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LOS ANGELES: Venezuelan pitcher Francisco Rodriguez was a loser in
his salary arbitration case Friday but still matched the record sum
awarded to any Major League Baseball player in the system—$10
million.
The Los Angeles Angels closing relief pitcher
had sought $12.5 million from the American League club, a hefty jump
from the $7.1 million he was paid for last year.
The only other players awarded $10 million via
arbitration were Philadelphia first baseman Ryan Howard, who won his
case Thursday, and Alfonso Soriano, who received 10 million in 2006
after losing his case against Washington.
“It’s not a fun experience, but it’s an
interesting process,” Angels general manager Tony Reagins said.
“You hope at the end of the day, when the
decision is made, you can resume work understanding it’s part of
the business. Hopefully we can put it behind us.”
Rodriguez, 26, plans to file for free agency
after the season, which would be his seventh with the Angels. He
went 5-2 with a 2.81 earned-run average last season and his 132
saves over the past three seasons are the most in the sport over
that span.
The only players to win arbitration cases were
Howard and New York Mets left-handed pitcher Oliver Perez, who
received $6.5 million on Friday.
Perez, 26, made only $2.5 million last season
and was offered $4.725 million by the Mets, for whom he was 15-10
with a 3.56 earned-run average in 29 starts last year. The Mexican
hurler is 45-53 with a 4.43 career earned-run average.
-- AFP
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