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Arbitration Hearings Ahead For Rays' Navarro, Aybar

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By MARC LANCASTER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 20, 2009

The Tampa Bay Rays went down to the wire with their three remaining arbitration-eligible cases Tuesday and came to a resolution with only one of them, setting the stage for a couple of potentially contentious hearings next month.

While shortstop Jason Bartlett agreed to a one-year deal before the team's self-imposed noon deadline, the Rays were unable to come to terms with catcher Dioner Navarro or infielder Willy Aybar.

The team has a policy of cutting off negotiations once arbitration figures are exchanged, so Navarro and Aybar will have their 2009 salaries determined by hearings to be held in Phoenix in February.

Rays senior vice president Gerry Hunsicker said the team did all it could to reach a resolution before the deadline.

"We had genuine and serious dialogue literally up to the noon deadline today with both parties," Hunsicker said. "We were hoping we could avoid having to file numbers, but at the end of the day we were not successful."

Navarro filed a request for a $2.5 million salary, $400,000 more than the Rays' proposal of $2.1 million. Aybar asked for $1.05 million, with the team countering at $900,000.

A three-person arbitration panel will hear arguments and determine whether each player will be paid either his figure or the team's – no compromises are allowed – for the upcoming season. Navarro made $432,500 and Aybar $401,200 last year.

Navarro, an All-Star in 2008, figures to be in line for about $2 million, and Aybar probably will get about $1 million.

The Rays have been to arbitration hearings only twice under the current ownership group, with the team winning the decision both times over catcher Josh Paul. The only other arbitration case in Tampa Bay history came in 2002, when the team bested Esteban Yan.

The Rays' – and most teams' – preference is always to avoid a hearing, and the same goes for the players involved.

"They try [to avoid it], we try, but we couldn't come to an agreement," said Aybar's agent, Luis Valdez. "So we've got to go to the next step, which is arbitration."

Navarro's agent, Kendall Almerico, said he isn't necessarily disappointed that the two sides couldn't reach a deal. And even though arbitration hearings are generally divisive affairs, Navarro sees the process for what it is.

"We have a fundamental difference of opinion as to the value of the leading hitter on their team," Almerico said. "The good thing is Navi understands that this is just part of the business of baseball, so he's comfortable with it and he understands it isn't a personal thing, it's about determining what a fair value is. He gets it."

Reporter Marc Lancaster can be reached at (813) 259-7227.

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