Pablo Torre Finds Out The Room: Behind Closed Doors of the Messiest Ritual in Sports
Feb 6, 2025
Cody Ross, journeyman outfielder and postseason contributor; Dan Uggla, two-time All-Star second baseman; and David Samson, lawyer-turned-Marlins president, relive baseball’s awkward salary-arbitration ritual. They describe the secretive conference-room theatrics, filing strategies, brutal tactics teams use to argue a player’s worth, and how verdicts ripple through locker rooms and markets.
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Arbitration Forces Public Valuation Battles
- MLB salary arbitration forces teams and players to argue directly about a player's value in a closed room.
- That confrontation uniquely poisons or clarifies relationships unlike other sports' negotiation systems.
Cody Filed Smart To Win The Ride
- Cody Ross filed a lower, winnable arbitration number to exploit the Marlins' 'file-to' stance.
- David Samson recalls being furious because Cody admitted he went for the experience, not the negotiation.
File A Number You Can Defend
- When filing for arbitration, pick a number you can convincingly support with comparable players.
- Filing an unrealistic figure risks losing because teams will exploit weak comps.
