2014 National Baseball Arbitration Competition

Transcription

1 2014 National Baseball Arbitration Competition Eric Hosmer v. Kansas City Royals Submission on Behalf of Eric Hosmer Midpoint: $3.65 million Submission by: Team 26

2 Table of Contents I. Introduction and Request for Hearing Decision... 3 II. Quality of the Player s Contribution During the Past Season. 4 III. Length and Consistency of Career Contributions 6 IV. Comparative Baseball Salaries 7 V. Past Player Compensation.. 10 VI. Existence of Physical or Mental Defects VII. Recent Performance of the Club 11 VIII. Conclusion. 12 Table of Authorities Baseball Almanac, Baseball-Reference.com, ESPN, MLB.com, MLB Collective Bargaining Agreement Basic Agreement, Page 2 of 12

3 I. Introduction and Request for Hearing Decision This brief analyzes the assets and contributions of first baseman Eric Hosmer ( Hosmer ) to be reflected in his 2014 contract with the Kansas City Royals Baseball Club (the Club or the Royals ). The Major League Baseball ( MLB ) Collective Bargaining Agreement ( CBA ) between MLB Clubs and the MLB Players Association set the criteria to be considered in this arbitration hearing. 1 Under the CBA Article VI, Section E(10)(a)-(b), the criteria to be considered in this arbitration hearing include: (1) the quality of the Player s contribution to the 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 contribution; (3) the record of the Player s past compensation; (4) comparative baseball salaries; (5) the existence of any physical or mental defects; and (6) the recent performance record of the Club, including, but not limited to, its League standing and attendance as an indication of public acceptance. 2 The arbitration panel shall give particular attention, for comparative salary purposes, to the contracts of Players with Major League service not exceeding one annual service group above the Player s annual service group. 3 Evidence of the following shall not be admissible: (1) the financial position of the Player and the Club; (2) press comments or similar materials bearing on the performance of either the Player or the Club, except that recognized annual Player awards for playing excellence shall not be excluded; (3) offers made by either the Player or the Club prior to arbitration; (4) the cost to the parties of their representatives; and (5) salaries in other sports or occupations. 4 1 MLB Collective Bargaining Agreement Basic Agreement, Article VI(E) 10(a)-(b). pp at 10(a). 3 4 at 10(b). Page 3 of 12

4 Mr. Hosmer has reached years of MLB service, entitling him to file a request for first-year arbitration as a Super Two. 5 Mr. Hosmer s past success and future potential, as outlined in this brief and oral argument, establish that Mr. Hosmer is fairly entitled to a 2014 salary greater than the $3.65 million midpoint between his final offer and that of the Club. Mr. Hosmer respectfully requests that the arbitration panel find that he is entitled to a 2014 salary arbitration award of $4.0 million. II. Quality of the Player s Contribution to the Club in 2013 In his platform season of 2013, Mr. Hosmer served as the Kansas City Royals everyday first baseman, appearing in 159 games. 6 ERIC HOSMER 2013 STATISTICS 7 G AB R H 2B HR RBI BB AVG OBP SLG OPS Hosmer Team Rank 2 nd 2 nd 2 nd 1 st 1 st 2 nd T-3 rd 3 rd 1st 3 rd 1 st 1st Playing in nearly every game in 2013, Hosmer amassed impressive offensive statistics with 188 hits, thirty-four doubles, seventeen home runs, seventy-nine runs batted in, fifty-one walks, a batting average of.302, an on-base percentage of.353, a slugging percentage of.448, and an onbase percentage plus slugging of Mr. Hosmer s offensive contribution to the team is without question as he was among the team leaders in nearly every statistical category. Hosmer led the team in Batting Average, Hits, Doubles, Slugging Percentage, and OPS. 9 Also, he was second on the team in Games Played, Runs, and Home Runs. 10 Finally, he was third on the team in Walks 5 at 1(b). 6 Eric Hosmer Statistics and History, Baseball-Reference.com, MLB Sortable Batting Statistics, MLB.com, 10 Page 4 of 12

5 and On-Base Percentage, and tied for third on the team in Runs Batted In. 11 In addition to his significant offensive contributions, Hosmer provided a stalwart defensive presence, earning the 2013 American League Gold Glove at first base with a fielding percentage of.994 and a remarkable 122 assists. 12 In addition to his impressive rankings among Royals players in 2013, Mr. Hosmer s statistics rank him favorably among other first basemen across the American League and Major League Baseball as a whole. HOSMER RANKS- 1B 13 Among Qualifying 1 st Baseman G AB R H 2B 3B SB AVG 2013 AL Rank 1 st 2 nd 3 rd 1 st 4 th 1 st 1 st 1 st 2013 MLB Rank T-2 nd 2 nd 6 th 1 st T-8 th T-3 rd 2 nd 5 th Competing with the likes of Chris Davis, Albert Pujols, and Prince Fielder in the American League and Joey Votto, Paul Goldschmidt, and Allen Craig in the National League, Hosmer was among the league leaders in Games played at First Base, At Bats, Runs, Hits, Doubles, Triples, Stolen Bases, and Batting Average. Not only does Hosmer rank among the league s best first basemen generally, but his statistics from the seventh inning onward are even more impressive. HOSMER LATE INNING RANKS- 1B 14 Among MLB Qualifying 1 st R H 2B 3B RBI SB AVG OBP SLG OPS Baseman th inning or later T- 1 st T- T- 6 th 1 st 1 st 1 st 2 nd 1 st 7 th Late Inn / close games T- 4 th T- 1 st 1 st T- 7 th 3 rd T- 1 st T- 4 th 1 st 1 st 2 nd 4 th 2 nd From the seventh inning on, Eric Hosmer is at his best, performing at an even higher level in close games. In his platform year, Hosmer was one of the most reliable first basemen in Major League See supra note See supra note Page 5 of 12

6 Baseball with the most hits, highest batting average, and highest on-base percentage in the seventh inning or later. III. Length and Consistency of Career Contribution Drafted out of high school, Eric Hosmer was selected by the Kansas City Royals with the third pick of the first round in the 2008 MLB Amateur Draft. 15 Hosmer spent two full seasons progressing through the Royals minor league system before being called-up to the major league roster on May 5, He made his major league debut the following day against the Oakland Athletics. 17 Since his debut, Hosmer has exhibited himself as a reliable first baseman particularly in late inning, high pressure situations. During his rookie year, Hosmer finished third in American League Rookie of the Year Voting behind Jeremy Hellickson and Mark Trumbo. 18 Hosmer s career statistics show that his 2013 performance was not an aberration but an example of proven, dependable contribution. ERIC HOSMER CAREER STATISTICS 19 G AB R H 2B HR RBI BB AVG OBP SLG OPS Hosmer Team Rank 4 th 4 th 3 rd 3 rd 3 rd 3 rd 3 rd 3 rd 3 rd 3 rd 3 rd 3 rd Over nearly three seasons of MLB service, Hosmer has appeared in 439 games with 1,681 at bats, 217 runs, 465 hits, eighty-three doubles, fifty home runs, 217 runs batted in, 141 walks, a batting average of.277, an on-base percentage of.332, a slugging percentage of.425, and an OPS of In his first three seasons of major league service, Mr. Hosmer has proven himself to be 15 See supra note Baseball Awards Voting for 2011, Baseball-Reference.com, 19 See supra note Page 6 of 12

7 one of the best all-around offensive contributors in the Royals organization. He ranks in the top three among Royals players over the 2011, 2012, and 2013 seasons in nearly every statistical category. IV. Comparative Baseball Salaries For purposes of determining Hosmer s value to the Royals for the upcoming 2014 season, a useful resource is the comparison between Hosmer s platform 2013 season and aggregate career numbers with those of other first basemen in recent years. For such an evaluation, the best players to statistically compare to Hosmer are Ike Davis of the New York Mets and Chris Davis of the Baltimore Orioles. These two comparisons suggest that Hosmer s value to the Royals is above the $3.65 million midpoint and, as such, this panel should decide in favor of his $4.0 million offer. a. Ike Davis- 1B ($3.125 million in 2013) Comparing Hosmer to Ike Davis establishes Hosmer s worth at a value above the $3.65 million midpoint. For the 2013 season, Ike Davis received a one-year deal worth $3.125 million. 21 Although this value is slightly below the midpoint in Hosmer s case, the statistics show that Hosmer is truly an exceptional player and deserves compensation well in excess of that received by Ike Davis. STAT COMPARISON- HOSMER 22 vs. IKE DAVIS 23 G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB AVG OBP SLG OPS H D Difference H - Career D - Career Difference Ike Davis Statistics and History, Baseball-Reference.com, 22 See supra note See supra note 21. Page 7 of 12

8 When placed side-by-side, the statistical comparison weighs heavily in favor of Eric Hosmer, both in the relevant platform seasons and in career achievement. Like Hosmer, Ike Davis also qualified for first-time arbitration by being a Super Two. 24 In terms of MLB service time, Ike Davis actually had more time in the major leagues with years in comparison to Hosmer s years. Despite spending less time on a major league roster, Hosmer s career achievement dwarfs that of Ike Davis. Hosmer has appeared in 100 more games with 510 more at bats than Mr. Davis. In addition, Mr. Hosmer has 170 more hits, sixteen more doubles, six more triples, thirty-one more runs batted in. Furthermore, Mr. Hosmer has an advantage in career batting average by twentyfive points. LATE INNING STAT COMPARISON- HOSMER vs. IKE DAVIS 25 R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB AVG OBP SLG OPS Late Inn / close game H platform year D Difference Late Inn / close game H career D Difference As mentioned previously, Eric Hosmer s true value comes from his reliable contribution in late innings of close games. It is clear from the above table that during tense situations late in games, Hosmer outperformed Ike Davis significantly both during their platform years and their careers as a whole. Based on their platform seasons and career numbers, it is clear that Eric Hosmer s contribution to the Royals is more significant than Ike Davis contribution to the Mets. As such, Hosmer deserves a salary for the 2014 season well in excess of Ike Davis 2013 salary See supra note 7. Page 8 of 12

9 b. Chris Davis- 1B ($3.3 million in 2013) Like the comparison to Ike Davis, the comparison between Hosmer and Chris Davis provides further proof that Eric Hosmer is more valuable than the $3.65 million midpoint. For the 2013 season, Chris Davis received a one-year deal worth $3.3 million. 26 Again, although this value is slightly below that of the established midpoint between Eric Hosmer s final offer and that of the Royals, Hosmer s statistics in both his platform year and his career as a whole compare favorably to those of Chris Davis in a wide variety of categories. As such, Hosmer deserves compensation above that received by Davis in STAT COMPARISON- HOSMER 27 vs. CHRIS DAVIS 28 G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB AVG OBP SLG OPS H D Difference H - Career D - Career Difference By comparison, the platform seasons of Eric Hosmer and Chris Davis weigh in Hosmer s favor in most categories, both offensively and defensively. Hosmer played in more games, scored more runs, had more hits, doubles, and walks, hit for a higher average, and had a better on-base percentage. Additionally, despite Hosmer playing more defensive innings than Davis, they committed the same number of errors, giving Hosmer a much better fielding percentage, earning him the American League Gold Glove at first base. 29 The career numbers of Hosmer and Davis are similarly indicative of Hosmer s incredible value to the Royals. Despite Chris Davis having an advantage in MLB service time with Chris Davis Statistics and History, Baseball-Reference.com, 27 See supra note See supra note Page 9 of 12

10 compared to Hosmer s 2.146, the two players had appeared in nearly the same number of games. Also, despite having appeared in nearly the same number of games, Hosmer has an advantage in runs, hits, doubles, triples, walks, batting average, and on-base percentage. Furthermore, Hosmer again shows a better career fielding percentage than Davis proving that he is not only an essential member of the Royals roster at the plate, but also in the field. 30 LATE INNING STAT COMPARISON- HOSMER vs. CHRIS DAVIS 31 R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB AVG OBP SLG OPS Late Inn / close game H platform year D Difference Late Inn / close game H career D Difference The prominent stage provided by plate appearances during the late innings of close games is where Hosmer has truly put himself in a class above Davis. In both their platform seasons and their full careers, Hosmer has outshined Davis not only in hitting for a better average and getting on-base more, but also providing better power hitting, an area in which Davis is renowned. Based on these numerous statistical comparisons, Eric Hosmer is a more valuable player than Chris Davis, and therefore deserves to be compensated accordingly. V. Past Player Compensation During his time in the major leagues, Mr. Hosmer has been compensated at or near the league minimum salary each year. TABLE: Past Salaries 32 Team Year Salary Kansas City Royals 2011 $414, Kansas City Royals 2012 $502, Kansas City Royals 2013 $528, See supra note Eric Hosmer Stats, Baseball Almanac, Page 10 of 12

11 In each of the past three seasons, Mr. Hosmer has demonstrated himself to be an integral part of the Royals organization. He has performed well both offensively and defensively, proving himself to be a reliable everyday player and a Gold Glove-quality defensive first baseman. He has shown great potential and progress throughout his major league career, and he deserves to be compensated with a salary commensurate with his production and accolades. VI. Existence of Physical or Mental Defects Mr. Hosmer has no history of physical injury or mental defects that would justify his devaluation in this arbitration hearing. In 2010, Hosmer underwent laser eye surgery to improve his vision, and he performed substantially better following this surgery. 33 During nearly three full seasons on the Kansas City Royals major league roster, Mr. Hosmer has never appeared on the disabled list. In fact, Mr. Hosmer has exhibited himself as somewhat of an iron man by today s standards. Since his call-up on May 5, 2011, Mr. Hosmer has started in more than 92.5% and appeared in 95% of Kansas City s games. 34 VII. Recent Performance of the Club In 2013, the Royals finished the season with a record of 86 wins and 76 losses, the team s best record since This record left them a mere five games out of the American League Wild Card Playoff Game. 36 Although baseball is a team sport, the fourteen game improvement over the team s 2012 record shows that Mr. Hosmer s offensive and defensive contribution are a driving force in the team s success. The Kansas City Royals strategy is built on pitching, defense, and players who are able to hit for a high average and are good situational hitters. The team s Eye Surgery helps Hosmer s rebound in 10, MLB.com, 34 See supra note Kansas City Royals Year-By-Year Results, MLB.com, 36 MLB Wild Card Standings 2013, ESPN.com, Page 11 of 12

12 slugging percentage during the 2013 season indicates that the Royals are not a power hitting team and rely on players like Mr. Hosmer who regularly get on base. Hosmer is committed to working tirelessly to continue his professional development while helping the Royals achieve their ultimate goal of winning a World Series. In the upcoming season, Mr. Hosmer s contribution will continue to be essential to the team s steady improvement as they strive to make their first playoff appearance in nearly thirty years. VIII. Conclusion Throughout his nearly three years on the Kansas City Royals roster, Eric Hosmer has proven himself to be one of their best hopes for future success. At only twenty-four years old he has already established himself as one of the club s best players both offensively and defensively. Having never gone on the disabled list, his durability gives the Royals the reliability of an everyday first baseman. His platform year and career statistics show that not only can he play a remarkable number of games per year, but he also performs at a very high level during those games. Following an outstanding 2013 season that put him in truly elite company amongst MLB players, Hosmer is ready to lead the Royals back to the playoffs for years to come. Based on the evidence outlined in this brief and oral argument, Mr. Hosmer respectfully requests that the panel grant his arbitration request for a salary of $4.0 million for the 2014 season. Page 12 of 12