The Giants have avoided arbitration with Melky Cabrera by signing him to a one-year, $6 million contract, roughly a third more than what he was projected to receive. It's not exactly crazy money -- the system rewards players in the near-term, and Cabrera's most recent year was a very good one. But it was his only good one.
Once Carlos Beltran signed with St. Louis, we knew that Cabrera and Angel Pagan were going to be the big prizes of the off-season, full stop, so there's no new information to digest. The extra million dollars shouldn't shock the Lunatic Fringe into a new round of Sabean denunciation, but it sure as hell shakes the rust off the gnawing existential fear I thought I'd tamed into submission over the holidays with gin and electroshock therapy.
More arb news: Angel Pagan will earn $4.85 million, about in line with expectations, and Santiago Casilla will earn $2.2 million. I'll round up the Giants news at the end of the day. And
remember, we've got an arb-eligible contest in full swing. Refer back to the comments here to see how your predictions are faring. (Results are based on Opening Day rosters.) Here's what I predicted, with actual results in ALL CAPS:
Santiago Casilla -- avoids arb, signs 1 yr/$1.9 M (SIGNS 1 YR, $2.2 M)
Mike Fontenot -- avoids arb, signs 1 yr/$1.5 M (SIGNS 1 YR, $1.05 M)
Jeff Keppinger -- non tendered (YES)
Tim Lincecum -- avoids arb, signs 1 yr/$19 M
Sergio Romo -- avoids arb, signs 1 yr/$1.2 M
Ramon Ramirez -- non tendered (TRADED, SIGNED 1 YR, $2.65 M WITH METS)
Jonathan Sanchez -- avoids arb, signs 1 yr / $6 M, then traded (TRADED)
Pablo Sandoval -- avoids arb, signs 3 yr / $18 M
Nate Schierholtz -- avoids arb, signs 1 yr / $1.4 M
Andres Torres -- avoids arb, signs 1 yr / $2.4 M (TRADED, SIGNS 1 YR, $2.7 M WITH METS)
Ryan Vogelsong -- avoids arb, signs 2 yr / $8 M (YES, BUT W/THIRD-YR OPTION)
Eli Whiteside -- non tendered (YES, BUT RE-SIGNS WITH GIANTS)
I started the contest before the Sanchez and Torres/Ramirez trades, obviously, so no predictions for Pagan or Cabrera. I also forgot Manny Burriss. He reportedly re-signed for an undisclosed amount.
So far I've nailed Keppinger, predicted the Sanchez trade but in the wrong order, got the first part of Whiteside correct (he re-signed with the Giants), gotten damn close on Fontenot, Casilla, and whiffed on Torres and Ramirez, who by the way have both avoided arb with the Mets for $2.7 M and $2.65 M respectively.
Once Carlos Beltran signed with St. Louis, we knew that Cabrera and Angel Pagan were going to be the big prizes of the off-season, full stop, so there's no new information to digest. The extra million dollars shouldn't shock the Lunatic Fringe into a new round of Sabean denunciation, but it sure as hell shakes the rust off the gnawing existential fear I thought I'd tamed into submission over the holidays with gin and electroshock therapy.
More arb news: Angel Pagan will earn $4.85 million, about in line with expectations, and Santiago Casilla will earn $2.2 million. I'll round up the Giants news at the end of the day. And
remember, we've got an arb-eligible contest in full swing. Refer back to the comments here to see how your predictions are faring. (Results are based on Opening Day rosters.) Here's what I predicted, with actual results in ALL CAPS:
Santiago Casilla -- avoids arb, signs 1 yr/$1.9 M (SIGNS 1 YR, $2.2 M)
Mike Fontenot -- avoids arb, signs 1 yr/$1.5 M (SIGNS 1 YR, $1.05 M)
Jeff Keppinger -- non tendered (YES)
Tim Lincecum -- avoids arb, signs 1 yr/$19 M
Sergio Romo -- avoids arb, signs 1 yr/$1.2 M
Ramon Ramirez -- non tendered (TRADED, SIGNED 1 YR, $2.65 M WITH METS)
Jonathan Sanchez -- avoids arb, signs 1 yr / $6 M, then traded (TRADED)
Pablo Sandoval -- avoids arb, signs 3 yr / $18 M
Nate Schierholtz -- avoids arb, signs 1 yr / $1.4 M
Andres Torres -- avoids arb, signs 1 yr / $2.4 M (TRADED, SIGNS 1 YR, $2.7 M WITH METS)
Ryan Vogelsong -- avoids arb, signs 2 yr / $8 M (YES, BUT W/THIRD-YR OPTION)
Eli Whiteside -- non tendered (YES, BUT RE-SIGNS WITH GIANTS)
I started the contest before the Sanchez and Torres/Ramirez trades, obviously, so no predictions for Pagan or Cabrera. I also forgot Manny Burriss. He reportedly re-signed for an undisclosed amount.
So far I've nailed Keppinger, predicted the Sanchez trade but in the wrong order, got the first part of Whiteside correct (he re-signed with the Giants), gotten damn close on Fontenot, Casilla, and whiffed on Torres and Ramirez, who by the way have both avoided arb with the Mets for $2.7 M and $2.65 M respectively.
