Monday, March 20, 2006

Arroyo traded after taking a discount

I found the article over at MLB.com from January, check it out, it's from when he had just signed a new deal with the Red Sox:

By agreeing to a deal that will pay him between $11 million and $12 million, Arroyo bid adieu to his remaining three years of arbitration eligibility, and the new pact will take him right to free agency.

In a unique twist, Arroyo's agent, Gregg Clifton, advised his client against taking what he felt was a discounted contract.

"I think [Clifton] felt like I was leaving close to maybe $4 million on the table," Arroyo said. "I think [Clifton] felt like three years, $15 million is probably would I would achieve if I went through the arbitration process all three years."

But Arroyo stood up for himself and insisted on taking an offer that gave him more security.

"I agreed to this contract with strong advice from [Clifton] not to sign it, simply for the reason that I want to play in this town," said Arroyo, who turns 29 next month. "I love being a Red Sox. I wouldn't have signed a deal [like this] in any other place. The reason I took a discount was because I love playing here and I want to stay here my whole career."

In Curt Schilling, Josh Beckett, Wells, Tim Wakefield, Matt Clement, Jonathan Papelbon and Arroyo, the Red Sox have seven viable starting pitchers for their five-man rotation.

Wells, another Clifton client, will likely be traded before the season starts.

Arroyo hopes that his new deal will help prevent him from being the odd man out.

At the same time, his agents warned him that the new deal could make him more attractive to a smaller market team in a potential trade. Arroyo was willing to take the risk, hoping the ultimate reward will be a lifetime of home games at Fenway Park.

"They didn't give me any guarantees, but [co-general managers] Jed [Hoyer] and Ben [Cherington] both stated to me that there were no deals on the table for me right now and they felt pretty strongly that I wouldn't be traded anywhere any time in the near future," Arroyo said. "Not that they could guarantee me any security for the lifetime of the contract, but at no time in the near future did they see me going anywhere."


His agents were right and he's now going to be pitching in Cincinnati at a bargain rate. It doesn't get much worse that going from Boston to Cinci, let me tell you. Ouch.

Which makes me thing maybe Todd Walker will also be moved, he's in a similar position.

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