Originally Posted by MLB.com

JUPITER, Fla. -- Since being called up as a rookie at age 20 in 2003, Miguel Cabrera has been one of the best bargains in the game.

The Marlins slugger also has been one of the league's most productive hitters.

After earning $472,000 in 2006, Cabrera is receiving a major bump in salary.

On Saturday, a panel of three arbitrators in Arizona ruled in favor Cabrera, who will earn $7.4 million in 2007. The team argued that the slugger should make $6.7 million.

Cabrera's $7.4 million is the third highest in salary arbitration history. Last year, Alfonso Soriano earned $10 million after losing his case to the Nationals. And in 2001, Andruw Jones collected $8.2 million after winning a decision against the Braves.

"That's why the process is there," Marlins general manager Larry Beinfest said. "We were unable to negotiate a settlement with Miguel. We filed a number and they filed a number, and they were both very large numbers for a great player.

"The arbitrators decided in his way, and that's the way the process works. We had budgeted either for a loss or a win. Again, Miguel is a great player. He's up in the elite-type players. He's one of the elite first-time players ever. We're respectful to the process and welcome him into camp. ... We move on."

Highly affordable the past few years, Cabrera will be the highest-paid Marlin this season. Pitcher Dontrelle Willis follows at $6.45 million.

In an interview with MLBEspanol.com, Cabrera said he was happy to get his contract issue resolved.

"I'm happy because we won, but I'm more happy that I can get ready and focus on the season," Cabrera said in Spanish. "I have a great relationship with the team. The arbitrators were going to decide either way.

"I'm going to play hard and hopefully help the team get to the postseason and win another title. Now, I'm focusing on playing baseball."

As a rookie in 2003, Cabrera was called up from Double-A in late June. His first big-league hit was a two-run walk-off homer in extra innings to beat Tampa Bay.

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Cabrera batted cleanup in the 2003 World Series, and earned international acclaim by homering off Roger Clemens, who was then with the Yankees.

At the rate Cabrera is producing, the slugger projects to boost his earnings significantly more over the next few seasons. With three years and 101 days of MLB service time, Cabrera will qualify for free agency after the 2009 season. So, the Marlins could opt to sign him a year at a time until then, or the club must decide whether to offer a mega-dollar multi-year contract.

An All-Star in his first three full seasons in the big leagues, Cabrera has posted some exorbitant statistics. His 2006 campaign was one of the top single seasons in Marlins history.

The Maracay, Venezuela, native set a team mark by batting .339, which was second in the National League to Pittsburgh's Freddy Sanchez. Cabrera's 50 doubles also established a Marlins record.

Additionally, Cabrera belted 26 home runs and drove in 114 runs, his third straight 110-plus RBI season.

What's astonishing is the slugger has achieved major milestones despite the fact that he won't turn 24 until April 18.

Playing in a pitcher-friendly park, Cabrera has 104 home runs and 404 RBIs in his still-young big-league career.

He's also scored more than 100 runs for three straight seasons, and he's won two straight Silver Slugger Awards at two different positions. In 2005, he was honored as an outfielder. And last year, he took the trophy as a third baseman.

The exploits of Cabrera played a major reason in why the Marlins exceeded expectations in 2006, finishing a respectable 78-84 despite sporting a rookie-laden roster.

Both Cabrera and Beinfest say the arbitration process has not strained the relationship with either side. Last Saturday, the club expressed disappointment that Cabrera did not attend FanFest at Dolphin Stadium or an awards dinner the night before.

It was revealed Friday, though, that Cabrera was tending to personal matters in Venezuela.

Beinfest said that the FanFest incident was "old news" and that the team is ready to move forward with Cabrera being its third baseman.

Cabrera said had the team given him more than a week's notice, he would have postponed his plans in Venezuela and attended FanFest.

"Had I known, I would have cancelled everything to be here and avoid all the [controversy]," Cabrera said.

Cabrera was the second Marlin to go through an arbitration hearing in Arizona. On Tuesday, reliever Kevin Gregg had his pitch for a higher salary rejected. Gregg will earn $575,000 in 2007, instead of the $700,000 he was seeking.