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Sabathia offered arbitration
CC Sabathia, likely to command the largest contract among this year's free-agent pitchers, was offered salary arbitration Monday by the Milwaukee Brewers.
Teams had until midnight to make the offers to free agents. If a club offers arbitration to a top free agent, as determined by a complex statistical formula, and he then signs with another club, his former team receives extra selections in next June's amateur draft as compensation.
Milwaukee also offered arbitration to pitchers Ben Sheets and Brian Shouse. Most teams had not revealed their arbitration decisions by early evening.
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The New York Yankees declined arbitration with pitcher Andy Pettitte, right fielder Bobby Abreu, first baseman Jason Giambi and five others. Seattle offered arbitration to outfielder Raul Ibanez, and Kansas City offered it to second baseman Mark Grudzielanek.
Heading into Monday, just two of the 171 players who filed for free agency last month had agreed to contracts. Pitcher Ryan Dempster stayed with the Chicago Cubs for a $52 million, four-year contract, and reliever Jeremy Affeldt left Cincinnati for an $8 million, two-year deal with San Francisco.
Left-hander Mike Hampton and the Houston Astros reached a preliminary agreement on a $2 million, one-year contract that would contain an additional $2 million in performance bonuses. He must pass a physical for the deal to be finalized.
Clubs were expected to pick up the pace of signings and trade discussions heading into the winter meetings, which open next Monday in Las Vegas.
Type A free agents are among the top 20 percent of players at their position, as defined by the formula created in the 1981 strike settlement, and Type B are from 21-40 percent. Teams losing receive two extra draft picks if they lose a Type A player and one if they lose a Type B.
Yankees decline arbitration with their free agents: The New York Yankees declined salary arbitration with all eight of their former players who became free agents, a group that includes pitcher Andy Pettitte and right fielder Bobby Abreu.
Both made $16 million last season, so the move was not a surprise. By declining arbitration, the Yankees forfeited draft-pick compensation if they sign with other teams.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman didn't rule out re-signing the pair.
Also declined arbitration were first baseman Jason Giambi; pitchers Sidney Ponson, Carl Pavano and Mike Mussina; and catchers Ivan Rodriguez and Chad Moeller. Mussina has announced his retirement.
Source: Hampton set to rejoin Astros: Mike Hampton is set to return to the Houston Astros, reaching a preliminary agreement on a $2 million, one-year contract.
His deal would contain an additional $2 million in performance bonuses, a person familiar with the agreement said Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity because the contract had not been finalized. The oft-injured 36-year-old left-hander must pass a physical for the agreement to be finalized.
Hampton's deal with the Astros was reported earlier by KRIV-TV, ESPN.com, MLB.com and the Houston Chronicle.
Astros general manager Ed Wade declined comment. Hampton's agent, Mark Rodgers, did not return a phone message left at his office.
©2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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