Nobody should be too terribly surprised -- least of all the Marlins -- that Cody Ross won his salary arbitration case against the club. A panel of arbitrators sided with the outfielder on Tuesday, awarding him a salary of $4.45 million for the upcoming season.
That makes three straight losses for the Marlins in salary arbitration hearings, following defeats in previous years to Miguel Cabrera and Dan Uggla. The decision on Ross, though, seemingly became all but a slam dunk last week when outfielder Corey Hart won his case against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Hart, who is comparable to Ross statistically, was awarded $4.8 million -- considerably more than what Ross had requested. With the Marlins countering with a salary request of $4.2 million in the Ross case, it probably didn't take the three-member panel very long to reach their decision.
Compare the career and 2009 offensive numbers for Ross and Hart, each of whom was in his second year of salary arbitration:
CAREER BA/OBP/SLG G HR RBI
Cody Ross .264/.323/.484 483 72 254
Corey Hart .273/.326/.470 521 67 260
2009 BA/OBP/SLG G HR RBI
Cody Ross .270/.321/.469 151 24 90
Corey Hart .260/.335/.418 115 12 48
Considering what Hart received in his arbitration case, the Marlins should consider Ross a bargain at $4.45 million.
Good for Ross.
The Marlins are CHEAP and have actually been WARNED BY THE LEAGUE to start paying up!
Maybe we can get Sampson out of town. that little gnome parasite!
Imagine getting both Sampson and Shalala, two Wisconsin buddies, out of town....ahhh, one can only dream!!!
Posted by: UMike | February 16, 2010 at 02:25 PM
I'm happy the Fish lost.
Posted by: mike | February 16, 2010 at 04:03 PM
i agree the marlins must start paying up, but at the same time don`t think ross deserves that much, neither hart
Posted by: kevin | February 16, 2010 at 04:12 PM
Ross the boss, he better play consistently this year, not some slow start like last year....him ,maybin, coghlan...we have a bright future in the OF if we keep them
Posted by: kyle | February 16, 2010 at 10:12 PM
It's a $350 thousand difference. I don't know if "bargain" is the word for it. And last season was Hart's worst.
Posted by: Mark | February 17, 2010 at 03:23 PM
with stanton on the way, ross will be the odd man out...but damn i love the way he plays baseball...go marlins!
Posted by: James | February 18, 2010 at 11:49 AM