2010 - Arbitration

[sturg33]

The trade of Heyward is a bitter pill for me to swallow. I recall in 2010, when he was taking the world by storm in spring training, the scout board was split. Many folks were saying "Let's keep down in the minors for 9 days! That will give us an extra year of control." Other folks were saying "Heyward will be signed as a Brave for life, bring him up now!"

I was in the ladder camp. But now, after all of this unfolded, I realize how silly that was. Clearly, no matter how good the prospect is, nobody should ever start their ARB clock on opening day. It just doesn't make any sense. From now on, we better wait for that threshold. Jose Peraza? Leave him down til May. Don't even risk it. It's not worth losing a year of control for 2 weeks of play.

The argument could be made that Heyward's first 9 games may have been the reason we were able to make the playoffs. But I sure wish we still had two full years of control.

[50PoundHead]

The trade of Heyward is a bitter pill for me to swallow. I recall in 2010, when he was taking the world by storm in spring training, the scout board was split. Many folks were saying "Let's keep down in the minors for 9 days! That will give us an extra year of control." Other folks were saying "Heyward will be signed as a Brave for life, bring him up now!"

I was in the ladder camp. But now, after all of this unfolded, I realize how silly that was. Clearly, no matter how good the prospect is, nobody should ever start their ARB clock on opening day. It just doesn't make any sense. From now on, we better wait for that threshold. Jose Peraza? Leave him down til May. Don't even risk it. It's not worth losing a year of control for 2 weeks of play.

The argument could be made that Heyward's first 9 games may have been the reason we were able to make the playoffs. But I sure wish we still had two full years of control.

Good points. Of course, that decision was made pre-M. Upton Contract from Hell, but that doesn't make your main point any less valid.

[nsacpi]

The trade of Heyward is a bitter pill for me to swallow. I recall in 2010, when he was taking the world by storm in spring training, the scout board was split. Many folks were saying "Let's keep down in the minors for 9 days! That will give us an extra year of control." Other folks were saying "Heyward will be signed as a Brave for life, bring him up now!"

I was in the ladder camp. But now, after all of this unfolded, I realize how silly that was. Clearly, no matter how good the prospect is, nobody should ever start their ARB clock on opening day. It just doesn't make any sense. From now on, we better wait for that threshold. Jose Peraza? Leave him down til May. Don't even risk it. It's not worth losing a year of control for 2 weeks of play.

The argument could be made that Heyward's first 9 games may have been the reason we were able to make the playoffs. But I sure wish we still had two full years of control.

I've thought the same thing. I hope Peraza spends at least a few weeks in AAA.

[gilesfan]

This isn't even an issue if A) you extend him; B) Trade him before the last year of arbitration. It really should be an A or B situation and not lets rush and trade him the last year so we aren't stuck with only picks.

[sturg33]

This isn't even an issue if A) you extend him; B) Trade him before the last year of arbitration. It really should be an A or B situation and not lets rush and trade him the last year so we aren't stuck with only picks.

True - but either way, the extra year of control makes him immensely more valuable - either to us or whoever is trying to trade for him