There’s Still 11 Hours Left to Not Make a Huge Mistake
December 1, 2009 at 10:58 am | Posted in Orlando Hudson | 9 CommentsFrom Yahoo’s Tim Brown, via the quickly-becoming-indispensible Twitter of TrueBlueLA:
Dodgers likely will not offer Orlando Hudson salary arbitration.
We’ve been through this a bunch of times, as have most of the other blogs, but let me reiterate: if this happens, there is no good reason for it. There’s just no downside. If he accepts, you get a solid 2B to fill your gaping keystone hole on a one-year deal. If he doesn’t – and we all know he wouldn’t, judging by his comments regarding Joe Torre and his late-season benching – then you get two draft picks from whichever team ends up signing him.
So why would they consider not offering? Sad to say, it seems to go straight back to the payroll issues, just like everything else has lately. The 5% chance that you might have to pay him $8m this year is somehow not worth the 95% chance that you get two free draft picks.
Or maybe, considering how little money the scouting team is allowed to spend on draftees, they just want to avoid the cost of paying those picks. Either way, it’s an indefensible decision as well as being a sad commentary on the current state of Dodgertown.
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This is just going to be really frustrating if they don’t offer it to him. I am preparing myself to be frustrated.
Comment by Kevin — December 1, 2009 #
I’ve read the arguments as to why Hudson should be offered arb. And it makes so much sense that I can’t even think of a rational reason not to do it. Exactly what are Ned and Frank freaking out about? They know that farm systems are the most economically efficient method of making a baseball team, don’t they? Even spending 8 mil just to get two draft picks would arguably be worth it, AND they get Hudson for another year.
I really hope that this isn’t happening because Ned’s got his eye on Felipe Lopez or Marco Scutaro.
Comment by gklarsen — December 1, 2009 #
Edit to my comment: I meant to say that the 8 mil Hudson would get in arbitration would still probably be worth it and that the risk of spending 8 mil on a 2B you don’t want is worth the reward of 2 draft picks when he doesn’t sign.
Comment by gklarsen — December 1, 2009 #
And will anyone be surprised if Hudson is not offered arbitration?
Comment by Shmolnick — December 1, 2009 #
If his wrist is messed up, that would be a reason not to offer arb. Although I guess the contract could be voided under that scenario?
Comment by Ted — December 1, 2009 #
Yay! I hate above average solutions to massive holes on our team. I also hate free draft picks, so this is good news to me.
Comment by John Clevenger — December 1, 2009 #
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/12/dodgers-make-no-arb-offers-to-free-agents.html
No offers at all.
Comment by The Swede — December 1, 2009 #
[...] Orlando Hudson, Randy Wolf | Leave a Comment I… am… almost literally without words. We were already horrified at the idea that Orlando Hudson wouldn’t be offered arbitration, but it just got worse (via [...]
Pingback by It’s Time to Jump Ship, Right? « Mike Scioscia’s tragic illness — December 1, 2009 #
No arbitration sucks.
But you know what really sucks? The list of eligible 2B free agents.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2008/12/2010-mlb-free-a.html
Mark DeRosa? +OPS of 99, but he really plays 3B. He has a terrible RF/9 at 2B for ’08, the last time he played any meaningful games there. Placido Polanco? A sudden decline to +OPS of 88, but a solid glove. The Dodgers will never spend the dough for him either, since he’s a type A. Adam Kennedy had an 101, but his defense is not great, and the A’s moved him to 3B due to his range.
The best 2Bs on this list? Ronnie Belliard and Orlando Hudson.
I think we’re gonna get stuck with leftovers. Your new Dodger 2Bs are destined to be: Juan Uribe and Chin-Ling Hu. Ugh.
Comment by Mike Sharperson Lives! — December 1, 2009 #