WHIV 2003 Vol. 1- Arbitration Results

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C Desi Stanley received a 1-year contract through arbitration worth a total of $850,000.
3B Jose Oliva received a 1-year contract through arbitration worth a total of $500,000.
CL Jonathan Salott received a 1-year contract through arbitration worth a total of $1,250,000.
SP Lorenzo Morales received a 1-year contract through arbitration worth a total of $5,000,000.
CF Jimmy Slizz received a 1-year contract through arbitration worth a total of $2,420,000.
MR Francis Linares received a 1-year contract through arbitration worth a total of $2,884,255.
2B Philippe LaRouche received a 1-year contract through arbitration worth a total of $1,500,000.

- Stanley receives a modest increase. He's still the incumbent catcher, but is on the trade block as the Hustlers prepare for the impending readiness of top prospect Roark Dempsey.

- Oliva was a revelation as a bench player in 2002 (1.073 OPS in 56 at-bats). We were happy to give him a slight increase.

- The Hustlers tried and failed to lock up Salott to a long term deal, instead settling for an arbitration award. The two sides vow to continue to explore long term deals in the future.

- Morales was the highest award, as he beat the team in arbitration. Coming off the best season of his career, it was expected. Efforts to explore a long term deal ended with Morales' agent demanding high salaries on a long term deal, something the Hustlers weren't willing to do after a one year spike in established production levels.

- Slizz was on the trade block, but the team won the arbitration hearing, keeping his salary respectable but not overwhelming. This highly increases the odds that Slizz will remain the Hustlers starting center fielder for another season.

- Linares won his case after a nice season in relief. Efforts to trade him have increased as he's now making a starting pitcher salary and the Hustlers do not have a spot open in their rotation for him.

- LaRouche unexpectedly won his case after a disappointing 2002 season. This increases the odds that the Hustlers will try to move veteran second baseman Brent Gates, who re-established himself as one of the MBBA's top second basemen in 2002.