Salary News

[Nate Colbert]

The 6 Astros who were arb-eligible (Castro, Fields, Gattis, Margo, Keuchel and Valbuena) all filed today.

Figures get swapped on Friday. If somehow no settlements prior, hearings begin Feb. 1.

Have the Astros under Luhnow ever NOT settled an arb case beforehand?

[astrosfan76]

Heyman reporting (and McTaggart confirms) that the club has reached an agreement with Valbuena for $6.125M to avoid arbitration.

[astrosfan76]

Drellich reporting that Fields has signed off for $900k.  This leaves Castro, Gattis, Marwin, and Keuchel. 

[astrosfan76]

$2M for Marwin and $7.25M for Keuchel

[ValpoCory]

$2M for Marwin and $7.25M for Keuchel

Nice well deserved raise for Keuchel up from $524K last year.

[Mr. Happy]

$2M for Marwin and $7.25M for Keuchel

I don't have a problem with those numbers at all. Keuchel pitched himself off of the heap of soft-tossing lefties, and Marwin Gonzalez wouldn't simply accept that his role was that of a part-time player. Marwin Gonzalez has played his way into some money.

[Fredia]

Keuchel deserved every penny ..my daughter used to rant about the current cy young winner made what?

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Don't get me wrong, I think it's great they got signed. I kind of think they both might have sold themselves a little short.

[moriartp]

@jonheyman keuchel $7.25M deal is record 1-year deal for 1st time arb pitcher. lincecum, Kershaw & kimbrel got more on multiyears

[Nate Colbert]

Castro filed at $5.25MM while Astros offered $5MM per this. With such a narrow spread, one would think a settlement would happen quickly ahead of any hearing. But Drellich says differently in that article*.

*it's not exactly the best-written article and wouldn't be surprised to see it edited shortly.

[Nate Colbert]

Jon Heyman ‏@JonHeyman 57 minutes ago

Evan gattis filed at 3.85M, astros at 3M.

[HudsonHawk]

Don't get me wrong, I think it's great they got signed. I kind of think they both might have sold themselves a little short.

First year arb guys don't typically get anywhere near the going rate for FAs.  They usually get about 40-50%.  That's a pretty strong figure for Keuchel. 

[HudsonHawk]

Castro filed at $5.25MM while Astros offered $5MM per this. With such a narrow spread, one would think a settlement would happen quickly ahead of any hearing. But Drellich says differently in that article*.

*it's not exactly the best-written article and wouldn't be surprised to see it edited shortly.

Arbitration is ugly business for both sides.  I can't imagine they can't get a deal done, unless they don't see Castro as part of their long-term plans.  If it's "file and go" with him, that's telling.

[doyce7]

Arbitration is ugly business for both sides.  I can't imagine they can't get a deal done, unless they don't see Castro as part of their long-term plans.  If it's "file and go" with him, that's telling.

Especially since the last astro to go to arb is hunter pence in 2011.

[JimR]

I got a notification from one of my sports apps that the Astros are going to a hearing with Castro. is that correct?

[mrpink]

I got a notification from one of my sports apps that the Astros are going to a hearing with Castro. is that correct?

McTaggert is now reporting it is on Twitter.  As Nate and HH said earlier, it's surprising they can't find middle ground when they're only 250K apart.

[HudsonHawk]

I got a notification from one of my sports apps that the Astros are going to a hearing with Castro. is that correct?

That's the rumor.  Of course, they still have until the hearing to make a deal, but all reports are that both sides are confident and ready to go the distance.  Which is unfortunate, because the hearing typically ends in hurt feelings. 

[JimR]

That's the rumor.  Of course, they still have until the hearing to make a deal, but all reports are that both sides are confident and ready to go the distance.  Which is unfortunate, because the hearing typically ends in hurt feelings.

stupid on both sides.

[Mr. Happy]

stupid on both sides.

Agreed. Play Solomon and split the difference.

[Uncle Charlie]

stupid on both sides.

They'll probably spend more money on both sides in either internal resource or advisors between the two parties than the $250k gap.  Too bad.

[VirtualBob]

Agreed. Play Solomon and split the difference.

You know that that was actually represented as a bad idea, right?

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Agreed. Play Solomon and split the difference.

I don't know what kind of catcher Solomon is but he can't be any worse at throwing out runners than Conger.

[HudsonHawk]

They'll probably spend more money on both sides in either internal resource or advisors between the two parties than the $250k gap.  Too bad.

Not really. The club has people on the payroll who do this as a matter of their employment, and the player pays his agent based on his earnings. The hearing takes a couple of hours. Other than some minor expenses, the process  doesn't really cost either side much.

[Uncle Charlie]

Not really. The club has people on the payroll who do this as a matter of their employment, and the player pays his agent based on his earnings. The hearing takes a couple of hours. Other than some minor expenses, the process  doesn't really cost either side much.

If the employees were not working on this they would be working on something else. There is a real cost.

[JimR]

Not really. The club has people on the payroll who do this as a matter of their employment, and the player pays his agent based on his earnings. The hearing takes a couple of hours. Other than some minor expenses, the process  doesn't really cost either side much.

Tal Smith and a lawyer partner of mine represented lots of clubs when there actually were hearings.

[HudsonHawk]

If the employees were not working on this they would be working on something else. There is a real cost.

What else would they be working on?  They are working on this whether it goes to the hearing or not.  It's a cost, but it's a sunk cost.  Yes, it does cost some extra, but nowhere near $250,000. 

[Nate Colbert]

Mark Berman ‏@MarkBermanFox26  9 minutes ago
Confirmed: #Astros catcher Jason Castro loses arbitration case. Will be paid $5 million instead of $5.25 million

[BizidyDizidy]

Still seems completely nutty.

[Knoxbanedoodle]

Still seems completely nutty.

Crane making a point? Throwing an elbow?

[Fredia]

someone offers me 5 million i am in. think there will be any ill will

[Mr. Happy]

Still seems completely nutty.

What seems nuttier is a .211 hitter thinking that he's worth more than $5,000,000.

[moriartp]

Crane making a point? Throwing an elbow?

$5 million was generous to begin with. I'd have been pretty surprised to see Castro win. For the Astros, I don't think it seemed worth a quarter mil just to keep the peace.

[Nate Colbert]

Jon Heyman ‏@JonHeyman 57 minutes ago

Evan gattis filed at 3.85M, astros at 3M.

Avoided hearing by essentially agreeing at midpoint, $3.3MM salary plus $100K buyout (total of $3.4MM guaranteed) if a $5.2MM option for 2017 is not picked up.

[moriartp]

Nice deal for the team. Fair price for '16 plus cost control for '17 in case he puts up big numbers this year.

[Duman]

This deal shows the Astros are reasonable with arbitration folks.  So what does that mean about taking Castro to arbitration over 250K?

[Reuben]

This deal shows the Astros are reasonable with arbitration folks.  So what does that mean about taking Castro to arbitration over 250K?

I think they just hate Stanford alumni.

[HudsonHawk]

This deal shows the Astros are reasonable with arbitration folks.  So what does that mean about taking Castro to arbitration over 250K?

Tells me they don't see Castro in their long-term future. 

[juliogotay]

Tells me they don't see Castro in their long-term future.

It seems that way to me too.

[Duman]

I was waiting for this to happen.  Drellich uses the Royals extension of Sal Perez to ask Altuve if he is in extension talks. 

Altuve on Wednesday had no comment on his own contract, which is similar to the one Perez just replaced — with some key differences.

Then takes a dig at the Astros front office

There is nothing to suggest the Astros, run by businessmen who keep a low payroll and haven't committed more than $30 million to a single player in their time running the team, would act similarly.

[Waldo]

Then takes a dig at the Astros front office

A tale as old as time.

[Mr. Happy]

I was waiting for this to happen.  Drellich uses the Royals extension of Sal Perez to ask Altuve if he is in extension talks. 

Then takes a dig at the Astros front office

Fuck that troll. We should ask him inane questions every time he does this.

[Reuben]

I was waiting for this to happen.  Drellich uses the Royals extension of Sal Perez to ask Altuve if he is in extension talks. 

Then takes a dig at the Astros front office

Is he implying that other teams aren't run by "businessmen"?

[Duman]

His haven't committed 30 million to a single player is a hollow stat.  Who has been on the roster that was worth a 30 million dollar commitment until now. 

I agree Altuve's contract is team friendly.  I hope they do talk about an extension.  But when he signed the contract he wasn't Arb eligible yet.  The 4 year deal, bought out his three arb years with two additional team option years.  It was signed when he was in the middle of the 2013 season which was his worst pro season thus far.  This was a good deal for both sides at the time.  Only because of his explosion over the last two seasons does it look out of whack. 

[Mr. Happy]

His haven't committed 30 million to a single player is a hollow stat.  Who has been on the roster that was worth a 30 million dollar commitment until now. 

I agree Altuve's contract is team friendly.  I hope they do talk about an extension.  But when he signed the contract he wasn't Arb eligible yet.  The 4 year deal, bought out his three arb years with two additional team option years.  It was signed when he was in the middle of the 2013 season which was his worst pro season thus far.  This was a good deal for both sides at the time.  Only because of his explosion over the last two seasons does it look out of whack.

Stop. You're making too much sense. It doesn't fit Drellich's narrative.

[Nate Colbert]

ICYMI, apparently Hinch's contract over the offseason was extended through "at least" 2018.

Very glad to see.

[Nate Colbert]

Fangraphs projects the Astros' opening day payroll of $94MM (give or take) to rank 22nd among all MLB teams. Median payroll projects at $126MM. Division rivals rank 7th (Angels), 8th (Rangers), 12th (Mariners) and 25th (A's).

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