Link

Hart, the Brewers' lone arbitration-eligible player still unsigned, filed for a $4.8 million salary in 2010. The team countered at $4.15 million. The Brewers wanted a deal by the end of business Friday, and club negotiator Teddy Werner and Hart's agent, Jeff Berry, had a series of discussions this week but were unable to reach an agreement.

-snip-

"We're not rooting for a hearing and we're not looking to break new ground," Berry wrote. "We simply want Corey to be compensated at the level which the salary-arbitration system has deemed appropriate."

I don't know the stats for how often guys lose, but I think Hart will lose this one. Now, I know on the open market that Hart would probably get more than a one year contract, but if that was the case, do you see Hart getting 4.8 million from a team for next year? I don't.

That's close enough where you may still see a settlement before a hearing.

Hardy got $5 Mil, who knows.

I agree the Brewers could win that one. It would be great to see him have a bounce back year and make that lineup a little bit longer.

The economics are still so screwed up in baseball it isn't even funny.

Very rarely have you seen these rulings go in favor of the club's offer. I don't know why that is because in normal arbitration hearings that I've been a part of it seems to me that the hearings are far more objective between the company and the employee (i.e. union). The facts prevail the vast majority of the time.

In MLB, it's like 95% slanted toward the employee, and it's almost like the "facts" - i.e. stats and pay history, don't matter. Why it's called an "arbitration" I have no idea, but then again I don't know the procedures and language contained within the MLB process.

looks like the club pulled the offer.

"I made it clear that we filed a strong number. Our goal is not to go to a hearing but we'll do it if we have to. Our offer is off the table now. It was a hard deadline. We need to prepare for a case."

I don't really care who wins, as long as neither party is bitchy about it afterwords. Hart is entitled to try and make as much as he can, but if he loses he should fire his agent.