Thanks to R Billie for alerting us in another thread. Kelvim Escobar is among 35 players who wasted no time filing for free agency. This doesn't mean he's gone -- yet -- because he can still negotiate with the Jays, along with every other club. But it suggests that the "fair" offer J.P. currently has on the table isn't going to be enough to keep Escobar in Toronto.
Teams must offer salary arbitration by December 7, or they lose the right to negotiate with their former player until May 1. Players must respond by December 19. If they accept, the arbitration process is binding. If they decline, there's a window (until January 8) during which they can still work something out with their current club. From ESPN.com, here's the complete list of 230 players eligible to file over the next two weeks.
Only Kelvim and his agent Peter Greenberg know what their plans are, but since neither is a regular poster here, we'll have to guess. If they are looking for $20 million over three years, that's too rich for the Jays. So it may be time to talk about compensation.
The following are the definitions from the CBA:
Type A Players: A Type A Player shall be a Player who ranks in the upper thirty percent (30%) of his respective position group.
Type B Players: A Type B Player shall be a Player who ranks in the upper fifty percent (50%) but not in the upper thirty percent (30%) of his respective position group.
Type C Players: A Type C Player shall be a Player who ranks in the upper sixty percent (60%) but not in the upper fifty percent (50%) of his respective position group.
The rankings are based on the combined stats for the last two seasons, according to a formula from the Elias Sports Bureau, MLB's official statisticians. There is a very good chance that Kelvim will be an "A" player; he was when he was a reliever, so the bar isn't set too high. If he signs with a good team, they would probably have to surrender their first-round pick to the Jays:
If the signing Club is among the first half of selecting Clubs, then the choice to be assigned for the highest ranking free agent Player signed by such Club shall be its second choice, with choices in the next following rounds to be assigned as compensation for the signing of the other Players in descending order of ranking. If the signing Club is among the second half of selecting Clubs, then such compensation shall begin with the Club’s first choice.
The Jays would also get a "sandwich pick" between the first two rounds if Escobar makes the "A" list; if he is ranked as Type B, they still get the signing club's first pick (or second, depending on draft order) but not the supplemental pick. If it's all still clear as mud, here's a Baseball America summary from last year to help you sort it out.
It's unlikely that J.P. will offer arbitration to Cory Lidle, unless he's 100% certain that Lidle and his wife hate Canada so much they would refuse it. Greg Myers might sign before December 7, but if he wants to test the waters, or relocate to California, he is almost sure to be a Type A catcher (it's determined by position, not overall value) and would bring two nice picks in return if he signs elsewhere.
These rules also affect the Jays' shopping list. Because they are right at the top of "the second half of selecting Clubs," if they want to sign Keith Foulke, or some other A or B player, it's going to cost them the 16th overall pick. However, if the Jays lose Kelvim, Cory and Crash, they could end up with a handful of extra picks and decide to pursue a Type A guy of their own. Of course, there could be an announcement tomorrow that Escobar has signed with Toronto, or he could accept arbitration, so it's premature to rule out his return.
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20031027094015999