Cards have arbitration coming up
By Derrick Goold
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
01/08/2008
Ankiel, the other pitcher-turned-slugger, headlines three Cardinals players who have been offered a contract for the 2008 season but can elect to have their salaries decided in arbitration. Catcher Yadier Molina could spin his arbitration eligibility into a discussion for a multiple-year deal. Pitcher Todd Wellemeyer will come to spring training preparing to be a starter, a role he had enough this past season to get a bump. It isn't difficult to compute comparable players for either of them.
Ankiel is the anomaly. He's eligible for arbitration because of service time accumulated as a pitcher. But he reaches arbitration as a hitter.
Players have from now till Jan. 15 to file for arbitration. The parties have until the date of the hearing to agree on a contract or else the arbitrator's decision is binding. Most parties come to an agreement well before a hearing. Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said this week he'll contact the agents of the three players to negotiate.
One likely topic is a multiple-year deal for Molina.
Wellemeyer's 3.11 ERA and 11 starts for the Cardinals weigh against the Cardinals claiming him off waivers.
Ankiel's career as a major-league hitter — all 53 days of it — lacks the length to show the consistency mentioned in the arbitration criteria. Arbitration tends to favor games played and appearances as well as performance. But the quality of Ankiel's contribution this past season could be used to outline his worth. In 47 games, Ankiel hit 11 home runs and drove in 39 runs. His home runs were the most by a Cardinal after he arrived Aug. 9, and only nine National Leaguers had more RBIs in that span.
We have to lock up Molina.. no doubt about it.. I dont know what case Ankiel can make.. and I'm fine bringing Todd back.. he was actually one of our most consistant starters last year IMHO.. that tells how sad our rotation was!
If we lose Molina eventually it would be a huge loss (even with anderson in the minors) We need to keep him for awhile and when anderson has high value i think we could trade him off for a position we need.
If we lose Molina eventually it would be a huge loss (even with anderson in the minors) We need to keep him for awhile and when anderson has high value i think we could trade him off for a position we need.
I agree.. I think we will get that done with ease.. no contest.. but if by some chance we dont. We'll have to see what Anderson is made of soon.. I'm not worried about the Yadi thing..
I dont really care about the Ankiel one.. 2 year deal or something is cool..
Cardinals, Ankiel avoid arbitration with 1-year deal
January 18, 2008
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- The St. Louis Cardinals and Rick Ankiel avoided arbitration Friday, with the outfielder agreeing to a one-year, $900,000 contract with incentives that could push the value of the deal to $1 million.
The once-promising left-handed pitcher whose career was sidetracked by wildness has emerged as a leading contender for a starting spot in the outfield after hitting 11 homers with 39 RBIs in just 47 games after being called up last August.
Ankiel would make an additional $25,000 if he reaches 350 plate appearances and the same amount at 400, 450 and 500 plate appearances.
Molina bound for big raise
By Derrick Goold
01/18/2008 4:17 pm
TOWER GROVE — St. Louis native Ryan Howard’s arbitration filing for $10 million will get the ink, but another local player is headed for a massive raise judging by the numbers exchanged today between Yadier Molina and the Cardinals.
Players and teams had until today to exchange numbers for upcoming arbitration hearings. The Cardinals signed Rick Ankiel to a one-year deal shortly before the deadline, and that left Molina and pitcher Todd Wellemeyer as the only arbitration-eligible players not yet signed.
The numbers exchanged for both players:
Molina … Team: $1.85 million … Player: $2.75 million
Wellemeyer … Team: $875,000 … Player: $1.325 million
Wellemeyer made $635,000 last season and he told me earlier today that he’s preparing to come to spring training as a starter. He hopes a deal can be finalized before the need for a hearing in February. Molina’s agent and the Cardinals have discussed a multi-year deal for the catcher who manager Tony La Russa recently said was on the level of a “core player” and has been since “Mike Matheny signed with San Francisco.”
Ankiel signs 1 year deal
Ankiel signs 1 year deal
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