Boston Red Sox offer David Ortiz, Dan Wheeler arbitration, decline on a number of others -MLB Update
The Boston Red Sox of the Major League Baseball (MLB) have officially offered arbitration to “Big Pappi”, David Ortiz and Dan Wheeler, on Wednesday, November 23, 2011. The announcement was made by Executive Vice President/General Manager, Ben Cherington.
"David knows we want him to be here, we want him to be back with the Red Sox and we want him in our lineup," Cherington said last week.
Veteran free agent hitter, David Ortiz, is a type A free agent, and had he not been offered arbitration by the Red Sox, other teams would surely have not gone without trying to negotiate with “Big Pappi”, but he had already made up his mind nearly a month earlier that Boston is where he wanted to stay.
"If the Red Sox sign me they won't regret it," Ortiz told ESPNBoston.com last month. "I've got so many way to keep doing what I've been doing around here. I bring so much to this organization, I bring so much to the table here because I care so much about this organization."
At the age of 35, Ortiz is one of the biggest names in the league and while remaining in Boston, it is known that he would now be looking forward to a multi-year deal instead of single year bumpers. Last season, Ortiz made an estimated $12.5 million and could be looking to have it bumped up to nearly $15 million for the 2012 season.
Dan Wheeler on the other hand is a type B free agent, which would be giving Boston a mid-round draft pick if the player does not agree or sign a deal with the MLB franchise.
In other news, the Boston Red Sox also announced that they will not be offering any arbitration to left-handed pitchers Erik Bedard and Trever Miller, right-handed pitcher Tim Wakefield, outfielders J.D. Drew and Conor Jackson and catcher Jason Varitek.
Instead, they will be allowed to go out and negotiate with other teams in the MLB.
Both, David Ortiz and Dan Wheeler, have until December 7th, to sign with the Boston Red Sox or be forced to other clubs.
Tags: