2015 National Baseball Arbitration Competition

Transcription

1 2015 National Baseball Arbitration Competition Lorenzo Cain vs. Kansas City Royals Submission of $3.35 million on Behalf of Lorenzo Cain Midpoint: $2.725 million By: Team 31

2 Table of Contents I. Introduction and Request for Hearing Decision II. Quality of Cain s Contribution to the Team in 2014 III. IV. Length and Consistency of Career Contributions Existence of Mental and Physical Defects V. Past Compensation VI. VII. VIII. Comparative Baseball Salaries Recent Performance of the Club Summary and Conclusion List of Sources Baseball Almanac, BaseballProspectus, Prospectus Entertainment Ventures, LLC, Baseball-Reference, Sports Reference, LLC, ESPN, ESPN: The Worldwide Leader in Sports, espn.go.com. MLB, MLB Advanced Media, L.P., MLB Collective Bargaining Agreement, Basic Agreement, Article VI(E) 10(a)- (b),

3 I. Introduction and Request for Hearing Decision This brief analyzes the assets and contributions of center fielder, Lorenzo Cain (the Player or Cain ), to be reflected in his 2015 contract with the Kansas City Royals ( the Club or Royals ). This arbitration hearing is governed by the Major League Baseball ( MLB ) Collective Bargaining Agreement ( CBA ). The CBA establishes that the following criteria shall be considered in determining the player s award: (1) the quality of the Player s contribution to his Club during the past season including, but not limited to, his overall performance, special qualities of leadership and public appeal; (2) the length and consistency of his career contributions; (3) the record of the Player s past compensation; (4) comparative baseball salaries; (5) the existence of any physical or mental defects on the part of the Player; and (6) the recent performance record of the Club. 1 Based on these criteria, Cain is entitled to a salary exceeding the $2.725 million midpoint and he respectfully requests the panel find he is entitled to an award of $3.35 million. II. Quality of the Player s Contributions During Past Season Cain s sensational play during the end of the 2014 season culminated in him winning an ALCS MVP award. During the ALCS, Cain shined both offensively and defensively. He posted a remarkable batting average of.533, and an OBB of In Game 2 of the ALCS, he went 4- for-5 at the plate, tying George Brett's franchise record for most hits in a postseason game, and drove in a 9th-inning run that helped seal the Royals' 6-4 victory over the Orioles. 3 The player also made multiple noticeable defensive plays through the 2014 playoffs, including four highlight catches which was widely credited as a central impetus in helping the Royals sweep the 1 MLB Collective Bargaining Agreement, Basic Agreement, Article VI(E) 10(a)-(b), 2 Lorenzo Cain Player Page, Things we learned from Kansas City s 6-4 Win, orioles-royals-game-2-final-score Lorenzo Cain- Team 31 1

4 highly favored Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. 4 Cain s game changing quality of play did not simply begin in the playoffs. In 2014, Cain received the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award which is awarded annually to the best defensive players at each fielding position in Major League Baseball. 5 He finished the regular season with a batting average of.301, to go along with 28 stolen bases. 6 These numbers put Cain at eighth in the American league in each respective category. Cain also posted a career high in hits with 142, and in RBIs with TABLE 1 8 : CAIN S OFFENSIVE PRODUCTION 2014 (RANK IN AL) Games Run RBI SB AVG. 2B OBP (8 th ).301 (8 th) 29 (39 th).339 The consistent achievements of the 2014 season are indicative of the quality of the contribution Cruz can be expected to make to the Club in the 2015 season. III. Length and Consistency of Career Contributions Although Cain s career is still in its relatively early stages, he has undoubtedly shown a great deal of promising talent not only in 2014, but since he entered the league in Cain started his career in the MLB with the Milwaukee Brewers in While only playing 43 games, Cain flashed the potential that has since been realized by posting a batting average of.306, and also by racking up seven stolen bases. 10 Cain was traded to the Kansas City Royals in 2010 as part of a blockbuster deal that included the Royals giving up star pitcher Zach Greinke. 11 After spending much of 2011 season in the minor leagues, and being placed on the DL during the 2012 season, Cain played at a high level throughout the 2013 season. He made 106 starts during the 4 Schoenfield, David. "Lorenzo Cain catching everything in center". ESPN.com. 5 "Wilson Defensive Player of The Year Award". Baseball Almanac, Lorenzo Cain Player Page, 7 Id. 8 Id. 9 Id. 10 Id. 11 "Royals sign four more...". ESPN.com Lorenzo Cain- Team 31 2

5 season, gaining 46 RBIs and 14 stolen bases. 12 Cain was also lauded by various media outlets for his standout defensive play during the season. 13 The bulk of Cain s success has undoubtedly come in the most recent, 2014 season. 14 However, as mentioned above, certain attributes such as his defensive playmaking ability, stolen bases numbers, and batting average have remained steady throughout the player s short career. In 2014, amongst other awards, Cain was recognized for his stellar defensive play when he was awarded a Fielding Bible Award, which recognizes the best defensive player for each fielding position in MLB based on statistical analysis. 15 Furthermore, a marked progression can be seen throughout the player career in key offensive categories such as stolen bases, RBIs, and actual amount of games played per season. Table 2 16 Season Games Run RBI HR AVG. SB CA While the career averages listed above are certainly noteworthy of the financial point the player is seeking, they are slightly misleading because of the 2011 season in which Cain only played in six games due to a multitude of reasons. However, Cain s career becomes all the more impressive when considering a 162 game average rather than the career average. For example, 12 Lorenzo Cain Player Page, 13 Id. 14 Id. 15 "The 2014 Awards". The Fielding Bible. Archived from the original on October 31, Lorenzo Cain Player Page, Lorenzo Cain- Team 31 3

6 using this criterion would give Cain 65 RBIs and 159 hits per cycle. 17 Such numbers would generally be in the top tier of players in the American League in their respective categories. 18 IV. Comparative Baseball Salaries Lorenzo Cain s career and platform season are impressive for the bulk of the offensive numbers and defensive reliability. However, the comparisons to similar players provide the most tangible and compelling indications of Lorenzo Cain s value. These comparisons clearly indicate Cain s value is above the $2.725 million midpoint and therefore this panel should decide in his favor. a. Leonys Martín Leonys Martín is a fifth year centerfielder for the Texas Rangers whose current base salary stands at $3.750 million a year, above the midpoint in this arbitration. 19 This is so despite the fact that his numbers throughout his career are less impressive than Cain s statistics in several regards. First, Martin s batting average for the year of 2014 season was.270, which is significantly below Cain s average of Moreover, he has nearly an identical perceived deficiency with his power hitting as Cain, as he has only hit 15 homeruns throughout his career as compared to Cain s Although both players are considered to be good defensive players, Martin is not as reliable defensively as Cain. Martin has committed 13 fielding errors 22 throughout his career as opposed to only eight committed by Cain when playing centerfield. 23 Martin also lacks the playoff experience and production that Cain gained in Martin was on the Ranger s roster during the team s 2011 World Series run. Yet, Martin did not make an 17 Id. 18 Id. 19 Leonys Martin Player Page, 20 Id. 21 Id. 22 Id. 23 Lorenzo Cain Player Page, Lorenzo Cain- Team 31 4

7 appearance in the World Series or during any of the Ranger s playoff games. 24 In stark contrast, as previously noted, Cain was an integral part of the Royal s success in the 2014 postseason. Both players are similar in the sense that their careers are just starting to blossom over the last two seasons, they both are prominent base stealers, as well as being exceptional defenders. Considering the statistical advantages along with the superior playoff experience for Cain, it is clear however that he should have a higher financial value than that of Martin. b. Michael Brantley Michael Brantley also provides a cogent comparison indicating that Cain has a higher value than that of the midpoint in this arbitration. Brantley is a centerfielder for the Cleveland Indians. 25 He has played in the MLB for six years. Brantley has an average base salary of $5.1 million, significantly above the submitted offer on behalf of Cain. 26 Yet, his numbers in key categories are extremely similar to that of Cain. Brantley has a 162 game average of 180 hits, only 21 more hits than Cain using the same statistical criteria. 27 Additionally, Brantley has a 162 game average of 75 RBIs, compared to Cain s These slight advantages in statistics do not warrant twice the salary valuation, as implied by the team s valuation figure. Brantley s statistics from his fifth year in the MLB are slightly below what Cain s numbers are from his fifth season. In Brantley s fifth season, he had a batting average of.284 along with 17 stolen bases. 29 Both figures were bested by Cain at the same point in his career. 30 Brantley is also considered an excellent defensive player, and is hard to differentiate defensively from Cain. While Brantley s 24 Leonys Martin Player Page, 25 Michael Brantley Player Page, 26 Id. 27 Id. 28 Id. 29 Id. 30 Lorenzo Cain Player Page, Lorenzo Cain- Team 31 5

8 offensive numbers are currently slightly better than Cain, the progression of his career is so similar to Cain that there is little reason to believe that Cain will not continue on a similar progressive route. Therefore, the salary of Michael Brantley is further evidence that the financial work of Lorenzo Cain is above the $2.725 million midpoint. c. Emilio Bonifacio Emilio Bonifacio is another American League centerfielder who provides a window of analysis for salary comparison to Lorenzo Cain. Bonifacio has played eight years in the MLB on multiple teams. 31 His current annual base salary is $4.00 million dollars with the Chicago White Sox. 32 In several crucial areas, Bonifcaio has extremely similar or lesser statistics to Cain. His 162 game average for hits stands at 144, which is below Cain. 33 His RBI average for 162 games is only 35, a full 30 below that of Cain. 34 Moreover, Bonifacio has apparently never been valued enough by a franchise to warrant him sticking on one roster for a prolonged period of time. He has been on eight different MLB teams, failing to stick for more than a few years. 35 Bonifacio has been relatively productive both defensively and offensively. 36 However, he has simply failed to bring more to the table as a player throughout a long career than Cain has. Thus, his valuation of $4.00 million dollars a year further bolsters the notion that Lorenzo Cain is worth more than the $2.725 midpoint. V. Existence of Physical or Mental Defects Cain has no current physical or mental defects that would justify his devaluation in this 31 Emilio Bonifacio Player Card, 32 Id. 33 Id. 34 Id. 35 Id. 36 Id. Lorenzo Cain- Team 31 6

9 arbitration hearing. In 2013, Cain suffered from a strained left oblique causing him to be put on the DL for a little under a month. 37 Otherwise, Cain has had a relatively healthy career to this point. VI. Recent Performance of the Club Cain was a fundamental piece for the Kansas City Royals when they won the AL Championship in He dominated both offensively and defensively, leading to him being named the series MVP. 38 His highlight reel catches gave the team unprecedented momentum throughout the playoffs. 39 VII. Past Compensation Despite being one of the strongest contributors during his career, Cruz earned close to the league minimum each year he has played. In 2014, he earned $546, VIII. Conclusion Lorenzo Cain is a young player who is entering the prime of his career on an extremely high note. He is an award winning defensive playmaker, and his offensive numbers have been steadily rising past the point of other centerfielders who make more than him. He is a constant threat to steal bases as evidenced by the data. Without Lorenzo Cain s momentum building plays during the 2014 postseason, there is little doubt that Kansas City would have struggled to make what was a historic run for the franchise. For these reasons, we ask the arbitration panel to find for Lorenzo Cain and award him $3.35 million. 37 Lorenzo Cain Player Page, 38 Id Things we learned from Kansas City s 6-4 Win, orioles-royals-game-2-final-score 40 Lorenzo Cain Player Page, Lorenzo Cain- Team 31 7