Red Sox/Ortiz Avoid Arbitration

The Red Sox and David Ortiz averted a potential salary arbitration hearing by agreeing to a one-year deal for 2012 worth $14.575 million. That is actually the midpoint between the salary being offered by the Sox ($12.65 million) and the number being sought by Ortiz ($16.5 milion).

$14.575 million for a DH, that's a lot of dough. Funny the Sox could've had Edwin Jackson and Ryan Madson for that amount of money, and it is interesting to think about what would've had the bigger impact. Let's all just sit back and pray he can stay healthy and the Red Sox can squeeze one more year of 30-100 from Ortiz. I have said before I wasn't overly pumped about him coming back because I thought it would be nice to be able to use the DH like most other teams do, to rest players. Guys like Youk would heavily benefit from getting some time off there, and the problem with Ortiz is that he can't play anywhere else.

Red Sox And Ortiz Are $4 Million Apart

Red Sox and David Ortiz are nearly $4 million apart in the numbers each side filed for a potential arbitration hearing. The report states that the Red Sox filed at $12.65 million, while Ortiz' number came in at $16.5 million (he made $12.5 million last year).

I think $16.5 million is absurd, actually I think $13 million is absurd, but that's what I bet he ends up getting, because of what they paid him last year and the year he had. I don't blame Ortiz for asking for a lot, because what's the downside for him? He is getting a contract one way or another, so he might as well get as much as he can.

David Ortiz Looks To Be Coming Back

David Ortiz plans to accept the offer of salary arbitration that the Red Sox extended to him, meaning that he will return to Boston for the 2012 season, a source told ESPNDeportesLosAngeles.com on Tuesday.

Tonight at midnight is the deadline that players have to accept arbitration. David earned $12.5 million in 2011 and could get around $15 million in arbitration, was seeking a pay raise, a league source told ESPNBoston.com earlier Tuesday. A two-year, $25 million deal would also have kept him in Boston, according to the source, but prior to offering arbitration, the Red Sox put a two-year, $18 million deal on the table. ESPN

To me it seems that the Red Sox don't want Ortiz and were expecting him to decline arbitration and certainly turn down the 2 year 18 million dollar deal he was offered. Obviously, the best case scenario is him accepting arbitration and getting a 1 year deal, which looks to be the case.

I was really hoping that the Red Sox would go bold and look to go after Prince Fielder or at least Aramis Ramirez and move Youk to full time DH. I like David Ortiz, he has been one of my favorite Red Sox players of all time, but much like Beckett and Papelbon, I am starting to wear thin of his stupid comments and attitude.