When arbitration hearing results were announced, new Bucharest Balauri GM Joe Lederer had reason to celebrate. "Winning all four of our arbitration cases is great," Lederer told Mihail "the Mad Dog" Andreescu of Total Sport FM during his weekly interview. "I credit our analytics department and the rest of the front office. But now the real work begins: free agency."
Below are the arbitration results (awarded contracts in bold) and breakdown:
NAME | TEAM OFFER | PLAYER DEMAND |
---|---|---|
Mike Román, LF | $2,223,000 | $2,711,500 |
Reggie Gascoigne, SP | $260,000 | $425,000 |
Tony Ángel, C | $212,500 | $425,000 |
Roberto Ramírez, 2B | $170,000 | $425,000 |
Gascoigne will have to wait a year for another chance at a big payday. If he pitches in 2039 the same way he finished this past season (3.85 ERA over last eight starts), the Irishman is sure to be rewarded by Bucharest one way or another.
Since his arrival at the club, Lederer has sung Ángel's praises, citing his leadership in the clubhouse and positive relationship with the community. The team is rumored to have their eyes set on a few backstop options in free agency, so Ángel's role with the club is currently up in the air. At worst, the veteran catcher will play back-up to a new signee but the possibility of entering next season as the starter is still an option.
In one of the more historical arbitration cases in the short history of the UMEBA, Ramírez saw a 0% increase when the arbitrator awarded in favor of Bucharest. Hours before the deadline, the club was intending on not offering a contract and let Ramírez walk, but after analyzing the upcoming free agency pool and payroll budget, Lederer decided to make an offer of $170,000, the exact same figure Ramírez earned in 2038. The part-time second baseman didn't have much of a case, playing in only 60 games with an OPS of .711. Ramírez is not expected to see much time in Bucharest, filling in merely as organizational depth.
In other contract news, the Balauri also came to terms with catcher Luis Martínez and pitcher José Mejía, both accepting minor league contracts. Stay tuned for what is expected to be a flurry of free agency news and signings as Lederer continues to shape the club in his vision.