Aloha Ka Punahou 2005.03
Liao Kuan and John Daniels awarded $4m and $2m,
respectively
Hawaii's lone representatives at each the past two MBBA All-Star Games have each
won contract awards larger than the team offered.
Liao Kuan
Liao Kuan, who appeared in the 2003 ASG and set single-season marks for the Tropics
in home runs and total bases that year, has been awarded $4 million. Wave Watchers
report that the Tropics had tried to low ball the Chinese native with a $2.6m offer.
"Not trying to low ball anybody," said team spokesperson Stitch Lilo. "The Arbitration
Board had given an estimate in the $3 million range. We tried to economize."
Wave Watchers also report that Hawai'i missed an opportunity to sign Liao to a multi-
year contract in the low-to-mid $3m/year range.
Liao's new salary is a 13-fold increase from his former minimum league salary and, as
of today, the 4th highest on the team, behind Hurley Reyes and McKinley Washington.
John Daniels
John Daniels's new salary of $2m is also an increase from the league minimum. Daniels
appeared in 72 games (6th in the league) in 2004 for Hawai'i with a WHIP of 0.93. He
pitched the last inning in the 2004 ASG for the JL in its victory over the FL.
But Hawai'i won arbitration judgments against six others who had filed.
See follow-up story.
