to that stuff," he said.
Joe Rutter can be reached at jrutter1234@aol.com.
By Joe Rutter
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Monday, March 3, 2003
BRADENTON, Fla. — It's safe to say there will be a few unhappy spring training campers in the Pirates clubhouse today.
This is the day the Pirates have set aside to renew the contracts of any unsigned players who haven't accrued enough service time to qualify for salary arbitration. Indications are that, for the second year in a row, several players won't put their signatures on the dotted line.
The issue is important because any player who doesn't sign his contract will be subject to a $10,000 penalty.
Relief pitcher Mike Lincoln is aware of the sanction. Still, he has no intention of signing his contract by the noon deadline.
"Not unless they make a different offer," Lincoln said Sunday morning. "I'm not going to change my mind if they don't change their offer."
Heading into yesterday afternoon, Lincoln was one of 10 unsigned players in camp. General manager Dave Littlefield said a few contracts were in the process of being finalized, but he expected the Pirates to take part in the renewal process.
"It's something you see happen all over the place," Littlefield said. "We'll continue to talk and see what comes out of it."
With the minimum salary increasing from $200,000 to $300,000, teams are trying to curb costs for their younger players while simultaneously trying to issue what they perceive are fair salary figures.
Some teams have decided to pay all players with less than two years of service time the $300,000 minimum. The Pirates aren't one of them. They have created a scale above the $300,000 minimum that is based on service time, performance and a player's role on the team. Built into the scale is the $10,000 penalty that is assessed when a contract goes unsigned.
Shortstop Jack Wilson had not signed his one-year deal as of yesterday afternoon, but he was planning to do so before the deadline. Wilson earned $232,000 last season and is staring at a raise of at least $68,000.
Was he happy with the offer he received?
"Yes and no," he said. "From what my agent says, getting renewed doesn't mean anything anymore. There's a certain bar for guys with my amount of time, and that's what I'm looking to get. But with the minimum salary going up, I can't complain."
Neither can pitcher Josh Fogg, who also plans to sign his contract.
"I think I've got a pretty good deal," said Fogg, who in his rookie year earned slightly more than the minimum. "It's a lot of money going from $203,000 to what I'm getting. Some guys are getting hosed, but I don't think I'm one of them."
The renewal period began yesterday and runs through March 11. The Pirates designated today as R-Day so the process wouldn't drag into the middle of the spring schedule.
"I agree with that," Fogg said. "Get it out of the way."
Last year in early March, the Pirates renewed the contracts of five players, something they had not done since renewing Dan Miceli and Jacob Brumfield in 1995. Those players discovered that Littlefield, in his first off-season, had created a scale that wasn't as generous as the one his predecessor, Cam Bonifay, used.
Taking a hard-line stance were Joe Beimel, Bronson Arroyo, Jimmy Anderson, Warren Morris and Craig Wilson. Arroyo, Anderson and Morris are gone, but Beimel and Wilson are candidates for renewal again this year.
Wilson, who earned $229,000 last year, wasn't tipping his hand yesterday morning. Beimel, who made $227,000, was deliberating whether to accept the Pirates offer. He wanted to talk with his agent before reaching a decision.
"I'm not complaining about what I'm making," Beimel said. "It's just the principle of the thing."
Why forfeit $10,000 out of principle? The theory is that a player can recover the lost money when he reaches salary-arbitration eligibility. But the gamble backfired in Anderson's case. He had a poor season, was released in December and had to settle for a non-guaranteed contract with the Cincinnati Reds.
Pitchers Salomon Torres, Kip Wells and Lincon fell just short of qualifying for salary arbitration, which this winter was given to any players who had accumulated two years and 137 days of service time. Torres missed the cutoff by seven days, Lincoln by 11 and Wells by 21.
Lincoln earned $267,500 last season when he compiled a 3.11 ERA in 55 appearances. His unhappiness likely stems from the fact the Pirates cost him 31 days of service time — and a chance to qualify for arbitration — by sending him to Class AAA Nashville on two occasions, the first when he had an 0.54 ERA.
"I didn't think they were offering a fair raise," Lincoln said.
Wells, who earned $272,500 last year, also was among the unsigned players mulling his decision yesterday.
"Whether I sign or not won't change anything or the way I pitch," he said. "Everything will take care of itself down the road."
Torres, who returned to the majors in September after a five-year layoff, adopted the same philosophy.
"I'm not playing this year for the money," he said. "I'm playing to establish myself as a pitcher in the major leagues. If I do that, we won't be having this conversation next year."
Then there was outfielder Rob Mackowiak, who was unsigned and oblivious to the looming renewal date. Mackowiak, who earned $227,000 last year, had no idea what the Pirates were offering and didn't care.
"I don't pay attention to that stuff," he said.
Joe Rutter can be reached at jrutter1234@aol.com.