Brewers arbitration thread (2/12: Hart wins case)

[Ryan5UW]

I guess from his standpoint, what's the harm in asking for that much? Even if he knows he doesn't deserve it, it's a bargaining technique. Ask for higher than you know they'll offer, and then try to meet somewhere in between. In this case, even if they don't budge (which they didn't) and he loses (which he should) he's making a decent amount more than he should be, and than he was last year. If any of us were in the same boat wherever we work, would you do it any differently?

That being said, he's still stupid if he honestly believes that's what he deserves.

[chuckleslove]

They did budge though, they didn't go to the halfway point but they went up from their original offer. All of the other Brewers arbitration offers met near the half-way point but deservedly so the Brewers didn't want to go to this halfway point. We will never know exactly how high they went but they did increase their original offer.

[Ryan5UW]

Fair enough, they did go up, but I don't think it was very much. That doesn't change my point too much though, but you're right.

[chuckleslove]

Yeah, the difference was 700,000 or so I'm not sure if they went up say 100k or 150k then maybe Corey thought it was worth the gamble even though if he takes a hard look at it he is sure to lose.

[LUKE23]

You could say not a word and take a dump on the arbitrator's desk and it would be a much stronger case than anything Hart can bring to the table. If Hart somehow won this case people should be killed over it.

[chuckleslove]

That gave me a very comical image of a lawyer in a courtroom just walking up to a table in front of the jury and taking a dump. Probably because I'm so worn out from clearing all the snow and doing my Squad6 thing last night but it really cracked me up in my office here at work.

[WEFFPIM]

I would LOVE to be in this hearing. I would just sit there and ask him "Do you have any idea how terrible at baseball you are?" When he responds, just keep asking him over and over again. Then I would hit him in the face with a book and scream 'I'M SURPRISED YOU DIDN'T SWING AT IT"

[chuckleslove]

According to reports the hearing went through, the panel has 24 hours to make their decision so by tomorrow we should know for sure that Hart is making 4.15 million. Unless he brought in OJs lawyer team.

[MickeyDavis]

I realize it's a law firm that presented the Brewers case and I realize that it's Werner and Ash that do the Brewers contract negotiations but if Hart somehow wins this I'm blaming Melvin.

[crkone]

Hart wins hearing. I just knew this would happen.


http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/84219072.html

I just received a text message from Brewers negotiator Teddy Werner, who said he was informed by management's Labor Relations Dept. that rightfielder Corey Hart won his arbitration hearing, conducted Thursday in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Hart will receive the $4.8 million salary he requested. The Brewers had offered $4.15 million.

So, the gamble Hart and his agent, Jeff Berry, took paid off handsomely. Even had Hart lost, he would have received a $900,000 raise from his $3.25 million salary of last year. Instead, he gets a $1.55 million raise.

This is why you never know what's going to happen in a hearing. The Brewers thought Hart filed a high figure after batting .260 with 12 HRs and 48 RBI last year. But the panel also considers comparables at Hart's position and service class, and if enough of those players are making the salary he seeks, that works in his favor.

The Brewers never offered a midpoint settlement but Werner said their final offer was "significantly higher" than the figure filed by the club. There were last-minute talks but the Brewers had pulled their final offer from the table after a Jan. 29 deadline they imposed on Hart and Berry.

So, the Brewers lose their gamble and Hart wins his. This is how arbitration works. The three-person panel must pick one figure or the other. No compromise.

I'll get quotes from the two sides and pass them along later.

[trwi7]

At least now we know who prepared the Brewers' argument.

[Ryan5UW]

Are you **** kidding me?

[trwi7]

So, for those not in Milwaukee, the morning show on WSSP has a "Friday Fryer" where you can throw in people that piss you off that week.

One guy throws in Corey Hart and Doug Russell says "He's stealing money, not as much as Michael Redd, but still stealing money."

I just found that funny.

[WEFFPIM]

What a stupid organization this has turned back into

[LUKE23]

I forgot about this yesterday, wow is that amazing that we lost after the year Hart had. He'll suck balls this year for sure.

[Siefer]

This makes me want to heave all over Doug Melvin.

[WEFFPIM]

Thanks to Captain Erv for reminding me of this over Facebook. Now I'm all pissed off again.

[MajorDad]

Billy Hall is still making more money. that was probably Hart's main argument. that he is Better than Billy Hall, and look what the Brewers gave him. hart didn't even have to use other major league examples, he could just use examples of other Brewers contracts.

as in , when was the last time Davis and Bush made the all star team. Oh, they didn't ever make one and Hart did? Look at the contract the brewers gave kendall. Shouldn't an all star be paid more than a mediocre pitcher and washed up catcher?

I still can't believe the comments made by Melvin. the two sides were only $700, 000 apart and he was unwilling to meet Hart half way. Yet, he said he made a significant move over their initial offer. less than $400K is considered a significant move over the initial offer? give me a break.

I have to believe this entire scenario was never about the money.

[trwi7]

LOL at Reed. Yeah, he compared himself to Hall.

If that's the case why didn't he ask for $8 million? He'd still be making less than Hall and he's a better player, so he would obviously win.

[Captain Erv]

Take this however you want, not trying to be sexist, but apparently two of the three arbitrators were women.