Categories
Arbitration Contract Negotiation Headline MLB Players MLB Teams

The File-And-Trial Arbitration Teams Sign Their Players

119 MLB players filed for salary arbitration.  The deadline for players and teams to exchange salary figures leading up to a possible hearing has officially past.  The 3 teams known for implementing a file-and-trial strategy (exchange salary figures and we are going to a hearing, no matter what), have all avoided a potential arbitration hearing.

The Chicago White Sox signed their 3 players:

  • John Danks signed a 1-year, $6,000,000 deal.
  • Tony Pena signed a 1-year, $1,600,000 deal.
  • Carlos Quentin signed a 1-year, $5,050,000 deal.

The Florida Marlins signed their 6 players:

  • Burke Badenhop signed a 1-year, $750,000 deal.
  • Clay Hensley signed a 1-year, $1,400,000 deal.
  • Edward Mujica signed a 1-year, $800,000 deal.
  • Ricky Nolasco signed a 3-year, $26,500,000 deal.
  • Leo Nunez signed a 1-year, $3,650,000 deal.
  • Anibal Sanchez signed a 1-year, $3,700,000 deal.

The Tampa Bay Rays signed their 3 players:

  • Dan Johnson signed a 1-year, $1,000,000 deal.
  • Andy Sonnanstine signed a 1-year, $912,500 deal.
  • B.J. Upton signed a 1-year, $4,825,000 deal.

Does this tell us that the file-and-trial strategy is an excellent deterrent to drawn out negotiations between team and player?  There are still plenty of teams and agents who will negotiate right up to the day of players’ scheduled arbitration hearings.  The White Sox, Marlins, and Rays do not have to spend resources and time building up their cases in anticipation of a hearing.  My most recent count tells me that over 30 players are currently headed on the path towards a hearing.  While we know that a majority of these cases will settle, time is money!

My guy to watch = Josh Hamilton.  His salary figure is $12,000,000.  The Texas Rangers submitted a figure of $8,700,000.  Since Major League Baseball uses a final offer arbitration system, should the case go to a hearing, the arbitrators would have to pick one number or the other – no middle ground.

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.