Ethier's arbitration numbers
He is seeking $3.75 million, while the club is offering $2.65 million. Hearing date probably will be scheduled later this week, with that hearing to take place between Feb. 1 and Feb. 21. MLB has gotten really secretive over the past couple of years about the times and dates of those hearings, but my guess is this will be settled before it ever gets to that point. The Dodgers have had only two actual hearings (Eric Gagne in 2004, Joe Beimel in 2007) since assistant GM Kim Ng has been handling these things, and the club won both of them. Just a reminder, if it goes to a hearing, the arbitration panel (usually three people) must choose between the club's figure and the player's figure, with no wiggle room in between. But before it gets to a hearing, the sides still can negotiate a settlement somewhere in between, and the midway point in this case is, if my math is correct, $3.2 million. Ethier hit .305 with 38 doubles, 20 homers and 77 RBI, a good year by any measure. But $3.2 is still a pretty good raise for a guy who made $424,500 last year.
Considering that Martin got $3.9 million, $3.2 million for Ethier actually seems reasonable. I believe that they both have similar service time, and Ethier actually had a better year in 2008, albeit at a less demanding position.
I agree with Brooklyn Dodger. This is one arbitration hearing I'd expect us to lose. I hope we manage to settle it so we don't go to hearing and say a bunch of bad crap about Ethier and perhaps alienate him when it looks like we've got a sure fire loser here.
And considering Ethier tends to be really sensitive about anything even marginally negative about his progress, this is one case I really don't want to see go to a hearing.
I saw a pretty good argument that Ethier would lose that hearing. Like Andrea and lawdog, I hope they settle.
http://www.truebluela.com/2009/1/20/729191/it-s-settlement-for-either