The blog formerly known as Fire Jim Bowden agrees with the idea of sending Jordan Zimmermann to AAA for two months to delay his arbitration eligibility for one year:
Would you trade 11 starts at age 22 for 30 at age 28-29? Methinks I would.
Of course, some people feel that a pitcher only has so many tosses in his arm, and if he’s capable of pitching at the major league level, those pitches shouldn’t be wasted in the minors. So those 11 starts may not be there at age 29. If the Nationals think he’s that good, they should bring him to the majors and buy out his arbitration years now so they control the future costs. Playing games with the arbitration clock is a lousy way to run a ball club.
“Playing games with the arbitration clock is a lousy way to run a ball club.”
Yeah, I’m going to disagree with that. The rules provide leverage to teams early, and to players later. The players use it when they get it, so it certainly isn’t wrong for the teams to use it when they have it. In the case of the Nationals, there is no benefit of any kind that accrues to the team by having Zimmerman start the season in the Majors. It would be a foolish waste of resources for the team not to leave him in AAA for two months. And this is a team that doesn’t have stop a lot of resources to waste.
I think it would be easier to limit his innings (as is perhaps prudent) in the minors as well. There isn’t quite the temptation to push a young player when he’s in the minor leagues. I have no problem with setting a development timetable and sticking to it.
David, if the Nationals were a contender this year I would agree with you. But, doesn’t it make more sense to try to retain control for the player’s later year, when they MIGHT play some meaningful games?