2015 NATIONAL BASEBALL ARBITRATION COMPETITION. Mark Trumbo v. Arizona Diamondbacks. Submission on Behalf of Mark Trumbo. Midpoint: $5,900,000

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1 2015 NATIONAL BASEBALL ARBITRATION COMPETITION Mark Trumbo v. Arizona Diamondbacks Submission on Behalf of Mark Trumbo Midpoint: $5,900,000 Submission by: Team 15

2 Table of Contents I. Introduction and Request for Hearing Decision... 3 II. Quality of Mark Trumbo s Contribution to the Diamondbacks in III. Length and Consistency of Career Contribution... 4 IV. Record of Trumbo s Past Compensation... 6 V. Comparative Baseball Salaries... 6 VI. Existence of Physical or mental defects VII. Recent Performance of the Club VIII. Conclusion.. 11 XI. Appendices 12 2

3 I. Introduction and Request for Hearing Decision This brief analyzes the assets and contributions of right-handed First Baseman and Outfielder, Mark Trumbo ( Mr. Trumbo ), to be reflected in his 2015 contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks ( the Diamondbacks ). 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, which includes but is 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 of the Club including but not limited to its League standing and attendance as an indication of public acceptance. 1 Mr. Trumbo has submitted years of Major League Service and is second-year arbitration eligible. 2 Mr. Trumbo s statistics and performance on the field as a consistent hitter and valued slugger demonstrate that he is entitled to a salary exceeding the midpoint of $5,900,000. In comparison to other players similarly situated in the MLB, Mr. Trumbo s added value to the Diamondbacks entitles him to the requested compensation of $6,400,000. Mr. Trumbo respectfully requests that the arbitration panel find that he is entitled to a 2015 salary arbitration award well above the midpoint of $5,900,000. II. Quality of Mark Trumbo s Contribution to the Diamondbacks in Mr. Trumbo was traded at the end of the 2013 season in a three-team trade, which landed Trumbo from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim s roster to that of the Arizona 1 Major League Baseball Collective Bargaining Agreement

4 Diamondbacks. 3 Mr. Trumbo was unfortunately placed on the Diamondbacks disabled list in 2014, due to a stress fracture in his left foot, but despite his injury Mr. Trumbo s performance in games played was consistent with his statistics from all of his previous seasons. Mr. Trumbo is well known to be a true power hitter and slugger at the plate. When he was playing with the Los Angeles Angels, he consistently led the team in home runs in 2011, 2012, and After being traded to the Diamondbacks Mr. Trumbo only played in 88 games during the 2014 season; nevertheless, he still ended the season with 14 home runs, the second highest on the Diamondbacks roster. 4 Mr. Trumbo s defensive prowess is also formidable, as he was fourth in the National League for assists as a leftfielder this season, despite being out for a little less than half of the season. Although Mr. Trumbo originally debuted at first base, he has transitioned to the outfield as needed to serve his team. His ability to rank fourth in the National League for assists as a leftfielder 5 despite the position change shows great versatility as a player and added value to the team s depth chart. Mr. Trumbo had a strong season in relation to the number of games played. He finished off the season with a batting average of.235, 14 homeruns and 67 RBI s. 6 Based on a projection of Mr. Trumbo s statistical data, had he not suffered the injury to his left foot, he would have again led his team (this time the Diamondbacks) in home runs scored, and would have increased his defensive ranking in relation to other leftfielders in the League. III. Length and Consistency of Career Contribution Mr. Trumbo has played in five consecutive MLB seasons, four of them with the Los Angeles Angels (American League) and one with the Arizona Diamondbacks (National League). 3 (Transactions) See Appendix A 4

5 Despite his transition from playing in the American League to the National League, Mr. Trumbo s statistics have remained consistent through his transition, leaving him with a MLB career batting average of.247, 109 total home runs and 345 RBI s. As aforementioned, Mr. Trumbo debuted as a first baseman for the Los Angeles Angels in 2010 then moved to the outfield in 2012 while playing with the Los Angeles Angels. While playing as a First Baseman, in 2011 Mr. Trumbo led the American League with the most putouts and double plays turned as a first baseman, while also ranking third in the American League for assists and defense as a first baseman. 7 In 2012, Mr. Trumbo earned a position in the All-Star game and had the tenth highest number of home runs in the American League. 8 In his following 2013 season Mr. Trumbo was ranked fourth for most runs in the American League, and eighth for runs batted in. Defensively, Mr. Trumbo ranked third in the American League for outs made, once again proving his prowess and versatility as a player in multiple positions. 9 Mr. Trumbo s 162 game average shows an average of 32 home runs per season, 102 RBI s, a batting average of.247, SLG of.460, and OPS of Mr. Trumbo s 162 game home run average puts him on the same track as superstar players such as Jason Giambi (32/season), 11 Alfonso Soriano (34/season), 12 David Ortiz (36/season), 13 and Adrian Beltre (26/season). 14 With only five years of Major League service under his belt, and consistent numbers Mr. Trumbo has the potential to be placed in the same ranks as the aforementioned superstar players thus adding increased value to the Diamondbacks as a ball club, and also increasing Mr. Trumbo s overall market value Id. 10. See also Appendix B

6 Mr. Trumbo produced solid numbers despite missing 71 games due to the stress fracture in his foot during Overall, Mr. Trumbo s career progress indicates that he is a wellrounded player offensively and defensively, and that he is possibly well on his way to joining the ranks of MLB superstar power hitters, and eventually the hall of fame. Despite his injury, Mr. Trumbo s numbers have remained consistent and show no significant sign of decline in the near future. Mark Trumbo is a valuable asset to the Arizona Diamondbacks based on his past performance, his current abilities, and his future potential, thus deserving a salary arbitration award well above the $5,900,000 midpoint. IV. Record of Trumbo s Past Compensation Mark Trumbo s salary has continuously increased over the years of his Major League service. In 2011, Trumbo was paid the league minimum salary of $414,000. In 2012, he was paid $500,000, a little over the 2012 league minimum, and in 2013 he was paid $540, After his trade to the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2014, Mr. Trumbo s salary was set at $4,800,000, and he currently seeks to have his salary increased to $6,400,000 for the 2015 season. It is common knowledge that had Mark Trumbo not been placed on the disabled list due to his unfortunate injury, he would have been in the upper echelon of players for home runs in the 2014 season. His salary has consistently increased due to his consistent play, and should continue to increase consistently with his performance, thus deserving of a salary well above the $5.9 million midpoint. V. Comparative Baseball Salaries Mark Trumbo s consistency in statistics and his ability as a power hitter make him a valuable player to the Diamondbacks. When comparing Mark Trumbo to other players that are Id. 6

7 similarly situated, or have been similarly situated in the past, there is substantial evidence that he is entitled to the compensation he has requested. The comparisons clearly shows that Trumbo is entitled to well over the $5,900,000 midpoint and thus this panel should decide in his favor. A. Ryan Ludwick Comparing Mark Trumbo to outfielder Ryan Ludwick demonstrates that Trumbo is entitled to his requested compensation. In 2010, Ludwick entered into arbitration with a previous salary of $3,700,000. In 2011, he was awarded a contract for $5,450,000, an annual salary increase of $1,750, Although, Ludwick was awarded a contract of $5,450,000, a number below the compensation requested by Mr. Trumbo, Ludwick s salary the previous year was much less than the starting salary of Mr. Trumbo, whose salary last year was $4,800, Mr. Trumbo s numbers stack up well against Mr. Ludwick s numbers in their overall career averages. Mr. Trumbo s allure resides in his recognized role as a power hitter. Although Ludwick s batting average was slightly better than Trumbo s the year he was second-year eligible for arbitration, Trumbo has better consistency in home run and RBI statistics going into his own second-year eligible arbitration hearing. At the conclusion of the 2010 MLB season, Ryan Ludwick posted a batting average of.251, 17 homeruns and 69 RBI s in 136 games played. In comparison, Mark Trumbo posted a batting average of.235, 14 homeruns and 61 RBI s in 88 games played. 19 Mr. Trumbo s numbers are lower than those of Ryan Ludwick in his arbitration setting, because he suffered an unfortunate injury, which put him on the disabled list for 71 games See Appendix C 7

8 However, where Mr. Trumbo may lack in number of games played, he more than compensates with his ability to score and his consistent scoring ability. Had Mr. Trumbo been healthy, his numbers would have given him numbers well over the amount that Ryan Ludwick posted in his arbitration season, as evidenced by the fact that Mr. Trumbo reached almost similar numbers to what Mr. Ludwick posted in 2010, yet in almost half the amount of games played. In Mr. Ludwick s first four full seasons of major league service he posted homerun numbers of 4, 37, 22 and 17 for each consecutive season. 20 Mr. Trumbo in his first four full seasons of major league service posted home run numbers of 29, 32, 34, and 14 for each consecutive season. 21 Mr. Ludwick s 80 homeruns pale in comparison to Mr. Trumbo s 109. When looking at both of their RBI statistics in the same years, Mr. Ludwick posted 5, and 97 RBI s, whereas Mr. Trumbo posted 87, 95, 100, and Ludwick s 267 RBI s compared to Trumbo s 343 RBI s shows that Trumbo is a far better hitter and thus entitled to a greater salary increase than awarded to Ludwick. Also worth noting is that aside from Mr. Trumbo s 2014 season where he was injured, his numbers have steadily increased, rather than fluctuate as was the case in Mr. Ludwick s initial four seasons. Both have also been All-Star players and have posted similar numbers defensively. 23 When comparing the two players averages over a similar span of time, there are several similarities. However, it is clear that Mr. Trumbo is statistically the superior player due to his ability to score points for the team. If Mr. Trumbo were to see at least a similar increase to his salary as was given to Mr. Ludwick of $1,750,000, it would put him at $6,550,000, well over the amount he has requested, and well over the midpoint of $5,900,000. The compensation See Appendix C 23 Id. 8

9 requested by Mr. Trumbo is a bargain for the Arizona Diamondbacks and is well deserved now that he is healthy and still posting consistent numbers. B. Carlos Quentin Carlos Quentin is another outfielder who stacks up well against Mr. Trumbo in his value as a power hitter and whose salary increased drastically as a result. In 2010, Mr. Quentin received a salary of $3,200,000, and then in 2011 his salary increased to $5,050,000, an increase of $1,850, In Mr. Quentin s fourth year of Major League service, he posted up a batting average of.243, 26 homeruns and 87 RBI s. 25 Although once again Mr. Trumbo s batting average is slightly lower, he makes up for with his homerun and RBI numbers over the span of his initial four seasons of major league service. At the time Mr. Quentin was second year eligible for arbitration, he had posted up a career total of 97 homeruns and 306 RBI s. 26 Mr. Trumbo in the same number of years posted 109 homeruns and 345 RBI s. When comparing the 162 game averages of with Quentin has 30 homeruns and 95 RBI s compared to Trumbo s 32 homeruns and 102 RBI s. 27 Where Trumbo may have slightly lower numbers in batting average, he makes up for in average RBI s and homeruns. Mr. Trumbo should be awarded a raise similar, if not more, than Mr. Quentin was awarded, valuing Mr. Trumbo at $6,650,000, well over the midpoint range. Here, again, the compensation requested by Mr. Trumbo of the Arizona Diamondbacks is a reasonable amount and even serves as a discount to the for his continued service and contribution to the team as a power hitter. C. Curtis Granderson Id. 26 Id. 27 See Appendix D 9

10 Curtis Granderson is another outfielder whose statistical comparison help further Mr. Trumbo s salary request. Like Mr. Trumbo, Mr. Granderson is also a power hitter and has received significant salary raises over the span of his career. In 2009, Mr. Granderson received a salary of $3,500,000 then saw it increase in 2010 to $5,500,000, an increase of $2,000, In Mr. Granderson s fourth full year of Major league service, he posted a batting average of.249, 30 homeruns and 71 RBI s. 29 Once again, although Mr. Trumbo s batting average of.234 was slightly lower in his fourth full year of service because of his injury, he more than compensates with his ability to score runs for his team through his homerun and RBI numbers as indicated earlier. Mr. Granderson s 162 game average puts him at a batting average of.257, 29 homeruns and 81 RBI s. 30 Mr. Trumbo s 162 game average puts him at a batting average of.247, 32 homeruns and 102 RBI s. 31 Mr. Trumbo s ability to stack points for his team through his RBI and homerun numbers makes him well worth the salary compensation requested. As a result Mr. Trumbo is deserving of a similar salary increase to what Mr. Granderson received in his fifth year of major league service, $2,000,000. This would put Mr. Trumbo s salary at $6,800,000. Mark Trumbo s requested compensation of $6,400,000 would be a discount to the Diamondbacks and Mr. Trumbo is more than deserving of his requested salary well over the midpoint of $5,900,000. VI. Existence of Physical or Mental Defects As of November 30, 2014, Mark Trumbo is healthy and ready to begin full active service for the 2015 season Id. 31 See Appendix E 10

11 VII. Recent Performance of the Club The Diamondbacks ended the 2014 season in last place, despite being second in the NL West in This was due to an injury-plagued season for the Diamondbacks where they lost many of their star players, including Mark Trumbo and Paul Goldschmidt. Further undermining the Diamondbacks success were problems stemming from the pitching mound with Diamondbacks ace pitcher Patrick Corbin needing to undergo surgery, and problems with pitcher Brandon McCarthy underperforming. 32 Now that Mr. Trumbo is healthy, and given his consistent numbers he will be able to contribute again to the success of his team alongside the rest of the Diamondbacks star players. VIII. Conclusion Mark Trumbo has consistently generated formidable numbers in homeruns and RBI s. He has also shown his defensive prowess as both a first baseman and an outfielder, even ranking fourth in assists as a leftfielder, despite being out for a little less than half of the season. He is recognized as both a consistent power hitter and a versatile defensive player. Mr. Trumbo still has many more seasons ahead of him and will continue to add value to any team through his slugging ability and based on his current trajectory is well on his way into the record books. Of all the players aforementioned, the average salary raise is $1,866,000. Mark Trumbo has shown he is more than deserving of a similar salary increase because his compensation request of $6,400,000 is justifiable, and serves as a discount in compensation to the Diamondbacks, since an increase of $1,866,000 would raise his salary to $6,666,000, far beyond the midpoint level of $5,900,000. For these reasons we ask the arbitration panel to find for Mark Trumbo

12 IX. Appendices Appendix A: Mark Trumbo Offensive Production G PA R H HR RBI AVG. SLG OPS Appendix B: Mark Trumbo Career Offensive Production (Rank in AL) 34 Season G PA R H HR RBI AVG. SLG OPS (10 th ) (4 th ) 100 (8 th ) Game Avg Appendix C: Career Average Comparison with Ryan Ludwick based on 162 Game Avg. Player G PA R H HR RBI AVG. SLG OPS Ludwick Trumbo Appendix D: Career Average Comparison with Carlos Quentin based on 162 Game Avg. Player G PA R H HR RBI AVG. SLG OPS Quentin Trumbo Appendix E: Career Average Comparison with Curtis Granderson based on 162 Game Avg. Player G PA R H HR RBI AVG. SLG OPS Granderson Trumbo