All seven of the Marlins who are eligible for arbitration filed yesterday.
There’s a deadline on Tuesday (Jan. 19) for both sides exchange salary figures; if no agreement is reached, the Marlins will stop negotiating and allow an independent arbitrator determine the player’s salary at a hearing next month.
Those players are Josh Johnson, Dan Uggla, Jorge Cantu, Cody Ross, Anibal Sanchez, Leo Nunez and Renyel Pinto.
Yes, that is correct, Josh Johnson filed for arbitration. Since the Marlins haven't announced the multiyear deal and yesterday was last the day to file for arbitration, team JJ did the smart thing and covered all of the bases. Once the deal is announced on Monday you can scratch JJ off the list.
The Marlins normally send out fair offers to arbitration eligible players so expect five of the remaining six to sign. That is what usually happens. The one that could prove to be the exception is Dan Uggla. The club is in a quandary, if they offer Danny what he is likely to make should it end up before the arbitrator, he could end up being the highest paid player on the team for next season. Uggla is expected to make $7 to $8 million if it goes to arbitration. Due to Hanley's contract being back end loaded, he will receive $7 million for next season. And that is the problem for the front office. They would probably like to keep Hanley as the highest paid player on the team, but it may be impossible to do so.
Last season the Marlins offered Danny $4.4 million whereas team Uggla wanted $5.35 million and it ended up before the arbitrator and team Uggla won. Which is very likely to happen again.
Come Tuesday, we will know whether the Marlins will end up in arbitration with Danny. And the way things are looking right now, I wouldn't rule it out. When a player hits 121 HR and drives in 360 runs in 617 games in his first four years in the league. Not to mention being a two time All-Star and becoming the first Marlin to hit 30+ HR in three consecutive years with all of it coming from the second base position, he tends to get paid.