Qualifying Offers Thread

[cumberlandreds]

Ugh. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

I agree. That decision will come back and bite the Reds hard.

[Gallen5862]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

Bronson Arroyo Won't Receive Qualifying Offer
By Steve Adams [November 4 at 1:36pm CST]
The Reds will not make a qualifying offer to right-hander Bronson Arroyo, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. The lack of a qualifying offer is good news for Arroyo and agent Terry Bross of Gaylord Sports Management, as interested teams won't be required to surrender a draft pick to obtain his services on the free agent market.

The $14.1MM value of the qualifying offer was too great a risk for the small-market Reds to take, writes Heyman. I agree with the thinking, as it seems there was a decent chance Arroyo would've accepted the offer, knowing what draft pick compensation would've done to his value on the open market.

Arroyo, 37 in February, topped 199 innings for the ninth consecutive season in 2013, posting a solid 3.79 ERA with 5.5 K/9 and 1.5 BB/9 in 202 innings. MLBTR's Tim Dierkes profiled Arroyo in September, predicting that the veteran innings eater would land a two-year, $24MM contract, provided the Reds didn't issue a qualifying offer.

[Kc61]

Logical decision by the Reds. And by Arroyo to explore free agency rather than sign at discount.

[TOBTTReds]

Ugh. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

My guess is Arroyo guaranteed the Reds he would accept...almost to scare them away from doing it because it's bad news for him if they offer that to him.

[toledodan]

Ugh. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

maybe, but i have a gut feeling this will lead to them going after choo a bit harder.

[kaldaniels]

He probably would have taken it guys...and I wasn't a fan of that.

[Gallen5862]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

Carlos Beltran Receives Qualifying Offer

By Steve Adams [November 4 at 1:13pm CST]
The Cardinals have extended a qualifying offer to right fielder Carlos Beltran, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter link). Should Beltran reject the qualifying offer, which is valued at one year and $14.1MM, the Cardinals will be eligible to receive a compensatory draft pick should he sign elsewhere.

Beltran saw a decline in his plate discipline, defense and offense from the right side of the dish in 2013, but he still slashed a robust .296/.339/.491 with 24 home runs in an even 600 plate appearances. In my free agent profile for Beltran last month, I predicted that he could sign a two-year, $30MM contract to cover his age 37-38 seasons. Beltran and the Yankees are rumored to have mutual interest.

[Tom Servo]

Paying around 14 mill for one year wouldn't be ideal, but it's not a killer either. What is a killer and seeing him walk and getting nothing for him.

[Gallen5862]

So the Cardinals got the lottery balance draft pick and possibly a pick for Beltran. The Reds need to offer Arroyo and Choo. Arroyo could be bluffing about accepting. Even if he accepted it would be better than losing him for nothing.

[kaldaniels]

See, I believe that paying him 14 MM is worse than letting him walk for nothing.

[757690]

I actually wanted them to offer it and have Arroyo accept it. It would allow them to trade Bailey, whose gonna get around $10M in 2014.

Arroyo at $14M plus what ever the return is for Baliey is much better than just Bailey at $10M.

[kaldaniels]

I actually wanted them to offer it and have Arroyo accept it. It would allow them to trade Bailey, whose gonna get around $10M in 2014.

Arroyo at $14M plus what ever the return is for Baliey is much better than just Bailey at $10M.

The missing piece of that equation is who is the return for Bailey and what would he cost. Fill in that blank before answering the question.

[Kc61]

The Reds did not give up Arroyo "for nothing."

The Reds got a large, valuable salary slot freed up for off-season acquisitions.

With Chapman and Cingrani, the Reds potentially have six good starters without Arroyo. They need more position players and are beginning to come up with payflex to get them.

Draft choices are nice, but Reds could not risk taking on a $14 million one-year contract in the hope of getting more picks. They will get picks when Choo goes free agent.

Bronson was an excellent Red, but this was the right call.

[kbrake]

My guess is the Reds know if they offer and Arroyo accepts it means they can't pursue Choo at all. In a perfect world I wish the Reds got something for Arroyo but I understand the decision.

[kaldaniels]

14 MM easily will exceed 10% of the Reds payroll in 2014.

It is hard to argue that Arroyo is projected to finish as a top 3 starter for the Reds next year. (I'd argue he would be the #5)

Do you spend 10% of payroll on a 4/5 starter??? I don't. I shop around for that 4/5 guy on the open market. Spend 6-8 MM on an adequate guy, and pocket the rest to supplement other payroll adventures. Whatever the case...I don't drop 14 MM on the guy I project as my #5.