Marlins Arbitration Deadline Wrap-Up

Prior to the deadline, the Miami Marlins agreed to deals with two of their four arbitration-eligible players.  The team announced it has settled on terms with right-handed reliever Edward Mujica and the agents of Juan Carlos Oviedo (formerly Leo Nuñez) on salaries for the two players for the 2012 season.  The terms of Mujica’s deal have not been released by the team but the Marlins’ website has stated that the figure of Oviedo’s deal is six million dollars for the upcoming season.

In 2011 the 27 year-old Mujica compiled a 9-6 record with a 2.96 ERA in a late-inning role.  Mujica led the Marlins’ bullpen in innings pitched with 76 and his 67 appearances were second amongst right-handers.  Mujica also had the lowest ERA, lowest WHIP, issued the fewest walks and struck out the most batters of all right-handers that pitched at least 60 innings for the Marlins.  Last season Mujica received $800,000 from the Marlins for his services and he will be a free agent after the 2013 season.

In 2011 the 29 year-old Oviedo compiled a 1-4 record with a 4.06 ERA serving as the Marlin’s closer.  His 36 saves led the team and his 68 appearances were the most for any Marlins right-handed reliever. In 2011 the Marlins paid Oviedo $3,650,000 and he will be a free agent after the upcoming season. 

All signs point to Mujica maintaining a similar role in the Marlins’ bullpen for 2012.  Oviedo, on the other hand, has a status that is very much up in the air.  Oviedo is a native of the Dominican Republic and his immigration status currently does not allow him to be in the United States.  Because of this, Oviedo is on the MLB Restricted List due to issues with his identity and would need to clear that up with both the INS and MLB before he could pitch for the Marlins again.  While Oviedo is on the restricted list, the Marlins do not have to pay his salary but do retain his rights. 

The Marlins’ efforts to avoid having to go to salary arbitration at all fell short as the team was unable to reach agreements with utility player Emilio Bonifacio and starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez prior to the Tuesday 7 PM deadline.  As per team policy, the Marlins will go to arbitration hearings for both Bonifacio and Sanchez, though the team is free to negotiate with both up until the actual court time. 

According to the team, Bonifacio is looking to get $2.2 million from the Marlins for the upcoming season while the Marlins have offered him $1.95 million.  In 2011 Bonifacio got $425,000 from the Marlins.  Sanchez wants $8 million, quite a gap from the Marlins’ offer to him of $6.9 million.  In 2011 Sanchez got $3.7 million.  In MLB Salary Arbitration the arbiter grants the player either his desired figure or the team’s offer based on recent production and predicted contributions for the upcoming season.  Both sides in both cases are looking forward to the salary arbitration getting settled and having a productive 2012 in Miami.


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