Rays remain unbeaten in arbitration

By TBO.COM | Staff
Published: February 04, 2012

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The Rays remain the only major-league team undefeated in the arbitration process after a panel of three ruled in their favor Friday in the case with pitcher Jeff Niemann.

Niemann sought a $3.2 million contract for 2012, while the Rays offered $2.75 million.

Niemann was the last of the Rays' six arbitration-eligible players to come to an agreement.

Pitcher Joel Peralta agreed to a one-year, $2.175 million deal in December, and the Rays reached one-year deals with center fielder B.J. Upton ($7 million) and pitchers David Price ($4.35 million), J.P. Howell ($1.355 million) and Burke Badenhop ($1.075 million) before last month's deadline to exchange figures.

The Rays are 6-0 in arbitration, 5-0 under executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman.

Roger Mooney